Search Results (13)

With the rapid growth of e-commerce platforms, consumers increasingly make purchase decisions without direct physical interaction, particularly for tactile-dependent categories such as furniture and home décor. Drawing on embodied cognition, this study investigates how visual-based tactile cues influence consumers’ purchase intention on e-commerce platforms. Using experimental methods, two studies manipulate the level of visual-based tactile cues (high vs. low) and examine their effects on purchase intention. The results show that richer visual-based tactile cues significantly increase purchase intention. Contrary to traditional information overload assumptions that additional visual detail may hinder decision-making, this effect occurs through enhanced immersion rather than increased cognitive burden, suggesting that visual-based tactile cues operate as embodied sensory triggers instead of purely informational inputs. Furthermore, cross-modal mental imagery moderates this process in a counterintuitive way: the indirect effect of visual-based tactile cues on purchase intention via immersion is stronger when consumers’ imagery ability is lower, indicating a compensatory role of external sensory cues. By conceptualizing visual-based tactile cues as an innovation in interactive marketing within new media environments, this research offers actionable design implications for e-commerce platforms in enhancing tactile perception through visual presentation and improving conversion effectiveness. Full article

Both voluntary mental imagery and dream imagery involve multisensory representations without externally present stimuli that can be categorized as offline perceptions. Due to common mechanisms, correlations between multisensory dream imagery profiles and multisensory voluntary mental imagery profiles were hypothesized. In a sample of 226 participants, correlations within the respective state of consciousness were significantly bigger than across, favouring two distinct networks. However, the association between the vividness of voluntary mental imagery and vividness of dream imagery was moderated by the frequency of dream recall and lucid dreaming, suggesting that both networks become increasingly similar when higher metacognition is involved. Additionally, the vividness of emotional and visual imagery was significantly higher for dream imagery than for voluntary mental imagery, reflecting the immersive nature of dreams and the continuity of visual dominance while being awake and asleep. In contrast, the vividness of auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile imagery was higher for voluntary mental imagery, probably due to higher cognitive control while being awake. Most results were replicated four weeks later, weakening the notion of state influences. Overall, our results indicate similarities between dream imagery and voluntary mental imagery that justify a common classification as offline perception, but also highlight important differences. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study focused on the impact of mental fatigue induced by motor imagery on upper limb function, an area with limited research compared to lower limb performance. It aimed to explore how diaphragmatic breathing exercises influence these effects. Materials and Methods: This study included 30 participants, and Group 1 participated in 12 sessions of diaphragmatic breathing exercises under the supervision of a physiotherapist; Group 2 did not receive any intervention. For all the participants, mental fatigue was induced with motor imagery before and after the intervention, and evaluations were performed before and after mental fatigue. Upper extremity functions were evaluated using isometric elbow flexion strength, hand grip strength, upper extremity reaction time and endurance, finger reaction time, the nine-hole peg test, shoulder position sense, light touch-pressure threshold, and two-point discrimination. Results: The study results showed that after mental fatigue, there was a decrease in isometric elbow flexion strength, nondominant hand grip strength, and nondominant upper extremity endurance, and an increase in nondominant tactile sensation (p < 0.05). No changes were found in two-point discrimination, nine-hole peg test time, and position sense on either side (p > 0.05). The effect of mental fatigue on isometric elbow flexion strength and nondominant grip strength showed significant improvement following diaphragmatic breathing exercises (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study found that mental fatigue from motor imagery can impact elbow flexion, hand grip strength, upper extremity endurance, and tactile sensitivity. Breathing exercises may help improve strength parameters affected by mental fatigue. It is crucial to consider these effects on upper extremity functions in rehabilitation programs. Full article

