Torsomounted Vibrotactile Interface to Experimentally Induce Illusory Ownbody Perceptions Recent developments in virtual reality and robotic technologies have allowed investigating the behavioural and brain mechanisms that grounds selfconsciousness in the multisensory (e.g. vision and touch) and sensorimotor processing of bodily signals. Yet, previous technological solutions to apply tactile stimuli for body illusion induction limit participants movements, do not allow for stimulations in dynamic environments (e.g., the subject walking), and can hardly be integrated into reallife settings and complex, interactive, virtual reality environments. Here, we present the development and first validation of a new semiwearable haptic system, based on vibration technology, to induce a range of bodily illusions that are of relevance for research in psychiatry. This is a first step towards the development of wearable haptic systems able to administer touch and induce specific bodily illusions under dynamic conditions and in reallife settings.

Using Virtual Reality to Examine the Correlation between Balance Function and Anxiety in Stance We study the interaction between balance function and anxiety in humans via a virtual reality based experimental setup, fundamentally designed to examine postural control and neurological feedback during balancedemanding height and perturbation shifts, while in quiet stance. In this work, sensory organization balance test (SOT) was utilized to quantify the balance function in subjects, and the salient features of the recorded electrocardiogram (EKG), electromyogram (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG) signals described the subjectu0027s physiological anxietyrelated responses. Also, patientreported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) trait anxiety questionnaire was adopted to indicate the selfassessed trait anxiety scores by the subjects. Our statistical analysis indicates that subjects with higher SOT scores encounter a lower heart rate variability during baseline recording relative to the experimental trials and lower cocontraction index of the ankle dorsiflexion (during the experimental trials), suggesting a lower anxiety state. A similar trend was further observed via the selfreported PROMIS questionnaire responses, estimating anxiety experienced in daily life. Additionally, we utilize machine learning to describe the predictability of balance function states via the relative  alpha band power from the frontal channels of the recorded EEG signals as descriptive features characterizing anxiety. The discussed trends analytically demonstrate the potential for adopting balance function to anticipate anxiety, especially in stressful environments involving postural threats.