Scientific Visualization Performance in Virtual Environments

Abstract

Three frames of reference (full exocentric, full egocentric and tethered) were contrasted in three experiments to measure performance of four different scientific visualization subtasks: search, travel, local judgment support and global judgment support. Participants were instructed to locate and follow a designated path through simple virtual environments and to answer simple questions about that environment. Each subject completed 5 trials in every frame of reference condition (exocentric, egocentric and tethered) with the subject's first trial serving as a practice trial. The results revealed that frames of reference that utilize egocentric or tethered viewpoints support better travel performance, especially when nearing the target. However the exocentric frame of reference supported better performance in the search subtasks and the local and global judgment subtasks.