Game controller modification for fMRI hyperscanning experiments in a cooperative virtual reality environment.

PubMed

Trees, Jason; Snider, Joseph; Falahpour, Maryam; Guo, Nick; Lu, Kun; Johnson, Douglas C; Poizner, Howard; Liu, Thomas T

2014-01-01

Hyperscanning, an emerging technique in which data from multiple interacting subjects' brains are simultaneously recorded, has become an increasingly popular way to address complex topics, such as "theory of mind." However, most previous fMRI hyperscanning experiments have been limited to abstract social interactions (e.g. phone conversations). Our new method utilizes a virtual reality (VR) environment used for military training, Virtual Battlespace 2 (VBS2), to create realistic avatar-avatar interactions and cooperative tasks. To control the virtual avatar, subjects use a MRI compatible Playstation 3 game controller, modified by removing all extraneous metal components and replacing any necessary ones with 3D printed plastic models. Control of both scanners' operation is initiated by a VBS2 plugin to sync scanner time to the known time within the VR environment. Our modifications include:•Modification of game controller to be MRI compatible.•Design of VBS2 virtual environment for cooperative interactions.•Syncing two MRI machines for simultaneous recording.

Game controller modification for fMRI hyperscanning experiments in a cooperative virtual reality environment

PubMed Central

Trees, Jason; Snider, Joseph; Falahpour, Maryam; Guo, Nick; Lu, Kun; Johnson, Douglas C.; Poizner, Howard; Liu, Thomas T.

2014-01-01

Hyperscanning, an emerging technique in which data from multiple interacting subjects’ brains are simultaneously recorded, has become an increasingly popular way to address complex topics, such as “theory of mind.” However, most previous fMRI hyperscanning experiments have been limited to abstract social interactions (e.g. phone conversations). Our new method utilizes a virtual reality (VR) environment used for military training, Virtual Battlespace 2 (VBS2), to create realistic avatar-avatar interactions and cooperative tasks. To control the virtual avatar, subjects use a MRI compatible Playstation 3 game controller, modified by removing all extraneous metal components and replacing any necessary ones with 3D printed plastic models. Control of both scanners’ operation is initiated by a VBS2 plugin to sync scanner time to the known time within the VR environment. Our modifications include:•Modification of game controller to be MRI compatible.•Design of VBS2 virtual environment for cooperative interactions.•Syncing two MRI machines for simultaneous recording. PMID:26150964

Virtual acoustic environments for comprehensive evaluation of model-based hearing devices.

PubMed

Grimm, Giso; Luberadzka, Joanna; Hohmann, Volker

2018-06-01

Create virtual acoustic environments (VAEs) with interactive dynamic rendering for applications in audiology. A toolbox for creation and rendering of dynamic virtual acoustic environments (TASCAR) that allows direct user interaction was developed for application in hearing aid research and audiology. The software architecture and the simulation methods used to produce VAEs are outlined. Example environments are described and analysed. With the proposed software, a tool for simulation of VAEs is available. A set of VAEs rendered with the proposed software was described.

Virtual interface environment workstations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, S. S.; Wenzel, E. M.; Coler, C.; Mcgreevy, M. W.

1988-01-01

A head-mounted, wide-angle, stereoscopic display system controlled by operator position, voice and gesture has been developed at NASA's Ames Research Center for use as a multipurpose interface environment. This Virtual Interface Environment Workstation (VIEW) system provides a multisensory, interactive display environment in which a user can virtually explore a 360-degree synthesized or remotely sensed environment and can viscerally interact with its components. Primary applications of the system are in telerobotics, management of large-scale integrated information systems, and human factors research. System configuration, research scenarios, and research directions are described.

The Effects of Instructor-Avatar Immediacy in Second Life, an Immersive and Interactive Three-Dimensional Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawless-Reljic, Sabine Karine

2010-01-01

Growing interest of educational institutions in desktop 3D graphic virtual environments for hybrid and distance education prompts questions on the efficacy of such tools. Virtual worlds, such as Second Life[R], enable computer-mediated immersion and interactions encompassing multimodal communication channels including audio, video, and text-.…

Not Just a Game … When We Play Together, We Learn Together: Interactive Virtual Environments and Gaming Engines for Geospatial Visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipman, J. S.; Anderson, J. W.

2017-12-01

An ideal tool for ecologists and land managers to investigate the impacts of both projected environmental changes and policy alternatives is the creation of immersive, interactive, virtual landscapes. As a new frontier in visualizing and understanding geospatial data, virtual landscapes require a new toolbox for data visualization that includes traditional GIS tools and uncommon tools such as the Unity3d game engine. Game engines provide capabilities to not only explore data but to build and interact with dynamic models collaboratively. These virtual worlds can be used to display and illustrate data that is often more understandable and plausible to both stakeholders and policy makers than is achieved using traditional maps.Within this context we will present funded research that has been developed utilizing virtual landscapes for geographic visualization and decision support among varied stakeholders. We will highlight the challenges and lessons learned when developing interactive virtual environments that require large multidisciplinary team efforts with varied competences. The results will emphasize the importance of visualization and interactive virtual environments and the link with emerging research disciplines within Visual Analytics.

Building interactive virtual environments for simulated training in medicine using VRML and Java/JavaScript.

PubMed

Korocsec, D; Holobar, A; Divjak, M; Zazula, D

2005-12-01

Medicine is a difficult thing to learn. Experimenting with real patients should not be the only option; simulation deserves a special attention here. Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) as a tool for building virtual objects and scenes has a good record of educational applications in medicine, especially for static and animated visualisations of body parts and organs. However, to create computer simulations resembling situations in real environments the required level of interactivity and dynamics is difficult to achieve. In the present paper we describe some approaches and techniques which we used to push the limits of the current VRML technology further toward dynamic 3D representation of virtual environments (VEs). Our demonstration is based on the implementation of a virtual baby model, whose vital signs can be controlled from an external Java application. The main contributions of this work are: (a) outline and evaluation of the three-level VRML/Java implementation of the dynamic virtual environment, (b) proposal for a modified VRML Timesensor node, which greatly improves the overall control of system performance, and (c) architecture of the prototype distributed virtual environment for training in neonatal resuscitation comprising the interactive virtual newborn, active bedside monitor for vital signs and full 3D representation of the surgery room.

Varieties of virtualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Stephen R.

1991-01-01

Natural environments have a content, i.e., the objects in them; a geometry, i.e., a pattern of rules for positioning and displacing the objects; and a dynamics, i.e., a system of rules describing the effects of forces acting on the objects. Human interaction with most common natural environments has been optimized by centuries of evolution. Virtual environments created through the human-computer interface similarly have a content, geometry, and dynamics, but the arbitrary character of the computer simulation creating them does not insure that human interaction with these virtual environments will be natural. The interaction, indeed, could be supernatural but it also could be impossible. An important determinant of the comprehensibility of a virtual environment is the correspondence between the environmental frames of reference and those associated with the control of environmental objects. The effects of rotation and displacement of control frames of reference with respect to corresponding environmental references differ depending upon whether perceptual judgement or manual tracking performance is measured. The perceptual effects of frame of reference displacement may be analyzed in terms of distortions in the process of virtualizing the synthetic environment space. The effects of frame of reference displacement and rotation have been studied by asking subjects to estimate exocentric direction in a virtual space.

