Fina: File Management Interactions

Atish Waghwase | Prafulla Chandra GS | Cherian Jeremiah Iype | Apoorv Anurag

Introduction

Most VR headsets still use ray-casting as the default interaction method, which mimics pointer-based interactions for screen-based interfaces. In this project, we imagine, prototype, and showcase how actions like copying, moving, selecting, and deleting files can be made more appropriate for an immersive VR experience through interactions like hovering, poking, pinching, grabbing, and releasing. We showcase our ideas through a file management interface for the Meta Quest 2.

Laval Virtual 2023

Raycasting in File Management

File management in the Meta Quest 2 is currently almost exactly the way it would be on a 2D touchscreen device. Notice the presence of kebab menus for basic tasks like delete and the lack of basic tasks like move or copy.

The Raycasting interaction method. Source: Meta.com

File Management

Let’s not reinvent the wheel

When displaying text-based interfaces, a rectilinear layout is the most practical and efficient way to organise elements. So, if we are to design a truly immersive experience that remains usable and efficient, we need to follow some guidelines of 2D design. A 3 dimensional, 6 degrees of freedom interface would be fun to conceptualize but would also probably be extremely unusable with larger organizational systems.

We designed a 2.5D interface, two-dimensional UI with an additional interactive plane on top

Core interactions

• Pinching: Pinching is the act of picking a single object making a precise choice, so we used it as a metaphor for selecting and manipulating individual items.

• Grabbing: Grabbing is done to grasp larger objects, maybe to command objects to compress or fall together. Thus, we used grabbing as a metaphor to manipulate a group of multiple files.

Interactions

Selecting individual files

Pinch and pull an item to select it. To select multiple files.

Grab the selection on the Active Plane to stack and move it anywhere.

Selecting a range and Moving files to clipboard

Pinch and pull the first file, then, without releasing, pinch and pull the last to select all files in between.

Move the stack near the Clipboard and release to transfer the files. They’ll be removed from the parent folder.

Copying files to clipboard and Deleting a selection

While holding the stack with one hand, grab the Duplicate prompt with the other to create its copy.

Look down to open the Delete Portal.

Mitosis inspired Copy action

Since Interaction A wasn’t immediately clear to users, we refined it into Interaction B, which grabs the Copy prompt and now spawns a duplicate of the file, preserving the original intent while offering clarity and consistency across contextual options. Unlike traditional clipboards that reference file locations, ours acts as a temporary folder where dropping a file moves it directly, with the option to duplicate before moving for a clearer mental model. Deletion remains a deliberate two-step process, as the Delete Portal appears only when in view, preventing accidental deletions.

The copy interaction was inspired by Mitosis, the process of cell division, where an identical copy is created by ‘splitting’ the original file in two using both hands.

Exhibition

We designed an early proof of concept to experience interactions in 3D using Gravity Sketch — a VR 3D modelling tool. This was used to get initial feedback on the interactions.

Exhibition at IDC School of Design, September 2022.