The Effect of Elastic Feedback on the Perceived User Experience and Presence of Travel Methods in Immersive Environments

Mid-air interaction achieved through handtracking or controller in Virtual Reality (VR) is performed without an explicit spatial reference. One solution for creating such a reference is elastic feedback, which we realized via tension springs attached to a tracked VR-controller. Thereby, directional force is exerted and perceived by the user. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of elastic feedback on users in virtual travel tasks. Therefore, the elastic mode of the input device was compared to an isotonic mode, without any perceivable force. Also, two virtual travelling methods, a driving mode and a flight mode, were investigated in the study. The main goal of the study was to analyze, how elastic feedback influences user experience and presence perception. Statistical analysis with ANOVA of data from 24 subjects revealed significant main effects for the elastic mode on both, the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ). In addition, the subjects missed fewer target objects on average during the travel task. However, analysis of task completion times indicated no relevant differences. Although not all individual scales of UEQ and IPQ showed significant outcomes, the result indicates that immersive travel interfaces could benefit from the use of elastic feedback.

[1]  Maud Marchal,et al.  Elastic-Arm: Human-scale passive haptic feedback for augmenting interaction and perception in virtual environments , 2015, 2015 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR).

[2]  Vijay Pawar,et al.  Evaluating the Influence of Haptic Force-Feedback on 3D Selection Tasks using Natural Egocentric Gestures , 2009, 2009 IEEE Virtual Reality Conference.

[3]  Matthieu Poyade,et al.  The Influence of Passive Haptic Feedback and Difference Interaction Metaphors on Presence and Task Performance , 2010, PRESENCE: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments.

[4]  Raimund Dachselt,et al.  Elasticcon: Elastic Controllers for Casual Interaction , 2015, MobileHCI.

[5]  Richard A. Volz,et al.  Evaluation of a Haptic Mixed Reality System for Interactions with a Virtual Control Panel , 2005, Presence: Teleoperators & Virtual Environments.

[6]  Rainer Groh,et al.  DepthTouch: an elastic surface for tangible computing , 2012, AVI.

[7]  Marcia K. O'Malley,et al.  Design of a Haptic Arm Exoskeleton for Training and Rehabilitation , 2004 .

[8]  Martin Schrepp,et al.  Construction and Evaluation of a User Experience Questionnaire , 2008, USAB.

[9]  Rainer Groh,et al.  FlexiWall: Exploring Layered Data with Elastic Displays , 2014, ITS '14.

[10]  Martin Hachet,et al.  Elastic Control for Navigation Tasks on Pen-based Handheld Computers , 2008, 2008 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces.

[11]  Christophe Chaillou,et al.  Effects of DOF separation on elastic devices for the navigation in 3D virtual environments with force feedback , 2005, First Joint Eurohaptics Conference and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems. World Haptics Conference.

[12]  Thomas B. Moeslund,et al.  A Procedure for Developing Intuitive and Ergonomic Gesture Interfaces for HCI , 2003, Gesture Workshop.

[13]  Robert W. Lindeman,et al.  Comparing isometric and elastic surfboard interfaces for leaning-based travel in 3D virtual environments , 2012, 2012 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[14]  Shumin Zhai.  Investigation of Feel for 6DOF Inputs: Isometric and Elastic Rate Control for Manipulation in 3D Environments , 1993 .

[15]  Sabarish V. Babu,et al.  Comparison of path visualizations and cognitive measures relative to travel technique in a virtual environment , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics.

[16]  Shumin Zhai,et al.  Human performance evaluation of manipulation schemes in virtual environments , 1993, Proceedings of IEEE Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium.

[17]  Holger Regenbrecht,et al.  The Experience of Presence: Factor Analytic Insights , 2001, Presence: Teleoperators & Virtual Environments.

[18]  Kristopher J. Blom,et al.  ChairIO--the Chair-Based Interface , 2007 .

[19]  Maud Marchal,et al.  Joyman: A human-scale joystick for navigating in virtual worlds , 2011, 2011 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[20]  Michitaka Hirose,et al.  HapticGEAR: the development of a wearable force display system for immersive projection displays , 2001, Proceedings IEEE Virtual Reality 2001.

[21]  Ross T. Smith,et al.  3D interactions with a passive deformable haptic glove , 2013, ISMAR.

[22]  Jia Wang,et al.  Isometric versus Elastic Surfboard Interfaces for Locomotion in Virtual Reality , 2011 .

[23]  Colin Ware,et al.  Exploration and virtual camera control in virtual three dimensional environments , 1990, I3D '90.

[24]  Susumu Tachi,et al.  ExoInterfaces: novel exosceleton haptic interfaces for virtual reality, augmented sport and rehabilitation , 2010, AH.

[25]  Shumin Zhai,et al.  Quantifying coordination in multiple DOF movement and its application to evaluating 6 DOF input devices , 1998, CHI.

[26]  Mark Wright,et al.  The Effect of Haptic Feedback and Stereo Graphics in a 3D Target Acquisition Task , 2002 .

[27]  Christophe Chaillou,et al.  Elastic Force Feedback with a New Multi-finger Haptic Device: The DigiHaptic , 2003 .

[28]  Joachim Pouderoux,et al.  3D Elastic Control for Mobile Devices , 2008, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[29]  Etienne Burdet,et al.  Elasticity improves handgrip performance and user experience during visuomotor control , 2017, Royal Society Open Science.

[30]  Alexis Paljic,et al.  Evaluation of pseudo-haptic feedback for simulating torque: a comparison between isometric and elastic input devices , 2004, 12th International Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, 2004. HAPTICS '04. Proceedings..

[31]  Anatole Lécuyer,et al.  Novel devices and interaction techniques for human-scale haptics , 2007, The Visual Computer.