Authentication in Immersive Virtual Environments through Gesture-Based Interaction with a Virtual Agent

Authentication poses a significant challenge in VR applications, as conventional methods, such as text input for usernames and passwords, prove cumbersome and unnatural in immersive virtual environments. Alternatives such as password managers or two-factor authentication may necessitate users to disengage from the virtual experience by removing their headsets. Consequently, we present an innovative system that utilizes virtual agents (VAs) as interaction partners, enabling users to authenticate naturally through a set of ten gestures, such as high fives, fist bumps, or waving. By combining these gestures, users can create personalized authentications akin to PINs, potentially enhancing security without compromising the immersive experience. To gain first insights into the suitability of this authentication process, we conducted a formal expert review with five participants and compared our system to a virtual keypad authentication approach. While our results show that the effectiveness of a VA-mediated gesture-based authentication system is still limited, they motivate further research in this area.