Words have Weight : Comparing the use of pressure and weight as a metaphor in a User Interface in Virtual Reality

Overview & Synopsis

This work investigates how weight and pressure can function as haptic metaphors to support user interface notifications in Virtual Reality (VR). While prior research has explored ungrounded weight simulation and pneumatic feedback, their combined role in conveying information through UI elements remains underexplored. We developed a wearable haptic device that transfers liquid and air into flexible containers mounted on the back of the user’s hand, allowing us to independently manipulate weight and pressure. Through an initial evaluation using three conditions—no feedback, weight only, and weight combined with pressure—we examined how these signals affect perceived heaviness, coherence with visual cues, and the perceived urgency of notifications. Our results validate that pressure amplifies the perception of weight, but this increased heaviness does not translate into higher perceived urgency. These findings suggest that while pressure‑enhanced weight can enrich haptic rendering of UI elements in VR, its contribution to communicating urgency may require further investigation, alternative pressure profiles, or different types of notifications.