The paper examines research methods in the field of computer visualization based on virtual reality. Developing such systems involves not only the issues of software implementation, modelling or adequate equipment choice, but also the tasks connected with cognitive processes occurring in both users and developers of visualization systems. Featured is a brief review of papers dealing with research in human interaction with virtual reality. The scope of tasks in developing visualization systems based on virtual reality is determined. The conclusion discusses several research issues, the solutions to which will increase the efficiency of interaction of users with virtual environments.
Virtual reality environments were initially used for training simulation, but as far back
as in the late 1980s scientific visualization systems based on virtual reality occurred.
Those were the pilot versions of virtual test stands that were used in developing reusable
space shuttles [
Developing such systems involves not only the issues of software implementation, modelling or adequate equipment choice, but also the tasks connected with cognitive processes occurring in both users and developers of visualization systems. There also occurs the problem of perception of spatial characteristics: depth and distance, absolute and relative dimensions of objects, distance to them. This problem occurs due to the fact that when navigating in virtual reality, especially when using the so called natural interfaces and ‘direct interaction’ with displayed objects, a user, naturally, should understand the distance to them and between them. Apart from that, the issue of perception of spatial characteristics can be related to the information, transmitted by the object’s characteristics, if any abstract parameters are coded with object dimensions, their correlation, distance between them or from them to a certain point. Thus, developing computer visualization systems demands research in the field of computer psychology.
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A virtual environment can act both as an instrument of research, in the field of
psychology in particular, and as an object of research. To be more precise, the interaction of
a person with virtual reality is an object of research, alongside with those special
aspects that manifest themselves in a person’s behavior in a virtual environment. Another
important field is the research into the potential of using virtual environments as the
basis for computer visualization systems. A whole range of papers are devoted to these
issues. The papers of Slater’s group discuss both the issues of measuring states specific
to virtual reality [
In our country, the interconnection between the state of presence, specific to virtual
reality, and cognitive control (i.e. a metacognitive function controlling the accuracy of
fulfilling a certain task) is established [
There are also tasks connected with the perception of depth in virtual reality, see
further [
Research into the potential of virtual reality is also featured in the papers devoted to
evaluating the efficiency of 3D software visualization systems based on virtual reality,
when using a city metaphor, such as [
Two types of visualization are typically discussed in academic research: illustrative
visualization and cognitive visualization. Illustrative visualization demonstrates the
already known phenomena, while cognitive visualization facilitates cogitation by
showing brand new effects that provide new knowledge [
It is worth noting that experts setting the tasks of visualizing certain objects, processes or phenomena have specific ideas of their structure that can be called mental models. Situations may occur when an analyst does not know what the visualization should look like, but he or she knows exactly what it does not look like. At the same time, he or she is not always able to describe it clearly. A visualization developer should also have the idea of a mental model of the object, process or phenomenon. That is why he or she should have sufficient knowledge in the specific field and should grasp the essence of the simulation task thoroughly. Nevertheless, an analyst often sees much
Research Methods in the Field of Computer Visualization Based on Virtual Reality 3 more in the resulting ‘picture’, than the developer has expected them to. For example, when visualizing one of the tasks of mathematical physics dealing with air condition around a flying object an analyst ‘saw’ much more characteristics than the developers had expected. It turned out that, by using color shades to express pressure, temperature etc., they managed to convey the intermediate values, which gave additional information to the expert.
The work of a client and a visualization system user is largely explained in
Brushlinskiy’s papers. According to him, the unknown is not some kind of an ‘absolute void’,
which cannot be operated with. It exists in a certain system of interrelations linking it
with what is already given in the problem. It is in the course of disclosing these
interrelations that something new can be extracted [
The users of visualization systems based on virtual reality environments get information additional to that acquired in the process of using traditional visualization methods. Moving around a virtual space allows the user to see the inside of complex objects and their interrelation.
When using virtual reality, in order to ensure its advantages in visualization one should develop special views that enable factoring these advantages in. In the case of software visualization, various visualization metaphors exist, which can be used to create such views; for instance, a popular city / landscape metaphor.
In the case of scientific visualization, one should consider each situation separately, even if traditional methods of data representation should be used; for example, in the case of computational grids visualization, when it is clear what to show but not entirely clear how to do it in order to ensure the advantages of virtual reality environments or the expert’s sustainable work process. Therefore, one should take into consideration the distortions that occur during interaction with virtual reality.
Developed views should comply with the models of phenomena, processes and objects, as well as with users’ mental models. They should ensure those advantages that virtual reality offers.
As noted above, a developer should study the application domain, work in close cooperation with analysts/users in order to take into consideration their mental models and carefully examine the features of implementing visualization systems based on virtual reality and interface interaction in such systems.
When developing views for systems based on virtual reality one should also take
into consideration the role of interfaces. Two types of interfaces can be distinguished in
the systems based on virtual reality: one for controlling and adjusting the system itself
and the virtual reality, and one for working directly with the model. These interfaces
can be of radically different types. For instance, one interface can be natural, with the
use of gestures or voice commands [
In the process of researching human interaction with virtual reality systems, an
issue of studying the human factor inevitably arises. Firstly, one can distinguish the
aforementioned issue of distortions in the perception of space, depth and distances in virtual
reality. Interesting work has been done before in the field of depth perception in
virtual reality environments, which involved demonstration of visual feedback value when
reaching a virtual object [
The issue of accuracy in reaching a virtual object may turn out critical in using natural interfaces. Another issue, connected with spatial characteristics, is the issue of transmitting certain features of the simulated object by means of length, width, height and depth, as well as overall volume or area of certain surfaces. Research is required into whether it is possible to adequately perceive dimensional features of virtual objects by interacting with them.
Of importance are also aspects connected with cognitive processes and aspects dealing with the psychomotor system, which is inevitably involved when interacting with a visualization system based on virtual reality. One should not forget that the issue of proprioceptive feedback in virtual reality remains unsolved, that is why all movements in virtual reality are perceived differently in comparison with the physical world.
As is shown by individual examples in [
As demonstrated in [
Developing visualization systems based on virtual reality sets a whole range of research tasks connected with the influence of spatial perception on the interaction with models in visualization systems or dealing with the psychomotor system.
These could be tasks relating to object dimension evaluation. The difference from conventional spatial perception experiments is in the fact that only at the first stage can the experimental task involve purely evaluating the dimensions. The main part of
Research Methods in the Field of Computer Visualization Based on Virtual Reality 5 such research should involve evaluation of parameters displayed by means of linear dimensions, surface area or volumes, both absolute and relative.
Another issue related to space deals with a person’s ability to find their way in a virtual world. Experience shows that, in some cases, a person moving around in a complex virtual scene, which is impossible to scan at once, does not memorize the route they have ‘travelled’. This may turn out critical in using a landscape metaphor or a city metaphor.
On the other hand, we should examine the efficiency of various interface principles
(the natural ones and the ‘device’ ones), their convenience for users and their
applicability for various tasks occurring in visualization systems based on virtual reality. For
instance, the papers [
The issues of evaluating the potential of solving complex intellectual tasks in virtual
reality also remain relevant. Such issues have been offered solutions, for example, in [