Exploring Interactive Experiences to Browse Extensive 360° Video Libraries in Virtual Reality

Abstract

The goal of this master’s thesis is to investigate the differences in experience and effectiveness among various three-dimensional visualizations of extensive libraries to access 360° videos in virtual reality (VR) with head-mounted displays (HMDs). Currently, 360° video libraries are commonly accessed through a two-dimensional grid of thumbnails with an equirectangular representation of a subset of the library. This approach is inspired by the representation of digital video libraries on flat, two-dimensional screens. However, it fails to take advantage of the opportunities that immersive HMDs provide, such as larger display sizes and the ability to explore three-dimensional visualizations interactively. This study builds on previous work that revealed the advantages of using three-dimensional representations of individual 360° videos instead of the commonly used flat, equirectangular projections in terms of user experience and search performance. This is done by evaluating how these individual representations can best be visualized and explored in a three-dimensional environment with the aim of providing a pleasant and enjoyable browsing experience. Specifically, this study examines two layouts inspired by traditional physical stores (a video store and a record store) and one abstract representation inspired by movies. A comparative study involving nineteen participants revealed that the video store design had the best pragmatic quality, and the record store design had the best hedonic quality. Furthermore, the video store design was better ranked than the record store design. Moreover, participants performed better in the video store design when compared to the abstract store design. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between the three designs regarding perceived performance. These findings underscore the importance of user preference. Depending on whether the user wants an efficient experience or a more immersive experience, the best design shifts between the video store design and abstract store design.