Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool and is increasingly used in many different fields, in which virtual walking can be generalized through detailed modeling of the physical environment such as in sports science, medicine and furthermore. However, the visualization of a virtual environment using a head-mounted display (HMD) differs compared to reality, and it is still not clear whether the visual perception works equally within VR. The purpose of the current study is to compare the spatial orientation between real world (RW) and VR. Therefore, the participants had to walk blindfolded to different placed objects in a real and virtual environment, which did not differ in physical properties. They were equipped with passive markers to track the position of the back of their hand, which was used to specify each object’s location. The first task was to walk blindfolded from one starting position to different placed sport-specific objects requiring different degrees of rotation after observing them for 15 s (0°, 45°, 180°, and 225°). The three-way ANOVA with repeated measurements indicated no significant difference between RW and VR within the different degrees of rotation (p > 0.05). In addition, the participants were asked to walk blindfolded three times from a new starting position to two objects, which were ordered differently during the conditions. Except for one case, no significant differences in the pathways between RW and VR were found (p > 0.05). This study supports that the use of VR ensures similar behavior of the participants compared to real-world interactions and its authorization of use.
Highlights
In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been increasingly used for a lot of purposes, e.g., rehabilitation for people with impaired vision (Palieri et al 2018), sports training (Pastel et al 2020a, b, c; Petri et al 2018, 2019) or therapy for anxiety disorders (Powers and Emmelkamp 2008)
A factor that has an impact on the quality of perceiving virtual environments is what kind of Virtual reality (VR) application is used since they differ in the sense of being present in the virtual environment
The first part focuses on the comparison of the performances within and between each condition (RW and VR) by comparing the deviations and time for completions (s) for the rotation task and pathway task
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) has been increasingly used for a lot of purposes, e.g., rehabilitation for people with impaired vision (Palieri et al 2018), sports training (Pastel et al 2020a, b, c; Petri et al 2018, 2019) or therapy for anxiety disorders (Powers and Emmelkamp 2008). The VR applications allow a user to explore large virtual environments in a smaller physical space (Hirt et al 2018). Advanced computer technology enables to use realistic computer-generated virtual environments for having a greater degree of control and offers less physically demanding experiences A head-mounted display (HMD) is known for an increased feeling of being present and for providing high immersion compared to other applications (Mondellini et al 2018). Since the majority of the population is not familiar with wearing the HMD, physical discomfort, better known as cybersickness, may occur. This could affect the feeling of being present (Mondellini et al 2018; Witmer and Singer 1998). An established method to measure cybersickness is the simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ) (Kennedy et al 1993), which was used in numerous studies (e.g., Christensen et al 2018; Tregillus et al 2017; Walch et al 2017)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
