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Accelerated viewpoint panning with rotational gain in 360 degree videos
Abstract
In this paper, we present an application of rotational gain to horizontal panning for viewing 360 degree videos. Rotational gain refers to the ratio between the rotation velocity in the virtual (video) space to that of the physical, and it allows the user to rotate one's head less quickly than actually needed (without the user noticing such adjustment to some degree). As such it can bring about convenience, and less physical movement, fatigue and possibly even sickness. We implemented a 360 video panning system with both a constant and dynamic gain, and compared user behavior and subjective usability. Our pilot study showed promising results in that with the proper gain value and control scheme, the user will unknowingly use less physical movement than needed, yet maintain reasonable spatial understanding with higher usability.
... This techniques are widely used in situations when VR developers want to limit the real space, constraining it to the tracking area, but don't want to show those limitations in virtual environment [1]. One of these techniques is called "rotational gain" [2]. It enables increasing the rotational velocity in virtual environment, so the user can actually rotate his head with smaller angle [5]. ...
... Equation 2 introduces initial rotation, so this equation presents a single device rotation from certain zero orientation q 0 . Another interesting method of developing reorientation technique is presented in [2]. For creating 360 degree video system, authors decided to implement dynamic rotation gain based on corresponding head/neck rotational velocity, together with constant, presented in this paper. ...
... Most interesting way for further idea development is to design another tasks which users can perform. Another possibility lies in implementing the dynamic gain method presented in [2] which showed promising results during pilot studies. Other thing is to test the solution on most popular commercial VR goggles like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. ...
Despite fact that virtual environment systems have a very long history, there are still place for improvements and innovations. One of them concerns graphical user interface design. After all these years, many ideas were implemented with different results. Many efforts have been made to let user enjoy the specific system even more. Other branch of VR research and development is based on navigation and reorientation techniques implemented mostly for movement in Virtual Reality space. This paper seeks to investigate the impact of one branch on another by giving a simple task on a ring menu together with proposing an additional backward rotational velocity parameter. Usability tests described in this paper showed that using this parameter increases the task performance time, task efficiency and user satisfaction score for menu navigation in VR. Additionally, article presents comparison of backward rotational velocity parameter to rotational gain parameter as well as tests with both of this parameters and proposition for default values for them.
... Rotation-assisted techniques are more suitable for experiences that encourage exploration. Hong et al. [65] amplified the rotational angle with a 1.3-1.6 scale. Rothe et al. [124] utilized a controller to help users rotate their views at different speeds. ...
... Aitamurto et al. [65] tested the half-sphere condition to compare its effects on FOMO. Rothe et al. [124] compared three rotational methods with 360, 180, and 225 degrees. ...
Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) is a narrative-driven VR experience that uses head-mounted displays with a 360-degree field of view. Previous research has explored different viewing modalities to enhance viewers' CVR experience. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on how different viewing modalities, including intervened rotation, avatar assistance, guidance cues, and perspective shifting, influence the CVR experience. The study has screened 3444 papers (between 01/01/2013 and 17/06/2023) and selected 45 for systematic review, 13 of which also for meta-analysis. We conducted separate random-effects meta-analysis and applied Robust Variance Estimation to examine CVR viewing modalities and user experience outcomes. Evidence from experiments was synthesized as differences between standardized mean differences (SMDs) of user experience of control group ("Swivel-Chair" CVR) and experiment groups. To our surprise, we found inconsistencies in the effect sizes across different studies, even with the same viewing modalities. Moreover, in these studies, terms such as "presence," "immersion," and "narrative engagement" were often used interchangeably. Their irregular use of questionnaires, overreliance on self-developed questionnaires, and incomplete data reporting may have led to unrigorous evaluations of CVR experiences. This study contributes to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research by identifying gaps in CVR research, emphasizing the need for standardization of terminologies and methodologies to enhance the reliability and comparability of future CVR research.
... Tools and techniques of visual follow-up have been examined to evaluate the behavior of the look and the movement of the head in 360-degree videos that thereby improve the immersive narrative [13,20]. Similarly, the user experience can be improved by increasing the horizontal rotational gain (the ratio between the rotation velocity in the virtual (video) space to that of the physical) to view 360-degree videos [14]. We have considered this aspect to improve the user experience, reducing the fatigue or pain that can be caused by making many movements. ...
... The radial rotational speed that a person can tolerate in this immersive environment has also been considered. Where the rotational speed is 30 degrees/second and the maximum displacement is 60 degrees without causing dizziness [14]. The device used for filming the 360-degree video was the Samsung Gear 360 VR camera. ...
