Text Input in Virtual Reality: A Preliminary Evaluation of the Drum-Like VR Keyboard

Abstract

The drum-like virtual reality (VR) keyboard is a contemporary, controller-based interface for text input in VR that uses a drum set metaphor. The controllers are used as sticks which, through downward movements, “press” the keys of the virtual keyboard. In this work, a preliminary feasibility study of the drum-like VR keyboard is described, focusing on the text entry rate and accuracy as well as its usability and the user experience it offers. Seventeen participants evaluated the drum-like VR keyboard by having a typing session and completing a usability and a user experience questionnaire. The interface achieved a good usability score, positive experiential feedback around its entertaining and immersive qualities, a satisfying text entry rate (24.61 words-per-minute), as well as moderate-to-high total error rate (7.2%) that can probably be further improved in future studies. The work provides strong indications that the drum-like VR keyboard can be an effective and entertaining way to type in VR.

Controller-based Text-input Techniques for Virtual Reality: An Empirical Comparison

“…The use of the drum-like VR keyboard and raycasting to type in VR resulted in promising mean text-entry rates. Especially, the drum-like keyboard could have achieved higher rates, closer to the mean values documented by Boletsis and Kongsvik (2019), if it were not for a few low-quality performances (as the SD and range statistics imply). These results suggest that the rates achieved with the drum-like keyboard and raycasting technique may be competitive against those of the other techniques discussed in Section 2, such as head-based (Yu et al, 2017;Gugenheimer et al, 2016), glovebased (Whitmire et al, 2017), and touchscreen-keyboard (Grubert et al, 2018) techniques.…”

“…Finally, in a previous study, we examined the VR drum-like keyboard with a focus on its text-entry rate and accuracy, usability, and UX (Boletsis and Kongsvik, 2019). The interface achieved a good usability score on the System Usability Scale (SUS), positive experiential feedback for its entertaining and immersive qualities, satisfactory text-entry rate (24.61 WPM), and moderate total ER (7.2%).…”

“…The technique uses a drum set metaphor (Boletsis and Kongsvik, 2019). The controllers are used as sticks which -through downward movements -'press' the keys of a virtual keyboard (Fig.…”

“…gaming), as well as to perform casual VR tasks (e.g. browsing, short communications), where the controller is the main interaction device (Boletsis and Kongsvik, 2019).…”

Arc-Type and Tilt-Type: Pen-based Immersive Text Input for Room-Scale VR

“…drum-like keyboard [6] allows a user to tap keys. HiPad [30] uses the circular touchpad on a common VR controller to select characters laid out in a circle.…”