A User Interface Model for Navigation in Virtual Environments

One of the most complicated tasks when working with three-dimensional virtual worlds is the navigation process. Usually, this process requires the use of buttons and key-sequences and the development of interaction metaphors that frequently make the interaction process artificial and inefficient. In these environments, very simple tasks, such as looking upward and downward, can became extremely complicated. To overcome these obstacles, this work presents an interaction model for three-dimensional virtual worlds, based on the interpretation of the natural gestures of a real user while he/she is walking in a real world. This model is an example of a non-WIMP (Window, Icon, Menu, Pointer) interface. To test this model, we created a device named "virtual bike." With this device, the user can navigate through the virtual environment exactly as if he were riding a real bike.

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