Visual attention convergence index for virtual reality experiences

Abstract

The paper introduces a novel quantitative method in the domain of eye tracking (ET) for virtual reality (VR). The method might be of interest to researchers on the human factor in VR, behavioral psychologists, and designers of VR experiences. Several mathematical formulas describing a novel index quantifying convergence of visual attention are introduced. The index is based on recently developed distance variance [1], a function of distances between observations in metric spaces. An aggregated version of the visual attention convergence index introduced in the paper allows to measure the effectiveness of any system of attentional cues employed by a designer to guide the attention of VR experience participants along an intended narration line. An individual version of the index allows to capture individual differences in the convergence of visual attention across participants. Possibilities for real-life and academic usage of the index are discussed and example results of application to real VR ET data are summarized.