NaviChair

Abstract

This research aims to investigate if using a more embodied interface that includes motion cueing can facilitate spatial updating compared to a more traditional non-embodied interface. The ultimate goal is to create a simple, elegant, and effective self-motion control interface. Using a pointing task, we quantify spatial updating in terms of mean pointing error to determine how two modes of locomotion compare: user powered motion cueing (use your body to swivel and tilt a joystick-like interface) and no-motion cueing (traditional joystick). Because the user-powered chair is a more embodied interface providing some minimal motion cueing, we hypothesized it should more effectively support spatial updating and, thus, increase task performance. Results showed, however, the user-powered chair did not significantly improve mean pointing performance in a virtual spatial orientation task (i.e., knowing where users are looking in the VE). Exit interviews revealed the control mechanism for the user-powered chair was not as accurate or easy to use as the joystick, although many felt more immersed. We discuss how user feedback can guide the design of more effective user-powered motion cueing to overcome usability issues and realize benefits of motion cueing.