Locomotion in a VE

· Several relatively well-known VR locomotion metaphors

o Teleportation. This is an instantaneous change of position, once the new location has been chosen. This seems desirable, but it has been found that it causes disorientation and simulator sickness.

o Worlds In Miniature (WIM). In this model, the user has a copy of the whole virtual world in their hand(s). They can choose a location in the copy and be smoothly taken to the location in the “real” VW. Some drawbacks include difficulty in using the model without haptic feedback.

o Scene In Hand. Here the virtual world is supposed to be attached to the user’s hand, so that simple hand movements manipulate the world and therefore change the user’s position.

o Eye In Hand. Similar to WIM, except the user is told to “imagine” the miniature copy of the world.

o Flying Vehicle. In this model the environment is not manipulated. The illusion is that the user can move through the world, either by using a mock-up or a wand or other device.

o Leaning. In this model the user moves by leaning in the direction they wish to travel.

o Voodoo Dolls. Similar to WIM, except that the user can create miniature “dolls house” of any part of the world, and then move through the house, and manipulate the “dolls”.

· These metaphors are implemented within a virtual world. This means they must take the confines of the system into account.

· Many of these “metaphors” do not map well-understood source domains. This may reduce their usefulness as metaphors.

I next look at two locomotion taxonomies.

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