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Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games pp 1–3Cite as

Spatial Perception in Virtual Environments

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Synonyms

Accommodation & convergence; Disorientation; Distance underestimation; Natural walking; Peripheral vision; Proprioception; Redirected walking; Stereoscopy

Definition

Virtual environments (VEs) are inherently spatial and afford the use of natural spatial senses to navigate. However, VEs are not perfect in this regard, and there are important spatial perceptual issues to consider.

Introduction

Virtual environments (VEs) are inherently rich sources of spatial information, as they are multisensory simulations of a 3D space. This is particularly true when a VE is experienced immersively through motion tracking and head-mounted displays or similar systems. Depending on the hardware being used, a VE can provide stereoscopic depth cues through a 3D display, motion parallax from head tracking, 3D spatial audio, and even directional haptic or temperature cues from fans or heat-lamps that simulate a breeze or the warmth of sunlight. Most importantly, immersive VEs can afford the ability...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA

    Eric Hodgson

Authors
  1. Eric Hodgson
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Correspondence to Eric Hodgson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Computer Science Department, Woodbury University Applied Computer Science Department, Burbank, California, USA

    Newton Lee

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Hodgson, E. (2018). Spatial Perception in Virtual Environments. In: Lee, N. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08234-9_255-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08234-9_255-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-08234-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08234-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Computer SciencesReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

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