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Abstract

This present study investigated how users' navigational devices and modes of operation affect their ability to develop an accurate mental spatial representation of a virtual environment. Three input devices varying in their degree of egocentric calibration control were used for navigation: joystick, wand and headtracker, all of which were used in relative or absolute control mode, thus yielding six navigational method conditions. Participants were tested both in a non-ego-centric manner and in an ego-centric manner, and our hypotheses were that absolute and more ego-centric control devices would generate higher quality spatial mental representations than relative and non-egocentric devices. Experiment results showed that navigation control methods produce different amounts of exploration, and indicated an advantage for absolute mode devices in comparison to relative mode, but there was no benefit for ego-centric devices.

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Navigational Control Effect on Representing Virtual Environments

Abstract

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