Bachelor Thesis BCLR-2025-108

BibliographyVu, Thi Trang Anh: The squint game: gaze-based magnification in VR.
University of Stuttgart, Faculty of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Information Technology, Bachelor Thesis No. 108 (2025).
69 pages, english.
Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) is now recognized as a significant technology in many fields, and the design of user interaction plays a crucial role in shaping immersion and overall user experience. This thesis introduces an eye-based interaction technique for VR environments that enables users to zoom in on distant objects or areas of interest by squinting. Leveraging real-time eye-tracking from a head-mounted device, the method detects fixation points and recognizes squint gestures to activate a magnification at the point of focus. The interaction was evaluated within an interactive VR game where users selected objects via standard controller input, supplemented by either squint-based or controller-activated zoom. A user study compared these two techniques to assess usability, comfort, and task performance. Results indicate that while the squint gesture is perceived as more intuitive and engaging, it also involves higher physical effort and longer task durations. These findings demonstrate the potential of eye-squint-based interactions to enhance usability, immersion, and intuitive control in VR applications.

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Department(s)University of Stuttgart, Institute of Visualisation and Interactive Systems, Visualisation and Interactive Systems
Superviser(s)Weiskopf, Prof. Daniel; Pathmanathan, Nelusa; Öney, Seyda; Kurzhals, Dr. Kuno
Entry dateApril 28, 2026
New Report   New Article   New Monograph   Institute   Computer Science