Virtual reality (VR) enables interactions beyond real-world limitations, yet many such capabilities remain underexplored due to concerns about user comfort and increased disorientation and cybersickness. This study examined how altering the user's virtual pitch orientation influences interaction performance and subjective ratings. In a within-subject design, 30 seated participants experienced 12 virtual tilts from moderate to extreme (±180°). We assessed comfort, simulator sickness, perceptual responses, and performance. Our results revealed no significant increases in nausea, disorientation, or decreased comfort, with mild tilts performing equivalently to baseline. Notably, even extreme tilts maintained low nausea levels. Performance effects were mixed: forward tilts yielded similar or slightly improved performance, whereas backward tilts modestly impaired performance, though not significantly. These findings suggest that VR experiences featuring virtual body orientations distinct from the user's physical posture are feasible without compromising comfort or performance, enabling novel opportunities in simulation, interface design, visualization, creative content creation, and VR gaming.

This article examines the user experience and cognitive workload in digital storytelling through immersive virtual reality (VR). Specifically, it explores the relationship between various aspects of the user experience and their link to the cognitive workload. The investigation was conducted by means of a large-scale evaluation of an underwater archaeological VR experience that simulated diving into the reconstructions of a submerged ancient site combined with interactive 360° video storytelling. The evaluation included 125 participants from two different geographical locations. Results revealed a strong interdependence between all user experience scales, including presence, immersion, engagement, emotional response, state of flow, subjective judgment, and technological adoption of the VR equipment. Moreover, the sense of presence in VR was strongly related to the reported task performance. The article highlights the importance of understanding the user experience and cognitive workload when creating digital storytelling applications in immersive VR.

Visual illusions are fascinating because visual perception misjudges the actual physical properties of an image or a scene. This paper examines the perception of visual illusions in three-dimensional space. Six diverse visual illusions were implemented for both immersive virtual reality and monitor based environments. A user-study with 30 healthy participants took place in laboratory conditions comparing the perceptual effects of the two different mediums. Experimental data were collected from both a simple ordering method and electrical activity of the brain. Results showed unexpected outcomes indicating that only some of the illusions have a stronger effect in immersive virtual reality, others in monitor based environments while the rest with no significant effects.

BCIManager is a customizable library helping with the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) with 3D graphics scenes, suitable for virtual reality (VR) BCI feedback, gamified BCI training, using BCIs as game inputs, and similar use cases. The library forms a layer between Unity game engine and Openvibe (software for development of BCIs) that provides control of the EEG recording process from applications made with Unity. The main feature of the BCIManager is the interface for bi-directional data exchange between Unity and Openvibe; for sending markers (stimulations) from the experimental 3D applications to the EEG recordings, and for sending classification results, features, or other data from Openvibe to the 3D applications. BCIManager also wraps around the process of starting Openvibe and can be used for arbitrary scenarios that include EEG recording with 3D/VR applications. This project is an open source, freely available at https://github.com/xskola/BCIManager.

The sense of embodiment in virtual reality is a strong case of body ownership illusion, effectively allowing humans to experience the ownership of a modified, or a completely different body. Virtual embodiment has captured the attention of researchers in various fields, with applications far beyond computer science. Despite the promising applications, little is known about the neural mechanisms behind full-body virtual embodiment. This study investigates the influence of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the brain area linked to processing of the bodily self (right temporoparietal junction) to the subjective strength of virtual embodiment and its main constituents, using within-subject experimental design with sham-controlled stimulation. Virtual embodiment was studied using questionnaires, accompanied by brain signals gathered using EEG. Our results suggest that stimulation did not affect the sense of ownership toward the virtual avatar. Borderline strengthening of the perceived sense of agency toward the avatar’s actions was found in the sessions with stimulation.

Virtual reality (VR) can be immersive to such a degree that users sometimes report feeling tactile sensations based on visualization of the touch, without any actual physical contact. This effect is not only interesting for studies of human perception, but can also be leveraged to improve the quality of VR by evoking tactile sensations without usage of specialized equipment. The aim of this paper is to study brain processing of the illusory touch and its enhancement for purposes of exploitation in VR scene design. To amplify the illusory touch, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was used. Participants attended two sessions with blinded stimulation and interacted with a virtual ball using tracked hands in VR. The effects were studied using electroencephalography (EEG), that allowed us to examine stimulation-induced changes in processing of the illusory touch in the brain, as well as to identify its neural correlates. Results confirm enhanced processing of the illusory touch after the stimulation, and some of these changes were correlated to subjective rating of its magnitude.