MomentumTouch: How Consistent Haptic Feedback Empowers VR Embodied Learning through Cognitive Resource Reconstruction

Virtual Reality (VR) in STEM education is often hampered by a Gulf of Embodiment due to the lack of realistic haptic feedback. We present MomentumTouch, a system utilizing a physical apparatus synchronized in real-time with the virtual scene to provide consistent haptic feedback for high school physics learning on the law of conservation of momentum. In a comparative study conducted in a real classroom with 64 students, we revealed a Cognitive Resource Reconstruction mechanism: consistent haptic feedback did not merely lower the total cognitive load but significantly reduced extraneous cognitive load caused by interaction uncertainty, while reallocating the released resources to germane cognitive load that promotes deep understanding. Although immediate test scores remained comparable, this structural shift points to enhanced conceptual grounding and readiness for transfer, thereby fostering deeper embodied understanding. This study provides high-ecological-validity empirical evidence establishing consistent haptic feedback as a Cognitive Resource Reconstructor, offering new design principles for VR embodied learning. The code is available at: https://github.com/zheliku/MomentumTouch.