  Compared to real world tasks, completing tasks in a virtual environment (VE)
seldom involves the whole spectrum of skills the human body offers. User input
in a VE is commonly accomplished through simple finger gestures, such as
walking in a scene by simply pressing a button, even if this kind of
interaction is not very suitable. In order to create a more intuitive and
natural interaction, diverse projects try to tackle the problem of locomotion
in VEs by trying to enable a natural walking movement, which is also supposed
to increase the level of immersion. Existing solutions such as treadmills are
still expensive and need additional fixation of the body. In this paper, we
describe a simple and inexpensive way to build a useful locomotion interface
using a conventional sports stepper and an Arduino. This device enables control
in a VE by walking-in-place and without the need for any additional fixation
gadgets. We conducted a user study with 10 participants to evaluate the
impression on the joy and ease of use, immersion and reliability in comparison
to other interfaces used for locomotion, such as the Wii Balance Board and a
Wand Joystick. We found out that the stepper is experienced slightly better in
terms of immersion and joy of use. Furthermore, found that pressing buttons on
a Joystick was perceived to be more reliable.
