Abstract
Design understanding and needed level of the accompanying spatial skills that enable it depend on information input provided by a visual representation of a design solution. During product development, designers use models to visually represent a design solution. These visual representations can be mediated by various technologies (for example, an immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology or 2D user interfaces such as a monitor display), providing designers with different types of information. Capabilities of an IVR technology such as stereopsis, eye-height reference, spatial updating, and multimodal interaction, have shown a potential to mitigate the cognitive load and the need for highly developed spatial skills enabling design understanding. Nevertheless, specific design understanding aspects for which IVR technology may be beneficial over conventional 2D user interfaces are yet to be clarified. The conducted experiment aimed to explore differences in designers’ spatial perception of spatial properties and relations (affordances) of a design solution in virtual environments (VEs). The design solution was presented by a 3D CAD model in immersive virtual environment (IVE) and non-immersive virtual environment (nIVE). IVE was mediated using the IVR technology ( head-mounted display ; HMD), while nIVE using the conventional 2D user interface (a monitor display, a mouse, and a keyboard). Results indicate that engineering students more accurately perceive spatial properties in the IVE than nIVE. Besides, it is suggested that the likelihood of making the correct judgment of the affordance is similar in both VEs.
Highlights
Tailoring design for ergonomics nowadays is a common practice for consumer, and technically oriented industrial products [1]
The experiments, performed with 40 engineering students, incorporated two tasks specific for the activities within a design review. They encompassed an estimation of the size of the overall dimensions of the mobility scooter as the reviewed design solution and judgment of a driving position affordance in regard to the design of the seat and feet holders of the scooter
The goal of the presented study was to contribute to a better understanding of the effect of immersive virtual environment (IVE) on the spatial perception of a visual representation of design solutions and its differences when compared to non-immersive virtual environment (nIVE)
Summary
Tailoring design for ergonomics (human factors) nowadays is a common practice for consumer, and technically oriented industrial products [1]. Aside from human factors such as physical characteristics, perception of possible actions that users can perform on and with a product (i.e. affordances) [2], [3] should be considered when designing for usability [4]. These elements should be considered from the very beginning of the development project and checked as a constitutive part of design reviews since efforts to implement changes in early phases of product development require.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
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 call