Exploration of the Virtual Reality Teleportation Methods Using Hand-Tracking, Eye-Tracking, and EEG

Abstract

Although recent developments in VR tracking technology have enabled VR to become more portable and convenient, VR must overcome limited traversable space to be used for more general purposes. Since future VR HMDs aim to embed bio-sensors, such as eye-tracking and electroencephalography (EEG), the present study investigates how bio-sensors could be integrated into VR locomotion and how usability could be improved. In this paper, teleportation methods were developed by combining eye-tracking, EEG, and hand-tracking for location targeting and teleport triggering processes. In a static teleportation task, we compared the efficiency, accuracy, and usability of each method as well as the interactions between different combinations of methods. The experimental results verified that these locomotion methods were overall suitable for hands-free VR contents, and revealed relative superiority of eye-tracking for location targeting and hand-tracking for teleport triggering. Importantly, we identified specific combinations of locomotion methods appropriate for context by showing the interactions between experimental factors, and components that require improvement for future application. The results of this study contribute to development and understanding of novel VR locomotion methods utilizing bio-signal data, for more efficient and natural VR locomotion experience.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research is supported by the Korea Creative Content Agency grant funded by the Korea government (MCST) [R2020040211] and the National Research Foundation grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) [NRF2021R1F1A1056524].

Notes on contributors

Jinwook Kim

Jinwook Kim is a Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Culture and Technology (GSCT) at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea. His research interest include cognitive neuroscience perspective human-computer interaction in virtual reality and brain-computer interface.

Hyunyoung Jang

Hyunyoung Jang is a Master’s student at the Graduate School of Culture and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Her research interests include multisensory integration, human-computer interaction, cognitive neuroscience, virtual reality, augmented reality, and user experience.

Dooyoung Kim

Dooyoung Kim is a Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Culture and Technology (GSCT) at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea. His research interests include human-computer interaction, eXtended Reality (XR) remote collaboration, VR/AR locomotion, and XR mutual space generation.

Jeongmi Lee

Jeongmi Lee is an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Culture Technology, KAIST, Daejeon, South Korea. Her research interests include attention, perception, cognitive neuroscience, HCI, and VR/AR.