Using Sound to Simulate Tactile Cues: AI-Generated Audio and Pseudo-Haptics in Medical Simulation

Immersive virtual learning environments (iVLEs) are increasingly used in medical, yet psychomotor skill development within these platforms remains constrained by limited access to high-fidelity haptic technologies. Pseudo-haptics, which uses non-tactile sensory cues to influence tactile perception, offers an alternative, though existing work has focused largely on visual modalities. This editorial examines the role of auditory feedback in procedural medicine and explores AI-generated audio as a complementary pseudo-haptic channel in iVLEs for medical training. Drawing on drilling-based procedures such as intraosseous access, we discuss how audio-tactile interactions influence procedural control and safety. An experimental approach is proposed to evaluate how adaptive AI-generated audio could reinforce tactile perception in iVLEs without reliance on physical haptic hardware. AI-generated audio may provide a scalable and accessible pseudo-haptic strategy for enhancing sensory realism and supporting psychomotor training in iVLEs for medical training.