Validating Simulation-Based Evaluation of Redirected Walking Systems

Developing effective strategies for redirected walking requires extensive evaluations across a variety of factors that influence performance. Because these large-scale experiments are often not practical with user studies, researchers have instead utilized simulations to systematically test different algorithm parameters, physical space configurations, and virtual walking paths. Although simulation offers an efficient way to evaluate redirected walking algorithms, it remains an open question whether this evaluation methodology is ecologically valid. In this paper, we investigate the interaction between locomotion behavior and redirection gains at a micro-level (across small path segments) and macro-level (across an entire experience). This examination involves analyzing data from real users and comparing algorithm performance metrics with a simulated user model. The results identify specific properties of user locomotion behavior that influence the application of redirected walking gains and resets. Overall, we found that the simulation provided a conservative estimate of the average performance with real users and observed that performance trends when comparing two redirected walking algorithms were preserved. In general, these results indicate that simulation is an empirically valid evaluation methodology for redirected walking algorithms.