Virtual Reality on a SWIM: Scalable World in Miniature

The World-in-Miniature (WIM) metaphor is a 3D user interface technique that allows the user to interact with an identical miniature copy of the virtual environment they are in. Users are able to manipulate an object in either the miniature copy or the life-size copy and have that change reflected in the other model. This general model lacks a method to adjust the sizing of the objects in the miniature copy or the view that it displays. As a result, precise movement on objects of a different scale becomes difficult in vast and compact spaces. We propose the Scalable World in Miniature (SWIM) which affords independent scaling and finer control across a spectrum of object sizes. By treating the WIM as an independently scalable volume of interest, users can set specific objects and subsections or the entire environment as their view in the miniature model at a scale to their liking. Only the objects displayed in the WIM can be interacted with, allowing for more natural interactions with objects of different scale factors. The proposed solution of the Scalable World in Miniature (SWIM) provides users an increased flexibility and more intuitive interactions with the WIM system.