The lack of tactile experience is a significant flaw in online product evaluation and purchasing, but visual information can be utilized to compensate for tactile deficits. This study constructed a conceptual model based on mental imagery theory, innovativeness theory, and the personal goals framework, to explore the mechanism of visual–tactile compensation on consumer purchase intention. We conducted an online experiment with 406 participants recruited from a community and online store in Southern China and tested the research hypotheses using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that visually compensated tactile perceived diagnosticity promotes mental imagery and sensory similarity, which, in turn, affects purchase intention. Theoretically, this study enriches the current explanations of online haptics by explaining the mechanisms by which haptic demonstration videos influence consumers’ haptic evaluations and behavioral responses, as well as the moderating role of personal goals therein; practically, this study offers advice for retailers seeking to build or expand their tactile marketing strategies. Full article

This study investigated the impact of Octomodal Mental Imagery (OMI) and management dimensions on shoppers’ experiences and mall loyalty. The study was collected through “Questionnaire Star,” and 358 valid data points were obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS27 and AMOS28. The results showed that sensory attributes such as visual, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory attributes positively influenced shoppers’ experiences in OMI, while the auditory attribute had no significant effect. Spatial, a structural attribute of OMI, positively influenced shoppers’ experiences, whereas autonomy and kinesthetics did not have a considerable effect. Tenant mix and entertainment positively impacted shoppers’ experiences in management, while accessibility had no significant effect. The study also found that shoppers’ experiences positively impacted mall loyalty, while hedonistic motivation had a more substantial effect than utilitarian motivation. This study is the first to examine the impact of OMI on shoppers’ experiences. It fills a gap in the literature on this relationship. It also examines the combined impact of management dimensions (accessibility, tenant mix, and entertainment) on the overall shopper’s experience, filling a gap in the Chinese shopping mall literature and extending the generalizability of the theory. The study further explores the relationship between shoppers’ experiences and mall loyalty and the moderating effect of incentive orientation. The results of this study have critical implications for mall managers. Strengthening the mental image and management dimensions of the shopping mall will enhance shoppers’ experiences and build loyalty, allowing brick-and-mortar malls to remain competitive and sustainable in today’s highly competitive and popular e-commerce environment. Full article

The study applies Kansei engineering in analyzing the color and texture of leather footwear, utilizing neural network verification to mirror consumers’ visual and tactile imageries onto varieties of leather. This aids in the development of an advanced system for selecting leather footwear based on such impressions. Initially, representative word pairs denoting consumers’ visual and tactile perceptions of leather footwear were delineated. Post-evaluation of these perceptions through a sensibility assessment questionnaire was administered, using 54 samples of leather footwear provided by manufacturers, with each leather type codified in terms of visual and tactile sensibilities. Subsequently, a customized software algorithm was crafted to isolate the primary color and adhesiveness as color features from the leather sample images. Analyzing grayscale values of the images and using pixel neighborhood as a base, the associated calculation methods, such as LBP, SCOV, VAR, SAC, etc., were proposed to extract texture features from the images. The derived color and texture feature values were used as the input layer and the sensory vocabulary quantified values as the output layer. Backpropagation neural network training was conducted on 49 leather samples, with five leather samples used for testing, culminating in the verification of neural network training for three types and 17 combinations. The outcome was an optimal method for leather footwear Kansei engineering and neural network training, establishing a design process for leather footwear characteristics assisted by sensory vocabulary and a backpropagation neural network. Additionally, a computer-aided system for selecting leather footwear, based on these impressions, was designed and validated through footwear design. This study utilized symmetry in footwear design. By using the design of a single shoe to represent the imagery of a pair of symmetrical shoes, we verified whether the leather samples recommended by the leather imagery selection query system met the expected system input settings. Full article

