Investigation of Map Orientation by the Use of Low-Cost Virtual Reality Equipment

This chapter investigates how low-cost virtual reality equipment can be used in the study of human wayfinding aided by maps in a virtual environment. In particular, the chapter looks into how head-up maps perform compared to north-up maps. An experiment including two mazes in a virtual environment was prepared and the navigation through the mazes was accomplished by a number of human subjects. In our experiment, the time used by each subject was measured. The timing showed no significant differences between the use of head-up maps and north-up maps when the subjects were finding their way by the use of Oculus Rift DK1 in the actual environment.