Abstract
This study explored the impact of physically touching a virtual object on how realistic the VE seems to the user. Subjects in a `no touch' group picked up a 3-D virtual image of a kitchen plate in a VE, using a traditional 3-D wand. `See and touch' subjects physically picked up a virtual plate possessing solidity and weight, using a mixed-reality force feedback technique. Afterwards, subjects made predictions about the properties of other virtual objects they saw but did not interact with in the VE. `See and touch' subjects predicted these objects would be more solid, heavier, and more likely to obey gravity than the `no touch' group. Results provide converging evidence for the value of adding physical qualities to virtual objects. This study is the first to empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of mixed reality as a simple, safe, inexpensive technique for adding physical texture and force feedback cues to virtual objects with large freedom of motion. Examples of practical applications are discussed.