Navigating mazes in a virtual environment

Roger A. Browse; David B. Skillicorn; Darren Middleman

doi:10.1117/12.479665

17 June 2003 Navigating mazes in a virtual environment

Roger A. Browse, David B. Skillicorn, Darren Middleman

Proceedings Volume 5007, Human Vision and Electronic Imaging VIII; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.479665
Event: Electronic Imaging 2003, 2003, Santa Clara, CA, United States

Abstract

In this research we are concerned with computer interfaces with which subjects navigate through maze simulations which are essentially buildings, with corridors and intersections, such as frequently encountered in computer games and simulations. We wish to determine if virtual reality interfaces introduce a performance enhancement that might be expected for display configurations which mimic natural perceptual experiences. We have experimented primarily with two display conditions for presentation of and navigation through the mazes. Subjects either view the maze on a desktop computer monitor, turning and moving within the maze with the mouse in a way that is similar to the configurations used in most first-person role playing computer games, or they viewed the maze from a standing position with a head-mounted display, being free to direct the view of the maze through body and head movements, and using the depression of a mouse button to effect movement in the direction that they were facing. Head-tracking was required for this latter condition. As expected there are striking individual differences in subjects’ abilities to learn to traverse the mazes. Across a variety of maze configuration parameters which significantly do influence performance, the results indicate that the virtual reality enhancements have no effect subjects' ability to learn the mazes, either as route knowledge or as cognitive maps.

Citation Download Citation

Roger A. Browse, David B. Skillicorn, and Darren Middleman "Navigating mazes in a virtual environment", Proc. SPIE 5007, Human Vision and Electronic Imaging VIII, (17 June 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.479665

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available