Beyond Sight: The Role of Kinesthetic Feedback in Redirected Walking within Virtual Reality

In this paper, we present a method and a device designed to enhance the spatial efficiency of redirected walking (RDW) within virtual reality (VR). RDW is a VR technique that allows users to navigate larger virtual environments than the physical space permits by subtly altering their visual perception. The central challenge addressed is the alignment of haptic and visual perceptions of virtual objects, ensuring that both provide a unified experience, even if they deviate from the actual environment. By employing active kinesthetic feedback, our device seeks to bring the haptic perception of a virtual wall in harmony with its altered visual representation. We also introduce a novel algorithm that precisely gauges the position between a user's hand and the virtual wall, providing consistent kinesthetic feedback. This research underscores the potential advantages and challenges of synchronizing manipulated visual and kinesthetic perceptions in VR contexts.