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the cortical activity and digit classification performance during tactile imagery (TI) of a vibratory stimulus at the index, middle, and thumb digits within the left hand in healthy individuals. Furthermore, the cortical activities and classification performance of the compound TI were compared with similar compound motor imagery (MI) with the same digits as TI in the same subjects. Methods: Twelve healthy right-handed adults with no history of upper limb injury, musculoskeletal condition, or neurological disorder participated in the study. The study evaluated the event-related desynchronization (ERD) response and brain–computer interface (BCI) classification performance on discriminating between the digits in the left-hand during the imagery of vibrotactile stimuli to either the index, middle, or thumb finger pads for TI and while performing a motor activity with the same digits for MI. A supervised machine learning technique was applied to discriminate between the digits within the same given limb for both imagery conditions. Results: Both TI and MI exhibited similar patterns of ERD in the alpha and beta bands at the index, middle, and thumb digits within the left hand. While TI had significantly lower ERD for all three digits in both bands, the classification performance of TI-based BCI (77.74 ± 6.98%) was found to be similar to the MI-based BCI (78.36 ± 5.38%). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that compound tactile imagery can be a viable alternative to MI for BCI classification. The study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of TI in BCI applications, and future research can build on this work to explore the potential of TI-based BCI for motor rehabilitation and the control of external devices. Full article

Background: Reaction time is an important measure of sensorimotor performance and coordination and has been shown to improve with training. Various training methods have been employed in the past to improve reaction time. Tactile imagery (TI) is a method of mentally simulating a tactile sensation and has been used in brain–computer interface applications. However, it is yet unknown whether TI can have a learning effect and improve reaction time. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of TI on reaction time in healthy participants. Methods: We examined the reaction time to vibratory stimuli before and after a TI training session in an experimental group and compared the change in reaction time post-training with pre-training in the experimental group as well as the reaction time in a control group. A follow-up evaluation of reaction time was also conducted. Results: The results showed that TI training significantly improved reaction time after TI compared with before TI by approximately 25% (pre-TI right-hand mean ± SD: 456.62 ± 124.26 ms, pre-TI left-hand mean ± SD: 448.82 ± 124.50 ms, post-TI right-hand mean ± SD: 340.32 ± 65.59 ms, post-TI left-hand mean ± SD: 335.52 ± 59.01 ms). Furthermore, post-training reaction time showed significant reduction compared with the control group and the improved reaction time had a lasting effect even after four weeks post-training. Conclusion: These findings indicate that TI training may serve as an alternate imagery strategy for improving reaction time without the need for physical practice. Full article

This article discusses the use of an arts-based visual methodology, drawing, to explore older people’s experiences and expectations of ageing in a retirement village. Tactile, generative, and visual, drawing is a quick, inexpensive, and extremely participatory process, which, compared to traditional text-based data, provides rare and compelling insight into conscious and unconscious feelings, emotions, sentiments, and experiences. As part of a broader project exploring life in retirement villages, 12 older adults in their 70s and 80s were asked to sketch their experiences of ageing, as well as their expectations and experiences of retirement village life. Sketches were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, which revealed that participants drew ageing as both a time for opportunity and enjoyment and decline, while retirement village life very much met their expectations in terms of being a place of fun, friendship, and leisure. While drawing as a method is rarely used in gerontological research, the outcomes of this project demonstrate how it enables the powerful production of evocative, interactive, and memorable imagery, and it should be a greater part of the methodological toolbox. Full article

Background: Frozen shoulder (FS) is a highly disabling pathology of poorly understood etiology, which is characterized by the presence of intense pain and progressive loss of range of motion (ROM). The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and clinical impact of a CNS-focused treatment program for people with FS. Methods: 10 subjects with primary FS received a 10-week CNS-focused intervention including sensory discrimination training and graded motor imagery techniques delivered as clinic sessions (60 min) and home therapy (30 min five times per week). Measurements were taken at baseline, after a 2-week “washout” period, after treatment, and at three months follow-up. The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) was the primary outcome. Secondary measures were feasibility-related outcomes, self-reported shoulder pain, active and passive range of motion, two-point discrimination threshold (TPDT), left/right judgement task (LRJT), fear-avoidance (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia), pain catastrophization (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and pain sensitization (Central Sensitization Inventory). A Student’s t-test was used to assess the “washout” period. A repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate within-subjects’ differences for all outcome measures in the different assessment periods and a pairwise analysis was used to compare between the different assessment points. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: 70% of participants completed the treatment. No significant changes were found after “washout” period except for TPDT (p = 0.02) and SPADI (p = 0.025). Improvements in self-reported shoulder pain (p = 0.028) and active shoulder flexion (p = 0.016) were shown after treatment (p = 0.028) and follow-up (p = 0.001) and in SPADI at follow-up (p = 0.008). No significant changes were observed in TPDT, LRJT, fear-avoidance, pain catastrophization, and pain sensitization. Conclusions: a CNS-focused treatment program might be a suitable approach to improve pain and disability in FS, but further research is needed to draw firm conclusions. Full article

