Authors:
Marlene Huber
1
;
2
;
Simon Kloiber
3
;
Annalena Ulschmid
2
;
Agata Marta Soccini
4
;
Alessandro Clocchiatti
4
;
Hannes Kaufmann
2
and
Katharina Krösl
2
Affiliations:
1
VRVis GmbH, Vienna, Austria
;
2
TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
;
3
Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
;
4
University of Torino, Turin, Italy
Keyword(s):
Virtual Reality, Accessibility, Locomotion, User Study.
Abstract:
Virtual reality (VR) is often designed as a standing experience, excluding individuals with limited mobility. Given that a significant portion of the population experiences lower-body mobility restrictions, accessible VR locomotion must accommodate users without requiring lower-body movement. To build a comprehensive understanding of suitable locomotion techniques (LTs) for this demographic, it is crucial to evaluate the feasibility of various approaches in virtual environments (VEs). As a starting point, we present our evaluation approach and a user study on the feasibility and potential of selected LTs for accessible seated locomotion in VR. Our findings indicate that common LTs can be adapted for seated stationary VR. Teleportation-based techniques, in particular, stand out as viable options for accessible locomotion. Although our simulated wheelchair was less popular with non-disabled participants, it was well-received by wheelchair users and shows promise as an intuitive LT for
this target group.
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