Evaluating home devices with real and virtual simulations

Abstract

The work aimed to develop a method for evaluating objects in real or virtual environment. It should specify the relevant evaluation dimensions depending on the environment (REAL or VIRTUAL) and task that can be performed (I DO an action, or I WATCH an action). These conditions can have an impact on the mental representation of the object, since they may involve a different perspective taking and spatial reference. A first study highlights that participants produced larger task verbalization (describe an object or simulate its use) in virtual context that in real context, and a second study showed that an observer evaluates the usability of objects more favorably than an actor.