Near-field distance perception in real and virtual environments using both verbal and action responses

Abstract

Few experiments have been performed to investigate near-field egocentric distance estimation in an Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) as compared to the Real World (RW). This article investigates near-field distance estimation in IVEs and RW conditions using physical reach and verbal report measures, by using an apparatus similar to that used by Bingham and Pagano [1998]. Analysis of our experiment shows distance compression in both the IVE and RW conditions in participants' perceptual judgments to targets. This is consistent with previous research in both action space in an IVE and reach space with Augmented Reality (AR). Analysis of verbal responses from participants revealed that participants underestimated significantly less in the virtual world as compared to the RW. We also found that verbal reports and reaches provided different results in both IVEs and RW environments.

Effects of calibration to visual and haptic feedback on near-field depth perception in an immersive virtual environment

“…it involved asking the subject to look around the virtual reality and answer questions about objects visible in various directions [see also Napieralski et al 2011]. …”

“…They received credit toward a requirement in their psychology course for participating. Figure 1 depicts the apparatus used in the experiment [see also Napieralski et al 2011]. Participants were seated in a wooden chair with their shoulders loosely strapped to the back of a chair to allow freedom of movement of the head and arm while restricting motions of the trunk.…”

“…Because the methods and apparatus used to collect distance estimates in Napieralski et al [2011] were identical to those used in this experiment, distance estimates in the posttest were compared to those made in the real world viewing condition of our previous study. Because distance estimates made in the real world condition were not perfect, resulting in a regression with an intercept of -29.55 and slope of 1.03 for verbal reports and intercept of 1.74 and slope of .77 for reaches, it should not be assumed that distance estimates made in an IVE with current technologies, are any less accurate than those that would occur when viewing in the RW.…”

“…In an initial study, we compared IVE and real world viewing conditions with both verbal and physical reach responses, and found distance compression when estimates were made to near-field targets [Napieralski et al 2011]. For the reaches, underestimation was shown to increase as target distance increased, while underestimation decreased with increased distance for verbal reports.…”

“…Jones et al [2008], however, found that subjects underestimated distances within a VR hallway but not within AR consisting of virtual targets superimposed on a similar real hallway. In general, estimates of egocentric distances (0m -30m) can be underestimated by as much as 50% [Loomis and Knapp 2003;Napieralski et al, 2011;Richardson and Waller, 2005;Thompson et al, 2004;Witmer and Kline, 1998]. …”