Determining Perception Thresholds for Real and Virtual Inclinations while Cycling in Virtual RealityShow others and affiliations
2026 (English)In: CHI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) , 2026, article id 1676Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
In virtual reality (VR) experiences, mismatches between reality and virtuality are usually undesirable, as they can disrupt immersion and induce cybersickness. However, when carefully controlled, they may expand the design space of VR. This research investigates perceptual detection thresholds for mismatches between real and virtual inclinations during cycling in VR. Using a custom simulation, N = 30 participants cycled through a virtual city while physical and visual inclinations were independently manipulated. Real inclinations were implemented with a tilting indoor bike, providing vestibular and proprioceptive feedback, while virtual inclinations within the simulated environment were presented visually. A multiple staircase procedure derived estimates for perceptual thresholds that approximate which mismatches in visual and physical inclination were still perceived as congruent. These thresholds reveal a window of perceived congruence before mismatches become noticeable to users. These findings advance understanding of sensory integration in VR cycling and inform applications in immersive training, exergames, and rehabilitation systems.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) , 2026. article id 1676
Keywords [en]
Biking, Exergames, Inclination, Indoor Cycling, Perception, Sports, Thresholds, Virtual Reality
National Category
Human Computer Interaction Other Engineering and Technologies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-383111DOI: 10.1145/3772318.3791538Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105038769182OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-383111DiVA, id: diva2:2067606
Conference
2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2026, Barcelona, Spain, Apr 13 2026 - Apr 17 2026
Note
Part of ISBN 9798400722783
QC 20260608
2026-06-082026-06-082026-06-08Bibliographically approved