Samavati, FaramarzChan, SonnyKhosravi, Hooman2021-08-092021-08-092021-07-29Khosravi, H. (2021). Simulating Mass in Virtual Reality using Vibration Feedback (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/113720Virtual reality allows for highly immersive simulated experiences and interaction with virtual objects. However, virtual objects do not have real masses. Providing the sense of mass for virtual objects using un-grounded haptic interfaces has proven to be a complicated task in virtual reality. This thesis proposes using a physically-based virtual hand and a complementary vibrotactile effect on the index fingertip to give the sensation of mass to objects in virtual reality. The vibrotactile feedback is proportional to the balanced forces acting on the virtual object and is modulated based on the object's velocity. For evaluating this method, we set an experiment in a virtual environment where participants wear a VR headset and attempt to pick up and move different virtual objects using a virtual physically-based hand while a voice-coil actuator attached to their index fingertip provides the vibrotactile feedback. Our experiments indicate that the virtual hand and our vibration effect give the ability to discriminate and perceive the mass of virtual objects.University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Virtual RealityHapticHuman Computer InteractionComputer Sciencemaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/39082