EarPressure VR: Ear Canal Pressure Feedback for Enhancing Environmental Presence in Virtual Reality

This study presents EarPressure VR, a system that modulates ear canal pressure to simulate atmospheric pressure changes in virtual reality (VR). EarPressure VR employs sealed earbuds and a linear stepper motor–driven syringe to generate controlled pressure variations within safe limits (±40 hPa relative to ambient pressure). Through two user studies, we evaluate (1) perceptual thresholds for detecting ear pressure in terms of direction (inward or outward) and intensity differences, and (2) the effect of ear pressure feedback on users’ sense of environmental presence across two VR scenarios involving gradual and discrete changes in ambient pressure. Results show that participants reliably identified pressure direction at thresholds of +14.4 hPa (inward) and –23.8 hPa (outward), and intensity differences at ±14.6% and ±34.9%, respectively. Pressure feedback significantly improved presence ratings, particularly when pressure variation was continuously adjusted to reflect environmental transitions. We conclude by discussing the broader applicability of ear canal pressure feedback in areas such as training, simulation, and everyday experiences.