Usability Studies In Virtual And Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments For Spatial Awareness

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-08

Usability Studies In Virtual And Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments For Spatial Awareness Dr. Syed Adeel Ahmed, Xavier University of...virtual environment with wand interfaces compared directly with a workstation non-stereoscopic traditional CAD interface with keyboard and mouse. In...navigate through a virtual environment. The wand interface provides a significantly improved means of interaction. This study quantitatively measures the

Studying social interactions through immersive virtual environment technology: virtues, pitfalls, and future challenges

PubMed Central

Bombari, Dario; Schmid Mast, Marianne; Canadas, Elena; Bachmann, Manuel

2015-01-01

The goal of the present review is to explain how immersive virtual environment technology (IVET) can be used for the study of social interactions and how the use of virtual humans in immersive virtual environments can advance research and application in many different fields. Researchers studying individual differences in social interactions are typically interested in keeping the behavior and the appearance of the interaction partner constant across participants. With IVET researchers have full control over the interaction partners, can standardize them while still keeping the simulation realistic. Virtual simulations are valid: growing evidence shows that indeed studies conducted with IVET can replicate some well-known findings of social psychology. Moreover, IVET allows researchers to subtly manipulate characteristics of the environment (e.g., visual cues to prime participants) or of the social partner (e.g., his/her race) to investigate their influences on participants’ behavior and cognition. Furthermore, manipulations that would be difficult or impossible in real life (e.g., changing participants’ height) can be easily obtained with IVET. Beside the advantages for theoretical research, we explore the most recent training and clinical applications of IVET, its integration with other technologies (e.g., social sensing) and future challenges for researchers (e.g., making the communication between virtual humans and participants smoother). PMID:26157414

Studying social interactions through immersive virtual environment technology: virtues, pitfalls, and future challenges.

PubMed

Bombari, Dario; Schmid Mast, Marianne; Canadas, Elena; Bachmann, Manuel

2015-01-01

The goal of the present review is to explain how immersive virtual environment technology (IVET) can be used for the study of social interactions and how the use of virtual humans in immersive virtual environments can advance research and application in many different fields. Researchers studying individual differences in social interactions are typically interested in keeping the behavior and the appearance of the interaction partner constant across participants. With IVET researchers have full control over the interaction partners, can standardize them while still keeping the simulation realistic. Virtual simulations are valid: growing evidence shows that indeed studies conducted with IVET can replicate some well-known findings of social psychology. Moreover, IVET allows researchers to subtly manipulate characteristics of the environment (e.g., visual cues to prime participants) or of the social partner (e.g., his/her race) to investigate their influences on participants' behavior and cognition. Furthermore, manipulations that would be difficult or impossible in real life (e.g., changing participants' height) can be easily obtained with IVET. Beside the advantages for theoretical research, we explore the most recent training and clinical applications of IVET, its integration with other technologies (e.g., social sensing) and future challenges for researchers (e.g., making the communication between virtual humans and participants smoother).

The specificity of memory enhancement during interaction with a virtual environment.

PubMed

Brooks, B M; Attree, E A; Rose, F D; Clifford, B R; Leadbetter, A G

1999-01-01

Two experiments investigated differences between active and passive participation in a computer-generated virtual environment in terms of spatial memory, object memory, and object location memory. It was found that active participants, who controlled their movements in the virtual environment using a joystick, recalled the spatial layout of the virtual environment better than passive participants, who merely watched the active participants' progress. Conversely, there were no significant differences between the active and passive participants' recall or recognition of the virtual objects, nor in their recall of the correct locations of objects in the virtual environment. These findings are discussed in terms of subject-performed task research and the specificity of memory enhancement in virtual environments.

EdMOO: One Approach to a Multimedia Collaborative Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holkner, Bernard

The nature of the multiuser object oriented (MOO) environment lends itself to flexible and rich interactive collaboration space providing interactive discussion, mail, mailing list, and news features to its virtual denizens. EdMOO (HREF1) was created in mid-1995 as an environment for teachers to experience the text based virtual reality…

A Proposed Treatment for Visual Field Loss caused by Traumatic Brain Injury using Interactive Visuotactile Virtual Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farkas, Attila J.; Hajnal, Alen; Shiratuddin, Mohd F.; Szatmary, Gabriella

In this paper, we propose a novel approach of using interactive virtual environment technology in Vision Restoration Therapy caused by Traumatic Brain Injury. We called the new system Interactive Visuotactile Virtual Environment and it holds a promise of expanding the scope of already existing rehabilitation techniques. Traditional vision rehabilitation methods are based on passive psychophysical training procedures, and can last up to six months before any modest improvements can be seen in patients. A highly immersive and interactive virtual environment will allow the patient to practice everyday activities such as object identification and object manipulation through the use 3D motion sensoring handheld devices such data glove or the Nintendo Wiimote. Employing both perceptual and action components in the training procedures holds the promise of more efficient sensorimotor rehabilitation. Increased stimulation of visual and sensorimotor areas of the brain should facilitate a comprehensive recovery of visuomotor function by exploiting the plasticity of the central nervous system. Integrated with a motion tracking system and an eye tracking device, the interactive virtual environment allows for the creation and manipulation of a wide variety of stimuli, as well as real-time recording of hand-, eye- and body movements and coordination. The goal of the project is to design a cost-effective and efficient vision restoration system.

Ergonomic aspects of a virtual environment.

PubMed

Ahasan, M R; Väyrynen, S

1999-01-01

A virtual environment is an interactive graphic system mediated through computer technology that allows a certain level of reality or a sense of presence to access virtual information. To create reality in a virtual environment, ergonomics issues are explored in this paper, aiming to develop the design of presentation formats with related information, that is possible to attain and to maintain user-friendly application.

A virtual therapeutic environment with user projective agents.

PubMed

Ookita, S Y; Tokuda, H

2001-02-01

Today, we see the Internet as more than just an information infrastructure, but a socializing place and a safe outlet of inner feelings. Many personalities develop aside from real world life due to its anonymous environment. Virtual world interactions are bringing about new psychological illnesses ranging from netaddiction to technostress, as well as online personality disorders and conflicts in multiple identities that exist in the virtual world. Presently, there are no standard therapy models for the virtual environment. There are very few therapeutic environments, or tools especially made for virtual therapeutic environments. The goal of our research is to provide the therapy model and middleware tools for psychologists to use in virtual therapeutic environments. We propose the Cyber Therapy Model, and Projective Agents, a tool used in the therapeutic environment. To evaluate the effectiveness of the tool, we created a prototype system, called the Virtual Group Counseling System, which is a therapeutic environment that allows the user to participate in group counseling through the eyes of their Projective Agent. Projective Agents inherit the user's personality traits. During the virtual group counseling, the user's Projective Agent interacts and collaborates to recover and increase their psychological growth. The prototype system provides a simulation environment where psychologists can adjust the parameters and customize their own simulation environment. The model and tool is a first attempt toward simulating online personalities that may exist only online, and provide data for observation.

Virtual Learning Environment for Interactive Engagement with Advanced Quantum Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedersen, Mads Kock; Skyum, Birk; Heck, Robert; Müller, Romain; Bason, Mark; Lieberoth, Andreas; Sherson, Jacob F.

2016-01-01

A virtual learning environment can engage university students in the learning process in ways that the traditional lectures and lab formats cannot. We present our virtual learning environment "StudentResearcher," which incorporates simulations, multiple-choice quizzes, video lectures, and gamification into a learning path for quantum…

Usability Evaluation of an Adaptive 3D Virtual Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewais, Ahmed; De Troyer, Olga

2013-01-01

Using 3D virtual environments for educational purposes is becoming attractive because of their rich presentation and interaction capabilities. Furthermore, dynamically adapting the 3D virtual environment to the personal preferences, prior knowledge, skills and competence, learning goals, and the personal or (social) context in which the learning…

Perception of Graphical Virtual Environments by Blind Users via Sensory Substitution

PubMed Central

Maidenbaum, Shachar; Buchs, Galit; Abboud, Sami; Lavi-Rotbain, Ori; Amedi, Amir

2016-01-01

Graphical virtual environments are currently far from accessible to blind users as their content is mostly visual. This is especially unfortunate as these environments hold great potential for this population for purposes such as safe orientation, education, and entertainment. Previous tools have increased accessibility but there is still a long way to go. Visual-to-audio Sensory-Substitution-Devices (SSDs) can increase accessibility generically by sonifying on-screen content regardless of the specific environment and offer increased accessibility without the use of expensive dedicated peripherals like electrode/vibrator arrays. Using SSDs virtually utilizes similar skills as when using them in the real world, enabling both training on the device and training on environments virtually before real-world visits. This could enable more complex, standardized and autonomous SSD training and new insights into multisensory interaction and the visually-deprived brain. However, whether congenitally blind users, who have never experienced virtual environments, will be able to use this information for successful perception and interaction within them is currently unclear.We tested this using the EyeMusic SSD, which conveys whole-scene visual information, to perform virtual tasks otherwise impossible without vision. Congenitally blind users had to navigate virtual environments and find doors, differentiate between them based on their features (Experiment1:task1) and surroundings (Experiment1:task2) and walk through them; these tasks were accomplished with a 95% and 97% success rate, respectively. We further explored the reactions of congenitally blind users during their first interaction with a more complex virtual environment than in the previous tasks–walking down a virtual street, recognizing different features of houses and trees, navigating to cross-walks, etc. Users reacted enthusiastically and reported feeling immersed within the environment. They highlighted the potential usefulness of such environments for understanding what visual scenes are supposed to look like and their potential for complex training and suggested many future environments they wished to experience. PMID:26882473

Perception of Graphical Virtual Environments by Blind Users via Sensory Substitution.

