Evaluations of Parallel Views for Sequential VR Search Tasks

Date：May 2024

Teams:University of South Australia;Keio University

Writers:Theophilus Teo,Kuniharu Sakurada,Maki Sugimoto,Gun Lee,Mark Billinghurst

PDF:Evaluations of Parallel Views for Sequential VR Search Tasks

Abstract

In collaborative virtual environments, sharing a mutual first-person view can lead to different problem-solving strategies among users. What if all views are controlled and seen by the same user? Could this impact how visual search tasks are performed? This paper explores the effects of a user receiving different numbers of parallel views while solving object search tasks in a virtual environment. We developed a prototype and conducted a pilot study, comparing two (2Heads), four (4Heads), and eight (8Heads) additional views. The results suggested that participants’ behaviors could be influenced by the number of parallel views used to solve tasks. Participants found the experiences with 2Heads and 8Heads unpleasant. In 2Heads, the ability to see additional but partial perspectives discouraged participants from using parallel views. Conversely, in 8Heads, the view’s full and overlapping nature forced participants to use parallel views regardless of their preferences. 4Heads received the least complaints as it provided users with the freedom and flexibility to choose their task-solving strategies. These results were translated into design implications for future development and research involving parallel views.