PERCEPTUAL ASSESSMENT OF TENNIS BALL FLIGHT IN A CAVE SYSTEM

Abstract

A Cave Automatic Virtual Environment, which is a computer-simulated 3D virtual reality system, is expected to provide sport learners with interactive and immersive learning material. Biomechanical measurements help to construct a simulated sport situation. The purposes of this study were to reconstruct a tennis ball flight in the system, and to assess perceptual impressions and performance of this system. The result of a questionnaire test suggests that the appropriate disparity setting induces a favourable visual impression. A shot type discrimination test (flat, topspin and slice) showed that the fourscreen condition was more likely to induce a correct response than one-screen. An appropriate disparity setting with a four-screen immersive environment can provide a realistic tennis situation in a computer-simulated environment.