PubMed

Maidenbaum, Shachar; Buchs, Galit; Abboud, Sami; Lavi-Rotbain, Ori; Amedi, Amir

2016-01-01

Graphical virtual environments are currently far from accessible to blind users as their content is mostly visual. This is especially unfortunate as these environments hold great potential for this population for purposes such as safe orientation, education, and entertainment. Previous tools have increased accessibility but there is still a long way to go. Visual-to-audio Sensory-Substitution-Devices (SSDs) can increase accessibility generically by sonifying on-screen content regardless of the specific environment and offer increased accessibility without the use of expensive dedicated peripherals like electrode/vibrator arrays. Using SSDs virtually utilizes similar skills as when using them in the real world, enabling both training on the device and training on environments virtually before real-world visits. This could enable more complex, standardized and autonomous SSD training and new insights into multisensory interaction and the visually-deprived brain. However, whether congenitally blind users, who have never experienced virtual environments, will be able to use this information for successful perception and interaction within them is currently unclear.We tested this using the EyeMusic SSD, which conveys whole-scene visual information, to perform virtual tasks otherwise impossible without vision. Congenitally blind users had to navigate virtual environments and find doors, differentiate between them based on their features (Experiment1:task1) and surroundings (Experiment1:task2) and walk through them; these tasks were accomplished with a 95% and 97% success rate, respectively. We further explored the reactions of congenitally blind users during their first interaction with a more complex virtual environment than in the previous tasks-walking down a virtual street, recognizing different features of houses and trees, navigating to cross-walks, etc. Users reacted enthusiastically and reported feeling immersed within the environment. They highlighted the potential usefulness of such environments for understanding what visual scenes are supposed to look like and their potential for complex training and suggested many future environments they wished to experience.

Seeing ahead: experience and language in spatial perspective.

PubMed

Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Corley, Martin; Ramscar, Michael

2006-03-01

Spatial perspective can be directed by various reference frames, as well as by the direction of motion. In the present study, we explored how ambiguity in spatial tasks can be resolved. Participants were presented with virtual reality environments in order to stimulate a spatialreference frame based on motion. They interacted with an ego-moving spatial system in Experiment 1 and an object-moving spatial system in Experiment 2. While interacting with the virtual environment, the participants were presented with either a question representing a motion system different from that of the virtual environment or a nonspatial question relating to physical features of the virtual environment. They then performed the target task assign the label front in an ambiguous spatial task. The findings indicate that the disambiguation of spatial terms can be influenced by embodied experiences, as represented by the virtual environment, as well as by linguistic context.

SciEthics Interactive: Science and Ethics Learning in a Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadolny, Larysa; Woolfrey, Joan; Pierlott, Matthew; Kahn, Seth

2013-01-01

Learning in immersive 3D environments allows students to collaborate, build, and interact with difficult course concepts. This case study examines the design and development of the TransGen Island within the SciEthics Interactive project, a National Science Foundation-funded, 3D virtual world emphasizing learning science content in the context of…

Spatial interpretation of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Payload Operations Control Center using virtual reality technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsey, Patricia F.

1993-01-01

In its search for higher level computer interfaces and more realistic electronic simulations for measurement and spatial analysis in human factors design, NASA at MSFC is evaluating the functionality of virtual reality (VR) technology. Virtual reality simulation generates a three dimensional environment in which the participant appears to be enveloped. It is a type of interactive simulation in which humans are not only involved, but included. Virtual reality technology is still in the experimental phase, but it appears to be the next logical step after computer aided three-dimensional animation in transferring the viewer from a passive to an active role in experiencing and evaluating an environment. There is great potential for using this new technology when designing environments for more successful interaction, both with the environment and with another participant in a remote location. At the University of North Carolina, a VR simulation of a the planned Sitterson Hall, revealed a flaw in the building's design that had not been observed during examination of the more traditional building plan simulation methods on paper and on computer aided design (CAD) work station. The virtual environment enables multiple participants in remote locations to come together and interact with one another and with the environment. Each participant is capable of seeing herself and the other participants and of interacting with them within the simulated environment.

[A new age of mass casuality education? : The InSitu project: realistic training in virtual reality environments].

PubMed

Lorenz, D; Armbruster, W; Vogelgesang, C; Hoffmann, H; Pattar, A; Schmidt, D; Volk, T; Kubulus, D

2016-09-01

Chief emergency physicians are regarded as an important element in the care of the injured and sick following mass casualty accidents. Their education is very theoretical; practical content in contrast often falls short. Limitations are usually the very high costs of realistic (large-scale) exercises, poor reproducibility of the scenarios, and poor corresponding results. To substantially improve the educational level because of the complexity of mass casualty accidents, modified training concepts are required that teach the not only the theoretical but above all the practical skills considerably more intensively than at present. Modern training concepts should make it possible for the learner to realistically simulate decision processes. This article examines how interactive virtual environments are applicable for the education of emergency personnel and how they could be designed. Virtual simulation and training environments offer the possibility of simulating complex situations in an adequately realistic manner. The so-called virtual reality (VR) used in this context is an interface technology that enables free interaction in addition to a stereoscopic and spatial representation of virtual large-scale emergencies in a virtual environment. Variables in scenarios such as the weather, the number wounded, and the availability of resources, can be changed at any time. The trainees are able to practice the procedures in many virtual accident scenes and act them out repeatedly, thereby testing the different variants. With the aid of the "InSitu" project, it is possible to train in a virtual reality with realistically reproduced accident situations. These integrated, interactive training environments can depict very complex situations on a scale of 1:1. Because of the highly developed interactivity, the trainees can feel as if they are a direct part of the accident scene and therefore identify much more with the virtual world than is possible with desktop systems. Interactive, identifiable, and realistic training environments based on projector systems could in future enable a repetitive exercise with changes within a decision tree, in reproducibility, and within different occupational groups. With a hard- and software environment numerous accident situations can be depicted and practiced. The main expense is the creation of the virtual accident scenes. As the appropriate city models and other three-dimensional geographical data are already available, this expenditure is very low compared with the planning costs of a large-scale exercise.

Integrating Video-Capture Virtual Reality Technology into a Physically Interactive Learning Environment for English Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jie Chi; Chen, Chih Hung; Jeng, Ming Chang

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to design and develop a Physically Interactive Learning Environment, the PILE system, by integrating video-capture virtual reality technology into a classroom. The system is designed for elementary school level English classes where students can interact with the system through physical movements. The system is designed to…

Constraint, Intelligence, and Control Hierarchy in Virtual Environments. Chapter 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheridan, Thomas B.

2007-01-01

This paper seeks to deal directly with the question of what makes virtual actors and objects that are experienced in virtual environments seem real. (The term virtual reality, while more common in public usage, is an oxymoron; therefore virtual environment is the preferred term in this paper). Reality is difficult topic, treated for centuries in those sub-fields of philosophy called ontology- "of or relating to being or existence" and epistemology- "the study of the method and grounds of knowledge, especially with reference to its limits and validity" (both from Webster s, 1965). Advances in recent decades in the technologies of computers, sensors and graphics software have permitted human users to feel present or experience immersion in computer-generated virtual environments. This has motivated a keen interest in probing this phenomenon of presence and immersion not only philosophically but also psychologically and physiologically in terms of the parameters of the senses and sensory stimulation that correlate with the experience (Ellis, 1991). The pages of the journal Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments have seen much discussion of what makes virtual environments seem real (see, e.g., Slater, 1999; Slater et al. 1994; Sheridan, 1992, 2000). Stephen Ellis, when organizing the meeting that motivated this paper, suggested to invited authors that "We may adopt as an organizing principle for the meeting that the genesis of apparently intelligent interaction arises from an upwelling of constraints determined by a hierarchy of lower levels of behavioral interaction. "My first reaction was "huh?" and my second was "yeah, that seems to make sense." Accordingly the paper seeks to explain from the author s viewpoint, why Ellis s hypothesis makes sense. What is the connection of "presence" or "immersion" of an observer in a virtual environment, to "constraints" and what types of constraints. What of "intelligent interaction," and is it the intelligence of the observer or the intelligence of the environment (whatever the latter may mean) that is salient? And finally, what might be relevant about "upwelling" of constraints as determined by a hierarchy of levels of interaction?

Virtual environment architecture for rapid application development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grinstein, Georges G.; Southard, David A.; Lee, J. P.

1993-01-01

We describe the MITRE Virtual Environment Architecture (VEA), a product of nearly two years of investigations and prototypes of virtual environment technology. This paper discusses the requirements for rapid prototyping, and an architecture we are developing to support virtual environment construction. VEA supports rapid application development by providing a variety of pre-built modules that can be reconfigured for each application session. The modules supply interfaces for several types of interactive I/O devices, in addition to large-screen or head-mounted displays.

Using voice input and audio feedback to enhance the reality of a virtual experience

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miner, N.E.

1994-04-01

Virtual Reality (VR) is a rapidly emerging technology which allows participants to experience a virtual environment through stimulation of the participant`s senses. Intuitive and natural interactions with the virtual world help to create a realistic experience. Typically, a participant is immersed in a virtual environment through the use of a 3-D viewer. Realistic, computer-generated environment models and accurate tracking of a participant`s view are important factors for adding realism to a virtual experience. Stimulating a participant`s sense of sound and providing a natural form of communication for interacting with the virtual world are equally important. This paper discusses the advantagesmore » and importance of incorporating voice recognition and audio feedback capabilities into a virtual world experience. Various approaches and levels of complexity are discussed. Examples of the use of voice and sound are presented through the description of a research application developed in the VR laboratory at Sandia National Laboratories.« less

An Examination of Usability of a Virtual Environment for Students Enrolled in a College of Agriculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Rutherford, Tracy A.; Doerfert, David L.; Edgar, Leslie D.; Edgar, Don W.

2014-01-01

Educational technology continues to expand with multi-user virtual environments (e.g., Second Life™) being the latest technology. Understanding a virtual environment's usability can enhance educational planning and effective use. Usability includes the interaction quality between an individual and the item being assessed. The purpose was to assess…

Design of Virtual Environments for the Comprehension of Planetary Phenomena Based on Students' Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakas, Christos; Mikropoulos, Tassos A.

2003-01-01

Explains the design and development of an educational virtual environment to support the teaching of planetary phenomena, particularly the movements of Earth and the sun, day and night cycle, and change of seasons. Uses an interactive, three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment. Initial results show that the majority of students enthused about…

A Model Supported Interactive Virtual Environment for Natural Resource Sharing in Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbalios, N.; Ioannidou, I.; Tzionas, P.; Paraskeuopoulos, S.

2013-01-01

This paper introduces a realistic 3D model supported virtual environment for environmental education, that highlights the importance of water resource sharing by focusing on the tragedy of the commons dilemma. The proposed virtual environment entails simulations that are controlled by a multi-agent simulation model of a real ecosystem consisting…

Why Virtual, Why Environments? Implementing Virtual Reality Concepts in Computer-Assisted Language Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwienhorst, Klaus

2002-01-01

Discussion of computer-assisted language learning focuses on the benefits of virtual reality environments, particularly for foreign language contexts. Topics include three approaches to learner autonomy; supporting reflection, including self-awareness; supporting interaction, including collaboration; and supporting experimentation, including…

Shared virtual environments for aerospace training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loftin, R. Bowen; Voss, Mark

1994-01-01

Virtual environments have the potential to significantly enhance the training of NASA astronauts and ground-based personnel for a variety of activities. A critical requirement is the need to share virtual environments, in real or near real time, between remote sites. It has been hypothesized that the training of international astronaut crews could be done more cheaply and effectively by utilizing such shared virtual environments in the early stages of mission preparation. The Software Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center has developed the capability for multiple users to simultaneously share the same virtual environment. Each user generates the graphics needed to create the virtual environment. All changes of object position and state are communicated to all users so that each virtual environment maintains its 'currency.' Examples of these shared environments will be discussed and plans for the utilization of the Department of Defense's Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocols for shared virtual environments will be presented. Finally, the impact of this technology on training and education in general will be explored.

Seamless 3D interaction for virtual tables, projection planes, and CAVEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Encarnacao, L. M.; Bimber, Oliver; Schmalstieg, Dieter; Barton, Robert J., III

2000-08-01

The Virtual Table presents stereoscopic graphics to a user in a workbench-like setting. This device shares with other large- screen display technologies (such as data walls and surround- screen projection systems) the lack of human-centered unencumbered user interfaces and 3D interaction technologies. Such shortcomings present severe limitations to the application of virtual reality (VR) technology to time- critical applications as well as employment scenarios that involve heterogeneous groups of end-users without high levels of computer familiarity and expertise. Traditionally such employment scenarios are common in planning-related application areas such as mission rehearsal and command and control. For these applications, a high grade of flexibility with respect to the system requirements (display and I/O devices) as well as to the ability to seamlessly and intuitively switch between different interaction modalities and interaction are sought. Conventional VR techniques may be insufficient to meet this challenge. This paper presents novel approaches for human-centered interfaces to Virtual Environments focusing on the Virtual Table visual input device. It introduces new paradigms for 3D interaction in virtual environments (VE) for a variety of application areas based on pen-and-clipboard, mirror-in-hand, and magic-lens metaphors, and introduces new concepts for combining VR and augmented reality (AR) techniques. It finally describes approaches toward hybrid and distributed multi-user interaction environments and concludes by hypothesizing on possible use cases for defense applications.

The virtual environment display system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgreevy, Michael W.

1991-01-01

Virtual environment technology is a display and control technology that can surround a person in an interactive computer generated or computer mediated virtual environment. It has evolved at NASA-Ames since 1984 to serve NASA's missions and goals. The exciting potential of this technology, sometimes called Virtual Reality, Artificial Reality, or Cyberspace, has been recognized recently by the popular media, industry, academia, and government organizations. Much research and development will be necessary to bring it to fruition.

Role of virtual reality for cerebral palsy management.

PubMed

Weiss, Patrice L Tamar; Tirosh, Emanuel; Fehlings, Darcy

2014-08-01

Virtual reality is the use of interactive simulations to present users with opportunities to perform in virtual environments that appear, sound, and less frequently, feel similar to real-world objects and events. Interactive computer play refers to the use of a game where a child interacts and plays with virtual objects in a computer-generated environment. Because of their distinctive attributes that provide ecologically realistic and motivating opportunities for active learning, these technologies have been used in pediatric rehabilitation over the past 15 years. The ability of virtual reality to create opportunities for active repetitive motor/sensory practice adds to their potential for neuroplasticity and learning in individuals with neurologic disorders. The objectives of this article is to provide an overview of how virtual reality and gaming are used clinically, to present the results of several example studies that demonstrate their use in research, and to briefly remark on future developments. © The Author(s) 2014.

Virtually supportive: a feasibility pilot study of an online support group for dementia caregivers in a 3D virtual environment.

