Gaze Controlled Interactions for AR/VR

Abstract

This simulation study assessed the impact of gaze and hand gestures as a primary input method for the aerospace industry by utilizing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Fifteen NASA employees with a varying range of AR/VR expertise participated in an interactive simulation of driving a rover on Mars using a mechanical robot, 360 Fly Camera, HTC Vive, and Leap Motion. Each participant received two prototypes to interact with, a control and an experiment, where they were instructed to drive a rover simulation by interacting with on-screen buttons for the control and directional hand gestures for the experiment. Due to the limitation in technology, eye movements were not used. Participants were evaluated on rate of success when navigating between 3D printed rockets, perceived ease of use, and qualitative preference. AR/VR slightly impaired the perception of target objects in the physical environment. Results exhibited preference for the hand gestures with a near significant rate of success and perceived ease of use despite the small sample size.