Collaborative Navigation Improves Spatial Learning Across Symmetric and Asymmetric Locomotion in Virtual Reality.

Multi-user virtual reality (VR) systems support multiple locomotion methods, but coordination may be challenging when partners use different methods. We studied dyads navigating a shared virtual maze using symmetric (same) or asymmetric (different) locomotion methods-specifically, steering (continuous movement with physical turning) and teleportation (point-and-teleport within 30 meters with physical turning)-and assessed survey knowledge using direction and straightline distance estimates between objects. We found that (1) dyads acquired better survey knowledge than individuals across locomotion conditions; (2) teleportation showed no significant difference from steering in distance error and yielded significantly lower angular error; (3) asymmetric locomotion methods did not significantly increase cybersickness compared to symmetric locomotion methods; and (4) symmetric and asymmetric dyads showed no significant differences in distance or angular errors. Overall, these results suggest that collaborative navigation improves spatial learning and that asymmetric locomotion can improve accessibility without significantly increasing cybersickness in multi-user VR applications.