The role of haptic feedback in acquiring, retaining, and transferring basic technical skills in VR simulators

Abstract As virtual reality (VR) simulators become increasingly central to technical training, realistic haptic feedback is often assumed to enhance user experience, skill acquisition, and transfer to real-world tasks. This study investigates the impact of haptic feedback on basic technical motor skill training in VR, focusing on early-stage skills involving bimanual coordination, fine motor control, and precise tool-mediated object placement under visual and temporal constraints, with limited force modulation requirements. An immersive simulator implementing a bimanual “Ring Transfer” task was developed, requiring participants to precisely grasp and transfer small objects using two tools under visual guidance and timing constraints, with minimal force modulation. A closely matched physical setup replicating workspace dimensions, tool geometry, and interaction mechanics was used to assess skill transfer. Twenty-four novice participants were assigned to three groups: haptic (HC), no-haptic (NC), and control (CC), consistent with an a priori power analysis. The HC and NC groups completed nine training sessions over two weeks, followed by post-test and delayed retention evaluations conducted one week later. Performance was measured using task completion time and error rate, and user experience was assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and a validated Presence Questionnaire. Results show that the NC group initially outperformed the HC group, likely due to increased cognitive and sensorimotor demands associated with adapting to force feedback. However, the latter demonstrated greater performance improvement over time. Both groups reported high usability, while the HC group reported significantly higher scores on the haptics dimension of the Presence Questionnaire. In the physical post-test, both trained groups significantly outperformed the control group, confirming effective transfer from VR to real-world performance. However, no significant difference was found between the HC and NC groups, indicating that the increased perceived realism associated with haptic feedback did not translate into measurable performance gains for this task. These findings highlight a task-dependent role of haptic feedback. In this study, basic tasks are characterized by a predominant reliance on visual guidance and spatial precision, with limited requirements for force control or tactile discrimination. For such tasks, visual information alone may be sufficient to support skill transfer. This suggests that the benefits of haptics in VR training depend on task demands, particularly the extent to which force control and tactile cues are required, whereas tasks involving significant force modulation or interaction with deformable objects may benefit more from haptic feedback.