Exploring Usability of Web-based Virtual Reality Technology - An Interdisciplinary Approach

As Web-based interactive 3D graphics, popularly referred to as Virtual Reality (VR), continue to become more affordable, research and development groups in various fields have been adopting Web-based VR technology. Despite substantial adoption, how and how much the technology benefits target users and the providers who choose to adapt the technology is not well understood. Previous research has established that VR provides users with unique human-computer interaction. However, little is known about how users experience the Web-based VR technology and how user-system interaction contributes to system usability. This book investigates user perception of Webbased VR comparing to conventional 2D graphics and system usability affected by the user-system interaction process. The impact of Web-based VR on system usability was empirically examined from an integrated view of technology acceptance in information systems and human-computer interaction. In addition, the impact of user characteristics on user-system interaction while using a VR system was examined. This book provides new knowledge about usability, sense of presence and technology acceptance in VR and provides insights for future research, which should be important to anyone designing, developing and evaluating a VR system in general and to an electronic commerce or market research system in particular.