Stepping into the Unknown: Immersive Spatial Hypertext

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Traditional spatial hypertext systems, predominantly limited to two-dimensional (2D) interfaces, offer limited support for addressing long debated inherent problems such as orientation difficulties and navigation in large information spaces. In this context, we present opportunities from interdisciplinary fields such as immersive analytics (IA) and embodied cognition that may mitigate some of these challenges. However, while some research has explored the extension of spatial hypertext to three dimensions, there is a lack of discussion on recent advances in virtual reality technologies and related fields, and their potential impact on immersive spatial hypertext systems. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the integration of immersive technologies into spatial hypertext systems, proposing a novel approach to enhance user engagement and comprehension through three-dimensional (3D) environments and multisensory interaction.