We contribute an analysis of the prevalence and relative performance of archetypal VR menu techniques. An initial survey of 108 menu interfaces in 84 popular commercial VR applications establishes common design characteristics. These characteristics motivate the design of raycast, direct, and marking menu archetypes, and a two-experiment comparison of their relative performance with one and two levels of hierarchy using 8 or 24 items. With a single-level menu, direct input is the fastest interaction technique in general, and is unaffected by number of items. With a two-level hierarchical menu, marking is fastest regardless of item number. Menus using raycasting, the most common menu interaction technique, were among the slowest of the tested menus but were rated most consistently usable. Using the combined results, we provide design and implementation recommendations with applications to general VR menu design.

Cross-reality tasks, like creating or consuming virtual reality (VR) content, often involve inconvenient or distracting switches between desktop and VR. An initial formative study explores cross-reality switching habits, finding most switches are momentary “peeks” between interfaces, with specific habits determined by current context. The results inform a design space for context-aware “peeking” techniques that allow users to view or interact with desktop from VR, and vice versa, without fully switching. We implemented a set of peeking techniques and evaluated them in two levels of a cross-reality task: one requiring only viewing, and another requiring input and viewing. Peeking techniques made task completion faster, with increased input accuracy and reduced perceived workload.

People with limited mobility often use multiple devices when interacting with computing systems, but little is known about the impact these multi-modal configurations have on daily computing use. A deeper understanding of the practices, preferences, obstacles, and workarounds associated with accessible multi-modal input can uncover opportunities to create more accessible computer applications and hardware. We explored how people with limited mobility use multi-modality through a three-part investigation grounded in the context of video games. First, we surveyed 43 people to learn about their preferred devices and configurations. Next, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 participants to understand their experiences and challenges with using, configuring, and discovering input setups. Lastly, we performed a systematic review of 74 YouTube videos to illustrate and categorize input setups and adaptations in-situ. We conclude with a discussion on how our findings can inform future accessibility research for current and emerging computing technologies.

Input amplification enables easier movement in virtual reality (VR) for users with mobility issues or in confined spaces. However, current techniques either do not focus on maintaining feelings of body ownership, or are not applicable to general VR tasks. We investigate a general purpose non-linear transfer function that keeps the user's reach within reasonable bounds to maintain body ownership. The technique amplifies smaller movements from a user-definable neutral point into the expected larger movements using a configurable Hermite curve. Two experiments evaluate the approach. The first establishes that the technique has comparable performance to the state-of-the-art, increasing physical comfort while maintaining task performance and body ownership. The second explores the characteristics of the technique over a wide range of amplification levels. Using the combined results, design and implementation recommendations are provided with potential applications to related VR transfer functions.

This work proposes the concept of shared presence, where we enable a user to "become" a co-located humanoid robot while still being able to use their real body to complete tasks. The user controls the robot and sees with its vision and sensors, while still maintaining awareness and use of their real body for tasks other than controlling the robot. This shared presence can be used to accomplish tasks that are difficult for one person alone, for example, a robot manipulating a circuit board for easier soldering by the user, lifting and manipulating heavy or unwieldy objects together, or generally having the robot conduct and complete secondary tasks while the user focuses on the primary tasks. If people are able to overcome the cognitive difficulty of maintaining presence for both themselves and a nearby remote entity, tasks that typically require the use of two people could simply require one person assisted by a humanoid robot that they control. In this work, we explore some of the challenges of creating such a system, propose research questions for shared presence, and present our initial implementation that can enable shared presence. We believe shared presence opens up a new research direction that can be applied to many fields, including manufacturing, home-assistant robotics, and education.