Reproducing Realistic Haptic Feedback Using Sensory Equivalent Vibration Conversion in Commercial VR Devices

Reproducing realistic vibrohaptic sensations in virtual reality (VR) remains challenging due to the limitations of consumer-grade actuators and SDKs. This study proposes a perceptually grounded framework that enables the presentation of realistic vibration sensations using standard VR devices, specifically the Meta Quest 3. In the case of high-frequency signals, we apply intensity segment modulation (ISM), which converts signals such as speech and recorded vibrations into amplitude modulation waveforms that maintain the perceived intensity, based on a psychophysical model of haptic intensity. By experimentally mapping the relationship between SDK parameters and the actual vibration characteristics (frequency and amplitude), we enabled accurate control of vibration strength. Furthermore, the results of the vibration measurements confirmed that the high-frequency vibration of the intended amplitude envelope could be reproduced. For low-frequency sensations, we applied a pulse-based proxy method by utilizing short-duration pulse inputs. By leveraging specific SDK functionality, we were able to reproduce single-cycle pulse vibrations, and confirmed through physical measurements that the resulting actuator response generated residual vibrations consistent with the intended low-frequency haptic impressions. In addition to physical measurements, we conducted user studies to evaluate the perceptual quality of the reproduced vibrations. For high-frequency stimuli, we compared ISM-based vibrations delivered by the VR controller with those from a high-fidelity actuator and found that the perceptual impressions were comparable. For low-frequency stimuli, participants evaluated proxy vibrations based on pulse input, and results indicated that the perceived differences from the original vibrations were small when appropriate pulse frequencies were used. These findings demonstrate that perceptually realistic haptic feedback across a broad frequency range can be achieved using perceptually motivated signal transformation methods and commercial VR hardware, without the need for specialized actuators.