CHS: Small: Investigating the Characteristics of User Representations and Long-Term Experiences in Personal Space Depth Perception in Virtual Reality

在虚拟现实（VR）中，与感兴趣对象的距离经常被系统性地误解，这些感知到的空间扭曲导致操作员执行精细运动动作的能力困难，增加了交互错误和用户挫折感，从而降低了VR模拟中任务表现和精神运动技能培训的有效性，特别是在模拟机器人操作、飞行和驾驶模拟等应用中。手术训练和康复模拟。该项目通过检查来解决VR中的深度感知问题：(a) VR中的虚拟自我表征或化身（也称为自我化身）的属性如何影响个人空间中的深度感知，个人空间是扩展到操作员范围的空间区域；(b)虚拟现实中的纵向或长期体验如何影响或校准自我化身对个人空间虚拟现实互动中深度感知的影响。这项研究将直接解决工程领域的一个重大挑战，正如国家工程院所确定的那样，这是增强VR。从这个项目中得到的经验数据、测量协议、案例研究和应用指南将大大增加我们急需的知识体系，以理解化身、视觉-运动重新校准到自我化身属性和VR深度感知之间的关系。纵向研究部分将促进本科生和研究生接触先进的VR开发和进行严格的用户评估的过程。该项目的研究和教育活动将通过改善娱乐，精神运动技能学习和康复的交互式应用程序的用户体验和可用性，从而增强VR的消费者体验。该项目是第一个彻底研究虚拟现实中近场或个人空间深度感知的自我化身的拟人化和人体测量特性的视觉运动重新校准的项目之一，以及它们对校准的影响如何随着时间的推移而变化。该项目的具体目标是：(1)研究虚拟现实中自我化身的拟人化和人体测量学特性对缩放深度感知、身体所有权和感知到达能力的影响。(2)实证评估VR中基于自我化身的交互在多大程度上校准了用户的深度感知、身体所有权和身体图式。(3)随着用户对任务和VR的总体经验的增加，研究纵向暴露中自我化身对深度感知校准的影响如何随时间变化。(4)在本科和研究生教育中整合VR开发、用户研究设计、定量和定性研究方法。对个人空间虚拟现实互动中的自我化身的实证调查和纵向体验数据将为虚拟现实开发者、研究人员和消费者提供丰富的指导和建议，以利用该项目的衍生技术、指标和测量协议来提高用户性能并验证研究结果。该项目还将使学生能够亲身体验VR系统的学习和实验，收集关于纵向体验如何影响空间感知的急需数据，并使学生对什么是优秀的VR设计有强烈的认识。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Distances to objects of interest in Virtual Reality (VR) are often systematically misperceived, and these perceived spatial distortions cause difficulties in the operators' ability to execute fine motor actions, increased errors in interaction and user frustration, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of task performance and psychomotor skills training in VR simulations, especially in applications such as simulated robot manipulations, flight and driving simulation, and surgical training and rehabilitation simulations. This project addresses the problem of depth perception in VR by examining: (a) how properties of the virtual self-representations or embodiment (also known as self-avatars) in VR affects depth perception in personal space, which is the region of space extending to the limits of the operator's reach; (b) how longitudinal or long-term experiences in VR influences or calibrates the effects of self-avatars on depth perception in personal space VR interactions. This research will directly address a grand challenge for engineering, as determined by the National Academy of Engineering, which is to enhance VR. The empirical data, measurement protocols, case studies and application guidelines derived from this project will substantially augment the much-needed body of knowledge in understanding the relationship between embodiment, visuo-motor recalibration to self-avatar properties, and depth perception in VR. The longitudinal research component will foster the exposure of undergraduate and graduate students to advanced VR development and the process of conducting rigorous user evaluation. The research and educational activities of the project will lead to enhanced consumer experiences in VR by improving user experience and usability of interactive applications for entertainment, psychomotor skills learning and rehabilitation. The project is among the first to thoroughly investigate visuo-motor recalibration to anthropomorphic and anthropometric properties of self-avatars on near-field or personal space depth perception in VR, and how their impact with calibration changes over time with increased VR experience. The specific goals of this project are: (1) Investigate the effects of the anthropomorphic and anthropometric properties of self-avatars on scaling depth perception, body ownership and perceived reach capabilities in VR. (2) Empirically evaluate to what extent self-avatar based interaction in VR calibrates users' depth perception, body ownership and body schema. (3) Investigate how the effects of self-avatars on calibration of depth perception varies over time in longitudinal exposures, as users gain more experience with the task and VR in general. (4) Integrate VR development, user study design, quantitative and qualitative research methods in undergraduate and graduate education. The empirical investigation of self-avatars in personal space VR interactions and data from longitudinal experiences will generate a rich set of guidelines and recommendations for VR developers, researchers and consumers in utilizing the project’s derived techniques, metrics and measurement protocols to enhance user performance and validate research findings. This project will also enable students to experience hands-on and at-home learning and experimentation of VR systems, gathering much needed data on how longitudinal experiences affect spatial perception and enabling students to develop a strong sense of what constitutes a good VR design.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.