Thesis (Ph. D.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2008. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed June 1, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 229-234).

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document This dissertation is accompanied by an interactive cd, kept in the main library of the University of Pretoria / Dissertation (MA (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Information Science / unrestricted

In recent years, the edges between reality and virtual reality have been further smudged as today’s software and hardware allows for wireless immersive experiences. In an attempt to solve locomotion as the last piece of the puzzle of perfecting immersive virtual realities, impossible spaces have been developed to support natural locomotion. This in-between subject study investigated the effects of the combination of climbing and free walking on immersion in an impossible space environment with 20 participants. Users tended to greatly underestimate the distance climbed (which contradicts a previous study), concentrate, lose track of time, describe their experience more positively and differently than the controls group. Signs of spatial, emotional, cognitive and tactical immersion were shown in aspects of concentration, time, feelings of freedom, narrative, presence, safety, mental stimulation and locomotion user strategies to name a few. Minimal cues may have been present while future studies might fully confirm and define the immersive potential of vertical locomotion in impossible spaces. / De senaste årens utveckling har fortsatt sudda ut kanterna mellan verklighet och virtuell verklighet då dagens teknik stödjer trådlösa immersiva verkligheter. I ett försök att lösa locomotion som det sista biten av pusslet för att göra virtuella verkligheter perfekta har s.k impossible spaces utvecklats för att stödja naturlig locomotion. Den här A/B-gruppsstudien undersökte effekter på immersion med kombinationen av naturlig och vertikal locomotion i en impossibel space miljö med 20 deltagare. Användare tenderade att grovt underskatta längden de klättrade (vilket motsäger en tidigare studie), koncentrera sig, tappa tidsuppfattningen, beskriva deras upplevelsen mer positivt och annorlunda än kontrollgruppen. Tecken på rumslig, emotionell, kognitiv och taktil immersion visade sig i form av koncentration, tid, känslor av frihet, narrativ, närvaro, säkerhet, mental stimulation och locomotion- användarstrategier för att nämna några. Minimala element kan ha uppnåtts medan framtida studies kan bekräfta och definiera den immersiva potentialen med vertikal locomotion i impossibel spaces till fullo.