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Publication

3D User Interfaces as a Challenge for Cognitive Science

Alexander Löffler; Dieter Wallach
In: 7. Fachtagung Gesellschaft für Kognitionswissenschaft (KogWis 05). Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Kognitionswissenschaft (KogWis), 7. September 7-9, Basel, Switzerland, Schwabe, 9/2005.

Abstract

Even though Virtual Reality (VR) applications have the theoretical advantage of an additional spatial dimension compared to applications running on desktop computers, their user interfaces restrict themselves to common two-dimensional (2D) interaction paradigms merely transferred to planes within the three-dimensional (3D) space. New interaction devices operating in 3D space and thus predestined for complex interactions are being developed in fast succession. Nevertheless, interaction persistently sticks to 2D for a long time already. To create a targeted mental model for users of an application, the special features of 3D interaction should not remain unnoticed. The following paper explains 3D interaction paradigms in VR in relation to dedicated hardware as well as software. Furthermore, it discusses perspectives for an application-oriented research in the field of Cognitive Science.