Rubber Hands Feel the Touch of Light

Two experiments involving a total of 220 subjects are reported. The experiments document that "stroking" a false hand with the bright beam of light from a laser pointer can produce tactile and thermal sensations when the hand can be seen as one's own. Overall, 66% of subjects reported...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological science 2007-02, Vol.18 (2), p.152-157
Main Authors: Durgin, Frank H., Evans, Laurel, Dunphy, Natalie, Klostermann, Susan, Simmons, Kristina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Artificial Limbs
Brightness
Experiments
Hand
Hand mirrors
Hands
Humans
Illusions
Lasers
Light
Neuroscience
Perception
Perceptual localization
Proprioception
Prosthesis
Rubber
Sensation - physiology
Sense of touch
Sensory organs
Sensory perception
Somatosensory perception
Stimulation
Touch
Touch - physiology
Visual Perception
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Summary:Two experiments involving a total of 220 subjects are reported. The experiments document that "stroking" a false hand with the bright beam of light from a laser pointer can produce tactile and thermal sensations when the hand can be seen as one's own. Overall, 66% of subjects reported somatic sensations from the light. Felt hand location was recalibrated toward the location of the false hand for those subjects who felt the light. Moreover, the proprioceptive recalibration from the laser experience was comparable to that produced by actual coordinated brushing of the false hand and of the unseen real hand after 2 min of stimulation. The illusion may be experienced on one's real hand as well. The results are discussed in terms of multisensory integration.
ISSN:0956-7976
1467-9280
DOI:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01865.x