Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
is essential to remember the context of your situation and apply these algorithms as
is appropriate. Now that you have learned the basics of the devices and how to use
their data to solve real world problems, the next important step is to consider how
you are resolving these problems. In the next section we cover tips on creating an
interface for a user so that they find your solution to virtual locomotion both fun and
natural.
16.4 Creating an Interface
Humans aremasters at working in a space about their body and have senses developed
for this. However, not all of this mastery can be transferred to a full body interface
(see challenges below) and this leads to problems for the user. It makes sense then to
incorporate as much of our human ability as possible, the naturalness that we have in
working in the real world, to allow for natural locomotion in virtual spaces. However,
a video camera staring at a user does not tell themwhat to do (i.e. give an affordance)
like a button or joystick would. This is because people do not always know how they
wouldmove or react to achieve some effect, even for a natural interface. Consider then
how “magic” interaction, i.e. a non-natural gesture that is easier to do, can be more
effective and less fatiguing. Know the tradeoffs you can make in your interface…
how
do
people want to interact?
An interface begins with a solid understanding of devices and data, but the goal
is to allow the user to achieve the application's requirements quickly, effortlessly,
accurately and sometimes enjoyably. Incorporating video game devices properly can
provide more engaging experiences, more freedom and a more natural, healthy and
immersive experience. Good design is about understanding all requirements and their
importance in order to create a holistic interface; gracefully handing situations when
recognition fails. Additionally, heed the practices of game developers that include a
warm-up or tutorial in their applications, to train the user.
In this section, we present challenges in designing an interface, learning how to
make your design tradeoffs, discovering how your users like to interact and finally
some ideas on compensating for technology limitations.
16.4.1 Challenges
Consider the following challenges when designing your full-body interface:
•
Virtual locomotion is limited by real space and physics: walking runs out of room,
walls are tangible and virtual ladders have no rungs.
•
Virtual worlds present new experiences where players do not always know the
correct full-body motions, such as skating a half-pipe or snow boarding.
