Att använda sonifiering som återkoppling för vikt i VR

Sammanfattning

Simulated virtual reality with VR headsets is a relatively new technology with many aspects to investigate. A problem for VR technology is the perception of weight; virtual objects that the user lifts provide no weight feedback with the conventional equipment available today. This affects the presence of the user, a term for measuring the quality of VR experiences. Sonification is the usage of sound in order to transmit information. This study examines whether it is possible to provide an increased experience of weight through sonification. For this, a feedback system was developed which was applied in a VR test environment. The task for the tests was to throw balls to hit a target. The ball made a sound in different frequencies depending on the weight and this was used to adjust the speed of the throw. Test 1 was performed without sound and test 2 with the sound-based feedback method. During the test, the distance between the target and the point of impact of the ball was measured. After the test, the participants had to rate parts of their experience. The results showed neither a major difference in accuracy nor an effect on presence. For most cases, accuracy decreased slightly on average when sound was introduced, while others distinguished themselves with more extreme cases of improvement and deterioration in accuracy. Based on the results, it could be argued that frequency differences confuse more than assisting the user's perception of weight. The conclusion of the study is that higher frequencies are associated with lighter objects and vice versa, but that more research is needed to understand the potential role of sonification when it comes to weight perception.