VR Speed Illusions
In this project, we introduced the concept of self-motion illusions to manipulate optic flow cues while moving through immersive virtual environments. We introduced different rendering techniques, which allowed us to separately modify (i) velocity of optic flow and (ii) velocity of movements relative to landmarks. Hence, it became possible to move from point A to point B in a virtual environment at a certain velocity, while the observer got the impression of moving faster or slower. Moreover, when wearing a head-mounted display and using a tracking system, we could also up- or downscale the distance the user has to travel in the real world while perceiving a different moved distance in the virtual world at a speed that does not necessarily have to match the traveled virtual distance. We presented a psychophysical experiment in which we compared the efficiency of different rendering techniques to manipulate self-motion perception. In this project, we are focusing on different applications of such manipulations, such as ways to reduce other forms of misperception which are inherent to most virtual reality technologies.