Gaze Direction in a Virtual Environment Via a Dynamic Full-Image Color Effect

For developers of immersive 360-degree virtual environments, directing the viewer's gaze towards Points of Interest (POIs) is a challenge. Limited research exists testing the effectiveness of various gaze direction techniques. However, there is a lack of empirical research evaluating real-time color effects designed to direct the viewer's gaze. We developed a novel VR gaze-directing stimulus using a dynamic real-time color effect and tested its effectiveness in a user study. The stimulus was influenced by color psychology research and chosen by an informal pilot study. Results suggest that the stimulus encouraged participants to direct their gaze back towards POIs. In the majority of subjects who encountered the stimulus, their gaze was successfully directed back to POIs within a few seconds. While the task of holding viewer gaze in VR remains a challenge, this experiment has uncovered new information about the potential of color effect-based VR gaze direction.