This study analyzes walking interaction to enhance the immersion and minimize virtual reality (VR) sickness of users by conducting experiments. In this study, the walking interaction is composed of three steps using input devices with a simple structure that can be easily used by anyone. The first step consists of a gamepad control method, which is the most popular but has low presence. The second step consists of a hand-based walking control interface, which is mainly used for interaction in VR applications. The last step consists of a march-in-place detection simulator that interacts with the legs-the key body parts for walking. Four experiments were conducted to determine the degree of direct expression of intention by users in the course of walking interactions that can improve immersion, presence, and prevent VR sickness in VR applications. With regard to the experiments in this study, survey experiments were conducted for general users using the Wilcoxon test, a presence questionnaire, and simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ). In addition, the technical performance of the VR scenes used in the experiment was analyzed. The experimental results showed that higher immersion was achieved when interactions that felt closer to real walking were provided in VR. Furthermore, it was found that even control methods with a simple structure could be used for walking interactions with minimal VR sickness. Finally, a satisfactory presence was found in VR if the user was able interact using his or her own legs.

This study proposes an asymmetric interface that can provide head-mounted display (HMD) and non-HMD users with improved presence and an experience consistent with the user’s environment in an asymmetric virtual reality. For the proposed asymmetric interface, a controller-based hand interface is designed for portability, easy and convenient use, and high immersion. Subsequently, a three-step decision-making structure that supports accurate and efficient decision-making is defined based on the asymmetric experience structure of each user (HMD and non-HMD). Based on this process, an optimal interface that distinguishes between HMD (direct interaction) and non-HMD users (multi-viewpoint interaction) is implemented. With the objective of surveying and analyzing each user’s experience along with the presence provided by the proposed interface, an asymmetric virtual reality application is developed directly, and an experiment is conducted with the participants. Finally, it is statistically analyzed and verified that the use of the proposed asymmetric interface can provide optimal presence and user-optimized experience to both HMD and non-HMD users.

This study proposes the interaction of third-person virtual reality (TPVR) to provide users with a new presence and experience during immersive virtual reality (VR). The proposed TPVR interaction consists of the ability to directly control the virtual environment and objects by utilizing the hands. For this purpose, this study defines the interaction of TPVR from three types: moving inside the virtual environment, selecting virtual objects and using a menu interface that includes a variety of functions and behaviors. Then, it designs its own experimental application that is able to systematically compare and analyze the proposed interaction against traditional first-person perspective VR. Finally, it examines whether the proposed interaction provides new presence and experience to users by conducting survey experiments. Through this process, this study was able to confirm not only that TPVR interaction can provide a sufficient presence, even in comparison with the first-person viewpoint, but also that it causes less VR sickness and offers a differentiated VR experience, suggesting that the proposed interaction can provide an alternative method for utilizing VR technology in a greater variety of fields.

This research proposes a gaze pointer-based user interface to provide user-oriented interaction suitable for the virtual reality environment on mobile platforms. For this purpose, a mobile platform-based three-dimensional interactive content is produced to test whether the proposed gaze pointer-based interface increases user satisfaction through the interactions in a virtual reality environment based on mobile platforms. The gaze pointer-based interface-the most common input method for mobile virtual reality content-is designed by considering four types: the visual field range, the feedback system, multi-dimensional information transfer, and background colors. The performance of the proposed gaze pointer-based interface is analyzed by conducting experiments on whether or not it offers motives for user interest, effects of enhanced immersion, provision of new experience, and convenience in operating content. In addition, it is verified whether any negative psychological factors, such as VR sickness, fatigue, difficulty of control, and discomfort in using contents are caused. Finally, through the survey experiment, this study confirmed that it is possible to design different ideal gaze pointer-based interface in mobile VR environment according to presence and convenience.