Multitasking with Graphical Encoding Visualization of Numerical Values in Virtual Reality

This study evaluates the influence of various visual representations of numerical values on users' ability to multitask in virtual reality. We designed a game-like VR simulation where users had to complete one main task while maintaining the status of other subtasks. Supplemental visualizations showed risk status of the subtask depending on experimental condition, with different visual data encodings: position, brightness, color, and area. We collected preliminary data (n=18) on participant performance during the experiment and subjective ratings afterward. The results showed that the intervention rate significantly differed between the four visual encodings, with the position-based version having the lowest rate.