Virtual spaces and real world places: Transfer of route knowledge

It has been widely suggested, but rarely demonstrated, that virtual environments (VEs) are effective training media. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate how well a VE model of a complex office building trained individuals to navigate in the actual building. Sixty participants studied route directions and landmark photographs, then rehearsed the route using either the VE model, the actual building, or verbal directions and photographs. The VE model was presented in real time via a head-tracked display. Half of the participants in each rehearsal group also studied route maps. Everyone's route knowledge was then measured in the actual building. Building configuration knowledge was also measured. VE rehearsal produced more route knowledge than verbal rehearsal, but less than with rehearsal in the actual building. Type of rehearsal had no effect on configuration knowledge. Map study influenced neither route nor configuration knowledge. These results suggest that VEs that adequately represent real world complexity can be effective training media for learning complex routes in buildings, and should be considered whenever the real world site is unavailable for training. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited