Wearable tactile display of roughness and softness for virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation

Currently, virtual reality (VR)-based serious games for cognitive rehabilitation of Mild Cognitive Impairment rely solely on visual and auditory stimuli, neglecting the sense of touch, despite its crucial role in cognitive processes. To address this limitation, we are developing a compact, user-friendly, and cost-effective haptic technology, along with a novel approach to VR-based cognitive rehabilitation, which, for the first time, incorporate the stimulation also of the sense of touch. Our technology features innovative wearable tactile displays that generate tactile feedback on the user’s fingertips, enabling realistic interactions with virtual objects during visuo-tactile tasks in VR. The combination of tactile perception and vision enhances immersion, making the experience more natural and engaging. In the long term, this approach could lead to new rehabilitation strategies that not only improve user engagement and adherence to therapy, but may also enhance cognitive function, learning, and brain reserve, by stimulating cognitive areas affected by aging. Previously, we demonstrated how this technology can render object softness; here, we present ongoing advancements aimed at simulating also surface roughness. We present preliminary psychophysical tests evaluating perceptual performance in healthy participants.