3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice

Chapter 5. Selection and Manipulation

The quality of the interaction techniques that allow us to manipulate 3D virtual objects has a profound effect on the quality of the entire 3D UI. Indeed, manipulation is one of the most fundamental tasks for both physical and virtual environments: if the user cannot manipulate virtual objects effectively, many application-specific tasks simply cannot be performed. Furthermore, interaction techniques for travel and system control that are discussed in the following chapters are often based on 3D manipulation techniques. Therefore, we start our discussion of 3D interaction techniques with techniques for selecting and manipulating 3D objects.

5.1. Introduction

The human hand is a remarkable device: it allows ...