“Form Follows Function” – Investigating Interactive Physical Objects in Virtual Environments

Controlling the available degrees of freedom in virtual environments often represents a challenge for the design of 3D user interfaces. Based on the concept of Tangibles and their natural affordances for spatial interaction, we conducted a study to investigate how users intuitively use physical objects in Virtual Environments. The results reveal a wide range of different approaches. This specifically relates to the utilization of an object’s surface or edges for different functions or as representation of elements in the virtual world. The findings of the study have several implications on further research directions regarding tangible objects in Virtual Environments.