Evaluation of the effects of frame time variation on VR task performance

TL;DR

This study investigates how variations in frame time influence task performance in virtual environments, revealing that moderate fluctuations are tolerable but significant effects occur at minimal frame times critical for immersion.

Contribution

First comprehensive analysis of frame time variation effects on VR task performance, highlighting thresholds impacting user experience and guiding VR system design.

Findings

Large frame time deviations do not impair performance at acceptable levels.

Significant performance effects occur at minimal frame times used for immersion.

Frame time fluctuations are critical in designing VR applications for optimal user experience.

Abstract

We present a first study of the effects of frame time variations, in both deviation around mean frame times and period of fluctuation, on task performance in a virtual environment (VE). Chosen are open and closed loop tasks that are typical for current applications or likely to be prominent in future ones. The results show that at frame times in the range deemed acceptable for many applications, fairly large deviations in amplitude over a fairly wide range of periods do not significantly affect task performance. However, at a frame time often considered a minimum for immersive VR, frame time variations do produce significant effects on closed loop task performance. The results will be of use to designers of VEs and immersive applications, who often must control frame time variations due to large fluctuations of complexity (graphical and otherwise) in the VE.