Muscle Vibration-Induced Illusions: Review of Contributing Factors, Taxonomy of Illusions and User’s Guide

What is it about?

Muscle vibration can create fascinating illusions of body movement while the vibrated body part is completely stationary. The authors examine the factors that affect these illusions, such as the properties of the vibration stimulus and the muscle being vibrated. They also propose a classification scheme for the different types of illusions and include a user's guide with practical suggestions for those interested in conducting a vibration study.

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Photo by Ahmad Odeh on Unsplash

Photo by Ahmad Odeh on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Illusions of body movements created through muscle vibration are a useful tool for studying proprioception, in rehabilitation, and for simulating movement in virtual reality. However, these illusions can be challenging to elicit consistently, and researchers can save time and effort by learning about the method of muscle vibration. The authors propose a classification scheme inspired by vision science, which will aid in theory development in the understudied field of proprioception.