Spatial orientation in virtual environment compared to real-world.

Area of Science:

• Human-computer interaction
• Neuroscience
• Sports science

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly utilized as a training tool in sports.
• The efficacy of VR for spatial orientation compared to real-world environments remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether human spatial orientation functions equally in virtual reality (VR) and real-world settings.
• To compare performance in distance estimation and spatial memory tasks across VR and real environments.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted involving natural body movements.
• Participants completed verbal and walking distance estimation tests in both virtual and real environments.
• A route recall test with blindfolded navigation was performed to assess spatial orientation.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in verbal or walking distance estimations between VR and real-world conditions (p > 0.05).
• Distance estimation accuracy was higher for shorter distances (0.9-1.5 m) than for larger distances (2.6-2.8 m) in both environments.
• No significant difference was observed in route recall accuracy between the virtual and real environments (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Human spatial orientation performance is comparable in virtual reality and real-world environments.
• VR technology shows potential as an effective tool for training spatial orientation in sports and other disciplines.