About this Research Topic
Over the last few decades, virtual reality (VR) has become accepted as a valid experimental tool in studies of human perceptual motor control. Nowadays, researchers benefit from a variety of VR devices including head-mounted display, room-sized multi-wall system (CAVE), sensory video game, and various options of peripheral equipment. These devices have allowed us to address traditional research areas such as postural control and skill acquisition, while also raising new topics of interest such as VR training/therapy and human-VR interaction. In fact, an increasing number of studies have yielded new and insightful findings by using simulated virtual environments to examine fundamental limb movements, daily actions, sporting activities, and rehabilitation exercises. However, it remains unclear to what extent the findings reflect natural motor control in the real world, or physical reality (PR).
In immersive VR, the user’s body is exposed to a physically natural (gravity, air resistance), but optically artificial (depth information, field of view), and psychologically modified (sense of presence, perceptual distortion, visual illusion) environment. Besides, the graphical quality of visual stimuli (simple texture, polygon rendering, photo real) presented to the users may be part of the problem. How does the central nervous system control bodily movement in the realistic but unnatural environment of VR? What is the implication for neuromotor function in PR? How does sensorimotor performance change in VR? Is it comparable to PR?
The goal of the Research Topic is to provide scientific insights into these questions. To this end, this topic aims to provide an update on recent findings related to perceptual motor control in any kind of VR setting; with the expectation of fruitful discussions on the relationship with PR. It will be important to deal with both positive and negative effects induced by VR in skill learning, exercise training, and motor rehabilitation.
Contributions related to the goal of the Research Topic are widely invited. Possible approaches include, but are not limited to, movement consistency/inconsistency between VR and PR, skill transfer from VR to PR, training effect of VR, and performance in physically impossible VR. Examples of potential topics are as follows:
- Visuomotor control in VR space that simulates PR
- Skill acquisition in VR and skill transfer to PR in sport activity, instrument playing, or other expertise and expert performance
- Short-term or long-term effect of rehabilitation training and clinical therapy developed using VR
- Control of posture, kinematics of locomotion, and other whole-body activities in VR
- Visually guided reaching, intercepting, avoiding, and other limb movements in VR
- Motor behaviors in physically impossible VR that cannot be realized in PR
In immersive VR, the user’s body is exposed to a physically natural (gravity, air resistance), but optically artificial (depth information, field of view), and psychologically modified (sense of presence, perceptual distortion, visual illusion) environment. Besides, the graphical quality of visual stimuli (simple texture, polygon rendering, photo real) presented to the users may be part of the problem. How does the central nervous system control bodily movement in the realistic but unnatural environment of VR? What is the implication for neuromotor function in PR? How does sensorimotor performance change in VR? Is it comparable to PR?
The goal of the Research Topic is to provide scientific insights into these questions. To this end, this topic aims to provide an update on recent findings related to perceptual motor control in any kind of VR setting; with the expectation of fruitful discussions on the relationship with PR. It will be important to deal with both positive and negative effects induced by VR in skill learning, exercise training, and motor rehabilitation.
Contributions related to the goal of the Research Topic are widely invited. Possible approaches include, but are not limited to, movement consistency/inconsistency between VR and PR, skill transfer from VR to PR, training effect of VR, and performance in physically impossible VR. Examples of potential topics are as follows:
- Visuomotor control in VR space that simulates PR
- Skill acquisition in VR and skill transfer to PR in sport activity, instrument playing, or other expertise and expert performance
- Short-term or long-term effect of rehabilitation training and clinical therapy developed using VR
- Control of posture, kinematics of locomotion, and other whole-body activities in VR
- Visually guided reaching, intercepting, avoiding, and other limb movements in VR
- Motor behaviors in physically impossible VR that cannot be realized in PR
Keywords: Virtual Reality, Physical Reality, Visuomotor Control, Perception-Action Coupling, Three-Dimensional Display, Immersion and Interaction, Sense of Presence, Perceptual Distortion
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
