GIST Develops 'EarPressure' to Simulate Eardrum Pressure in VR Experiences

(From left) Professor Seungjun Kim of GIST, doctoral students Sungjun Kang and Kwangbin Kim, master's students Bocheon Kim, Jeongju Park, and Semo Shin.

A team of Korean researchers has developed an innovative haptic system that precisely controls inner ear pressure, enabling users to realistically experience changes in atmospheric pressure within virtual reality (VR). This is the first time that a VR experience has replicated the sensation of ear fullness caused by pressure changes.

On October 13, the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced that a research team led by Professor Kim Seungjun from the School of AI Convergence has developed a new technology called "EarPressure VR." By attaching this device to a VR headset and finely adjusting the pressure inside the ear, the system can reproduce realistic sensations of environmental pressure-such as the ear fullness caused by changes in atmospheric or water pressure.

This technology allows users to safely experience the sensation of ear fullness-similar to what is felt during altitude changes or underwater immersion-within a VR environment. It introduces a new sensory interface that elevates traditional VR experiences, which have been primarily focused on visual and auditory stimuli.

Overview of the EarPressure VR System.

Until now, realistically simulating pressure changes in VR required adjusting the air pressure of an entire space, which posed significant technical challenges. The research team overcame this by adapting tympanometry technology-commonly used in clinical settings to measure pressure in the eardrum and middle ear.

"EarPressure VR" continuously monitors the inner ear state using pressure sensors and, through an internal motor and medical-grade syringe, can generate pressure changes within a ±40 hectopascal (hPa) range in just 0.57 seconds. This speed closely matches the rate at which people experience pressure changes when descending underwater.

To determine whether users could clearly perceive changes in inner ear pressure, the research team conducted experiments varying both the direction and intensity of the pressure. The results showed that when the pressure difference exceeded approximately 14.4 to 23.8 hPa, users could distinguish whether the pressure was acting inward or outward. Additionally, intensity differences greater than 14.6 to 34.9 hPa were also identifiable. These findings are consistent with previous medical research indicating that the eardrum is highly sensitive to pressure changes.

Pressure sensing experiment results.

Further experiments simulating changes in water depth or environmental movement confirmed that providing pressure feedback-compared to only audio effects-greatly enhanced the sense of realism and immersion. Participants who experienced the technology described it as "feeling like actually being underwater" and "a completely new sensory experience."

"EarPressure VR" features a lightweight, wearable design that can reproduce pressure changes without the need for large equipment. This opens up a wide range of applications, including: ▲ specialized fields such as remote surgery, disaster rescue, and diving training ▲ virtual high-altitude experiences in sports and fitness apps ▲ and simulating powerful bass sensations during music listening.

Professor Kim Seungjun described the research as "an innovative technology that enables direct experience of environmental pressure changes-previously difficult to replicate-by controlling inner ear pressure." He emphasized that it "will fundamentally transform the user experience across future technologies, including VR, AR, remote work, and training simulations."

This research, led by Professor Kim Seungjun of GIST's School of AI Convergence and involving researchers Kang Sungjun, Kim Kwangbin, Kim Bocheon, Park Jeongju, and Shin Semo, was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT through the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).

The results were presented at "ACM UIST 2025" (September 28-October 1, Busan), one of the world’s most prestigious conferences in user interface and interaction technology. The research team plans to continue follow-up studies to integrate the technology with commercial VR devices and expand its applications across various fields.