Effects of a handlebar on standing VR locomotion

To provide a natural locomotion for a virtual supermarket in a cognitive rehabilitation application we compare three walk in place (WIP) approaches (WIP; WIP + Bar for stability support; WIP + Bar for steering and stability support). We use tracked knee bending with and without a handlebar as a real correspondent to a virtual handlebar of a virtual shopping cart. For steering we use shoulder or handlebar rotation. We present an evaluation of the influence of the physical handlebar as a fixed reference and postural stability aid on cybersickness and user satisfaction. Our preliminary results indicate advantages for steering via a handlebar. Unexpectedly, a bar for postural stability seems to increase cybersickness but still improve user satisfaction compared to WIP only.