User interface metaphor in virtual reality using VRML

Abstract

A metaphor is the description of an unfamiliar thing in terms of a familiar one. A user interface metaphor is a computer user interface design that presents computer abilities in terms of familiar real-world abilities. Such a metaphoric design enables a user to use existing knowledge about the real world when interacting within the computer's world. Common user interface metaphors include the desktop metaphor of personal computers and the document metaphor of the Web. In both metaphors, computer information objects are presented as files, folders, and pages of text. The recent development of the virtual reality modeling language (VRML) enables the design of new, inherently 3-D user interface metaphors for the Web. This paper introduces the essential features of VRML and discusses issues in the design of 3-D user interface metaphors using VRML.