Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of two different types of input devices on psychomotor performance in a “full” 3D (volumetric) virtual environment. Three subjects used both a direct input device (hand-held stylus) and an indirect input device (6 degree of freedom, fixed mounted force device) to accomplish aimed movement to a target located in one of eight depth planes. Directness was characterized in terms of action space and perception space coincidence and natural kinematic arm-hand movements. Different instructions were used to place different demands on coordination of movement. Aim point performance was evaluated in terms of aiming speed and accuracy, and steadiness at the terminal point. A descriptive analysis showed consistently better performance on all measures with the direct device. A statistical analysis confirmed these trends, although significance often was not always achieved due to limited experimental power. In general, the results suggest an advantage for the direct input device in the range of 30% to 73% across target locations, depending on type of performance measured. The data are discussed in terms of action and perception space coincidence and the coordination of the multiple degrees of freedom property of external input devices.
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