Can VR be Useful and Usable in Real-World Contexts? Observations from the Application and Evaluation of VR in Realistic Usage Conditions

This paper presents our observations from the use of high-end projection-based VR in different real-world settings, with practitioners but also novice users that do not normally use VR in their everyday practice. We developed two applications for two different content domains and present case studies of actual experiences with professionals and students who used these as part of their work or during their museum visit. Emphasis is given on usability issues and evaluation of effectiveness, as well as on our thoughts on the efficacy of the long term deployment of VR under realistic usage conditions, especially when the technology becomes mundane and the content takes precedence over the display medium. We will present an overall assessment of our experience, on issues relating to usability and user satisfaction with VR in real-world contexts.