PubMed

O'Connor, Mary-Frances; Arizmendi, Brian J; Kaszniak, Alfred W

2014-08-01

Caregiver support groups effectively reduce stress from caring for someone with dementia. These same demands can prevent participation in a group. The present feasibility study investigated a virtual online caregiver support group to bring the support group into the home. While online groups have been shown to be helpful, submissions to a message board (vs. live conversation) can feel impersonal. By using avatars, participants interacted via real-time chat in a virtual environment in an 8-week support group. Data indicated lower levels of perceived stress, depression and loneliness across participants. Importantly, satisfaction reports also indicate that caregivers overcame the barriers to participation, and had a strong sense of the group's presence. This study provides the framework for an accessible and low cost online support group for a dementia caregiver. The study demonstrates the feasibility of interactive group in a virtual environment for engaging members in meaningful interaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing Accessibility to the Blind of Virtual Environments, Using a Virtual Mobility Aid Based On the "EyeCane": Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Maidenbaum, Shachar; Levy-Tzedek, Shelly; Chebat, Daniel-Robert; Amedi, Amir

2013-01-01

Virtual worlds and environments are becoming an increasingly central part of our lives, yet they are still far from accessible to the blind. This is especially unfortunate as such environments hold great potential for them for uses such as social interaction, online education and especially for use with familiarizing the visually impaired user with a real environment virtually from the comfort and safety of his own home before visiting it in the real world. We have implemented a simple algorithm to improve this situation using single-point depth information, enabling the blind to use a virtual cane, modeled on the “EyeCane” electronic travel aid, within any virtual environment with minimal pre-processing. Use of the Virtual-EyeCane, enables this experience to potentially be later used in real world environments with identical stimuli to those from the virtual environment. We show the fast-learned practical use of this algorithm for navigation in simple environments. PMID:23977316

Usability Studies in Virtual and Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments for Fault Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-08

Usability Studies In Virtual And Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments For Fault Identification Dr. Syed Adeel Ahmed, Xavier University...virtual environment with wand interfaces compared directly with a workstation non-stereoscopic traditional CAD interface with keyboard and mouse. In...the differences in interaction when compared with traditional human computer interfaces. This paper provides analysis via usability study methods

The Use of Immersive Virtual Reality in the Learning Sciences: Digital Transformations of Teachers, Students, and Social Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailenson, Jeremy N.; Yee, Nick; Blascovich, Jim; Beall, Andrew C.; Lundblad, Nicole; Jin, Michael

2008-01-01

This article illustrates the utility of using virtual environments to transform social interaction via behavior and context, with the goal of improving learning in digital environments. We first describe the technology and theories behind virtual environments and then report data from 4 empirical studies. In Experiment 1, we demonstrated that…

A MOO-Based Virtual Training Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mateas, Michael; Lewis, Scott

1996-01-01

Describes the implementation of a virtual environment to support the training of engineers in Panels of Experts (POE), a vehicle for gathering customer data. Describes the environment, discusses some issues of communication and interaction raised by the technology, and relays the experiences of new users within this environment. (RS)

Virtual Environments in Biology Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikropoulos, Tassos A.; Katsikis, Apostolos; Nikolou, Eugenia; Tsakalis, Panayiotis

2003-01-01

This article reports on the design, development and evaluation of an educational virtual environment for biology teaching. In particular it proposes a highly interactive three-dimensional synthetic environment involving certain learning tasks for the support of teaching plant cell biology and the process of photosynthesis. The environment has been…

Virtual interface environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Scott S.

1986-01-01

A head-mounted, wide-angle, stereoscopic display system controlled by operator position, voice and gesture has been developed for use as a multipurpose interface environment. The system provides a multisensory, interactive display environment in which a user can virtually explore a 360-degree synthesized or remotely sensed environment and can viscerally interact with its components. Primary applications of the system are in telerobotics, management of large-scale integrated information systems, and human factors research. System configuration, application scenarios, and research directions are described.

Use of virtual reality technique for the training of motor control in the elderly. Some theoretical considerations.

PubMed

de Bruin, E D; Schoene, D; Pichierri, G; Smith, S T

2010-08-01

Virtual augmented exercise, an emerging technology that can help to promote physical activity and combine the strengths of indoor and outdoor exercise, has recently been proposed as having the potential to increase exercise behavior in older adults. By creating a strong presence in a virtual, interactive environment, distraction can be taken to greater levels while maintaining the benefits of indoor exercises which may result in a shift from negative to positive thoughts about exercise. Recent findings on young participants show that virtual reality training enhances mood, thus, increasing enjoyment and energy. For older adults virtual, interactive environments can influence postural control and fall events by stimulating the sensory cues that are responsible in maintaining balance and orientation. However, the potential of virtual reality training has yet to be explored for older adults. This manuscript describes the potential of dance pad training protocols in the elderly and reports on the theoretical rationale of combining physical game-like exercises with sensory and cognitive challenges in a virtual environment.

Large-Scale Networked Virtual Environments: Architecture and Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamotte, Wim; Quax, Peter; Flerackers, Eddy

2008-01-01

Purpose: Scalability is an important research topic in the context of networked virtual environments (NVEs). This paper aims to describe the ALVIC (Architecture for Large-scale Virtual Interactive Communities) approach to NVE scalability. Design/methodology/approach: The setup and results from two case studies are shown: a 3-D learning environment…

Design strategies and functionality of the Visual Interface for Virtual Interaction Development (VIVID) tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Lac; Kenney, Patrick J.

1993-01-01

Development of interactive virtual environments (VE) has typically consisted of three primary activities: model (object) development, model relationship tree development, and environment behavior definition and coding. The model and relationship tree development activities are accomplished with a variety of well-established graphic library (GL) based programs - most utilizing graphical user interfaces (GUI) with point-and-click interactions. Because of this GUI format, little programming expertise on the part of the developer is necessary to create the 3D graphical models or to establish interrelationships between the models. However, the third VE development activity, environment behavior definition and coding, has generally required the greatest amount of time and programmer expertise. Behaviors, characteristics, and interactions between objects and the user within a VE must be defined via command line C coding prior to rendering the environment scenes. In an effort to simplify this environment behavior definition phase for non-programmers, and to provide easy access to model and tree tools, a graphical interface and development tool has been created. The principal thrust of this research is to effect rapid development and prototyping of virtual environments. This presentation will discuss the 'Visual Interface for Virtual Interaction Development' (VIVID) tool; an X-Windows based system employing drop-down menus for user selection of program access, models, and trees, behavior editing, and code generation. Examples of these selection will be highlighted in this presentation, as will the currently available program interfaces. The functionality of this tool allows non-programming users access to all facets of VE development while providing experienced programmers with a collection of pre-coded behaviors. In conjunction with its existing, interfaces and predefined suite of behaviors, future development plans for VIVID will be described. These include incorporation of dual user virtual environment enhancements, tool expansion, and additional behaviors.

Immersive virtual reality for visualization of abdominal CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Qiufeng; Xu, Zhoubing; Li, Bo; Baucom, Rebeccah; Poulose, Benjamin; Landman, Bennett A.; Bodenheimer, Robert E.

2013-03-01

Immersive virtual environments use a stereoscopic head-mounted display and data glove to create high fidelity virtual experiences in which users can interact with three-dimensional models and perceive relationships at their true scale. This stands in stark contrast to traditional PACS-based infrastructure in which images are viewed as stacks of two dimensional slices, or, at best, disembodied renderings. Although there has substantial innovation in immersive virtual environments for entertainment and consumer media, these technologies have not been widely applied in clinical applications. Here, we consider potential applications of immersive virtual environments for ventral hernia patients with abdominal computed tomography imaging data. Nearly a half million ventral hernias occur in the United States each year, and hernia repair is the most commonly performed general surgery operation worldwide. A significant problem in these conditions is communicating the urgency, degree of severity, and impact of a hernia (and potential repair) on patient quality of life. Hernias are defined by ruptures in the abdominal wall (i.e., the absence of healthy tissues) rather than a growth (e.g., cancer); therefore, understanding a hernia necessitates understanding the entire abdomen. Our environment allows surgeons and patients to view body scans at scale and interact with these virtual models using a data glove. This visualization and interaction allows users to perceive the relationship between physical structures and medical imaging data. The system provides close integration of PACS-based CT data with immersive virtual environments and creates opportunities to study and optimize interfaces for patient communication, operative planning, and medical education.

Immersive Virtual Reality for Visualization of Abdominal CT.

