• Today we tested three different types of virtual reality (VR) headsets (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Google Daydream) with three students from the Mason LIFE program. We coordinated with the staff at the MIX to help get students set up, as well as recommend good introductory tutorials/games for students to play with. We were careful to avoid any tutorials that involved violence.
  • These three students were chosen from Mason LIFE administration based on who they think could understand and use VR comfortably.
  • Two out of the three students had some sort of experience with VR. (One of the two had used a system similar to Daydream; the other had experienced a VR roller coaster in an arcade.) One student had never utilized VR.
  • Two out of three students wore glasses. One student kept their glasses on for all three demos. One student took their glasses off partway through the demos.
  • All three students play video games in their spare time.
  • The students played a tutorial on each system for approximately five minutes each. Before starting the next tutorial, students were offered to take a break and were asked if they felt dizzy or uncomfortable. (Of course, it also took time to set up the system for the students, so they ended up having a few minutes’ break between each tutorial.) Although some students did take breaks, none of the three indicated at any point that they felt dizzy. One student indicated that the Vive headset was a little tight and wanted to take a break because it “pinched” him a little—but not because of any sort of motion sickness.
  • We tested each student with the Google Daydream, the HTC Vive, and the Oculus Rift.
    • Google Daydream:
      • The students stayed seated and viewed the Welcome demo that showed them some nature scenes, as well as some interactive museum displays. The demo itself was a tutorial on how to use the Daydream controller.
      • The tutorial tested ability to point-and-click at various on-screen items. For example, they had to play fetch with a fox by pointing at the stick, clicking to pick it up, waving the controller and releasing the button to throw the stick. All three students were able to use the controller in a point-and-click context with no trouble whatsoever.
      • All three students quickly picked up on how to use the Daydream controller. All three heavily utilized the emulated image of the controller within the VR app to make sure they were pressing the right buttons.
      • In spite of that, one student indicated that it was hard to know which button you pressed (considering the Daydream controller has three small buttons).
      • The three students indicated that the Daydream headset felt lightest.
      • This tutorial only uses on-text prompts (there is no voiceover). One student struggled with reading and interpreting on-text prompts. One part of the tutorial prompts the student to ‘follow the butterfly to align the headset.’ The student struggled to read the text and told us that “the screen was black.” The screen itself had a black box with text on it, which confused the student. When we read the text aloud to the student, the student progressed through the rest of the tutorial quickly. This is a reminder that our project must be accessible for students who cannot read well.
      • The Google Daydream headset was difficult to adjust for students. The headset, even when adjusted to be tightest and when the strap was moved further up on the student’s head, was simply too big for one student, who had to hold it in place a little bit as the tutorial progressed.
    • HTC Vive
      • The students sat in a swivel chair and played theBlu demo, where they explored the ocean by looking in three different scenes. They were able to sit amongst, and look around at, some fish, a whale, and a dark part of the ocean. They would use their controllers as flashlights to hold up and look around at different parts of the ocean by lighting it up.
      • The only main complaint that the students added was that the headset of the HTC Vive was a little bit heavy for some of them, and a little tight on the nose for one student. Other than that, there were no issues with things like the controllers, or feeling dizzy from the game, or wanting to end the game early because they were uncomfortable.
      • The process of the set-up when using the HTC Vive was a little bit extensive because we needed someone to help the student put the controllers around their wrists to hold them safely, and then to help them put the headset on and adjust the velcro straps so that it was the right tightness for them.
      • One of the staff members at the MIX was able to help us set up the small demos that the students would use. When the next demo needed to be started he would simply use one of the controllers the students were holding in order to get it started. However, one of the students was able to do this on their own and proceed forward with new demos on his own.
      • The demos that the students went through on the HTC Vive were the simplest out of all of them and had the least interactions. All three of them had expressed that they would like something a little bit more complicated and interactive because these demos were not as exciting for them as the other two headsets were.
    • Oculus Rift
      • They were seated in a swivel chair and were able to be in a more active game (Oculus First Contact) where they were interacting with a robot and achieving tasks using the controller.
      • All three students struggled with using the controller for the Oculus Rift, particularly since it has two triggers (in addition to other buttons) on each of the two controllers. However, students liked the fact that they could “see their hands” within the game.
      • The Oculus headset was easiest to adjust.
  • We asked them a couple questions throughout the testing of each device and then at the end of all the testing we sat with all of them and asked some questions about comparing the three headsets and controllers
    • The overall consensus was the following:
      • All three students were able to complete the tutorials on all three systems without any major problems.
      • They liked the games that were more interactive. (Oculus Rift, Google Daydream)
      • They felt that the HTC Vive headset was heavy, and the Google Daydream was the lightest out of all of them, but none of them complained about being uncomfortable using any of the headsets.
      • They were able to use the headset for at least 5 minutes each, while wanting to go even longer with most of the games.
      • The students were very positive about all three systems. It was difficult to get any negative feedback at all. Our group observed student difficulties with controllers (Oculus Rift) and on-screen text (Google Daydream). The students told us that the controllers were difficult to use with Oculus Rift, but they also enjoyed the First Contact game very much.
      • Generally they really enjoyed the experience and liked using VR. When asked if they would like to use VR again, they all enthusiastically said “yes.”