Role: Lead Researcher
Scope: Research on User Experience, Haptic Technology in VR, User Testing, Data Collection, and Analysis
Duration: 6 months
Client: Loughborough University (Master's Thesis Project)
Overview
​This research explored the effects of haptic feedback on user experience in virtual reality (VR) fashion retail. The study aimed to determine how tactile sensations can enhance user engagement and influence purchasing confidence.
​​The project demonstrated that implementing haptic feedback significantly enhances users' sense of presence and overall engagement in virtual fashion experiences, although it still lacks the tactile assurance required for high-end purchases.
Research Overview
Objective
​This study explored the impact of haptic feedback on users' sense of presence and decision-making in virtual reality (VR) fashion shopping environments. The goal was to determine whether the addition of tactile sensations could improve users’ confidence in purchasing fashion products, where touch plays a critical role.
Key Research Questions​​
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How does the inclusion of haptic feedback influence the sense of presence in a VR shopping environment?
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To what extent does haptic feedback affect purchase intention for fashion products in VR?
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What is the user satisfaction with the haptic experience when evaluating different types of clothing fabrics?
Literature Review
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The literature highlighted that while visual immersion is key to the presence in virtual reality, the lack of tactile input remains a critical barrier in adopting VR for industries like fashion, where texture is crucial in decision-making.
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A comprehensive literature review was conducted to ground the research in existing studies related to haptic feedback in VR, which has been shown to improve user engagement but is under-explored in fashion retail applications. Sense of presence in VR is a concept closely tied to user immersion and engagement, where tactile cues can enhance a feeling of reality. Consumer behaviour in online and virtual shopping, particularly the reliance on touch for purchasing fashion products.
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(NOTE: This is a summary of the complete literature review. You can read the complete literature review here : Full literature review )
Research Gap
There is a lack of research on how haptics simulate clothing and influence consumer behaviour in VR shopping.
Hypotheses
The table summarises hypotheses formulated through the literature review, exploring the integration of haptic feedback in VR fashion retail. Each hypothesis, grounded in literature, addresses distinct research questions. Variables and associated measurement instruments are provided to examine presence, touch satisfaction, and purchase intentions within virtual shopping environments.
Methodology
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Within-subjects design: To allow participants to experience multiple treatments and provide responses for various stimuli.
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Mixed-method approach: Combining qualitative and quantitative methods within a single study.
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Focused on outcomes and objectivity in quantitative research, while qualitative research emphasised process and subjectivity.
Prototype Development
1. Initial sketches
The first step of building the prototype was to start sketching it out on a paper and see how the store can look, where the items will be kept. It also included how the user can experience the haptic feedback.
The virtual clothing store
The store has 3D clothes
Outside the Virtual reality, Researcher acts as a Wizard holding the haptic feedback,
Outside the Virtual reality, Researcher acts as a Wizard holding the actual clothing item to understand the difference
2. Creating the VR store
The VR store was built on Mozilla Spoke, showcased 3D clothing items sourced from various references. The store facilitated user interaction via Meta Quest 2 headset and controllers. Design elements prioritised UX principles, including affordances, signals, usability, and gestalt principles, as outlined in table below.
3. Creating the haptic Feedback
For haptic feedback, I used vibrations to replicate texture. Vibrotactile feedback enhances texture perception and presence. Actuators varied vibration patterns to produce rough and smooth textures.
Vibrations were designed on an iPhone and then that iPhone was kept in a laptop bag
An actual jacket used as the third prototype
I replicated the sensation of touching products by using real-world objects in the virtual store, based on prior research on passive haptic feedback. For example, a physical jacket represented its virtual counterpart. This prototype aimed to compare experiences between vibrotactile feedback and actual product touch. Image 3 demonstrates my interaction with a physical jacket.
I created vibrotactile feedback on an iPhone, which can be customized through settings, for texture perception. Smooth vibrations with breaks represented soft textures like t-shirts, while strong vibrations simulated harder textures like jeans and jackets.
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Participant Recruitment
Sample - Male and female participants aged 18-35 with VR experience were recruited via social media to mitigate gender bias.
​Exclusions - Those under 18 or prone to VR-induced motion sickness or visual impairments were excluded.
​Recruitment - Convenience sampling through platforms like Instagram and Facebook was employed.
​Allocation - Block randomisation ensured balanced group distribution.
​Counterbalancing - Treatment orders were randomised to minimise order effects.
​Sample Size - Originally targeting 53 participants, logistical constraints resulted in a final size of 31.
User Tasks
The prototype had a virtual store with different types of clothes. User interacted with this store in three situations:
Control
Treatment 01
Treatment 02
Exploring a virtual store without haptic feedback: Here, users navigate solely relying on visual and auditory cues, serving as the control condition to study their interaction and perception of the VR environment.
Exploring a virtual store with haptic feedback: Users engage in a VR environment with enhanced haptic feedback, generated by a smartphone's custom vibration mechanism placed within a laptop bag. This tactile feedback enriches users' experience, increasing immersion and engagement as they navigate the virtual store.
Exploring the virtual store with an actual product: Users interact with both a physical product, specifically a jacket, and the virtual store environment simultaneously. This allows users to compare tactile sensations between the physical product and those simulated through haptic feedback, providing valuable insights into user experience.
Data Collection
The study took place at Loughborough University, utilizing virtual reality and haptic feedback equipment in a controlled environment, in line with university guidelines.
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Participants provided consent and were briefed on the study's purpose and procedures, as well as being introduced to VR headsets and controllers.
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To prevent bias, participants were not informed about the haptic feedback and actual jacket beforehand.
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Interactions with prototypes followed a counterbalancing sequence.
