The Role of Global and Local Landmarks in Virtual Environment Navigation

Abstract

In visual navigation, landmarks can be used in a number of different ways. In this paper, we investigate the role of global and local landmarks in virtual environment navigation. We performed an experiment in a virtual environment called ''Hexatown,'' consisting of a regular hexagonal grid of streets and junctions. Each junction was identi ed by the presence of distinct local landmarks (buildings, phone box, and so on). Additionally, compass information or a global frame of reference was provided by global landmarks (hilltop, television tower, and city skyline). According to participants' movement decisions, egomotion was simulated, and displayed on a 180 deg. projection screen. Participants learned the route back and forth between two local landmarks. In the test phase, individual junctions were approached and the participant's movement decision was recorded. We performed two experiments involving landmark changes after learning. In the rst, we used con icting cues by transposing landmarks. In the second experiment, we reduced either local or global landmark information. Results show that both local and global landmarks are used in way nding decisions. However, different participants rely on different strategies. In the rst experiment (cue con ict) for example, some of the participants used only local landmarks while others relied exclusively on global landmarks. Other participants used local landmarks at one location and global landmarks at the other. When removing one landmark type in the second experiment, the other type could be used by almost all participants, indicating that information about the neglected landmark type was present in memory.

Where is my car? Examining wayfinding behavior in a parking lot

“…Seeing it this way, these results are also in line with previous research that has shown that people have the ability to switch between different strategies in a recursive manner during navigation (STECK; MALLOT, 2000). Future research should explore this topic, as well as exploring the role of visual properties of space that define people´s spatial behavior.…”

Where did it come from, where do you go? Direction sources influence navigation decisions during spatial uncertainty

“…Landmarks have been repeatedly demonstrated as essential elements of route directions, with particular importance for identifying origins, decision points, and destinations (Klippel & Winter, 2005;Michon & Denis, 2001;Tversky & Lee, 1999). Distant landmarks, for instance a mountain range or tall building, can also provide global awareness and aid in orientation relative to an environment's overall structure (Steck & Mallot, 2000). For these reasons, recent research and development efforts in spatial information technologies are exploring the potential utility of incorporating salient landmarks into digital navigation supports (Burnett, 2000;Duckham, Winter, & Robinson, 2010;Millonig & Schechtner, 2007;Schroder, Mackaness, & Gittings, 2011).…”

Orientation information in wayfinding instructions: evidences from human verbal and visual instructions

“…In fact, humans prefer landmarks over street information (Tom and Denis 2003). Steck and Mallot (2000) developed a virtual environment and looked at how people refer to local and global landmarks (mountain, city skyline and TV tower) in the navigation task. They emphasized that a spatial object could first be a global landmark in a wayfinding task and later may serve as a local landmark.…”

“…However, it is important that both the direction giver and direction follower establish a common ground to avoid failure in wayfinding (Weiser and Frank 2013). Furthermore, hierarchy of spatial objects is also evident in wayfinding instructions showing how landmarks and paths are clustered based on its functionality (Taylor and Tversky 1992) as well as street networks (Timpf et al 2005;Tomko et al 2008) which is useful for route planning Steck and Mallot 2000). This is highlighted in the development of the anchor point theory (Golledge and Stimson 1997) emphasizing how reference points anchor known regions in an area that are important in wayfinding.…”