Virtual Reality 

Movement in VR

When we are discussing movement within a VR landscape we can define it in one of two ways, the physical action of movement and the digital option for movement (i.e. teleportation). What we are concerning ourselves with today however is how physical movement translates to control within our VR experience.

When we are within a VR space we set up what is commonly referred to as a 'play area' which can either be defined as a sit-down or stationary position or a guided 'guardian' space that's tracked. The range of motion permitted is dependent on the hardware used and the defined 'play' experience desired from the content these fall within two categories 3DOF and 6DOF. DOF is a commonly used term that stands for Degree of Freedom with the number preceding it defining the number of axis' being tracked each with its own advantages and use cases.

3DOF [Three Degrees of Freedom]

3DOF content only allows the user to move along three axis as depth (forward, vertical, and sideways) motion is not tracked as no real-world marker is present, 3DOF VR headsets are designed for stationary or sit-down experiences such as viewing 360-degree content, motion through 3D space is only possible via digital control mechanisms. Users are viewing the content from a fixed point on a pivot.

6DOF [Six Degrees of Freedom]

6DOF allows users to move through 3D space and tracks a user’s motions both rotational (typically common in 3DOF) and transitional via points of reference in the real world or depth cameras. Some VR headsets track this 3D positional data via external sensors [Lighthouses] or in-built IR reflectors and cameras to detect landmarks.

6DOF VR allows users to walk around within a defined space and is typically seen as allowing for a more natural and engaging VR experience when users are expected to move through a 3D environment.