Human brains respond to VR wings like physical arms

4 articles · Updated · VICE · May 10

In a Cell Reports study, Peking University researchers trained 25 people in China for a week to control feathered virtual wings using wrist rotations and arm flapping.
Participants learned to stay airborne, fly through rings and hit airborne objects, after which scans found visual cortex activity resembling responses to real body parts.
The findings suggest VR could help the brain accept unfamiliar forms of movement or artificial limbs, extending its use beyond entertainment into rehabilitation and adaptation training.

If brains can adopt virtual wings, why do they misjudge the feel of real-world robotic limbs?

With brain-linked tech advancing by 2026, how do we separate human restoration from superhuman enhancement?