Virtual Reality for Object Location Spatial Memory: A Comparison of Handheld Controllers and Force Feedback Gloves
Authors:Forgiarini, A., Buttussi, F., Chittaro, L.
Published in:Proceedings of CHITALY 2023: 15th Biannual Conference of the Italian ACM SIGCHI Chapter, ACM Press, New York, September 2023,
pp. 1-9.
Abstract:Object Location Spatial Memory (OLSM) is used in everyday tasks for which
it is important to remember where objects are in space. The spatial image
of the environment to perform such OLSM tasks is created based on inputs from three spatial senses (visual, auditory, and haptic). Various causes,
ranging from traumatic brain injury to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,
can compromise OLSM, requiring OLSM rehabilitation techniques. Virtual
reality (VR) can provide a safe environment for engaging rehabilitation
experiences. In the last years, new technologies for multi-modal interaction
such as force feedback gloves (FGs) have appeared on the market, but their
possible advantages over handheld controllers (HCs) that come together
with head-mounted displays have not been evaluated in the context of OLSM
tasks. This paper investigates whether adding haptic input can lead to more
effective OLSM training by comparing a pair of HCs with a pair of FGs in
performing the same OLSM task, i.e. placing different objects in memorized
locations. We conducted a within-subjects user study with 24 participants
who performed the OLSM task in two conditions: with HCs and with FGs.
Presence was measured with the IPQ questionnaire, and results showed
statistically significant differences in favor of interacting with FGs on the
general item about the sense of being there. Participants judged the system
usability high in both conditions. Perceived fatigue was higher when using
FGs. We expected better performance with FGs thanks to the addition of
haptic input, but no statistically significant differences were found in the
total number of correctly placed objects. Results showed that the time to
complete the task was lower with the HCs than FGs. Future comparisons
with other types of FGs may confirm that this type of OLSM task does not
benefit from specialized haptic hardware, supporting the possibility of performing OLSM rehabilitation exercises at patients’ home with affordable
commercial VR kits.
