Title
Multiple Fingers - One Gestalt.
Abstract
The Gestalt theory of perception offered principles by which distributed visual sensations are combined into a structured experience (“Gestalt”). We demonstrate conditions whereby haptic sensations at two fingertips are integrated in the perception of a single object. When virtual bumps were presented simultaneously to the right hand's thumb and index finger during lateral arm movements, participants reported perceiving a single bump. A discrimination task measured the bump's perceived location and perceptual reliability (assessed by differential thresholds) for four finger configurations, which varied in their adherence to the Gestalt principles of proximity (small versus large finger separation) and synchrony (virtual spring to link movements of the two fingers versus no spring). According to models of integration, reliability should increase with the degree to which multi-finger cues integrate into a unified percept. Differential thresholds were smaller in the virtual-spring condition (synchrony) than when fingers were unlinked. Additionally, in the condition with reduced synchrony, greater proximity led to lower differential thresholds. Thus, with greater adherence to Gestalt principles, thresholds approached values predicted for optimal integration. We conclude that the Gestalt principles of synchrony and proximity apply to haptic perception of surface properties and that these principles can interact to promote multi-finger integration.
Year
DOI
Venue
2016
10.1109/TOH.2016.2524000
IEEE Trans. Haptics
Keywords
Field
DocType
Thumb,Reliability,Haptic interfaces,Visualization,Maximum likelihood estimation,Electronic mail
Touch Perception,Computer vision,Index finger,Haptic perception,Computer science,Gestalt psychology,Artificial intelligence,Psychophysics,Perception,Haptic technology,Percept
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
9
2
1939-1412
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
0
0.34
10
Authors
6
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Alexandra Lezkan182.04
Steven G. Manuel231.12
J. Edward Colgate31268202.92
Roberta L. Klatzky4827160.45
Michael A. Peshkin5812104.61
Knut Drewing67215.46