<p>Presently, it is possible to use virtual learning environments for simulating abstract and/or complex scientific concepts. Multimodal Virtual Learning Environments use multiple sensory stimuli, including haptic feedback, in the representation of concepts. Past research</p> <p>on the utilization of haptics for learning has shown inconsistent results when gains in conceptual knowledge had been assessed. This research focused on two abstract phenomena</p> <p>Electricity and Magnetism and Buoyancy. These abstract concepts were experienced by students using either visual, visuo-haptic, or hands-on learning activities. Embodied</p> <p>Cognition Theory was used as a for the implementation of the learning environments. Both phenomena were assessed using qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques.</p> <p>Results suggested that haptic, visual, and physical modalities affected positively the acquisition of conceptual knowledge of both concepts.</p>

<p>Recently, exploration to develop creative and technology-centered learning techniques have become popular. Researchers work on non-traditional tools to help students understand abstract concepts and reduce misconceptions in physics education. Studies have been performed to explore the influence computer simulations can make on learning as compared to the traditional methods. Simulations with dynamic moving images which engage visual senses have helped improve learning, while haptic channels are unexplored in comparison tactile senses are crucial in the case of embodied cognitive learning.</p><p><br></p><p>This thesis takes an opportunity to explore the research area of haptic technology combined with visual simulation. It tests the efficiency of the learning environment developed as a part of this thesis called the Visuo-Haptic Pulley Simulation (ViHaPS) in learning concepts of when compared to traditional learning tools. ViHaPS consists of six different scenarios and is designed to address common misconceptions of pulleys and has two different modes - minimal visual cues and added visual cues. Undergraduate students enrolled at Purdue University participated in this research. They were formed into two groups - an experimental group (ViHaPS) and control group (physical manipulatives) and were compared for learning gains.</p><p> </p><p><br></p><p>Results indicate that ViHaPS is useful in learning concepts of pulleys; however, the results are not significant in comparison to the real experimentation with pulleys.</p>

La perception de la verticale repose sur l’intégration des informations vestibulaires, visuelles et somesthésiques. Elle est généralement étudiée dans la modalité visuelle (VVS) ou haptique (VHS) et plus rarement dans la modalité visuo-haptique (VVHS). Cette modalité pose la question de l’intégration des informations mises en jeu par ces deux modalités dans la perception multimodale et du modèle cognitif sous-jacent. Se pose également la question de l'effet des lésions cérébrales perturbant la perception spatiale (hémi-négligence) dans la perception de la verticale.Une comparaison des VVS, VHS et VVHS est réalisée dans les quatre premières études de cette thèse, chez des participants sains jeunes et plus âgés et chez des patients cérébro-lésés droits avecou sans troubles visuo-spatiaux. Les performances observées sont proches de la verticale gravitaire chez les participants sains pour les VVS et VVHS. La VHS (avec la main droite) est déviée, dans le sens horaire chez les jeunes participants et anti-horaire pour les participants plus âgés. La présence d’un cadre visuel perturbe les VVS et VVHS chez les participants dépendants à l'égard du champ.Les patients cérébro-lésés droits présentent une déviation anti-horaire des trois verticales, plus marquée pour la VHS. Les VVHS mesurées sont correctement prédites, dans toutes les conditions,par la somme des VVS et VHS pondérées par leurs précisions relatives. La variance de la VVHS est moindre que les variances des VVS et VHS. La VHS, systématiquement déviée dans ces quatre premières études, fait l’objet d’une évaluation détaillée dans les deux dernières études de cette thèse. Les résultats montrent que la VHS est déviée dans le sens horaire avec la main droite, dans le sens anti-horaire avec la main gauche chez les participants sains jeunes ; les déviations s’inversent avec l’âge. Par ailleurs, les performances sont systématiquement déviées dans le sens des positions initiales. Considérés ensemble, ces résultats montrent que la perception de la verticale implique les informations mises en jeu par les modalités visuelle et haptique mais avec une prépondérance de la première. Ce travail de thèse montre ainsi que la perception de la verticale subjective repose sur une intégration multimodale pondérée des informations sensorielles en accord avec le modèle statistique bayésien du maximum de vraisemblance. Ce mode d'intégration multi-sensorielle n'est pas altéré par l’âge ou la présence de lésions cérébrales affectant la perception visuo-spatiale. Plusieurs pistes restent à explorer, notamment, le poids de la contribution des informations vestibulaires dans la verticale subjective. / The perception of the vertical direction is achieved through vestibular, visual and somatosensory information integration. It is studied in the visual (SVV), haptic (SHV) and less often in the visuo-haptic modality (SVHV). The latter raises the question of the integration of visual the information involved in the visual and haptic modalities and of the cognitive model underlying this integration. SVV, SHV and SVHV were compared in the first four studies of this thesis, inhealthy young and older subjects and in right-brain damaged patients with or without visuo-spatial disorders. Performances were closed to the gravity in healthy participants, for SVV as well as forSVHV. VHS, assessed with the right hand, was tilted clockwise in young participants and anticlockwise in older participants. The presence of a visual frame disrupted SVV and SVHV. The right-brain damaged patients had an anti-clockwise deviation of SVV and SVHV and the SHV was even more tilted. SVHV was well predicted from the sum of the SVV and SHV weighted by their relative variances in all conditions and the SVHV variances were lesser. SHV was evaluated in detail in the two last studies of this thesis because of the systematic tilt in the first four studies. The results show that the SHV is tilted clockwise with the right hand and anti-clockwise with the left hand in young healthy subjects. Moreover, deviations reversed in older group and performances are systematically tilted toward the initial positions in the two groups. Taken together, these results show that the way participants integrate visual and haptic information fits the maximum like lihoodmodel with a greater weighting of information available in visual modality and that ageing and right-brain lesions does not alter the multisensory integration. The weight of vestibular information in the subjective vertical, which has not been evaluated per se in this thesis, needs further investigations.

