Enhancement of Co-located Shared VR Experiences: Representing Non-HMD Observers on Both HMD and 2D Screen

TL;DR

This paper explores how representing non-HMD observers visually on both HMD and 2D screens can improve shared VR experiences, providing design guidelines based on user preferences and experimental results.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to visually represent non-HMD observers in shared VR, with empirical insights into effective design methods for both HMD and 2D displays.

Findings

Observer representation enhances shared VR experience quality.

HMD users prefer real-world visual displays for observers.

Observers have diverse preferences for being represented with real or virtual images.

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) not only allows head-mounted display (HMD) users to immerse themselves in virtual worlds but also to share them with others. When designed correctly, this shared experience can be enjoyable. However, in typical scenarios, HMD users are isolated by their devices, and non-HMD observers lack connection with the virtual world. To address this, our research investigates visually representing observers on both HMD and 2D screens to enhance shared experiences. The study, including five representation conditions, reveals that incorporating observer representation positively impacts both HMD users and observers. For how to design and represent them, our work shows that HMD users prefer methods displaying real-world visuals, while observers exhibit diverse preferences regarding being represented with real or virtual images. We provide design guidelines tailored to both displays, offering valuable insights to enhance co-located shared VR experiences for HMD users and non-HMD observers.