Human Systems Integration Division @ NASA Ames

"A virtual environment (VE) interface to a computer program enables the user to interact with the program in new and powerful ways. VE interfaces to computer programs are currently being developed in several diverse application areas. Users of these virtual environments will require many different methods with which to interact with the environments and the objects in them. This paper reports on the use of virtual menus as a method of interacting with virtual environments.

The virtual environment user wears an electronic glove that enables the computer to recognize the user's hand gestures and the direction the user's hand is pointing. The virtual menus are operated through the use of hand gestures and pointing. Several aspects of virtual environments make menu interactions different from interactions with conventional menus. This paper contains a discussion of the relevant aspects of both conventional menus and virtual environments, in order to provide a frame of reference for the design of virtual menus. Also included is a discussion of the features, interaction methodologies, and problems of two different versions of virtual menus that have been developed and used in our lab.

Future research directions, and possible enhancements to the extant virtual menu system are discussed, and a progress report of menu usage in a virtual wind-tunnel is given."