Virtual surgery planning systems have demonstrated great potential to help surgeons achieve a better functional and aesthetic outcome for the patient, and at the same time reduce time in the operating room resulting in considerable cost savings. However, the two-dimensional tools employed in these systems today, such as a mouse and a conventional graphical display, are difficult to use for interaction with three-dimensional anatomical images. Therefore surgeons often outsource virtual planning which increases cost and lead time to surgery. Haptics relates to the sense of touch and haptic technology encompasses algorithms, software, and hardware designed to engage the sense of touch. To demonstrate how haptic technology in combination with stereo visualization can make cranio-maxillofacial surgery planning more efficient and easier to use, we describe our haptics-assisted surgery planning (HASP) system. HASP supports in-house virtual planning of reconstructions in complex trauma cases, and reconstructions with a fibula osteocutaneous free flap including bone, vessels, and soft-tissue in oncology cases. An integrated stable six degrees-of-freedom haptic attraction force model, snap-to-fit, supports semi-automatic alignment of virtual bone fragments in trauma cases. HASP has potential beyond this thesis as a teaching tool and also as a development platform for future research. In addition to HASP, we describe a surgical bone saw simulator with a novel hybrid haptic interface that combines kinesthetic and vibrotactile feedback to display both low frequency contact forces and realistic high frequency vibrations when a virtual saw blade comes in contact with a virtual bone model.  We also show that visuo-haptic co-location shortens the completion time, but does not improve the accuracy, in interaction tasks performed on two different visuo-haptic displays: one based on a holographic optical element and one based on a half-transparent mirror.  Finally, we describe two prototype hand-worn haptic interfaces that potentially may expand the interaction capabilities of the HASP system. In particular we evaluate two different types of piezo-electric motors, one walking quasi-static motor and one traveling-wave ultrasonic motor for actuating the interfaces.

<p>  </p> <p>In order to comprehend complex and abstract phenomena, students must partake in the process of learning by integrating complex and invisible components without ever physically encountering or manipulating such components. Prior knowledge and experiences will influence the way students assimilate and model new experiences and knowledge. If prior knowledge possesses a degree of non-normative conceptions, students' understanding of abstract phenomena may diverge dramatically from accepted scientific explanations. Embodied cognition proposes that learning about natural phenomena can develop from information gained via interactions between the body and the physical environment. Multimodal experiences can shape students' conceptual understanding of abstract phenomena.</p> <p>Incorporating technology tools to explore science concepts is a trend utilized to give high-quality education. The use of physical and virtual manipulation tools in science instruction has favored the improvement of modeling science phenomena in general. Visuohaptic simulations are also learning manipulatives that blend physical and virtual manipulation affordances as a unison experience. </p> <p>The current dissertation proposed the implementation of a learning experience where students engage in experimentation with a visuo-haptic simulation to explore and model reaction forces on truss structures. The study examined undergraduate students’ conceptual understanding, graphical representations, and the modeling refinement process of reaction forces on truss structures before, during, and after engaging with visuo-haptic simulation on truss structures using different modalities. A design-based research methodology was implemented to design, explore, and refine a learning experience with a visuo-haptic simulation of truss structures through two research phases. The learning experience occurred as a laboratory activity in a statics course at a Midwest university.</p> <p>The first phase of this dissertation investigated students' conceptual understanding and graphical representations of reactive forces on a complex truss structure by interacting with a visuo-haptic simulation of truss structures. Students participated in two treatment groups: visuo-haptic exposure and visual-only exposure. The results of the first phase suggested that students that engaged with the visuo-haptic simulation using different modalities improved their conceptual understanding of truss structures significantly. Moreover, students exposed to haptic feedback significantly improved their graphical representations on tasks where the haptic feedback was involved. </p> <p>The second phase of the current dissertation examined students’ developing models of reactive forces on a truss structure before, during, and after engaging with a visuo-haptic simulation of truss structures. Students participated in two sequential treatment groups: visual to visuo-haptic and haptic to visuo-haptic. The quantitative results suggest that both treatment groups performed significantly better in their model representations after being exposed to the learning experience but show no difference across treatment groups. The qualitative results suggest that the visual to visuo-haptic group interpreted their experiences much more coherently, leading to a more sophisticated version of their model of reaction forces on truss structures. </p>