How perceived real-world danger affects virtual reality experiences

Abstract

Since current VR system blocks user’s view (vision) of the real world as well as all the wires and physical objects around him/her, major VR manufactures such as HTC suggest securing a large space before experiencing the immersive virtual environment. There are possibilities that these “potential danger” elements could induce a negative effect on their virtual reality experiences. Exploring a relationship between user’s percieved danger of the real world and immersion in the virtual reality is the main topic of this paper. In particular, we wanted to see the level of perceived danger when a user in the immersive virtual environment encountered a dangerous situation from the objects in the “real world”.