Multisensory Integration and Sensory Substitution Across Vision, Audition, and Haptics: Answering the What, Which, and When in Study Protocols

Abstract: We experience the world through multiple senses that work together to create a cohesive perception, whether in daily life or immersive technologies. Understanding this multisensory integration (MSI) requires examining the interactions between sensory modalities, each with unique temporal dynamics and characteristics. While most research focuses on unimodal or bimodal cues, the integration of three or more modalities remains underexplored. MSI studies must account for factors like cross-modal correspondence, congruence, cognitive load, and stimulus timing, which become increasingly complex as modalities multiply. This article examines these key factors and how they can be applied to 8 design effective MSI study protocols.