Navigation in Virtual Environments

Abstract

Spatial orientation in a Virtual Environment (VE) depends on visual recognition and on path integration meaning that the traversed path is integrated from feedback stimuli (visual, vestibular, and kinesthetic). Which stimuli are available, depends on whether an immersive interface is used with head-slaved movement or a non-immersive interface is used with indirect control of movement.Spatial orientation perfonnance is investigated for both interfaces in two experiments. First, only path integration is investigated with different combinations of visual, vestibular, and kinesthetic feedback. Results show that an immersive interface that provides kinesthetic feedback improves path integration. Second, spatial learning is investigated for the different interfaces with both visual recognition and path integration. With an immersive interface the VE is learned faster than with a non-immersive interface.