Spatial Perception of Size in a Virtual World

Abstract

This paper investigated the spatial perception of size in a virtual space using a wire free mobile Virtual Reality (VR). A simple game called, The Object Popping Project (OPP) that allows the user to find and pop out a 3D object in VR has been developed and used as a tool to measure human spatial perception. The purpose of the OPP is to know how our spatial cognitive abilities differ we planned to get help of VR technology. A total of 7 spheres of different sizes in a 3D space were used in the OPP and the user had to gaze at any of the spheres for 3 s to select and pop it out. A study with 30 participants revealed that there was no effect by colors or numbers in perceiving the different sizes of the object. However, there was a gender effect that on an average, male participants spent less time than female participants in all the tasks.