Comparing Interface Affordances for Controlling a Push Broom in VR

Abstract

This thesis explores how VR controller interfaces affect how participants hold a virtual push broom in VR. We aim to understand how the affordances provided by current VR controllers and a custom broom VR controller impact user hand grip in a visual VR broom task. We compare hand grip in two VR conditions against hand placement of a real push broom without VR. The goal is to understand the roles that interaction interfaces have on recreating physically accurate actions in VR training scenarios. The results from this study show an effect of the broom controller condition but also that the presentation order and subject demographics may have affected the way subjects held the VR and real push brooms.