Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality

Eric Demarbre; Jay Henderson; J. Felipe Gonzalez; Robert J. Teather

doi:10.1145/3756884.3766004

Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality

Eric Demarbre
, Jay Henderson
, J. Felipe Gonzalez
, Robert J. Teather

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present an experiment exploring how the controller's virtual representation impacts target acquisition performance across MR and VR contexts. Participants performed selection tasks comparing four visual configurations: a virtual controller, a virtual hand, both the controller and the hand, and neither representation. We found performance comparable between VR and MR, and switching between them did not impact the user's ability to perform basic tasks. Controller representations mimicking reality enhanced performance across both modes. However, users perceived performance differently in MR, indicating the need for unique MR design considerations, particularly regarding spatial awareness.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology
Editors	Anil Ufuk Batmaz, Mayra D. Barrera Machuca, Francisco R. Ortega, Daniel Zielasko, Kangsoo Kim, Rick Skarbez, Lucas Plabst, Amy Banic, Mine Sarac Stroppa
Place of Publication	New York NY USA
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Number of pages	11
ISBN (Electronic)	9798400721182
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3756884.3766004
Publication status	Published - 2025
Externally published	Yes
Event	ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology 2025 - Montreal, Canada Duration: 12 Nov 2025 → 14 Nov 2025 Conference number: 31st https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/3756884 (Proceedings) https://vrst.acm.org/vrst2025/ (Website)

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Volume	Part of 215351

Conference

Conference	ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology 2025
Abbreviated title	VRST 2025
Country/Territory	Canada
City	Montreal
Period	12/11/25 → 14/11/25
Internet address	https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/3756884 (Proceedings) https://vrst.acm.org/vrst2025/ (Website)

Keywords

Extended Reality
Human-computer interaction
Virtual Reality Mixed Reality

Access to Document

10.1145/3756884.3766004Licence: CC BY

780982046-oaFinal published version, 2.36 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Demarbre, E., Henderson, J., Gonzalez, J. F., & Teather, R. J. (2025). Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality. In A. U. Batmaz, M. D. Barrera Machuca, F. R. Ortega, D. Zielasko, K. Kim, R. Skarbez, L. Plabst, A. Banic, & M. S. Stroppa (Eds.), Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology Article 6 (Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST; Vol. Part of 215351). Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). https://doi.org/10.1145/3756884.3766004

Demarbre, Eric ; Henderson, Jay ; Gonzalez, J. Felipe et al. / Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality. Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology. editor / Anil Ufuk Batmaz ; Mayra D. Barrera Machuca ; Francisco R. Ortega ; Daniel Zielasko ; Kangsoo Kim ; Rick Skarbez ; Lucas Plabst ; Amy Banic ; Mine Sarac Stroppa. New York NY USA : Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2025. (Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST).

@inproceedings{b156265259964692b04b02112b69e0c9,

title = "Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality",

abstract = "We present an experiment exploring how the controller's virtual representation impacts target acquisition performance across MR and VR contexts. Participants performed selection tasks comparing four visual configurations: a virtual controller, a virtual hand, both the controller and the hand, and neither representation. We found performance comparable between VR and MR, and switching between them did not impact the user's ability to perform basic tasks. Controller representations mimicking reality enhanced performance across both modes. However, users perceived performance differently in MR, indicating the need for unique MR design considerations, particularly regarding spatial awareness.",

keywords = "Extended Reality, Human-computer interaction, Virtual Reality Mixed Reality",

author = "Eric Demarbre and Jay Henderson and Gonzalez, \{J. Felipe\} and Teather, \{Robert J.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).; ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology 2025, VRST 2025 ; Conference date: 12-11-2025 Through 14-11-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1145/3756884.3766004",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)",

editor = "Batmaz, \{Anil Ufuk\} and \{Barrera Machuca\}, \{Mayra D.\} and Ortega, \{Francisco R.\} and Daniel Zielasko and Kangsoo Kim and Rick Skarbez and Lucas Plabst and Amy Banic and Stroppa, \{Mine Sarac\}",

booktitle = "Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology",

address = "United States of America",

url = "https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/3756884, https://vrst.acm.org/vrst2025/",

}

Demarbre, E, Henderson, J, Gonzalez, JF & Teather, RJ 2025, Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality. in AU Batmaz, MD Barrera Machuca, FR Ortega, D Zielasko, K Kim, R Skarbez, L Plabst, A Banic & MS Stroppa (eds), Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology., 6, Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST, vol. Part of 215351, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), New York NY USA, ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology 2025, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 12/11/25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3756884.3766004

Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality. / Demarbre, Eric; Henderson, Jay; Gonzalez, J. Felipe et al.
Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology. ed. / Anil Ufuk Batmaz; Mayra D. Barrera Machuca; Francisco R. Ortega; Daniel Zielasko; Kangsoo Kim; Rick Skarbez; Lucas Plabst; Amy Banic; Mine Sarac Stroppa. New York NY USA: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2025. 6 (Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST; Vol. Part of 215351).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality

AU - Demarbre, Eric

AU - Henderson, Jay

AU - Gonzalez, J. Felipe

AU - Teather, Robert J.

N1 - Conference code: 31st

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - We present an experiment exploring how the controller's virtual representation impacts target acquisition performance across MR and VR contexts. Participants performed selection tasks comparing four visual configurations: a virtual controller, a virtual hand, both the controller and the hand, and neither representation. We found performance comparable between VR and MR, and switching between them did not impact the user's ability to perform basic tasks. Controller representations mimicking reality enhanced performance across both modes. However, users perceived performance differently in MR, indicating the need for unique MR design considerations, particularly regarding spatial awareness.

AB - We present an experiment exploring how the controller's virtual representation impacts target acquisition performance across MR and VR contexts. Participants performed selection tasks comparing four visual configurations: a virtual controller, a virtual hand, both the controller and the hand, and neither representation. We found performance comparable between VR and MR, and switching between them did not impact the user's ability to perform basic tasks. Controller representations mimicking reality enhanced performance across both modes. However, users perceived performance differently in MR, indicating the need for unique MR design considerations, particularly regarding spatial awareness.

KW - Extended Reality

KW - Human-computer interaction

KW - Virtual Reality Mixed Reality

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024707017

U2 - 10.1145/3756884.3766004

DO - 10.1145/3756884.3766004

M3 - Conference Paper

AN - SCOPUS:105024707017

T3 - Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST

BT - Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology

A2 - Batmaz, Anil Ufuk

A2 - Barrera Machuca, Mayra D.

A2 - Ortega, Francisco R.

A2 - Zielasko, Daniel

A2 - Kim, Kangsoo

A2 - Skarbez, Rick

A2 - Plabst, Lucas

A2 - Banic, Amy

A2 - Stroppa, Mine Sarac

PB - Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

CY - New York NY USA

T2 - ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology 2025

Y2 - 12 November 2025 through 14 November 2025

ER -

Demarbre E, Henderson J, Gonzalez JF, Teather RJ. Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality. In Batmaz AU, Barrera Machuca MD, Ortega FR, Zielasko D, Kim K, Skarbez R, Plabst L, Banic A, Stroppa MS, editors, Proceedings VRST 2025 - 31st ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology. New York NY USA: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). 2025. 6. (Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology, VRST). doi: 10.1145/3756884.3766004

Effects of Virtual Controller Representation and Virtuality on Selection Performance in Extended Reality

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this