An Evaluation of the Efficiency of Popular Personal Space Pointing versus Controller based Spatial Selection in VR

We detail the results of two experiments that empirically evaluate the efficiency of spatial selection performance of popular pointing and controller based direct 3D interaction within the participants’ maximum arms reach or personal space in an immersive virtual environment. In the first experiment, targets were presented in a circular configuration of 13 targets in accordance with the ISO 9241-9 Fitts’ Law standard, with a target distance of 5, 9 or 18 cm and target width of 0.65, 0.85, or 1.05cm, and with each circular configuration presented in a random distance of 60%, 75% or 90% of maximum arms length of the participant. The targets were centered at eye level, and in a within-subjects protocol participants selected the targets using a pointer at the tip of the controller or at the tip of their index finger on the dominant hand in the pointing based condition. The second experiment presented each target in a similar width and distance configuration as the previous experiment, but each target also varied in depth from one trial to the next between 60%, 75% or 90% of maximum arms reach. The selections were performed in an HTC Vive head mounted display VR world, using the popular Leap Motion gesture tracking device or the Vive controller. The results of both our experiment taken together revealed that with commodity 3D input devices, participants were more efficient in spatial selection performance in the popular controller based condition, as compared to the pointing based condition. Implications for VR developers and consumers are discussed in the latter sections.

[1]  Gerd Bruder,et al.  To touch or not to touch?: comparing 2D touch and 3D mid-air interaction on stereoscopic tabletop surfaces , 2013, SUI '13.

[2]  O'NeillEamonn,et al.  Special Section on Touching the 3rd Dimension , 2013 .

[3]  Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo,et al.  Anatomy builder VR: Applying a constructive learning method in the virtual reality canine skeletal system , 2017, 2017 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR).

[4]  Gerd Bruder,et al.  Analysis of direct selection in head-mounted display environments , 2014, 2014 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[5]  Olivier Rioul,et al.  The Perils of Confounding Factors: How Fitts' Law Experiments can Lead to False Conclusions , 2018, CHI.

[6]  Edward Lank,et al.  Biasing response in Fitts' Law tasks , 2006, CHI EA '06.

[7]  Robert J. Teather,et al.  The eyes don't have it: an empirical comparison of head-based and eye-based selection in virtual reality , 2017, SUI.

[8]  Stefania Serafin,et al.  Considerations on the use of virtual and augmented reality technologies in music education , 2017, 2017 IEEE Virtual Reality Workshop on K-12 Embodied Learning through Virtual & Augmented Reality (KELVAR).

[9]  Abigail Sellen,et al.  A comparison of input devices in element pointing and dragging tasks , 1991, CHI.

[10]  Mayra Donaji Barrera Machuca,et al.  The Effect of Stereo Display Deficiencies on Virtual Hand Pointing , 2019, CHI.

[11]  Isaac Cho,et al.  Evaluation of Cursor Offset on 3D Selection in VR , 2018, SUI.

[12]  Mary C. Whitton,et al.  Redirected touching: The effect of warping space on task performance , 2012, 2012 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[13]  Bing Wu,et al.  Applying Fitts’ Law to Gesture Based Computer Interactions☆ , 2015 .

[14]  Robert J. Teather,et al.  Considerations for targets in 3D pointing experiments , 2014 .

[15]  Larry F. Hodges,et al.  Punching ducks for post-stroke neurorehabilitation: System design and initial exploratory feasibility study , 2013, 2013 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[16]  E. Hoffmann,et al.  Finger width corrections in Fitts' law: implications for speed-accuracy research. , 1991, Journal of motor behavior.

[17]  P. Fitts,et al.  INFORMATION CAPACITY OF DISCRETE MOTOR RESPONSES. , 1964, Journal of experimental psychology.

[18]  J. Edward Swan,et al.  Depth judgments by reaching and matching in near-field augmented reality , 2012, 2012 IEEE Virtual Reality Workshops (VRW).

[19]  Mayra Donaji Barrera Machuca,et al.  Do Head-Mounted Display Stereo Deficiencies Affect 3D Pointing Tasks in AR and VR? , 2019, 2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR).

[20]  Sarah A. Douglas,et al.  Testing pointing device performance and user assessment with the ISO 9241, Part 9 standard , 1999, CHI '99.