Today the visualization of 360-degree videos has become a means to live immersive experiences.. However, an important challenge to overcome is how to guide the viewer’s attention to the video’s main scene, without interrupting the immersion experience and the narrative thread. To meet this challenge, we have developed a software prototype to assess three approaches: Arrows, Radar and Auto Focus. These are based on visual guidance cues used in first person shooter games such as: Radar-Sonar, Radar-Compass and Arrows. In the study a questionnaire was made to evaluate the comprehension of the narrative, the user’s perspective with respect to the design of the visual cues and the usability of the system. In addition, data was collected on the movement of the user’s head, in order to analyze the focus of attention. The study used statistical methods to perform the analysis, the results show that the participants who used some visual cue (any of these) showed significant improvements compared to the control group (without using visual cues) in finding the main scene. With respect to narrative compression, significant improvements were obtained in the user group that used Radar and Auto Focus compared to the control group.
... Rotational gain can be applied for watching CVR movies [4] in a way that users can enjoy the movies in a chair with less physical movement. Hong et al. [4] compared dynamic and constant rotational gain. ...
... Rotational gain can be applied for watching CVR movies [4] in a way that users can enjoy the movies in a chair with less physical movement. Hong et al. [4] compared dynamic and constant rotational gain. For the constant method, a scale factor of 1.3 was used, for the dynamic method between 1.3 and 1.6. ...
When watching omnidirectional movies with Head-Mounted Displays, viewers can freely choose the direction of view, and thus the visible section of the movie. However, looking around all the time can be exhausting and having content in the full 360° area can cause the fear to miss something. For making watching more comfortable, we implemented new methods and conducted three experiments: (1) exploring methods to inspect the full omnidirectional area by moving the head, but not the whole body; (2) comparing head, body and movie rotation and (3) studying how the reduction of the 360° area influences the viewing experience. For (3), we compared the user behavior watching a full 360°, a 225° and a 180° movie via HMD. The investigated techniques for inspecting the full 360° area in a fixed sitting position (experiments 1 and 2) perform well and could replace the often-used swivel chair. Reducing the 360° area (experiment 3), 225° movies resulted in a better score than 180° movies.
... These constraints will also impact how MR (with an emphasis on VR) content is viewed, given that physical limitations regarding neck and head movement would necessitate that either the content be restricted to a narrower field of view than full 360 • experiences, or some means of scrolling/changing orientation be provided (e.g. rotational gain (Hong and Kim 2016)), to prevent users from feeling frustrated regarding being unable to fully attend to entirety of the virtual 360 • space. Where available, touchscreens and touch-sensitive surfaces on centre consoles could provide an additional, richer input modality for users during MR interactions, and give designers the opportunity to develop new input techniques for passengers that are perhaps suitable for MR experiences in the future. ...
This paper examines key challenges in supporting passenger use of augmented and virtual reality headsets in transit. These headsets will allow passengers to break free from the restraints of physical displays placed in constrained environments such as cars, trains and planes. Moreover, they have the potential to allow passengers to make better use of their time by making travel more productive and enjoyable, supporting both privacy and immersion. However, there are significant barriers to headset usage by passengers in transit contexts. These barriers range from impediments that would entirely prevent safe usage and function (e.g. motion sickness) to those that might impair their adoption (e.g. social acceptability). We identify the key challenges that need to be overcome and discuss the necessary resolutions and research required to facilitate adoption and realize the potential advantages of using mixed reality headsets in transit.
Mixed Reality (MR) headsets enable the rendering of virtual content selectively intermixed with reality. These headsets have the capacity to allow passengers to break free from the restraints of physical displays placed in constrained environments such as cars, trains and planes. Moreover, they have the potential to allow passengers to make better use of their time by making travel more productive and enjoyable, supporting both privacy and immersion. This is of particular note given the predicted adoption of autonomous vehicles. This chapter explores both the applications of MR headsets in passenger transit scenarios, and the key barriers to headset usage by passengers, ranging from impediments that would entirely prevent safe usage and function (e.g. motion sickness, see Chap. 1.6) to those that might impair their adoption (e.g. social acceptability). We discuss the key challenges that need to be overcome and the necessary research required to facilitate adoption and realise the potential advantages of using MR headsets in transit.
