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Influence of Hand Tracking in Immersive Virtual Reality for Memory Assessment
José Varela-Aldás1,2, Jorge Buele2,3, Irene López2
1Centro de Investigaciones de Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación-CICHE, Universidad Indoamérica, Ambato 180103, Ecuador.
Summary
This study found no significant difference in memory assessment using immersive virtual reality (IVR) with hand tracking versus controllers. While controllers showed slightly better accuracy and speed, hand tracking did not negatively impact presence, usability, or satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Virtual Reality Technology
Background:
- Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers novel platforms for cognitive assessments, with hand tracking enhancing user immersion.
- Few studies have investigated the specific impact of hand tracking parameters on memory evaluation within IVR environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the influence of hand tracking in IVR systems on memory assessment accuracy and response time.
- To compare user experience metrics, including presence, usability, and satisfaction, between IVR memory tests using hand tracking and traditional controllers.
Main Methods:
- Developed an IVR application simulating daily living activities requiring spatial memory recall.
- Collected accuracy and response time data from 20 healthy adults (18-60 years) using both hand tracking (Oculus Quest 2) and classic controllers.
- Administered post-experiment questionnaires for presence (PQ), usability (UMUX), and satisfaction (USEQ).
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed between hand tracking and controller conditions for memory assessment.
- Controller-based tests yielded 7.08% higher accuracy and 0.27s faster response times.
- Presence was 1.3% lower with hand tracking, while usability and satisfaction scores were comparable across both conditions.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence does not support superior memory evaluation conditions using IVR with hand tracking compared to controllers.
- Hand tracking in IVR memory assessments shows comparable usability and satisfaction, but without significant performance benefits over controllers.
- Further research may explore nuanced applications or different memory tasks to fully understand the potential of hand tracking in cognitive evaluations.
