Paper Info
Title
Effects of handling real objects and self-avatar fidelity on cognitive task performance and sense of presence in virtual environments
Abstract
Immersive virtual environments (VEs) provide participants with computer-generated environments filled with virtual objects to assist in learning, training, and practicing dangerous and/or expensive tasks. But does having every object being virtual inhibit the interactivity and level of immersion? If participants spend most of their time and cognitive load on learning and adapting to interacting with virtual objects, does this reduce the effectiveness of the VE?We conducted a study that investigated how handling real objects and self-avatar visual fidelity affects performance and sense of presence on a spatial cognitive manual task. We compared participants' performance of a block arrangement task in both a real-space environment and several virtual and hybrid environments. The results showed that manipulating real objects in a VE brings task performance closer to that of real space, compared to manipulating virtual objects. There was no significant difference in reported sense of presence, regardless of the self-avatar's visual fidelity or the presence of real objects.
Year
DOI
Venue
2003
10.1162/105474603322955914
Presence
Keywords
Field
DocType
reported sense,cognitive task performance,spatial cognitive manual task,expensive task,cognitive load,self-avatar fidelity,real space,task performance,block arrangement task,virtual object,real object,immersive virtual environment,virtual environment,human computer interaction
Interactivity,Fidelity,Computer science,Simulation,Human–computer interaction,Immersion (virtual reality),Sense of presence,Cognition,Cognitive load,Avatar,Multimedia,Instructional simulation
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
12
6
1054-7460
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
38
2.60
10
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Benjamin Lok126625.24
Samir Naik2705.99
Mary Whitton31119.12
Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.433931659.47