An interactive haptic system for experiencing traditional archery

In the last decades, more and more virtual systems are used for various activities: training, explanation, simulation, or verifying different concepts. This paper presents a first attempt to create a CogInfoCom channel through which a Virtual Reality (VR) system communicates with a natural cognitive system (prototype and physical experimental system) in a way that improves human cognitive abilities to understand the way an ancient bow works and the sensations it exerts on the human body. This study proposes an immersive VR simulator for recreating the experience of shooting with 3 types of old bows, based on a customized haptic interface. The research focuses on optimizing the shooting experience by using the force characteristic measured from real replicas, as well as handling other important archery features such as the length of the draw or the weight of the bow. The results are mostly positive and the data collected demonstrates the adaptability and replicability of the developed solution, as the system is able to reproduce in VR any type of bow.