Perceptual completion in vibrotactile sensation(Multi-sensory research-present and future-,Forum)

Abstract

We can perceive the continuity of an object or event by integrating spatially/temporally discrete sensory inputs. The mechanism underlining this perception of continuity has intrigued many researchers and has been well documented in the visual and auditory modalities. Recently we reported that an illusion of continuity also occurs in the vibrotactile sensation. When brief temporal gaps inserted in a vibrotactile target are filled with vibrotactile noise, the target vibration is perceived to continue through the noise, if the target vibration is sufficiently weak relative to the noise. The illusory continuity of the vibration cannot be distinguished from the physically continuous vibration. The results suggest that the continuity illusion is common to multiple sensory modalities and that it reflects a general fundamental principle of our perception.