Understanding Prop Design in VR: A framework to establish the fidelity required for a physical prop to maintain immersion in a VR experience
Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have gained momentum in various fields, including art and design, where it plays a significant role in modelling, prototyping, and testing. However, most VR headsets offer only visual and auditory inputs, leaving other senses unintrigued. One way to elevate the immersive experience is through the introduction of haptic feedback. In VR, touch can play a vital role, as it is critical in how we understand and experience the world. However, despite the increasingly recognised value of touch in VR, little research has investigated current tools, applications and challenges of designing touch-based virtual experiences. This thesis aims to narrow the gap between the physical and virtual realities by using tangible objects as props. The focus of this dissertation is to first, confirm that the presence of a physical prop in a virtual environment creates a more immersive experience, and second, to investigate the level of accuracy required in a physical prop, based on a number of physical properties, to achieve and maintain enhanced presence in the virtual environment. The overarching main research question is, ‘can a new framework for understanding prop limitations be developed, and to what degree of fidelity must a physical prop be in order to effectively convince the human brain into perceiving equivalence with its virtual counterpart, thereby maintaining uninterrupted and enhanced immersion?’. Ultimately, the outcome is to develop and validate a framework, or how-to guide, that aids makers in designing physical props for virtual environments.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations