Virtual reality as a communication process

In this work, we consider immersive Virtual Reality (VR) as a communication process between humans, mediated by computer systems, which uses interaction, visualization, and other sensory stimuli to convey information. From this viewpoint, it is relevant to understand how VR can solve a given communication problem, what is therefore the expressive power of VR system, i.e., its ability in establishing the communication, what are the guidelines to design an effective system, and what are the more relevant models of VR applications. Firstly, we try to clarify the notion of reality in Virtual Reality systems and conclude that reality is not an intrinsic characteristic of VR, rather the result of a conventional way of coding information. The purpose of coding is to lead the observer to the conclusion that the VR set is what is called in italian as verisimile (from Latin veri similis), i.e., ??similar-to-the-real-thing??. So the creation of an effective VR application is an artifice or an illusion. But in order to avoid an over-reliance on the creativity of the VR designer, we intend to identify a solid ground on which different kinds of VR solutions can be considered in terms of their ability to solve the desired communication objective. To this aim, we will rely on methods derived from rhetoric to semiotics.     

From Technology to Communication: Psycho-social Issues in Developing Virtual Environments

Virtual reality (VR) can be considered as the leading edge of a general evolution of present communication interfaces, one whose main characteristic is the full immersion of the human sensorimotor channels into a vivid and global communication experience. By analyzing VR as a communication tool this paper tries to outline a psycho-social framework for the development and tuning of VR systems. In particular, the author identifies two key characteristics of satisfying virtual environments:disappearance of mediation—a level of experience where both the VR system and the physical environment disappear from the user's phenomenal awareness—and thesense of communitydeveloped by interaction. Social and psychological consequences of this approach are discussed, both for single- and multi-user virtual worlds.     

Exploring educational immersive videogames: an empirical study with a 3D multimodal interaction prototype

ABSTRACT

Gestural interaction devices emerged and originated various studies on multimodal human–computer interaction to improve user experience (UX). However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the use of these devices to enhance learning. We present an exploratory study which analysed the UX with a multimodal immersive videogame prototype, based on a Portuguese historical/cultural episode. Evaluation tests took place in high school environments and public videogaming events. Two users would be present simultaneously in the same virtual reality (VR) environment: one as the helmsman aboard Vasco da Gama’s fifteenth-century Portuguese ship and the other as the mythical Adamastor stone giant at the Cape of Good Hope. The helmsman player wore a VR headset to explore the environment, whereas the giant player used body motion to control the giant, and observed results on a screen, with no headset. This allowed a preliminary characterisation of UX, identifying challenges and potential use of these devices in multi-user virtual learning contexts. We also discuss the combined use of such devices, towards future development of similar systems, and its implications on learning improvement through multimodal human–computer interaction.     

Trade-off between resolution and interactivity in spatial taskperformance

Virtual reality displays usually lag far behind classical computer graphics displays in static image quality parameters, such as resolution. Both the popular press and scientific papers often stress that resolution will have to increase greatly before users can experience virtual environments as “the real thing”. Nevertheless, it is already possible to do some useful work in VR environments. The point we experimentally demonstrate here is that resolution is much less important for interactive tasks that employ immersive VR, where users can explore the environment by moving their heads and bodies, than it is in classical computer graphics applications, where users can only explore by gazing at a single picture. In the context of unmanned aerial vehicles, frame rate (read: passive camera movement) is more important than resolution for target detection, recognition, designation, and tracking. In the experiments reported here, we investigated the relative importance of various image parameters like spatial resolution (number of pixels per video frame), intensity resolution (number of gray levels per pixel), and temporal resolution (number of frame updates per second). Most experimental data concerning these resolutions come from classical psychophysics. However, experimental conditions in classical psychophysics feature stationary observers looking at short-term, pointlike flashes on stationary displays, and are thus far more representative of human interaction with pictures and photographs than with highly interactive systems like those employed in virtual reality     

Creating natural language interfaces to VR systems

Two research projects are described that explore the use of spoken natural language interfaces to virtual reality (VR) systems. Both projects combine off-the-shelf speech recognition and synthesis technology with in-house command interpreters that interface to the VR applications. Details about the interpreters and other technical aspects of the projects are provided, together with a discussion of some of the design decisions involved in the creation of speech interfaces. Questions and issues raised by the projects are presented as inspiration for future work. These issues include: requirements for object and information representation in VR models to support natural language interfaces; use of the visual context to establish the interaction context; difficulties with referencing events in the virtual world; and problems related to the usability of speech and natural language interfaces in general.     

Intelligent virtual environments for virtual reality art

The development of virtual reality (VR) art installations is faced with considerable difficulties, especially when one wishes to explore complex notions related to user interaction. We describe the development of a VR platform, which supports the development of such installations, from an art+science perspective. The system is based on a CAVE™-like immersive display using a game engine to support visualisation and interaction, which has been adapted for stereoscopic visualisation and real-time tracking. In addition, some architectural elements of game engines, such as their reliance on event-based systems have been used to support the principled definition of alternative laws of Physics. We illustrate this research through the development of a fully implemented artistic brief that explores the notion of causality in a virtual environment. After describing the hardware architecture supporting immersive visualisation we show how causality can be redefined using artificial intelligence technologies inspired from action representation in planning and how this symbolic definition of behaviour can support new forms of user experience in VR.     

