Investigating Input Modality and Task Geometry on Precision-first 3D Drawing in Virtual Reality

TL;DR

This study examines how input modality and task geometry influence precision in 3D drawing within VR, revealing that controllers and pens significantly improve accuracy and that certain task orientations are easier to perform.

Contribution

The paper provides empirical insights into how different input devices and task shapes affect precision in 3D VR drawing tasks, guiding future interaction design.

Findings

Controllers and pens improve precision by nearly 30%.

Tasks with large curvature and specific orientations perform best.

Insights inform design of more precise VR drawing tools.

Abstract

Accurately drawing non-planar 3D curves in immersive Virtual Reality (VR) is indispensable for many precise 3D tasks. However, due to lack of physical support, limited depth perception, and the non-planar nature of 3D curves, it is challenging to adjust mid-air strokes to achieve high precision. Instead of creating new interaction techniques, we investigated how task geometric shapes and input modalities affect precision-first drawing performance in a within-subject study (n = 12) focusing on 3D target tracing in commercially available VR headsets. We found that compared to using bare hands, VR controllers and pens yield nearly 30% of precision gain, and that the tasks with large curvature, forward-backward or left-right orientations perform best. We finally discuss opportunities for designing novel interaction techniques for precise 3D drawing. We believe that our work will benefit future research aiming to create usable toolboxes for precise 3D drawing.