An Interactive VR System Using CoSpaces and Makey Makey

This paper presents an interactive virtual reality (VR) system that can be built and experienced using CoSpaces and Makey Makey. The process begins with content authoring in CoSpaces, where creators design 3D scenes and implement event logic via block-based coding, enabling functions such as gaze-triggered audio playback and real-time locomotion controls. A walk-in-place (WIP) pad is constructed by attaching conductive foil patches to cardboard and wiring them to a Makey Makey; alternating foot contacts are mapped to keyboard inputs, enabling natural forward movement and body rotation in VR. The completed CoSpaces project is then run on a smartphone inserted into a generic head-mounted display, with the Makey Makey interface connected for embodied interaction. A user study compared three control methods—touchscreen, keyboard, and the proposed WIP pad—within a virtual art gallery. Participants reported greater immersion and enjoyment with the WIP pad, highlighting the benefits of body-involving interaction. These results show that educators, artists, and non-experts can quickly prototype engaging VR experiences without specialized engines or hardware, reducing creative barriers while enhancing user-content engagement.