Abouelkhier, N; Shawky, D and Marzouk, M (2022) Evaluating distance perception for architecture design alternatives in immersive virtual environment: A comparative study. Construction Innovation, 22(2), pp. 205-221. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: Immersive virtual environments (IVEs) aid in perceiving spaces by providing a platform for all stakeholders to make better decisions at early design stages. Nevertheless, they are not widely used in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. This paper aims to illustrate the impact of level of details (LODs) in participants' perception for architecture design alternatives in IVEs. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents an approach to estimate how distance perception varies between real and virtual environments when different design alternatives are implemented. First, a fully three-dimensional (3D) model for a replica meeting room was created and the level of details (LODs) inside the IVE was gradually modified. Second, a questionnaire was designed to collect responses about how the perceived experience of an IVE is compared to that of the physical environment, where the two environments have the same dimensions. Twenty-six participants were recruited in this study to estimate eight distances in the IVEs while putting on a head-mounted display. Findings: Obtained results show that decreasing LOD has negative effect on users' perception. Thus, when all of the available LODs were added to the IVE, the perceived perception was significantly enhanced. These findings emphasize the relation between the physical details and distance perception in IVEs and shed light on how to design virtual reality architectural models in an efficient manner. Originality/value: Different experiments were conducted to analyze perception differences associated with factors such as LODs, gender and whether participants are wearing glasses.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | early design stages; immersive virtual environments; level of details; perception; statistical methods; three-dimensional modeling |
| Index terms: | methodology, questionnaire, virtual environment, level of detail, experiment, virtual reality, comparative study, statistical method, modelling, estimate, dimension, early design stage, immersive virtual environment, platform |
| Subjects: | digital design, design process, research methods, statistical analysis, virtual reality, research design and methodology, data collection methods, financial and cost management, analytical methods, health monitoring assessment and metrics, technical documentation |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Design Practice, Health and Safety, Cost Management, Engineering Principles, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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