MoPeDT: A Modular Head-Mounted Display Toolkit to Conduct Peripheral Vision Research (2301.11007v2)

Abstract: Peripheral vision plays a significant role in human perception and orientation. However, its relevance for human-computer interaction, especially head-mounted displays, has not been fully explored yet. In the past, a few specialized appliances were developed to display visual cues in the periphery, each designed for a single specific use case only. A multi-purpose headset to exclusively augment peripheral vision did not exist yet. We introduce MoPeDT: Modular Peripheral Display Toolkit, a freely available, flexible, reconfigurable, and extendable headset to conduct peripheral vision research. MoPeDT can be built with a 3D printer and off-the-shelf components. It features multiple spatially configurable near-eye display modules and full 3D tracking inside and outside the lab. With our system, researchers and designers may easily develop and prototype novel peripheral vision interaction and visualization techniques. We demonstrate the versatility of our headset with several possible applications for spatial awareness, balance, interaction, feedback, and notifications. We conducted a small study to evaluate the usability of the system. We found that participants were largely not irritated by the peripheral cues, but the headset's comfort could be further improved. We also evaluated our system based on established heuristics for human-computer interaction toolkits to show how MoPeDT adapts to changing requirements, lowers the entry barrier for peripheral vision research, and facilitates expressive power in the combination of modular building blocks.

• The paper introduces MoPeDT, a novel, modular head-mounted display toolkit specifically designed to facilitate research in peripheral vision.
• MoPeDT offers customizable setups through various modular display and tracking components, enabling researchers to tailor the system for diverse experimental needs.
• Evaluations suggest MoPeDT is a versatile tool with potential applications in augmenting spatial awareness, balance, and facilitating peripheral interactions in HMDs.

Analysis of the MoPeDT Toolkit for Peripheral Vision Research

The paper "MoPeDT: A Modular Head-Mounted Display Toolkit to Conduct Peripheral Vision Research" by Matthias Albrecht et al. introduces a novel head-mounted display (HMD) system specifically designed to explore peripheral vision applications. The scarcity of hardware solutions for peripheral vision research has led to the development of MoPeDT, which aims to fill the gap by providing a flexible, modular, and open-source toolkit. This essay reviews the major contributions of the MoPeDT system and evaluates its significance in advancing research in peripheral vision, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and human-computer interaction (HCI).

Key Contributions and Design

The MoPeDT system stands out due to its modularity, allowing researchers to customize the HMD according to specific experimental needs. Researchers can select from a range of display and tracking modules to create tailored setups, which facilitates rapid prototyping and testing of peripheral vision applications. The paper details the range of display modules that include high-resolution LCDs and various LED configurations. These modules can be spatially adjusted for precise control of visual stimuli placement, which is vital for accurately simulating peripheral vision scenarios.

MoPeDT also integrates several tracking solutions, including SteamVR tracking via the HTC Vive tracker and the Intel RealSense T265 camera for tracking outside controlled environments. This multi-tracking capability enhances the usability of the headset in diverse research contexts. The use of open-source components and software frameworks like Unity and Arduino lowers the barrier for entry into peripheral vision research, making the MoPeDT system both cost-effective and widely accessible.

Empirical Results and Heuristic Evaluation

The authors conducted a usability paper to evaluate MoPeDT, focusing on ergonomics and user experience. The findings indicated that while the cues were largely not found to be irritating, there is room for improvement in comfort during prolonged use. Additionally, the authors employed an evaluation against Olsen’s heuristics for user interface systems, which offered a framework to argue for the system's generality, importance, and low solution viscosity. Through these evaluations, MoPeDT is portrayed as a versatile tool capable of significantly advancing the field of peripheral vision research.

Application Use Cases

The paper proposes multiple practical and innovative use cases for MoPeDT, demonstrating its capacity to augment spatial awareness, maintain balance, facilitate peripheral interaction, and support real-time adaptation. Each application leverages the unique capabilities of peripheral vision—such as heightened sensitivity to motion and contrast—to enhance user performance in real-world tasks. These applications have potential implications in safety-critical domains such as driving and sports, highlighting the system's utility beyond traditional AC/VR scenarios.

Implications and Future Directions

The development of MoPeDT opens new avenues for exploring the boundaries of peripheral vision augmentation. Its modular nature not only supports rapid experimentation but also invites exploration into interdisciplinary domains like sports science and cognitive science. Outlined future work includes improvements in ergonomics and the potential to integrate with existing AR devices. Furthermore, MoPeDT could serve as a foundational platform for generating more nuanced insights into how peripheral cues can be employed to complement central vision in HMDs.

In conclusion, the MoPeDT toolkit represents a significant step forward in peripheral vision research, offering both practical and theoretical advancements for AR, VR, and HCI. By making the system openly accessible, the authors promote further innovation and collaboration in the scientific community, ultimately pushing the envelope of augmented reality technologies and their potential applications.