An electromyogram-based tapping gesture model with differentiated vibration feedback by low-fidelity actuators

Among other aspects like attention and focus, the effectiveness of actions, such as training in percussion, also relies on the correct gesture and strength of the individual carrying out the activity repetitively to develop proper muscle memory and train motor skills. To make this process economical and efficient, we propose a system that models the feature of direction and strength of a tap and receives the corresponding active haptic feedback in an immersive virtual environment. We propose a novel tapping gesture model that takes electromyogram and vibration feedback into consideration. We also propose an approach of designing vibration modes that follow the mechanical stimulation principles and generate distinguishable vibration feedback with low-fidelity actuators. We developed a prototype using myoelectric and haptic apparatus (Myo armband and HTC VIVE controllers) and evaluated our system by conducting a user study with 50 participants. The evaluation shows that the users can distinguish three common materials (wood, rubber, and aluminum), and our system allows them to actively adjust their direction and strength to grasp the correct point while tapping. We demonstrate the efficacy of our tapping model on a virtual Chinese chimes application and observe positive feedback from both novices and expert users.