Comparisons of Two Commercial and Two Low-cost Interfaces for Virtual Skiing

In this paper we present two comparisons of two novel physical interface for interacting with a virtual environment in the form of a skiing game. The interfaces were compared through two separate within-subjects studies. In the first study we compared a wobble board augmented with a low-cost 3D accelerometer with the Wii Balance Board, and in the second study we compared a step machine augmented with the same accelerometer with the Wii Balance Board. Keyboard and mouse peripherals were included in both studies in order to see how the novel interfaces and the Wii Balance Board would measure up against these commonly used input devices. The interfaces were evaluated in terms of performance, perceived ease of use, and enjoyment. The results of the first study show that participants reported the wobble board to be the hardest to control, although their performance was better than using the Wii Balance Board. A positive correlation was found between reported enjoyment of the interface and easiness to control it. The results of the second study show that participants found the step machine to be the most enjoyable and the second easiest. In both studies the mouse and keyboard peripherals were superior in terms of performance and perceived ease of use.