Efficient navigation in virtual environments : a comparative study of two interaction techniques : the magic wand vs. the human joystick

Whether it is for entertainment, training, medical, architectural, among other purposes, virtual environments are having a salient, real impact into many facets of our lives. A common user interaction task within such environments is movement. Several solutions have been proposed in the past for different environments. We are presenting a novel variation of two known interaction techniques and evaluate them in terms of efficiency and user experience in an immersive, virtual supermarket. Results indicate that although one is more efficient than the other they do not differ in terms of experiential aspects