Exploring the Affective Potential of Vibrotactile Feedback in Extended Reality

Abstract

Vibrotactile stimulation delivered through haptic gloves may modulate affective responses beyond functional interaction. Although affective touch has classically been associated with C-tactile afferents in hairy skin, glabrous skin can also elicit hedonic responses through higher-order processing. We examined whether vibrotactile stimulation applied to the glabrous skin via haptic gloves evokes distinguishable subjective responses in terms of valence, arousal, and state anxiety, as a function of intensity, duration, and anatomical location (N=12, within-subjects). Low-intensity, short-duration stimuli elicited the most positive affective profiles, whereas high-intensity, long-duration stimuli produced negative valence and residual tingling, suggesting sensory fatigue. The wrist demonstrated greater tolerance to prolonged vibration than the fingers. These findings provide preliminary evidence that parametric vibrotactile stimulation can modulate perceptual and affective responses, with implications for haptic interface design in Extended Reality applications.