PubMed

Lin, Qiufeng; Xu, Zhoubing; Li, Bo; Baucom, Rebeccah; Poulose, Benjamin; Landman, Bennett A; Bodenheimer, Robert E

2013-03-28

Immersive virtual environments use a stereoscopic head-mounted display and data glove to create high fidelity virtual experiences in which users can interact with three-dimensional models and perceive relationships at their true scale. This stands in stark contrast to traditional PACS-based infrastructure in which images are viewed as stacks of two-dimensional slices, or, at best, disembodied renderings. Although there has substantial innovation in immersive virtual environments for entertainment and consumer media, these technologies have not been widely applied in clinical applications. Here, we consider potential applications of immersive virtual environments for ventral hernia patients with abdominal computed tomography imaging data. Nearly a half million ventral hernias occur in the United States each year, and hernia repair is the most commonly performed general surgery operation worldwide. A significant problem in these conditions is communicating the urgency, degree of severity, and impact of a hernia (and potential repair) on patient quality of life. Hernias are defined by ruptures in the abdominal wall (i.e., the absence of healthy tissues) rather than a growth (e.g., cancer); therefore, understanding a hernia necessitates understanding the entire abdomen. Our environment allows surgeons and patients to view body scans at scale and interact with these virtual models using a data glove. This visualization and interaction allows users to perceive the relationship between physical structures and medical imaging data. The system provides close integration of PACS-based CT data with immersive virtual environments and creates opportunities to study and optimize interfaces for patient communication, operative planning, and medical education.

Human-Computer Interaction and Virtual Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K. (Compiler)

1995-01-01

The proceedings of the Workshop on Human-Computer Interaction and Virtual Environments are presented along with a list of attendees. The objectives of the workshop were to assess the state-of-technology and level of maturity of several areas in human-computer interaction and to provide guidelines for focused future research leading to effective use of these facilities in the design/fabrication and operation of future high-performance engineering systems.

Realistic terrain visualization based on 3D virtual world technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Fengru; Lin, Hui; Chen, Bin; Xiao, Cai

2009-09-01

The rapid advances in information technologies, e.g., network, graphics processing, and virtual world, have provided challenges and opportunities for new capabilities in information systems, Internet applications, and virtual geographic environments, especially geographic visualization and collaboration. In order to achieve meaningful geographic capabilities, we need to explore and understand how these technologies can be used to construct virtual geographic environments to help to engage geographic research. The generation of three-dimensional (3D) terrain plays an important part in geographical visualization, computer simulation, and virtual geographic environment applications. The paper introduces concepts and technologies of virtual worlds and virtual geographic environments, explores integration of realistic terrain and other geographic objects and phenomena of natural geographic environment based on SL/OpenSim virtual world technologies. Realistic 3D terrain visualization is a foundation of construction of a mirror world or a sand box model of the earth landscape and geographic environment. The capabilities of interaction and collaboration on geographic information are discussed as well. Further virtual geographic applications can be developed based on the foundation work of realistic terrain visualization in virtual environments.

Realistic terrain visualization based on 3D virtual world technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Fengru; Lin, Hui; Chen, Bin; Xiao, Cai

2010-11-01

The rapid advances in information technologies, e.g., network, graphics processing, and virtual world, have provided challenges and opportunities for new capabilities in information systems, Internet applications, and virtual geographic environments, especially geographic visualization and collaboration. In order to achieve meaningful geographic capabilities, we need to explore and understand how these technologies can be used to construct virtual geographic environments to help to engage geographic research. The generation of three-dimensional (3D) terrain plays an important part in geographical visualization, computer simulation, and virtual geographic environment applications. The paper introduces concepts and technologies of virtual worlds and virtual geographic environments, explores integration of realistic terrain and other geographic objects and phenomena of natural geographic environment based on SL/OpenSim virtual world technologies. Realistic 3D terrain visualization is a foundation of construction of a mirror world or a sand box model of the earth landscape and geographic environment. The capabilities of interaction and collaboration on geographic information are discussed as well. Further virtual geographic applications can be developed based on the foundation work of realistic terrain visualization in virtual environments.

Correcting Distance Estimates by Interacting With Immersive Virtual Environments: Effects of Task and Available Sensory Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waller, David; Richardson, Adam R.

2008-01-01

The tendency to underestimate egocentric distances in immersive virtual environments (VEs) is not well understood. However, previous research (A. R. Richardson & D. Waller, 2007) has demonstrated that a brief period of interaction with the VE prior to making distance judgments can effectively eliminate subsequent underestimation. Here the authors…

Augmented reality and photogrammetry: A synergy to visualize physical and virtual city environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portalés, Cristina; Lerma, José Luis; Navarro, Santiago

2010-01-01

Close-range photogrammetry is based on the acquisition of imagery to make accurate measurements and, eventually, three-dimensional (3D) photo-realistic models. These models are a photogrammetric product per se. They are usually integrated into virtual reality scenarios where additional data such as sound, text or video can be introduced, leading to multimedia virtual environments. These environments allow users both to navigate and interact on different platforms such as desktop PCs, laptops and small hand-held devices (mobile phones or PDAs). In very recent years, a new technology derived from virtual reality has emerged: Augmented Reality (AR), which is based on mixing real and virtual environments to boost human interactions and real-life navigations. The synergy of AR and photogrammetry opens up new possibilities in the field of 3D data visualization, navigation and interaction far beyond the traditional static navigation and interaction in front of a computer screen. In this paper we introduce a low-cost outdoor mobile AR application to integrate buildings of different urban spaces. High-accuracy 3D photo-models derived from close-range photogrammetry are integrated in real (physical) urban worlds. The augmented environment that is presented herein requires for visualization a see-through video head mounted display (HMD), whereas user's movement navigation is achieved in the real world with the help of an inertial navigation sensor. After introducing the basics of AR technology, the paper will deal with real-time orientation and tracking in combined physical and virtual city environments, merging close-range photogrammetry and AR. There are, however, some software and complex issues, which are discussed in the paper.

Virtual workstation - A multimodal, stereoscopic display environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, S. S.; McGreevy, M.; Humphries, J.; Robinett, W.

1987-01-01

A head-mounted, wide-angle, stereoscopic display system controlled by operator position, voice and gesture has been developed for use in a multipurpose interface environment. The system provides a multisensory, interactive display environment in which a user can virtually explore a 360-degree synthesized or remotely sensed environment and can viscerally interact with its components. Primary applications of the system are in telerobotics, management of large-scale integrated information systems, and human factors research. System configuration, application scenarios, and research directions are described.

Declarative Knowledge Acquisition in Immersive Virtual Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Rustin

2016-01-01

The author investigated the interaction effect of immersive virtual reality (VR) in the classroom. The objective of the project was to develop and provide a low-cost, scalable, and portable VR system containing purposely designed and developed immersive virtual learning environments for the US Army. The purpose of the mixed design experiment was…

Active Learning through the Use of Virtual Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayrose, James

2012-01-01

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) has seen explosive growth over the last decade. Immersive VR attempts to give users the sensation of being fully immersed in a synthetic environment by providing them with 3D hardware, and allowing them to interact with objects in virtual worlds. The technology is extremely effective for learning and exploration, and…

Exploring "Magic Cottage": A Virtual Reality Environment for Stimulating Children's Imaginative Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patera, Marianne; Draper, Steve; Naef, Martin

2008-01-01

This paper presents an exploratory study that created a virtual reality environment (VRE) to stimulate motivation and creativity in imaginative writing at primary school level. The main aim of the study was to investigate if an interactive, semi-immersive virtual reality world could increase motivation and stimulate pupils' imagination in the…

The Role of Semantics in Next-Generation Online Virtual World-Based Retail Store

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Geetika; Anantaram, C.; Ghosh, Hiranmay

Online virtual environments are increasingly becoming popular for entrepreneurship. While interactions are primarily between avatars, some interactions could occur through intelligent chatbots. Such interactions require connecting to backend business applications to obtain information, carry out real-world transactions etc. In this paper, we focus on integrating business application systems with virtual worlds. We discuss the probable features of a next-generation online virtual world-based retail store and the technologies involved in realizing the features of such a store. In particular, we examine the role of semantics in integrating popular virtual worlds with business applications to provide natural language based interactions.

