From Alt-Tab to World-Snap: Exploring Different Metaphors for Swift and Seamless VR World Switching

Abstract

Today’s personal computers and handheld devices afford users the ability to rapidly switch between different applications, e.g., using keyboard shortcuts and swipe gestures. In today’s virtual reality (VR) systems, immersive applications are siloed experiences that users must fully exit before starting another. We demonstrate eight prototypes of world switching interfaces that let users preview, select, and transition across multiple virtual environments in a continuous interaction, mirroring the “Alt+Tab” agility of desktop multitasking. We developed these techniques based on portals and worlds-in-miniature (WiM) metaphors that reveal the destination environment before triggering a full transition. Demo video: https://youtu.be/koHZTYhdzWA

Mykola Maslych

Computer Science PhD Candidate

My research interests include machine learning applied to 3D User interfaces and HCI in general.