  The teaching of abstract physics concepts can be enhanced by incorporating
visual and haptic sensory modalities in the classroom, using the correct
perspectives. We have developed virtual reality simulations to assist students
in learning the Coriolis effect, an apparent deflection on an object in motion
when observed from within a rotating frame of reference. Twenty four
undergraduate physics students participated in this study. Students were able
to feel the forces through feedback on a Novint Falcon device. The assessment
results show an improvement in the learning experience and better content
retention as compared with traditional instruction methods. We prove that large
scale deployment of visuo-haptic reconfigurable applications is now possible
and feasible in a science laboratory setup.
