TY - GEN
T1 - Cognitive Load Across Common VR Locomotion Techniques
AU - Rettinger, Maximilian
AU - Hwang, Su In
AU - Rigoll, Gerhard
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).
PY - 2026/4/13
Y1 - 2026/4/13
N2 - Virtual reality applications rely on diverse locomotion techniques, yet their cognitive demands remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates how three widely used VR locomotion methods-Real, Joystick, and Teleport-affect cognitive load in both standing and sitting postures. In a mixed-design experiment (N = 42), participants completed a dual-task combining spatial navigation with working memory requirements. Joystick consistently yielded superior performance and the lowest subjective workload, whereas Teleport with orientation control imposed the highest cognitive demands. These findings highlight that implementation details such as orientation control and input modality critically influence the cognitive load of VR locomotion and provide actionable insights for designing more effective VR experiences.
AB - Virtual reality applications rely on diverse locomotion techniques, yet their cognitive demands remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates how three widely used VR locomotion methods-Real, Joystick, and Teleport-affect cognitive load in both standing and sitting postures. In a mixed-design experiment (N = 42), participants completed a dual-task combining spatial navigation with working memory requirements. Joystick consistently yielded superior performance and the lowest subjective workload, whereas Teleport with orientation control imposed the highest cognitive demands. These findings highlight that implementation details such as orientation control and input modality critically influence the cognitive load of VR locomotion and provide actionable insights for designing more effective VR experiences.
KW - Cognitive Load
KW - Cognitive Performance
KW - Dual-Task Performance
KW - Locomotion Techniques
KW - Mixed-Design Experiment
KW - Posture Effects
KW - Virtual Reality
KW - Working Memory
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038104339
U2 - 10.1145/3772363.3798994
DO - 10.1145/3772363.3798994
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:105038104339
T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
BT - CHI 2026 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
A2 - Oliver, Nuria
A2 - Shamma, David A.
A2 - Candello, Heloisa
A2 - Cesar, Pablo
A2 - Lopes, Pedro
A2 - Artizzu, Valentino
A2 - Draxler, Fiona
A2 - Lopez, Gustavo
A2 - Reinschluessel, Anke V.
A2 - Tong, Xin
A2 - Toups Dugas, Phoebe O.
PB - Association for Computing Machinery
T2 - Extended Abtracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026
Y2 - 13 April 2026 through 17 April 2026
ER -