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Partial Arm Weight Support Does Not Hamper the Weight Perception of Haptically-Rendered Virtual Objects: A
IEEE Transactions on Haptics
|April 3, 2026
Summary
Upper-limb exoskeletons provide arm weight support (AWS) to aid rehabilitation. This study found that partial AWS does not hinder the perception of virtual object weight during lifting tasks, suggesting potential for enhanced training.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Upper-limb exoskeletons offer arm weight support (AWS), reducing fatigue and expanding movement workspace for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI).
- Haptic rendering in exoskeletons can simulate virtual object interactions, enabling task-specific training.
- The impact of AWS on somatosensory perception, specifically weight perception of haptically rendered objects, remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of partial arm weight support (AWS) on the perception of virtual object weight during dynamic lifting tasks.
- To determine if AWS influences the just-noticeable difference (JND) in weight perception.
- To explore the relationship between subjective user experience and weight perception.
Main Methods:
- A psychophysics experiment was conducted with 40 participants using an upper-limb exoskeleton with haptic feedback.
- Participants performed dynamic lifting tasks with and without 50% partial AWS, perceiving haptically rendered virtual objects in immersive virtual reality.
- Weight perception was quantified using just-noticeable differences (JNDs), with analysis of estimated elbow torques and subjective user feedback.
Main Results:
- Partial arm weight support (AWS) significantly reduced elbow load during dynamic lifting compared to no AWS.
- No significant difference was found in the just-noticeable difference (JND) for weight perception between the AWS and no-AWS conditions.
- Enhanced weight perception was associated with a greater self-reported sense of movement control and closer robot tracking.
Conclusions:
- Partial arm weight support (AWS) in upper-limb exoskeletons can reduce physical load without compromising the perception of virtual object weight.
- Exoskeletons combining AWS and haptic rendering present a promising approach for effective, task-specific rehabilitation training.
- User-centric factors, such as sense of control, may play a role in optimizing weight perception during exoskeleton-assisted tasks.
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