Limiting Freedom Aids 3D Navigation

How taking away some user control can support spatial cognition

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-hawk-flying-freely-56865/

In 2008, our team published a study at ACM CHI that explored the use of motion constraints to aid 3D navigation in virtual environments. Our research remains a vital reference point for understanding how guided navigation can significantly enhance user experience and performance in virtual worlds. In this brief post, I will explain the basic findings.

Navigating a 3D environment on a computer is no small feat. Whether you’re exploring a virtual museum, training in a flight simulator, or simply trying to find your way in a complex virtual world, the cognitive load can be overwhelming. This is particularly true for desktop computer users who rely on traditional input devices such as a mouse and keyboard. Our study sought to alleviate this burden by introducing motion constraints; fully or partially limiting the user’s 3D movement for the purpose of simplifying navigation and improving memory recall.

Targets (top) and two 3D environments (bottom) used in our study.

Our findings were remarkable. We discovered that users who were provided with navigation guidance achieved significantly better results in both memory recall and performance. This was true for both immersive systems, such as CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment), and standard desktop setups. Interestingly, the improvements were more pronounced for desktop users, who even outperformed those using immersive systems. This highlights the profound impact that guided navigation can have, particularly when advanced 3D input and output devices are not available.

Why is it remarkable? It’s saying that reducing some of the potentially bewildering freedom of full 3D navigation can actually help the user to not only navigate more efficiently, but also understand the 3D space more completely.

Imagine walking through a city for the first time. Without a guide, you might wander aimlessly, missing important landmarks and struggling to form a mental map. Now, imagine having a local guide who shows you around, pointing out key locations and explaining how to get from one place to another. This guided tour helps you understand the layout of the city more quickly and efficiently. Our navigation guidance method functions in a similar way, offering users a structured path through the virtual environment while still allowing for some degree of personal exploration.

One of the most compelling aspects of our research was the design of the motion constraints. We ensured that users retained local control over their navigation. This means that while the system provided a general path to follow, users could deviate slightly to explore areas of interest before being gently guided back to the main path. This balance between guidance and control proved to be highly effective, as it allowed users to become active participants in their navigation rather than passive recipients.

Our motion constraints tethered the user to a basic path using a spring, allowing them to deviate around the path as well as control their backwards and forwards progress along it.

The straightforward interpretation is that reducing — but not eliminating — the user’s freedom in 3D navigation offloads the cognitive effort of this mentally taxing task, allowing the user to devote their attention to other things.

Our study’s implications are far-reaching. The application domains for navigation guidance are numerous, including educational tools, virtual training programs, and gaming. For instance, in educational virtual environments, such as virtual field trips or historical site tours, guided navigation can help students focus on learning rather than struggling with navigation mechanics. In professional training simulations, such as for pilots or surgeons, this method can reduce the cognitive load, allowing trainees to concentrate on mastering their skills.

Despite the technological advancements since 2008, our research remains relevant today. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have become more prevalent, but the fundamental challenge of effective navigation persists. Motion constraints continue to offer a viable solution, particularly as VR and AR applications become more mainstream and accessible to the general public. Read the full paper for more details.

Full Citation

• Niklas Elmqvist, M. Eduard Tudoreanu, Philippas Tsigas. (2008). “Evaluating Motion Constraints for 3D Wayfinding in Immersive and Desktop Virtual Environments.” In Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2008.