Spatial Perception of 3D CAD Model Dimensions and Affordances in Virtual Environments

Design understanding and needed level of the accompanying spatial skills that enable it depend on information input provided by a visual representation of a design solution. During product development, designers use models to visually represent a design solution. These visual representations can be mediated by various technologies (for example, an immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology or 2D user interfaces such as a monitor display), providing designers with different types of information. Capabilities of an IVR technology such as stereopsis, eye-height reference, spatial updating, and multimodal interaction, have shown a potential to mitigate the cognitive load and the need for highly developed spatial skills enabling design understanding. Nevertheless, specific design understanding aspects for which IVR technology may be beneficial over conventional 2D user interfaces are yet to be clarified. The conducted experiment aimed to explore differences in designers' spatial perception of spatial properties and relations (affordances) of a design solution in virtual environments (VEs). The design solution was presented by a 3D CAD model in immersive virtual environment (IVE) and non-immersive virtual environment (nIVE). IVE was mediated using the IVR technology (head-mounted display; HMD), while nIVE using the conventional 2D user interface (a monitor display, a mouse, and a keyboard). Results indicate that engineering students more accurately perceive spatial properties in the IVE than nIVE. Besides, it is suggested that the likelihood of making the correct judgment of the affordance is similar in both VEs.