[21]  Bliss M. Altenhoff,et al.  Carryover effects of calibration to visual and proprioceptive information on near field distance judgments in 3D user interaction , 2015, 2015 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[22]  Bliss M. Altenhoff,et al.  Near-field distance perception in real and virtual environments using both verbal and action responses , 2011, TAP.

[23]  Bliss M. Altenhoff,et al.  Effects of visual and proprioceptive information in visuo-motor calibration during a closed-loop physical reach task in immersive virtual environments , 2014, SAP.

[24]  Joseph J. LaViola.  Bringing VR and Spatial 3D Interaction to the Masses through Video Games , 2008, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[25]  Eurico Carrapatoso,et al.  Performance evaluation of gesture-based interaction between different age groups using Fitts' Law , 2015, Interacción.

[26]  Andriy Pavlovych,et al.  The tradeoff between spatial jitter and latency in pointing tasks , 2009, EICS '09.

[27]  P. Fitts.  The information capacity of the human motor system in controlling the amplitude of movement. , 1954, Journal of experimental psychology.

[28]  AlcañizMariano,et al.  Comparison of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive: Feasibility for Virtual Reality-Based Exploration, Navigation, Exergaming, and Rehabilitation. , 2018, Games for health journal.

[29]  I. Scott MacKenzie,et al.  Fitts' throughput and the speed-accuracy tradeoff , 2008, CHI.

[30]  Doug A. Bowman,et al.  A human motor behavior model for distal pointing tasks , 2010, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[31]  Robert J. Teather,et al.  Pointing at 3D targets in a stereo head-tracked virtual environment , 2011, 2011 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[32]  I.,et al.  Fitts' Law as a Research and Design Tool in Human-Computer Interaction , 1992, Hum. Comput. Interact..

[33]  Douglas J. Gillan,et al.  How does Fitts' law fit pointing and dragging? , 1990, CHI '90.

[34]  I. Scott MacKenzie,et al.  Extending Fitts' law to two-dimensional tasks , 1992, CHI.

[35]  Christopher C. Pagano,et al.  An Empirical Evaluation of Visuo-Haptic Feedback on Physical Reaching Behaviors During 3D Interaction in Real and Immersive Virtual Environments , 2016, ACM Trans. Appl. Percept..

[36]  Frank Weichert,et al.  Analysis of the Accuracy and Robustness of the Leap Motion Controller , 2013, Sensors.

[37]  Ivan Poupyrev,et al.  3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice , 2004 .

[38]  Michael R. M. Jenkin,et al.  Evaluating haptic feedback in virtual environments using ISO 9241–9 , 2010, 2010 IEEE Virtual Reality Conference (VR).

[39]  Robert J. Teather,et al.  A Fitts' Law Evaluation of Video Game Controllers: Thumbstick, Touchpad and Gyrosensor , 2017, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[40]  Todd J. Johnsgard.  Fitt?s law with a virtual reality glove and a mouse: effects of gain , 1994 .

[41]  Ivan Poupyrev,et al.  A framework and testbed for studying manipulation techniques for immersive VR , 1997, VRST '97.

[42]  Pietro Zanuttigh,et al.  Hand gesture recognition with leap motion and kinect devices , 2014, 2014 IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP).

[43]  Ferran Argelaguet,et al.  A survey of 3D object selection techniques for virtual environments , 2013, Comput. Graph..

[44]  Ian Mackenzie,et al.  Fitts' law as a performance model in human-computer interaction , 1992 .

[45]  Robert S. Allison,et al.  Evaluating visual/motor co-location in fish-tank virtual reality , 2009, 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference Science and Technology for Humanity (TIC-STH).

[46]  Anil Ufuk Batmaz,et al.  Effects of 3D Rotational Jitter and Selection Methods on 3D Pointing Tasks , 2019, 2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR).

[47]  C. Ware,et al.  An evaluation of an eye tracker as a device for computer input2 , 1987, CHI '87.

[48]  Eric Kolstad,et al.  The Effects of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Motion Parallax on Egocentric Depth Perception , 2008, 2008 IEEE Virtual Reality Conference.

[49]  Brian W. Epps.  Comparison of Six Cursor Control Devices Based on Fitts' Law Models , 1986 .

[50]  I. Scott MacKenzie,et al.  ISO 9241-9 evaluation of video game controllers , 2009, Graphics Interface.

[51]  Brett Wilkinson,et al.  Comparison of gestural, touch, and mouse interaction with Fitts' law , 2013, OZCHI.