Haptic feedback may support immersion and presence in virtual reality (VR) environments. The emerging market of consumer devices offers first devices which are expected to increase the degree of feeling being actually present in a virtual environment. In this paper we introduce a novel evaluation that examines the influence of different types of haptic feedback on presence and performance regarding manual tasks in VR. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive user study involving 14 subjects, who performed throwing, stacking and object identification tasks in VR with visual (i.e., sensory substitution), vibrotactile or force feedback. We measured the degree of presence and task-related performance metrics. Our results indicate that regarding presence vibrotactile feedback outperforms haptic feedback which performs better than visual feedback only. In addition, force feedback significantly lowered the execution time for the throwing and the stacking task. In object identification tasks, the vibrotactile feedback increased the detection rates compared to the vibrotactile and force feedback, but also increased the required time of identification. Despite the inadequacies of the still young consumer technology, there were nevertheless strong indications of connections between presence, task fulfillment and the type of haptic feedback.
This paper presents the first results on a user study in which people with visual impairments (PVI) explored a virtual environment (VE) by walking in a virtual reality (VR) treadmill. As recently suggested, we have now acquired first results from our feasibility study investigating this walk-in-place interaction. This represents a new, more intuitive way of for example virtually exploring unknown spaces in advance. Our prototype consists of off-the-shelf VR components (i.e., treadmill, headphones, glasses, and controller) providing a simplified white cane simulation and was tested by six visually impaired subjects. Our results indicate that this interaction is yet difficult, but promising and an important step to make VR more and better usable for PVIs. As an impact on the CHI community, we would like to make this research field known to a wider audience by sharing our intermediate results and suggestions for improvements, on some of which we are already working on.
BikeVR
(2020)
While becoming more and more aware of the ongoing climate change, eco-friendly means of transport for all citizens are moving further into focus. In order to be able to implement specific measures, it is necessary to better understand and emphasize sustainable transportation like walking and cycling through focused research. When developing novel traffic concepts and urban spaces for non-motorized traffic participants like bicycles and pedestrians, traffic and urban planning must be focused on their needs. To provide rare qualitative factors (such as stress, the perception of time and attractiveness of the environment) in this context, we present an audiovisual VR bicycle simulator which allows the user to cycle through a virtual urban environment by physically pedaling and also steering. Virtual Reality (VR) is a suitable tool in this context, as study participants find identical and almost freely definable (virtual) urban spaces with adjustable traffic scenarios. Our preliminary prototype proved to be promising and will be further optimized and evaluated.