CAVE vs. HMD in Distance Perception

Abstract

This study aims to analyze differences between a CAVE system and a Head-Mounted Display (HMD), two technologies presenting important differences, focusing on distance perception, as past research on this factor is usually carried with only one or the other device. We performed two experiments. First, we explored the impact of the HMD’s weight, by removing any other bias. Second, we compared distance perception using a simple hand interaction in a replicated environment. Results reveal that the HMD’s weight has no significant impact over short distances, and the usage of a virtual replica was found to improve distance perception.