Smooth locomotion in VR : Comparing head orientation and controller orientation locomotion

Background. Virtual reality (VR) technology has evolved to a stage where affordable consumer devices are available. Still, there are limitations to technology which causes compromises to be made. One of the big problems in VR is locomotion, especially regarding immersion and comfort. There are two common ways for locomotion in VR, Teleportation and smooth continuous locomotion. Smooth locomotion is often considered superior for immersion but commonly causes simulation sickness.Objectives. This paper is comparing two different methods of smooth locomotion, one based on head orientation and the other based on controller orientation. The objective is to determine which method is preferred regarding comfort, immersion and ease of use.Methods. To identify the strength and weaknesses of each method, a VR experiment was designed which simulates tasks common in video games. A comparative study was made with fifteen subjects.The fifteen participants performed tasks involving exploring a VR environment and using the VR controller to shoot at targets. After using each of the methods the subjects then answered questionnaires about the usability and the simulations sickness caused by the method. Other data was collected on how well the task was performed such as number of targets hit.Results. The users ranked controller orientation locomotion higher for perceived naturalness and likeability and was ranked lower for items relating to restrictiveness and difficulty. No significant difference was found regarding simulator sickness and performance.Conclusion. Controller orientation locomotion ranked at least as good or better than head orientation locomotion in all categories. This shows that it is the preferred orientation method in this use case where the application is similar to a first person shooter game