Examining the effect of locomotion techniques on virtual prototype assessment: Gaze analysis using a Head-Mounted Display
研究了95人在虚拟现实中通过自然行走和传送两种移动方式评估街道家具原型时，移动技术对产品评价、存在感、晕动症及注视行为的影响，发现移动方式不影响评价结果但影响注视时间。
Improvements in the performance and graphical quality of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) have led to their increasing use in Virtual Reality (VR) for product presentation and virtual prototype (VP) evaluations. Various locomotion techniques in VR make it possible to move through a virtual scenario and approach the VP for evaluation purposes. The integration of eye-tracking devices into recent HMDs allows the trajectory and gaze behavior of observers to be reported during the evaluation, often more objectively than self-report questionnaires. However, very few studies have used physiological measures for the evaluation of products embedded in VR environments. Therefore, this paper offers a study in which 95 people evaluated three VPs of street furniture presented in their environment of use using Meta Quest Pro headset and explored through teleport and natural walking. The influence of the locomotion techniques on the ratings recorded using a semantic differential, sense of presence, cybersickness, and the role of eye-tracking in understanding gaze behavior while evaluating products' Areas of Interest (AOIs), are investigated. This study found no evidence that the way of approaching the product influences the evaluation of some of its features, overall product evaluation, confidence in responses, sense of presence, or cybersickness differently. On the other hand, this work evidences that the locomotion technique had an impact on how the user approached the products, which could significantly influence the viewing time of some AOIs. The study revealed that the most observed AOIs coincided with those parts closely related to important features, generally located at the top of the products, so paying special attention to these parts when designing and evaluating similar VPs is recommended. • Eye-tracking in HMD helps to understand gaze behaviour during VR product evaluation. • The locomotion technique impacts how the user approaches the products presented in VR. • Natural walking and teleport used in VR report similar results in product assessments. • Similar confidence, presence, or cybersickness results in both locomotion techniques. • The most observed areas were related to relevant product features located at the top.