Virtual embodiment for enhancing sense of presence in virtual reality

Abstract

The technical evolution of digital graphic technologies have allowed the photorealistic virtual representation of the physical world. This allows people to experience an enhanced sense of presence in virtual environments such as virtual reality (VR). It is a common conception that vision is the primary sense in virtual environments, and evaluations are performed by assuming that the virtual body was a default entity that solves the issue of improving sense of presence. There is no evidence presenting a comparison between how the same environment/stimulant in the VR space is evaluated when there is a virtual body versus no virtual body. How can we bridge the gap between the real world and the unreal world if we don’t look into it? The present study aimed to gain an experimental understanding of how virtual embodiment affects the individuals’ perception of body control and interaction with the objects in VR environment with a focus on visual perception. The findings of the study suggest that the sense of body ownership is more powerful factor than the sense of agency in regards to virtual embodiment in VR environment.