How Do Users Regulate Interaction Behaviors While Performing a Drag-and-Drop Task in a Virtual Reality Environment?

Abstract

In virtual reality (VR) environments, users interact with objects using mid-air gestures; drag-and-drop (DND) is one of the most frequently performed tasks. However, few studies have considered the characteristics of VR and the interaction behavior of DND. This study aimed to investigate the interaction behavior of DND in a VR environment using the Oculus Quest 2 system by controlling the target width, movement amplitude, and movement direction. A DND task in VR has three phases: acceleration, deceleration, and correction. We observed that the target width, movement amplitude, and movement direction had a significant effect on the three phases of DND behavior. The effects were different for each behavioral phase, and an in-depth interaction analysis was conducted through the segmentation of behavior and consideration of vertical movement. These findings can contribute to the evaluation of work performance and interaction correction techniques in VR environments.

Keywords:

• Virtual reality
• drag-and-drop
• Fitts’ law
• interaction behavior
• behavior segmentation

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

Data will be available upon reasonable request (owing to privacy and ethical restrictions).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) [No. RS-2023-00213454]. This work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund [0f 2024].

Notes on contributors

Min Chul Cha

Min Chul Cha is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Media and Communication at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Republic of Korea. He received his PhD from Yonsei University in 2023. His research interests include multimodal interface, data-driven UX, automotive user interface, and extended reality.

Chae Heon Lim

Chae Heon Lim is a student in the integrated Ph.D. program in the Department of Human-Computer Interaction at Hanyang University Erica. His research interests include user experience in virtual reality environments.

Young Woo Kim

Young Woo Kim is a post-doctoral researcher at Yonsei University. He received his Ph.D. in the Department of Industrial Engineering from Yonsei University, South Korea. He focused on measuring and quantifying the user experience in the context of future mobility.

Sol Hee Yoon

Sol Hee Yoon is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Safety Engineering at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Her research focuses on the design of safe transportation systems based on human factors and ergonomics methodologies.

Seul Chan Lee

Seul Chan Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human-Computer Interaction at Hanyang University ERICA. His research goal is to explore users’ needs and requirements, evaluate system artifacts, and improve systems and devices based on the theories and methodologies of Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Human-Computer Interaction.