Investigating Research Approaches: Classroom-Based Interaction Studies in Physical and Virtual Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartwick, Peggy

2018-01-01

This article investigates research approaches used in traditional classroom-based interaction studies for identifying a suitable research method for studies in three-dimensional virtual learning environments (3DVLEs). As opportunities for language learning and teaching in virtual worlds emerge, so too do new research questions. An understanding of…

Validation of virtual reality as a tool to understand and prevent child pedestrian injury.

PubMed

Schwebel, David C; Gaines, Joanna; Severson, Joan

2008-07-01

In recent years, virtual reality has emerged as an innovative tool for health-related education and training. Among the many benefits of virtual reality is the opportunity for novice users to engage unsupervised in a safe environment when the real environment might be dangerous. Virtual environments are only useful for health-related research, however, if behavior in the virtual world validly matches behavior in the real world. This study was designed to test the validity of an immersive, interactive virtual pedestrian environment. A sample of 102 children and 74 adults was recruited to complete simulated road-crossings in both the virtual environment and the identical real environment. In both the child and adult samples, construct validity was demonstrated via significant correlations between behavior in the virtual and real worlds. Results also indicate construct validity through developmental differences in behavior; convergent validity by showing correlations between parent-reported child temperament and behavior in the virtual world; internal reliability of various measures of pedestrian safety in the virtual world; and face validity, as measured by users' self-reported perception of realism in the virtual world. We discuss issues of generalizability to other virtual environments, and the implications for application of virtual reality to understanding and preventing pediatric pedestrian injuries.

Immersive realities: articulating the shift from VR to mobile AR through artistic practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margolis, Todd; Cornish, Tracy; Berry, Rodney; DeFanti, Thomas A.

2012-03-01

Our contemporary imaginings of technological engagement with digital environments has transitioned from flying through Virtual Reality to mobile interactions with the physical world through personal media devices. Experiences technologically mediated through social interactivity within physical environments are now being preferenced over isolated environments such as CAVEs or HMDs. Examples of this trend can be seen in early tele-collaborative artworks which strove to use advanced networking to join multiple participants in shared virtual environments. Recent developments in mobile AR allow untethered access to such shared realities in places far removed from labs and home entertainment environments, and without the bulky and expensive technologies attached to our bodies that accompany most VR. This paper addresses the emerging trend favoring socially immersive artworks via mobile Augmented Reality rather than sensorially immersive Virtual Reality installations. With particular focus on AR as a mobile, locative technology, we will discuss how concepts of immersion and interactivity are evolving with this new medium. Immersion in context of mobile AR can be redefined to describe socially interactive experiences. Having distinctly different sensory, spatial and situational properties, mobile AR offers a new form for remixing elements from traditional virtual reality with physically based social experiences. This type of immersion offers a wide array of potential for mobile AR art forms. We are beginning to see examples of how artists can use mobile AR to create social immersive and interactive experiences.

Treasure hunt of mineral resources: a serious game in a virtual world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boniello, Annalisa

2015-04-01

This posterdescribes a geoscience activities on mineral resources for students of 14-18 years old. The activities are created as a treasure hunt of mineral resources, students must pass test and solve questions, search mineral in different environments: near a volcanos, in the river, in a lake, in a cave, under the sea and on a mountain. The activity is created using a virtual environment a virtual world built with a software, Opensim, a opensource software. In this virtual world every student as avatar, a virtual rapresentation of himself, search information, objects, mineral as in a serious game, a digital serious game. In the serious game buit as a treasure hunt, students interact with environment in a learning by doing, and they interact with other students in a cooperative learning and a collaborative environment. In the hunt there is a challenge that student must overcome: understanding what is a mineral resource collecting data on mineral analyzing environments where they are created so the students can improve motivation and learn, and improve scientific skills.

Body Image and Anti-Fat Attitudes: An Experimental Study Using a Haptic Virtual Reality Environment to Replicate Human Touch.

PubMed

Tremblay, Line; Roy-Vaillancourt, Mélina; Chebbi, Brahim; Bouchard, Stéphane; Daoust, Michael; Dénommée, Jessica; Thorpe, Moriah

2016-02-01

It is well documented that anti-fat attitudes influence the interactions individuals have with overweight people. However, testing attitudes through self-report measures is challenging. In the present study, we explore the use of a haptic virtual reality environment to physically interact with overweight virtual human (VH). We verify the hypothesis that duration and strength of virtual touch vary according to the characteristics of VH in ways similar to those encountered from interaction with real people in anti-fat attitude studies. A group of 61 participants were randomly assigned to one of the experimental conditions involving giving a virtual hug to a female or a male VH of either normal or overweight. We found significant associations between body image satisfaction and anti-fat attitudes and sex differences on these measures. We also found a significant interaction effect of the sex of the participants, sex of the VH, and the body size of the VH. Female participants hugged longer the overweight female VH than overweight male VH. Male participants hugged longer the normal-weight VH than the overweight VH. We conclude that virtual touch is a promising method of measuring attitudes, emotion and social interactions.

Designing Virtual Museum Using Web3D Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jianghai

VRT was born to have the potentiality of constructing an effective learning environment due to its 3I characteristics: Interaction, Immersion and Imagination. It is now applied in education in a more profound way along with the development of VRT. Virtual Museum is one of the applications. The Virtual Museum is based on the WEB3D technology and extensibility is the most important factor. Considering the advantage and disadvantage of each WEB3D technology, VRML, CULT3D AND VIEWPOINT technologies are chosen. A web chatroom based on flash and ASP technology is also been created in order to make the Virtual Museum an interactive learning environment.

Virtual reality interface devices in the reorganization of neural networks in the brain of patients with neurological diseases.

PubMed

Gatica-Rojas, Valeska; Méndez-Rebolledo, Guillermo

2014-04-15

Two key characteristics of all virtual reality applications are interaction and immersion. Systemic interaction is achieved through a variety of multisensory channels (hearing, sight, touch, and smell), permitting the user to interact with the virtual world in real time. Immersion is the degree to which a person can feel wrapped in the virtual world through a defined interface. Virtual reality interface devices such as the Nintendo® Wii and its peripheral nunchuks-balance board, head mounted displays and joystick allow interaction and immersion in unreal environments created from computer software. Virtual environments are highly interactive, generating great activation of visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems during the execution of a video game. In addition, they are entertaining and safe for the user. Recently, incorporating therapeutic purposes in virtual reality interface devices has allowed them to be used for the rehabilitation of neurological patients, e.g., balance training in older adults and dynamic stability in healthy participants. The improvements observed in neurological diseases (chronic stroke and cerebral palsy) have been shown by changes in the reorganization of neural networks in patients' brain, along with better hand function and other skills, contributing to their quality of life. The data generated by such studies could substantially contribute to physical rehabilitation strategies.

Virtual reality interface devices in the reorganization of neural networks in the brain of patients with neurological diseases

PubMed Central

Gatica-Rojas, Valeska; Méndez-Rebolledo, Guillermo

2014-01-01

Two key characteristics of all virtual reality applications are interaction and immersion. Systemic interaction is achieved through a variety of multisensory channels (hearing, sight, touch, and smell), permitting the user to interact with the virtual world in real time. Immersion is the degree to which a person can feel wrapped in the virtual world through a defined interface. Virtual reality interface devices such as the Nintendo® Wii and its peripheral nunchuks-balance board, head mounted displays and joystick allow interaction and immersion in unreal environments created from computer software. Virtual environments are highly interactive, generating great activation of visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems during the execution of a video game. In addition, they are entertaining and safe for the user. Recently, incorporating therapeutic purposes in virtual reality interface devices has allowed them to be used for the rehabilitation of neurological patients, e.g., balance training in older adults and dynamic stability in healthy participants. The improvements observed in neurological diseases (chronic stroke and cerebral palsy) have been shown by changes in the reorganization of neural networks in patients’ brain, along with better hand function and other skills, contributing to their quality of life. The data generated by such studies could substantially contribute to physical rehabilitation strategies. PMID:25206907

Inspiring Equal Contribution and Opportunity in a 3D Multi-User Virtual Environment: Bringing Together Men Gamers and Women Non-Gamers in Second Life[R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

deNoyelles, Aimee; Seo, Kay Kyeong-Ju

2012-01-01

A 3D multi-user virtual environment holds promise to support and enhance student online learning communities due to its ability to promote global synchronous interaction and collaboration, rich multisensory experience and expression, and elaborate design capabilities. Second Life[R], a multi-user virtual environment intended for adult users 18 and…

Measurement Tools for the Immersive Visualization Environment: Steps Toward the Virtual Laboratory.

