Look-and-Twist: A Simple Selection Method for Virtual and Augmented Reality

This paper introduces a novel interaction method for virtual and augmented reality called look-and-twist, which is directly analogous to point-and-click operations using a mouse and desktop. It is based on head rotation alone and is straightforward to implement on any head mounted display that performs rotational tracking. A user selects features of interest by turning their head to face an object, and then performs a specified rotation along the axis of the looking direction. The look-and-twist method has been implemented and tested in an educational context, and systematic user studies are underway. Early evidence indicates that the method is comparable to, or faster than, the standard dwell time method. The method can be used, for example, with Google Cardboard, and it is straightforward to learn for inexperienced users. Moreover, it has the potential to significantly enrich VR interactions by providing an additional degree of freedom of control, which the binary nature of dwell-based methods lacks.