Automated driving is transforming the driving experience in the 21st-century vehicle. As a result, interacting with in-vehicle information systems, infotainment, in-car productivity or social interactions and real-life experiences with other passengers in the car, are slowly emerging as primary activities. UX researchers focus more and more on the users not only by developing products and services for them and enhancing their experiences but also actively involving them in co-designing for their own experience. Our research with designers inside the automotive industry suggests that the industry is exceptionally traditional regarding the methods and tools used to design and evaluate interactive experiences in comparison to other domains. In this chapter, we will report on the limitations of the industry in comparison to academia. Besides, we will report on the needs of the automotive UX practitioners and discuss the state of the art methods and tools that are most valued in the automotive industry.
The "Computer Game Innovations" series is an international forum designed to enable the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of video game development. Comprising both academic research and industrial needs, the series aims at advancing innovative industry-academia collaboration. The monograph provides a unique set of articles presenting original research conducted in the leading academic centres which specialise in video games education. The goal of the publication is, among others, to enhance networking opportunities for industry and university representatives seeking to form R&D partnerships. This publication covers the key focus areas specified in the GAMEINN sectoral programme supported by the National Centre for Research and Development.
Redirected walking techniques allow people to walk in a larger virtual space than the physical extents of the laboratory. We describe two experiments conducted to investigate human sensitivity to walking on a curved path and to validate a new redirected walking technique. In a psychophysical experiment, we found that sensitivity to walking on a curved path was significantly lower for slower walking speeds (radius of 10 m versus 22 m). In an applied study, we investigated the influence of a velocity-dependent dynamic gain controller and an avatar controller on the average distance that participants were able to freely walk before needing to be reoriented. The mean walked distance was significantly greater in the dynamic gain controller condition, as compared to the static controller (22 m versus 15 m). Our results demonstrate that perceptually motivated dynamic redirected walking techniques, in combination with reorientation techniques, allow for unaided exploration of a large virtual city model.
In immersive virtual environments (IVEs), users can control their virtual viewpoint by moving their tracked head and walking through the real world. Usually, movements in the real world are mapped one-to-one to virtual camera motions. With redirection techniques, the virtual camera is manipulated by applying gains to user motion so that the virtual world moves differently than the real world. Thus, users can walk through large-scale IVEs while physically remaining in a reasonably small workspace. In psychophysical experiments with a two-alternative forced-choice task, we have quantified how much humans can unknowingly be redirected on physical paths that are different from the visually perceived paths. We tested 12 subjects in three different experiments: (E1) discrimination between virtual and physical rotations, (E2) discrimination between virtual and physical straightforward movements, and (E3) discrimination of path curvature. In experiment E1, subjects performed rotations with different gains, and then had to choose whether the visually perceived rotation was smaller or greater than the physical rotation. In experiment E2, subjects chose whether the physical walk was shorter or longer than the visually perceived scaled travel distance. In experiment E3, subjects estimate the path curvature when walking a curved path in the real world while the visual display shows a straight path in the virtual world. Our results show that users can be turned physically about 49 percent more or 20 percent less than the perceived virtual rotation, distances can be downscaled by 14 percent and upscaled by 26 percent, and users can be redirected on a circular arc with a radius greater than 22 m while they believe that they are walking straight.
When a person moves through the world, the associated visual displacement of the environment in the opposite direction is not usually seen as external movement but rather as a changing view of a stable world. We measured the amount of visual motion that can be tolerated as compatible with the perception of moving within a stable world during active, sinusoidal, translational and rotational head movement. Head movements were monitored by means of a low-latency, mechanical head tracker and the information was used to update a helmet-mounted visual display. A variable gain was introduced between the head tracker and the display. Ten subjects adjusted this gain until the visual display appeared stable during sinusoidal yaw, pitch and roll head rotations and naso-occipital, inter-aural and dorso-ventral translations at 0.5 Hz. Each head movement was tested with movement either orthogonal to or parallel with gravity. A wide spread of gains was accepted as stable (0.8 to 1.4 for rotation and 1.1 to 1.8 for translation). The gain most likely to be perceived as stable was greater than that required by the geometry (1.2 for rotation; 1.4 for translation). For rotational motion, the mean gains were the same for all axes. For translation there was no effect of whether the movement was inter-aural (mean gain 1.6) or dorso-ventral (mean gain 1.5) and no effect of the relative orientation of the translation direction relative to gravity. However translation in the naso-occipital direction was associated with more closely veridical settings (mean gain 1.1) and narrower standard deviations than in other directions. These findings are discussed in terms of visual and non-visual contributions to the perception of an earth-stable environment during active head movement.