Virtual Reality Monitoring: How Real is Virtual Reality?
by Keith Hullfish
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Appendix C INTRODUCTION TO THE EXPERIMENT
Welcome to the Human Interface Technology Laboratory and thank you for contributing to this research project. This project studies the cognitive abilities of humans in real, virtual, and imagined environments. This document will give you a general overview of what the experiment involves.
The experiment is divided into 2 phases: the study phase and the test phase. You will complete the entire study phase before going on to the test phase.
Study Phase
In the study phase, you will be exposed to 24 environments. Each environment contains objects arranged in an unique configuration on a life-sized black-and-white chessboard. Each configuration will consist of a set of 4 similar objects placed on individual squares on the chessboard. In each trial, the type of object will be one of the following: a Cube, a 3D Triangle, a Half-Cylinder, or a 3D "T". [As seen before you] The arrangement of these objects will form a global, identifiable shape located somewhere on the chessboard.
On each trial, you will be placed in 1 environment with a path marked by a green line. This path will not change. Your task is to follow this path around the chessboard and memorize the configuration on it. Also, as you pass nearest an object, point to it with your hand (please use the same hand for all trials). Each trial will be experienced in one of three randomly-chosen types of environments: a Real environment, an Imagined environment, or a Virtual environment.
Test Phase
At the end of the experiment, you will be tested on your memories of the configurations from the study phase. As you move through the path, it is important to remember 2 characteristics about each configuration. First, memorize the overall, global shape of the configuration. Second, you should remember the general location on the chessboard of the global shape. Note that it is not important to focus on the precise squares on which objects are position. Also, you will not be tested on the colors of any objects.
General Instructions
- You will have 6 practice trials before the actual experiment begins. You will receive detailed verbal instructions before the first practice trial in each type of environment (Real, Virtual, or Imagined). These instructions will familiarize you with the task and the study materials.
- Please always stay on the path in each environment.
- If at any time you wish to stop, you may do so.
- Please ask any questions now, since you can not communicate with the experimenter once the experiment has started.
- Please let the experimenter know when you finish reading these instructions.
Human Interface Technology Laboratory