If you’re using virtual reality or augmented reality, it might take you a bit of time to orient yourself back to the real world once you’re done, a recent University of Toronto research study has shown.
The study, published recently in the journal Scientific Reports, not only found that people moved differently in VR and AR, but that these changes led to temporary errors in movement in the real world.
In particular, according to a story published Aug. 30 on the U of T’s media portal, participants who used VR tended to undershoot their targets by not reaching far enough, while those who used AR tended to overshoot their targets by reaching too far.
The effect, continued the story, was noticeable immediately after using VR or AR, but gradually disappeared as participants readjusted to real-world conditions.
“Our study explored how using mixed reality (MR) technologies, like virtual reality and augmented reality, affects our ability to perform everyday physical tasks once we return to the real world,” said Xiaoye Michael Wang, a research associate in the faculty of kinesiology and physical education, who co-authored the study with Professor Tim Welsh.
“Specifically, we wanted to understand if the way our brains and bodies adapt to these digital environments changes how accurately we can move and interact with real objects after using VR and AR.”
According to the U of T media report, researchers said they were surprised by two findings:
- first, that movement patterns in VR and AR transfer to real-world movements;
- and second, by how quickly the effects of AR wore off compared to VR, with study participants readjusting to real-world conditions faster after using AR.
The difference between VR and AR, they suggest, might be because people in AR can still see and interact with their actual surroundings, which helps them maintain a more accurate sense of depth and distance.
“These findings are crucial because they highlight a potential challenge in transferring skills learned in VR or AR to the real world,” says Welsh. “As more industries and training programs adopt these technologies for skill development, it’s important to understand how they might affect real-world performance.
“For example, this could be relevant for training surgeons, pilots or even everyday skills like driving. Knowing the limitations and effects of VR and AR helps ensure these technologies are used effectively and safely.”
For those who need a little primer on VR and AR. the U of T library, which lends out both systems to students, has this:
- Virtual reality uses VR headsets or closed head-mounted displays (HMDS) to completely insulate and transpose the user to an alternative world
- Augmented reality adds to, or supplements our existing reality with digital objects and digital object overlays and enhances our presence by “augmenting” reality.
Here’s the complete U of T media article with a link to the study.
