Effects of Coordinative Arm Swing Movements on the Sense of Agency in Walking Sensation Induced by Kinesthetic Illusion

Kinesthetic illusion can present a sense of movement without actual physical movement of the body, but it often lacks a sense of agency over the movement. Therefore, we focused on the sensation of walking induced by the kinesthetic illusion and hypothesized that incorporating coordinated arm swing movements as actual actions could enhance the sense of agency over the kinesthetic illusion. In this study, we implemented a system that switches the vibrations of the thighs and ankles back and forth based on arm swing movements and investigated whether the sense of agency over the walking sensation induced by the kinesthetic illusion changes with or without arm swing movements. The results suggest a tendency for the sense of agency to be enhanced when arm swing movements are combined.