Exploration of Foot-based Text Entry Techniques for Virtual Reality Environments

Foot-based input can serve as a supplementary or alternative approach to text entry in virtual reality (VR). This work explores the feasibility and design of foot-based techniques that are hands-free. We first conducted a preliminary study to assess foot-based text entry in standing and seated positions with tap and swipe input approaches. The findings showed that foot-based text input was feasible, with the possibility for performance and usability improvements. We then developed three foot-based techniques, including two tap-based techniques (FeetSymTap and FeetAsymTap) and one swipe-based technique (FeetGestureTap), and evaluated their performance via another user study. The results show that the two tap-based techniques supported entry rates of 11.12 WPM and 10.80 WPM, while the swipe-based technique led to 9.16 WPM. Our findings provide a solid foundation for the future design and implementation of foot-based text entry in VR and have the potential to be extended to MR and AR.