Evaluation of User Perception in Virtual Reality: 3D Gaussian Splatting for the Design of Immersive Experiences 
Abstract
In digital heritage, emerging approaches for generating photorealistic image-based 3D models, even via low-cost devices as smartphones, have gained significant attention. Among these approaches, 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) offer notable improvements in visual fidelity and realism. Despite extensive evaluation through quantitative metrics and benchmark comparisons with photogrammetry, the potential of 3DGS for immersive navigation in Virtual Reality (VR) – particularly from a user experience perspective –, is underexplored. The paper presents a comparative study of photogrammetry and 3DGS within a dedicated VR exploration framework applied to a heritage scene. Participants assess perceived visual fidelity, realism, spatial coherence, and interaction comfort in environments reconstructed with both techniques, revealing perceptual differences that are relevant for experiential and design-oriented approaches to immersive representation.
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PDFDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2423/i22394303v16n1p55
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