2016 Volume 81 Issue 727 Pages 1905-1915
There are spaces of various spatial configurations, living room, workspace and classroom. Each of them is adapted to the intended use. This study is focused on psychological boundaries that affect the specific spatial configuration. The perception of spatial configuration limits the behavior and scope of activities in physically and psychologically. Intentionally arranging the elements that produce psychological boundaries in space divide a certain space into several small spaces, it is possible to use in various purposes.
We propose the hanging wall as the element that produces psychological boundaries. We perform experiment in the method for immersion of subject into virtual reality space with wide view head mounted display (HMD). While the experiments, subjects walk to the subjective central position in virtual rectangular space. Four cameras are installed at each corners of real laboratory to track the movement of subjects and acquire the coordinate data. In addition, the angle sensor of three axis (InertiaCube 2+) is equipped in HMD, acquires the angle of rotation of subject's head. To tune subject's coordinate data and angle of rotation data to the image of virtual environment on HMD, subjects can walk and look around in virtual environment.
This study verified how sizes and positions of hanging wall influence on perception of spatial center in virtual rectangular space, through experiments with technology of immersive virtual environment. The summary of the important experimental results of virtual rectangular space of width 5400mm × depth 7200mm × ceiling height 3000mm is as follows.
1.) Subjective central position in virtual rectangular space could move backward from hanging walls by presenting hanging walls of height of 500mm or more, in comparison with by the presenting no hanging wall.
2.) Subjective central position in virtual rectangular space would move back more from hanging walls as the increasing heights of the hanging walls.
3.) Subjective central position in virtual rectangular space wouldn't move backward any more from hanging walls by exceeding 2000mm high of the hanging walls in rectangular space of ceiling height 3000mm.
4.) Subjective central position in virtual rectangular space would move backward and right or left from hanging walls, when presented hanging walls that are narrower than width of rectangular space are put aside toward the right and left wall.
The above experimental results revealed that subjective central position in virtual rectangular space qualitatively move by changing sizes and positions of hanging wall. Assuming that this movement of spatial central position caused by change in perception of spatial configuration, it suggests the possibility that perception of spatial configuration could be operated by presenting hanging walls.
Also, this devised experimental method that evaluated spatial central position by subject own self with changing spatial elements using technology of immersive virtual environment, it has possibility that various fields of research dealing with spatial trait and region would reference. There are various spatial elements that change perception of spatial configuration in the real living space. These experimental results suggested that textures and colors of walls influenced on perception of spatial central position. Henceforth further development on this devised experimental method, is necessary to verify how various spatial elements including hanging wall influence on user's perception of space.
