Vertical Field-of-View Extension and Walking Characteristics in Head-Worn Virtual Environments

PubDate: October 2016

Teams: University of Mississippi；University of Southern California

Writers: J. Adam Jones；David M. Krum；Mark T. Bolas

PDF: Vertical Field-of-View Extension and Walking Characteristics in Head-Worn Virtual Environments

Abstract

In this article, we detail a series of experiments that examines the effect of vertical field-of-view extension and the addition of non-specific peripheral visual stimulation on gait characteristics and distance judgments in a head-worn virtual environment. Specifically, we examined four field-of-view configurations: a common 60° diagonal field of view (48° × 40°), a 60° diagonal field of view with the addition of a luminous white frame in the far periphery, a field of view with an extended upper edge, and a field of view with an extended lower edge. We found that extension of the field of view, either with spatially congruent or spatially non-informative visuals, resulted in improved distance judgments and changes in observed posture. However, these effects were not equal across all field-of-view configurations, suggesting that some configurations may be more appropriate than others when balancing performance, cost, and ergonomics.