Location-based electrotactile feedback localizes hitting point in virtual-reality table tennis game.

ABSTRACT

Learning new motor skills is often challenged by sensory mismatches. For reliable sensory information, people have actively employed sensory intervention methods. Visual assistance is the most popular method to provide sensory information, which is equivalent to the knowledge of performance (KP) in motor tasks. However, its efficacy is questionable because of visual-proprioceptive mismatch as well as heavy intrinsic visual and cognitive engagement in motor tasks. Electrotactile intervention is a promising technique to address the current limitations, as it provides KP using tactile feedback that has a close neurophysiological association with proprioception. To test its efficacy, we compared the effects of visual and electrotactile assistance on hitting point localization of the table-tennis racket during virtual-reality table-tennis game. Experimental results suggest that location-based electrotactile feedback outperforms visual assistance in localizing the hitting point on a table-tennis racket during virtual-reality table-tennis game. Our study showed the potential of electrotactile intervention for improving the efficacy of new motor skill training.