Thesis Defence: Exploring Finger-Based Solutions for Transitioning in Reality-Virtuality Continuum

Satabdi Das, supervised by Dr. Khalad Hasan, will defend their thesis titled “Exploring Finger-Based Solutions for Transitioning in Reality-Virtuality Continuum” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science.

An abstract for Satabdi Das’ thesis is included below.

Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. Registration is not required for in person defences.

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ABSTRACT

Head-mounted displays (HMDs) enable users to navigate across the Reality-Virtuality Continuum, allowing them to transition between the Real world, Augmented Reality, Augmented Virtuality, and the Virtual world. Conventional transition methods often require users to press buttons on controllers, manipulate rotary wheels, or tap on the HMDs, potentially disrupting hands-free interaction and immersive experiences. To overcome this limitation, this thesis explores finger-based solutions for navigating between worlds. Through two user studies, I examined various solutions, including hand gestures, double taps on the device, virtual buttons, and a fingerworn button (referred to as FingerButton), for transitioning between worlds. Study results demonstrated that the FingerButton outperformed other techniques regarding speed, accuracy, and user preference. Building upon these findings, I further examined the scalability of such finger-worn solutions across multiple realities. While the FingerButton offers a simple solution with one physical button attached to the finger, navigating between worlds sequentially may be time-consuming. Therefore, different configurations of the FingerButton were explored, such as the 2×2 Button, 2×1 Button, and 4×1 Button, and compared with other finger-worn solutions, including Joystick, Rotary wheel, and Slider, for transitioning in Reality-Virtuality Continuum. The findings revealed that the 2×2 Button configuration emerged as the most effective technique, minimizing trial time and ensuring user comfort. Overall, this research contributes to understanding and improving the interaction techniques for fluid switching between realities, enhancing VR user experiences.