Abstract
Human-computer interaction has entered the 3D era. The most important models representing spatial information — maps — are transferred into 3D versions regarding the specific content to be displayed. Virtual worlds (VW) become promising area of interest because of possibility to dynamically modify content and multi-user cooperation when solving tasks regardless to physical presence. They can be used for sharing and elaborating information via virtual images or avatars. Attractiveness of VWs is emphasized also by possibility to measure operators’ actions and complex strategies. Collaboration in 3D environments is the crucial issue in many areas where the visualizations are important for the group cooperation. Within the specific 3D user interface the operators' ability to manipulate the displayed content is explored regarding such phenomena as situation awareness, cognitive workload and human error. For such purpose, the VWs offer a great number of tools for measuring the operators’ responses as recording virtual movement or spots of interest in the visual field. Study focuses on the methodological issues of measuring the usability of 3D VWs and comparing them with the existing principles of 2D maps. We explore operators’ strategies to reach and interpret information regarding the specific type of visualization and different level of immersion.
Highlights
Virtual visualizations have entered the 3D era (Boughzala et al, 2012)
Presence in virtual reality (VR) (Mania et al, 2006; Björk and Holopainen, 2004; Mania and Chalmers, 2001; Slater and Wilbur, 1997), or immersion, is the phenomena which could be explored with respect to media synchronicity theory
The 3D visualization method is influenced by cartographic generalization which is contained in the 3D data model, and by the level of abstraction used for map objects
Summary
Virtual visualizations have entered the 3D era (Boughzala et al, 2012). External graphical representations of the space — maps — are often transformed into interactive virtual 3D versions with respect to the specific content to be displayed and as such they can be dynamically modified, updated and customized. MUVEs, as a specific way of interface, can offer to users or operators more possibilities of real time interaction when solving particular task. They can be used for sharing and elaborating information and allow avatars to interact with each other and/or with software agents (Davis et al, 2009). Attractiveness of VWs is emphasized by the possibility to control and precisely measure operators’ responses in terms of specific actions, strategies and complex behaviour (Wilson and Soranzo, 2015) This attractiveness is emphasized with the use of geographic models as the stimuli, where the amount of communicated information is precisely defined.
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