Virtual orthopedic surgery training

Medicine is one of the most promising areas for emerging computer graphics and virtual reality techniques. VR training simulators let surgeons practice on virtual body tissue and get the same feedback they would experience in performing a real operation. Hybrid VR systems permit medical practitioners to view the patient overlaid with 3D data sets derived from 3D scanners, thus providing doctors and surgeons with pseudo X-ray vision. While currently available immersive VR surgery systems usually require expensive hardware and software, we developed a desktop VR orthopedic surgery training system that can run on commonly available personal computers     

Augmented Reality with Back-Projection Systems using Transflective Surfaces

In this paper, we introduce the concept of Extended VR (extending viewing space and interaction space of back-projection VR systems), by describing the use of a hand-held semi-transparent mirror to support augmented reality tasks with back-projection systems. This setup overcomes the problem of occlusion of virtual objects by real ones linked with such display systems. The presented approach allows an intuitive and effective application of immersive or semi-immersive virtual reality tasks and interaction techniques to an augmented surrounding space. Thereby, we use the tracked mirror as an interactive image-plane that merges the reflected graphics, which are displayed on the projection plane, with the transmitted image of the real environment. In our implementation, we also address traditional augmented reality problems, such as real-object registration and virtual-object occlusion. The presentation is complemented by a hypothesis of conceivable further setups that apply transflective surfaces to support an Extended VR environment.     

The Truga001: a scalable rendering processor

To support the increasing interest in virtual reality systems, computer graphics must now be extremely powerful to obtain realistic images. VR systems are based on two technical tools: graphics accelerators and pixel renderers. The paper discusses the Truga001 single-chip rendering processor for virtual reality and multimedia systems. It embeds 12 graphics processors and 7 special modules in a single chip     

Effective virtual reality based building navigation using dynamic loading and path optimization

Although computer capabilities have been improved significantly, a large-scale virtual reality (VR) system demands much more in terms of memory and computation than the current computer systems can offer. This paper discusses two important issues related to VR performance and applications in building navigation. These are dynamic loading of models based on cell segmentation for the optimal VR operation, and the route optimization based on path planning for easy navigation. The VR model of engineering and information technology complex (EITC) building at the University of Manitoba is built as an example to show the feasibility of the proposed methods. The reality, enhanced by three-dimensional (3D) real-time interactivity and visualization, leads navigators into a state of the virtual building immersion.     

虚拟现实在体育仿真中的应用综述

对基于虚拟现实的体育(训练)仿真技术的发展现状进行综述，讨论了体育仿真的关键技术，介绍了几个典型应用系统，最后对虚拟现实技术在体育训练仿真中的应用前景进行了讨论。     

An experimental investigation of menu selection for immersive virtual environments: fixed versus handheld menus

Virtual Reality - With the development of consumer-grade virtual reality (VR) systems, the interface and interaction design for immersive virtual environments have become a critical issue for VR...     

How virtual reality affects perceived learning effectiveness: a task–technology fit perspective

The application of virtual reality (VR) in improving users’ learning outcomes, especially in perceived learning effectiveness, is a new area. VR provides visualisation and interaction within a virtual world that closely resembles a real world, bringing an immersive study experience. It also has two special features: representational fidelity and immediacy of control. However, only when the technology fits the tasks that users are performing will it be adopted. In addition, technology itself cannot improve learning outcomes; certain learning behaviours, such as reflective thinking, should be prompted first so that learning outcomes can be improved. The research hypotheses derived from this model have empirically been validated using the responses to a survey among 180 users. These responses have been examined through SmartPLS 2.0. Surprisingly, task–technology fit does not moderate the relationship between VR and technology quality and the relationship between VR and technology accessibility. From this study, we can conclude that VR will influence reflective thinking and further indirectly improve perceived learning effectiveness.     

基于Krpano的全景校园漫游的设计与实现

在数字校园建设和发展中,以虚拟全景校园漫游为基础的校园信息化平台能够为师生提供全新的沉浸式浏览体验,并提供更集中的信息交互功能.虚拟现实技术能够真实地再现现实环境,通过交互式操作,用户可以获得与真实环境相似的感受和体验,其中全景漫游是虚拟现实技术的一种典型应用.该文以南开大学滨海学院为实践区域,基于Krpano平台,利...     

Human–Computer Interface Issues in Controlling Virtual Reality With Brain–Computer Interface

We have integrated the Graz brain–computer interface (BCI) system with a highly immersive virtual reality (VR) Cave-like system. This setting allows for a new type of experience, whereby participants can control a virtual world using imagery of movement. However, current BCI systems still have many limitations. In this article we present two experiments exploring the different constraints posed by current BCI systems when used in VR. In the first experiment we let the participants make free choices during the experience and compare their BCI performance with participants using BCI without free choice; this is unlike most previous work in this area, in which participants are requested to obey cues. In the second experiment we allowed participants to control a virtual body with motor imagery. We provide both quantitative and subjective results, regarding both BCI accuracy and the nature of the subjective experience in this new type of setting.     

