Comparative Evaluation of Joystick and Leaning-Based Locomotion in Immersive Telepresence with Body Motion Feedback

Some previous studies have focused on the effects of leaning-based methods and motion feedback for reducing cybersickness and improving usability during locomotion in virtual environments. However, it is actually challenging to combine of these technologies for practical use in the real environments using telepresence robots. In this study, we developed an immersive telepresence system with body motion feedback and comparatively evaluated the effectiveness of using a joystick and a leaning-based method in terms of reducing cybersickness and improving usability during locomotive tasks. The results of the user study (N=8) showed that leaning-based method with body motion feedback is effective for improving comfort and reducing cybersickness compared with the cases of using the joystick. Moreover, the use of body motion display to generate walking like sensation was shown to be effective for improving the telepresence experience.