Can Kinematics Specify Tool Use Affordances?

Author

• Tyler Duffrin, Clemson UniversityFollow

Date of Award

8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair/Advisor

Christopher Pagano

Committee Member

Sabarish Babu

Committee Member

Patrick Rosopa

Committee Member

Rick Tyrell

Abstract

Object properties such as length, shape, and heaviness, as well as affordance-based properties such as strike-with-ability and poke-with-ability, can be perceived via dynamic touch as functions of inertia tensor invariants. The primary question addressed here was whether people can perceive these same power and precision properties for purely virtual objects, which lack dynamic physical forces. The Kinematic Specification of Dynamics (KSD) principle asserts that missing dynamics are lawfully specified by kinematic (visual) motion patterns, such that kinematic information alone may support successful interactions with virtual objects. In three experiments, we investigated (1) whether virtual reality (VR) users could calibrate to a virtual object's largest principal moment of inertia (), (2) whether two-dimensionally specified  was sufficient to support power versus precision tool affordance judgments, and (3) whether three-dimensionally specified :  ratios specified similar affordance properties. Kinematic information alone proved sufficient across all three experiments: participants calibrated their perception of virtual  and retained this calibration without feedback (Experiment 1); suitability ratings for two-dimensional kinematic objects tracked  in the same direction and magnitude as ratings made via dynamic touch of physical objects (Experiment 2); and three-dimensional kinematic specification of inertial ellipsoid invariants supported power versus precision judgments matching those documented for physical objects, following training that reversed an initial misinterpretation of responsiveness as power suitability (Experiment 3).

Recommended Citation

Duffrin, Tyler, "Can Kinematics Specify Tool Use Affordances?" (2026). All Dissertations. 4292.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4292