Virtual reality technology and its industrial applications

Virtual reality (VR) is well known and is currently being investigated for practical use in various industrial fields. Using three-dimensional computer graphics, interactive devices, and a high-resolution display, a virtual world can be realized in which imaginary objects can be picked up as if they were in the physical world. Using VR technology, Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. has been developing application systems for industrial use since 1990. This paper details four VR application systems: a relax/refresh system, a horseback riding therapy simulator, a VR-supported kitchen layout design system, as well as an urban planning VR system.     

Human–computer interaction viewed as pseudo-communication

Semiotics is considered fundamental to an understanding of human–computer interaction, and of all computer artifacts. Informatics should therefore be viewed as technical semiotics (or semiotics engineering). In particular, interaction between human and computer is characterized by features of communication, a sort of communication, however, that lacks decisive communicative features. It must be identified as a process of pseudo-communication. Interaction is viewed as the coupling of two autonomous processes: a sign process (carried out by the human user) and a signal process (carried out by the computer). Software appears as a semiotic entity in a duplicate way: calculated and calculating, i.e. both as a result and agent of calculations. This dialectics characterizes the class of signs on the computer medium. Problems of software design (functionality and usability design) are specific problems of the coupling of sign and signal processes.     

Virtual reality sports auxiliary training system based on embedded system and computer technology

Virtual Reality technology, the complex environment can be a simulated, traditional sports courses at the stadium, equipment, it is due to limitations such as safety, to provide scientific and accurate teaching and learning's, a complex by visualizing the theoretical knowledge in the abstract sport, you can get more technical knowledge. Compared to the traditional physical education activities, simulate sports scene only by generating VR panoramas that cannot be virtual reality technology. Based on this, you can improve the enthusiasm and athletic ability of students effectively. Because of immaturity and high-priced equipment of VR technology, at present, people that education is using unpopular making, carefully virtual reality technology. In this context, we can apply virtual reality technology to sports training, which can obtain more effective training effect. In the first part of this paper, we talk about the research of virtual reality panorama, the second part about the research of virtual reality video, the third part about the application of virtual reality in physical education teaching, and the fourth part is the conclusion and investigation process. In the study, VR, as a new technology, found that you have the prospect of a wide range of applications. As long as it has been used in scientific and rational, you can VR is to promote the level of improvement and sports greatly sports scene. Users can increase users' interest; it can be immersed in a variety of preset virtual locations. Therefore, in the VR device, which allows the user to improve the experience of the VR device, you can interact well in a virtual scene.     

Design evaluation and modification of mechanical systems in virtual environments

Design is one of the most important stages in the manufacturing cycle and influences all the subsequent stages of product development. In the context of today’s iterative design methodology, the modification of any design is a process involving many evaluations and improvements to the solutions chosen in earlier stages. For this purpose, in the most recent decade, 3D computer simulations have become common tools used within industry. Whilst virtual reality (VR) technology is seen as the interaction technology of the future, much of the current research in this area is carried out to explore the potential benefits and added value brought by the integration of this into standard software technologies currently used at various stages in manufacturing life cycle. A lot of attention has been given to exploring the usability and benefits of interactive VR for assembly planning, knowledge elicitation and design and simulation. However, little research has focussed on the analytical aspects of the design process, for example in the use of VR as an interface for simulation software in finite element methods and multi-body systems. This paper introduces research focussing on applications of virtual environments (VEs) for interactive design evaluation and modification adapted and used with standard simulation software. The use of such interactive visualisation offers the engineer more realistic real-time representations of the design and advanced facilities to interact with the model during the design process. While design evaluation is based mainly on visualisation; design modification requires interactive changes of the model during the simulation, and the interfaces described here highlights such applications. In this work, two software prototypes have been developed using VR technology. First, a software tool called design evaluation in virtual environments is presented together with an application in civil engineering to illustrate the mode of operation and added value of the use of an interactive visualisation environment. Linking the simulation software with the VE provides real time bi-directional communication of graphical information which can be successfully achieved even within the limits of current computer technology. The tool includes a suite of software modules and a user interface to facilitate the link between the simulation results and the VE. The second tool facilitates the design modification in virtual environments system by providing real time dynamic simulation. Two dynamic approaches are investigated in order to study the real time simulation issues in the context of design modification and system performance: the classic approach based on rigid interconnected bodies, and a new and novel approach developed by the authors based on particles dynamics. Both implementations have been tested and compared on a mechanism application under the same computing conditions. The research applications presented demonstrate the practicality, flexibility and versatility of the visualisation in virtual environment in design evaluation and modification. However, the computer efficiency whilst carrying out real time dynamic simulation is limiting the range of applications to models of moderate size; however, this is an improvement on previous similar applications.