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a severe chronic pain condition that is not well understood and current treatment is suboptimal. In several other chronic pain conditions motor imagery and tactile acuity deficits are present, which are thought to represent associated neuroplastic changes. The aims of this study were to determine if motor imagery performance assessed by the left/right judgement task, and tactile acuity assessed by two-point discrimination, are altered in people with unilateral frozen shoulder. In this cross-sectional, prospective study eighteen adults diagnosed with frozen shoulder in a physiotherapy clinic setting completed a left/right judgement task, response times (RT) and accuracy for the left/right judgement task were determined. Next, tactile acuity over both shoulders was assessed with a novel, force-standardised two-point discrimination test. Results corresponding to the affected side were compared to the pain free shoulder; Left/right judgement task: mean RT (SD) corresponding to the affected shoulder was significantly slower than RT for the healthy shoulder (p = 0.031). There was no side-to-side difference in accuracy (p > 0.05). Neither RT nor accuracy was related to pain/disability scores or duration of symptoms (p > 0.05). Two-point discrimination: mean two-point discrimination threshold of the affected shoulder was significantly larger than the contralateral healthy shoulder (p < 0.001). Two-point discrimination threshold was not related to pain/disability scores or pain duration (p > 0.05); One explanation for these findings is altered sensorimotor processing and/or disrupted sensorimotor cortex representations of the affected shoulder. A case then exists for the use of treatments aimed at reversing these changes, training the brain to reduce chronic shoulder pain. Full article

Brain computer interface (BCI) adopts human brain signals to control external devices directly without using normal neural pathway. Recent study has explored many applications, such as controlling a teleoperation robot by electroencephalography (EEG) signals. However, utilizing the motor imagery EEG-based BCI to perform teleoperation for reach and grasp task still has many difficulties, especially in continuous multidimensional control of robot and tactile feedback. In this research, a motor imagery EEG-based continuous teleoperation robot control system with tactile feedback was proposed. Firstly, mental imagination of different hand movements was translated into continuous command to control the remote robotic arm to reach the hover area of the target through a wireless local area network (LAN). Then, the robotic arm automatically completed the task of grasping the target. Meanwhile, the tactile information of remote robotic gripper was detected and converted to the feedback command. Finally, the vibrotactile stimulus was supplied to users to improve their telepresence. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of using the motor imagery EEG acquired by wireless portable equipment to realize the continuous teleoperation robot control system to finish the reach and grasp task. The average two-dimensional continuous control success rates for online Task 1 and Task 2 of the six subjects were 78.0% ± 6.1% and 66.2% ± 6.0%, respectively. Furthermore, compared with the traditional EEG triggered robot control using the predefined trajectory, the continuous fully two-dimensional control can not only improve the teleoperation robot system’s efficiency but also give the subject a more natural control which is critical to human–machine interaction (HMI). In addition, vibrotactile stimulus can improve the operator’s telepresence and task performance. Full article

Mental imagery is a familiar aspect of most individuals’ mental lives, considered as an experience which occurs in the absence of actual stirrings for relevant perceptions. The primary importance of mental imagery has been demonstrated in several domains: learning and memory, reasoning and problem solving, inventive or creative thought and rehab. The project primarily refers to the analysis of infant visual impairment for a first scientific and social approach, with specific references to significant figures who have worked on these issues for years. Research is enriched by the contribution of educators working with children with these diseases. Thus, the proposal of a freehand illustrated tactile book, originally conceived for sighted and then reworked for blind and visually impaired, through the humanization of fantastic creatures designed to facilitate imaginative faculties, allowing the child to project his to an inanimate model. Full article