Head-pointing in VR lets low vision users match target selection speed of controls

A new arXiv preprint (2605.19816) investigates whether individuals with central visual field loss (CFL) can effectively use head-pointing to select targets in virtual reality. The study, led by Camille Bordeau and colleagues across multiple French research units, enrolled 25 CFL patients aged 67–90 and 26 normally-sighted controls aged 67–85. Participants used a head-contingent cursor (a 6° reticle) to select a 2° dot by holding the target within an invisible pointer activation zone (PAZ) for 1.5 seconds.

The experiment varied PAZ diameter from 0.5° to 8°. Both groups showed decreasing selection times as PAZ size increased. Patients started at a mean of 14.1 seconds (versus 8.4 for controls) but reached a similar asymptote of 1.4 seconds at the largest PAZ. However, patients needed a significantly larger PAZ on average (3.48°) to achieve their best performance, compared to 1.32° for controls. In a follow-up condition with three simultaneous cursors, both groups tended to use the cursor closest to the target, suggesting intuitive spatial strategies.

The authors conclude that head-pointing is a viable input method for low vision individuals, provided the activation zone is calibrated appropriately. This research has direct translational relevance: it offers concrete guidelines for designing accessible human-machine interfaces—such as VR menus, gaze-based controls, or assistive pointing tools—for the growing population of older adults with central vision loss. Future work could extend the findings to dynamic targets or real-world applications like wheelchair navigation or surgical interfaces.