When Flames Feel Real in Augmented Reality: Effects of Plausibility and Placement of Virtual Flames on the Burning Hand Illusion and Physiological Responses

This IEEE conference talk explores the Burning Hand Illusion in augmented reality, examining how users can perceive illusory heat when seeing virtual flames on their hands. Discover how stimulus location within peri-hand space and realistic fire appearance affect the illusion's strength. The 14-minute presentation reveals that realistic flames displayed directly on the hand produced the strongest heat illusion and physiological responses, while green flames or flames positioned away from the hand significantly reduced the illusion's intensity. Learn about the autonomic nervous system responses measured through skin conductance and pupil dilation, which suggest that both flame location and plausibility substantially influence the Burning Hand Illusion, creating physiological effects similar to actual thermal stimuli. Part of the "Perception, Embodiment, and Spatial Awareness" session at IEEE VR 2025, this talk features research by Daniel Eckhoff, Jan Schnupp, Wong Pui Chung, and Alvaro Cassinelli from City University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.