Updating spatial orientation in virtual environments

Abstract

Spatial reasoning in architectural design can be better understood by considering the factors that are affecting the spatial updating of the individual in an environment. This study focuses on the issue of spatial updating during rotational and translational movements in a virtual environment (VE). Rotational and translational movements based on an egocentric frame of reference via optic flow are compared separately in order to find the movement that is more efficient in spatial updating. Alignment of the objects with the viewer, different media utilized in architectural design drawings and gender are considered as factors that affect the spatial updating within the movement types. The results indicated that translational movement was more efficient in the judgment of relative directions. Furthermore, questions related to the objects that were aligned with the viewer were more correctly answered than on the misaligned ones. In comparison of hand, computer and both as drawing media, findings indicated that computer usage in architectural design drawings was the most effective medium in spatial updating process in a VE. Contrary to the previous studies, there was no significant difference between gender and movement types.