Fixation Height in Way-finding while Peripheral Visual Fields are Restricted with Synchronously Moving Virtual Holes

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to examine the function of the peripheral visual field (PVF) by using a virtual reality system consisted with a head-mounted-display and an eye-tracker. The system could modify the display in concert with real-time fixation pattern. Subjects walked through four types of virtual maze under different condition in which their PVF was restricted artificially with the system. The results indicated: 1) Under the condition in which over 30 degrees of PVF was restricted, the fixation duration on middle part of walls while walking throughout the entire maze was longer than that under the non-restricted condition and the condition in which over 15 degrees of PVF was restricted. 2) Under the condition in which over 15 degrees of PVF was restricted, the fixation duration on the lower part of walls while walking throughout was longer than that under the non-restricted condition and the condition in which over 30 degrees of PVF was restricted. 3) Under the condition in which over 15 degrees of PVF was restricted, the fixation height while walking through the area with two dead ends was lower than that under the non-restricted condition and the condition in which over 30 degrees of the PVF restricted.