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Participants completed self-reported questionnaires on presence and need for touch using Likert scales.
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Post-interaction semi-structured interviews were conducted to evaluate overall experience and potential influence on purchase intention.
Results and Analysis
Quantitative Data Analysis (H1 & H2)
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I analysed the collected data for need for touch and presence using Excel and SPSS software (version 29). Conducting normality tests helped me determine appropriate statistical tests for mean differences. I applied Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality tests (significance level of .05) to quantitative data from presence and need for touch questionnaires, given the sample size was >50. Results indicated non-normal distribution, rendering parametric tests unsuitable. Consequently, I applied Friedman tests to both questionnaires' data.
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Presence (H1)- Friedman Test revealed a statistically significant difference in Presence of Statistics test scores across three points (P1: No haptic feedback, P2: Haptic feedback, P3: Touching the actual product), χ² (2, n=31) =21.089, p<0.001). Mean values indicated a decrease in presence of statistics from touching the actual product (Md=3.62) to haptic feedback (Md=3.32) and further decrease with no haptic feedback (Md=3.02).
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I conducted post-hoc analyses using three Wilcoxon Signed rank tests to compare the three prototypes (Pallant, 2010).
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Need for touch (H2)- The results of the Friedman Test indicated that there was not a statistically significant difference in need for touch of Statistics test scores across the three points (P1: No haptic feedback, P2: Haptic feedback, P3: Touching the actual product), χ² (2, n=31) =4.423, p=.110).
Qualititative Data Analysis (H3)
I conducted the analysis manually using Excel, recording and transcribing all interviews. Subsequently, I individually reviewed the transcripts, generating initial codes following a deductive coding approach (Braun & Clarke, 2012). The coding process unveiled themes such as authenticity of haptic feedback, potential of haptic feedback, immersion through virtual touch, and purchase intention, capturing participants' experiences. In terms of purchase intention, participants expressed diverse views. Out of the total participants, 14 mentioned that haptic feedback positively influenced their purchase intention.
P08
"Not really. It was a fun addition; it didn't significantly impact my decision to purchase."
P11
"Yes. If I can get that experience sitting at home, I would obviously pick that."
P30
"I am not sure. I mean the vibration felt good but it’s not good enough to make me buy anything."
P27
"Yes, it did. It made me more confident about the products and how they might feel."
Discussion
The results suggest that:
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The significance of incorporating sensory cues, particularly haptic feedback, to heighten users' sense of presence in virtual environments.
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The challenges in replicating real-world tactile experiences through haptic feedback, as evidenced by users' preference for the actual product.
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The need for innovative approaches to haptic feedback design and implementation to overcome these challenges.
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Calls for future research to explore advanced haptic technologies and user-centric design strategies to enhance the effectiveness of haptic feedback in virtual retail environments.
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Ultimately underscores the importance of ongoing advancements in haptic feedback technology to create more immersive and engaging virtual shopping experiences.
Recommendations & Design Guidelines
Incorporate multi-sensory experiences - Users preferred environments with visual, auditory, and haptic feedback. Consider integrating additional senses like smell in VR fashion retail to enhance consumers' understanding of presence further.
Expand haptic feedback options - Explore diverse vibrotactile feedback options to accurately mimic the tactile qualities of real products. For instance, ensure that users experience smooth and delicate sensations for silk-like virtual products.
Design haptic feedback closer to actual products - Users preferred actual products over haptic feedback for presence, indicating a need for closer alignment. Design haptic feedback that closely replicates the tactile feel of products to enhance consumers' sense of presence.
Enhance authenticity and realism - Develop haptic feedback that authentically simulates the tactile sensations of products, heightening the sense of authenticity and realism in virtual shopping experiences.
Conclusion
This study delved into integrating haptic feedback within VR fashion retail, revealing insights to enrich consumer shopping experiences. By blending theory, design, and analysis, it explored how haptic feedback influences users' presence, touch perception, and purchase intentions. A significant achievement is bridging embodied cognition theory with VR shopping experiences through haptic feedback, highlighting its transformative potential in enhancing users' immersion within virtual environments. Moreover, the findings underscore haptic feedback's pivotal role in elevating VR shopping experiences, offering retailers a potent tool to enhance brand presence and revenue through technological innovation. In summary, this research illuminates the symbiotic relationship between advanced technology and human perception, offering actionable insights for creating more immersive and engaging VR fashion retail experiences.
Limitations
It's crucial to recognise the limitations of this study. This study could only include 31 participants due to scheduling restrictions, which is a small number for statistical tests to produce an accurate result. It can be a limitation to the statistical power and the generalisability of findings. Additionally, due to technical restrictions, the haptic feedback's actual design might not have been technically advanced. These limitations should be considered when analysing the results of the study.
Personal Reflection
Embarking on this project initially filled me with uncertainty, particularly regarding my ability to identify a genuine research gap through literature review. However, as the project progressed, I experienced a profound sense of fulfillment in deciphering the results. Along this journey, I gleaned invaluable lessons, emphasizing the significance of meticulous planning and ensuring that my data is firmly supported by existing research.
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The process of designing the prototype through iterative cycles reinforced the importance of continuous refinement and iteration in my approach. While testing with numerous participants presented new challenges, I encountered valuable learning experiences, such as the necessity of clearly introducing participants—an oversight swiftly rectified through the implementation of a scripted approach. Throughout this project, I embraced the iterative nature inherent to the roles of a UX researcher and designer, consistently refining my methodologies and approaches.
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As I reflect on this experience, I am invigorated by the prospect of carrying these invaluable lessons forward into my future endeavors, eager to apply them to further refine my skills and contribute meaningfully to the field of user experience research and design.
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