The influence of human-computer interface on usability and technology acceptance of VR-based shooting training with a comparison with typical shooting range

This paper investigates the influence of the human-computer interface on the usability and technology acceptance of VR-based shooting training in comparison to a typical shooting range. We conducted an experiment with 160 active duty State Protection Service officers who performed shooting tasks in real and four different VR environments with different levels of complexity. The results showed that the interface and the type of training scenario had a significant effect on the usability and technology acceptance of VR-based shooting training. Participants also preferred the VR environment to the real environment for shooting training, because it provided more immersion and motivation. Surprisingly, as the complexity of the virtual environment increased, usability and intention to use decreased. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for the design and development of VR-based shooting training systems.