WarpVision: Using Spatial Curvature to Guide Attention in Virtual Reality

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality User Experience
• Visual Attention Mechanisms

Background:

• Consumer-grade virtual reality (VR) devices and authoring tools are increasing accessibility for non-expert VR experience creators.
• Guiding user attention in immersive VR environments remains a significant design challenge due to the freedom of exploration.
• Existing techniques for attention guidance may impact user immersion and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate WarpVision, a novel technique for subtly guiding user attention in virtual reality using spatial curvature.
• To compare the effectiveness of WarpVision against the state-of-the-art attention guidance technique, Deadeye.
• To assess the impact of WarpVision on user search times, immersion, and well-being.

Main Methods:

• WarpVision was developed, employing spatial distortion around points of interest to alter object size, form, and location.
• A within-subjects user study was conducted, comparing WarpVision (at four intensities) with Deadeye in visual search tasks across two VR environments.
• User performance (search time), immersion disruption, and self-reported well-being were measured.

Main Results:

• WarpVision significantly reduced visual search times compared to Deadeye.
• Both WarpVision and Deadeye exhibited comparable levels of immersion disruption.
• WarpVision reported a lower impact on user well-being than Deadeye.

Conclusions:

• WarpVision is an effective technique for guiding user attention in virtual reality, outperforming Deadeye in search efficiency.
• The spatial curvature method offers a promising approach to attention guidance in VR with minimal negative impact on user experience.
• WarpVision presents a viable alternative for designers aiming to enhance user focus in VR without compromising user well-being.