Abstract

Navigation is one important and prominent task that needs to be well-supported in virtual reality (VR). Navigation interface design may affect the task performance (such as search), viewing experience, and possibly, the overall sense of presence and immersion. In particular, the provision of the mini-map has been regarded as one effective guideline that generally brings about positive effects for the above. However, the use of the mini-map may also increase the task load, both mental and physical, and may even cause discomfort exacerbating the already-likely-to-exist cybersickness. In this work, we compare two virtual navigation conditions, one with the mini-map and the other without, to investigate and re-examine its various effects, especially toward the cybersickness, an important and overlooked aspect of the VR experience. While the experiment reconfirmed the previously known fact that the map could enhance search task/navigational performance, it also caused or worsened cybersickness symptoms, especially for those possessing relatively lesser spatial abilities. The results indicate the need to revise the usual interaction design guidelines in VR regarding the pros and cons of using mini-maps for navigation and search.