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Distance Perception in Virtual Reality: A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Head-Mounted Display Characteristics
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics
|August 4, 2022
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) often leads to underperceived distances. This meta-analysis of 20 head-mounted displays (HMDs) found that wider field of view (FOV) and higher resolution improve distance perception, while HMD weight hinders it.
Area of Science:
- Virtual Reality
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Perception Science
Background:
- Decades of research show consistent underperception of egocentric distances in virtual reality (VR).
- Modern head-mounted displays (HMDs) show potential for more accurate distance perception compared to older models.
Approach:
- A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, synthesizing data from 137 samples across 61 publications.
- Egocentric distance perception was evaluated across 20 different HMDs.
- The relationship between perceived distance and technical HMD specifications was examined.
Key Points:
- Judged egocentric distance in VR was positively correlated with HMD field of view (FOV).
- Higher HMD resolution was also positively associated with more accurate distance judgments.
- Increased HMD weight was negatively correlated with perceived distance accuracy.
Conclusions:
- Improvements in FOV and resolution are key to mitigating distance underperception in VR.
- The interplay between FOV, resolution, and HMD weight influences distance perception accuracy.
- Future HMD design should prioritize these technical characteristics to enhance immersive realism.