PubMed

Hagedorn, John G; Dunkers, Joy P; Satterfield, Steven G; Peskin, Adele P; Kelso, John T; Terrill, Judith E

2007-01-01

This paper describes a set of tools for performing measurements of objects in a virtual reality based immersive visualization environment. These tools enable the use of the immersive environment as an instrument for extracting quantitative information from data representations that hitherto had be used solely for qualitative examination. We provide, within the virtual environment, ways for the user to analyze and interact with the quantitative data generated. We describe results generated by these methods to obtain dimensional descriptors of tissue engineered medical products. We regard this toolbox as our first step in the implementation of a virtual measurement laboratory within an immersive visualization environment.

Virtual reality and telerobotics applications of an Address Recalculation Pipeline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regan, Matthew; Pose, Ronald

1994-01-01

The technology described in this paper was designed to reduce latency to user interactions in immersive virtual reality environments. It is also ideally suited to telerobotic applications such as interaction with remote robotic manipulators in space or in deep sea operations. in such circumstances the significant latency is observed response to user stimulus which is due to communications delays, and the disturbing jerkiness due to low and unpredictable frame rates on compressed video user feedback or computationally limited virtual worlds, can be masked by our techniques. The user is provided with highly responsive visual feedback independent of communication or computational delays in providing physical video feedback or in rendering virtual world images. Virtual and physical environments can be combined seamlessly using these techniques.

Development of a virtual speaking simulator using Image Based Rendering.

PubMed

Lee, J M; Kim, H; Oh, M J; Ku, J H; Jang, D P; Kim, I Y; Kim, S I

2002-01-01

The fear of speaking is often cited as the world's most common social phobia. The rapid growth of computer technology has enabled the use of virtual reality (VR) for the treatment of the fear of public speaking. There are two techniques for building virtual environments for the treatment of this fear: a model-based and a movie-based method. Both methods have the weakness that they are unrealistic and not controllable individually. To understand these disadvantages, this paper presents a virtual environment produced with Image Based Rendering (IBR) and a chroma-key simultaneously. IBR enables the creation of realistic virtual environments where the images are stitched panoramically with the photos taken from a digital camera. And the use of chroma-keys puts virtual audience members under individual control in the environment. In addition, real time capture technique is used in constructing the virtual environments enabling spoken interaction between the subject and a therapist or another subject.

Interaction Design and Usability of Learning Spaces in 3D Multi-user Virtual Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minocha, Shailey; Reeves, Ahmad John

Three-dimensional virtual worlds are multimedia, simulated environments, often managed over the Web, which users can 'inhabit' and interact via their own graphical, self-representations known as 'avatars'. 3D virtual worlds are being used in many applications: education/training, gaming, social networking, marketing and commerce. Second Life is the most widely used 3D virtual world in education. However, problems associated with usability, navigation and way finding in 3D virtual worlds may impact on student learning and engagement. Based on empirical investigations of learning spaces in Second Life, this paper presents design guidelines to improve the usability and ease of navigation in 3D spaces. Methods of data collection include semi-structured interviews with Second Life students, educators and designers. The findings have revealed that design principles from the fields of urban planning, Human- Computer Interaction, Web usability, geography and psychology can influence the design of spaces in 3D multi-user virtual environments.

Visualizing the process of interaction in a 3D environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaidya, Vivek; Suryanarayanan, Srikanth; Krishnan, Kajoli; Mullick, Rakesh

2007-03-01

As the imaging modalities used in medicine transition to increasingly three-dimensional data the question of how best to interact with and analyze this data becomes ever more pressing. Immersive virtual reality systems seem to hold promise in tackling this, but how individuals learn and interact in these environments is not fully understood. Here we will attempt to show some methods in which user interaction in a virtual reality environment can be visualized and how this can allow us to gain greater insight into the process of interaction/learning in these systems. Also explored is the possibility of using this method to improve understanding and management of ergonomic issues within an interface.

A Multi-User Virtual Environment for Building and Assessing Higher Order Inquiry Skills in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketelhut, Diane Jass; Nelson, Brian C.; Clarke, Jody; Dede, Chris

2010-01-01

This study investigated novel pedagogies for helping teachers infuse inquiry into a standards-based science curriculum. Using a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) as a pedagogical vehicle, teams of middle-school students collaboratively solved problems around disease in a virtual town called River City. The students interacted with "avatars" of…

Virtual Worlds as the Next Asset of Virtual Learning Environments for Students in Business?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelet, Jean-Eric; Lecat, Benoît

2012-01-01

The authors' research examines the effectiveness of a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of management studies. This article provides two main contributions. First, an exploratory study introduces and describes the concept of VLE applied to the training of seven students in an "interactivity design" (IS) course.…

Civic Participation among Seventh-Grade Social Studies Students in Multi-User Virtual Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zieger, Laura; Farber, Matthew

2012-01-01

Technological advances on the Internet now enable students to develop participation skills in virtual worlds. Similar to controlling a character in a video game, multi-user virtual environments, or MUVEs, allow participants to interact with others in synchronous, online settings. The authors of this study created a link between MUVEs and…

Mitigating Challenges of Using Virtual Reality in Online Courses: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Barbara; Hutchins, Holly M.; Ezell, Shirley; De Martino, Darrell; Bobba, Anil

2010-01-01

Case study methodology was used to describe the challenges experienced in the development of a virtual component for a freshman-level undergraduate course. The purpose of the project was to use a virtual environment component to provide an interactive and engaging learning environment. While some student and faculty feedback was positive, this…

A Study of the Relationship of Communication Technology Configurations in Virtual Research Environments and Effectiveness of Collaborative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Iftekhar

2009-01-01

Virtual Research Environments (VRE) are electronic meeting places for interaction among scientists created by combining software tools and computer networking. Virtual teams are enjoying increased importance in the conduct of scientific research because of the rising cost of traditional scientific scholarly communication, the growing importance of…

The Prototype of the Virtual Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Jack M.; Mosher, David N.

1994-01-01

Introduces an interactive distance learning environment prototype developed jointly by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and AT&T which allows students to participate in virtual classroom environments by using computer teleconferencing. Student collaboration, note taking, question answering capabilities, project background, learning…

Methods and systems relating to an augmented virtuality environment

DOEpatents

Nielsen, Curtis W; Anderson, Matthew O; McKay, Mark D; Wadsworth, Derek C; Boyce, Jodie R; Hruska, Ryan C; Koudelka, John A; Whetten, Jonathan; Bruemmer, David J

2014-05-20

Systems and methods relating to an augmented virtuality system are disclosed. A method of operating an augmented virtuality system may comprise displaying imagery of a real-world environment in an operating picture. The method may further include displaying a plurality of virtual icons in the operating picture representing at least some assets of a plurality of assets positioned in the real-world environment. Additionally, the method may include displaying at least one virtual item in the operating picture representing data sensed by one or more of the assets of the plurality of assets and remotely controlling at least one asset of the plurality of assets by interacting with a virtual icon associated with the at least one asset.

Telearch - Integrated visual simulation environment for collaborative virtual archaeology.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurillo, Gregorij; Forte, Maurizio

Archaeologists collect vast amounts of digital data around the world; however, they lack tools for integration and collaborative interaction to support reconstruction and interpretation process. TeleArch software is aimed to integrate different data sources and provide real-time interaction tools for remote collaboration of geographically distributed scholars inside a shared virtual environment. The framework also includes audio, 2D and 3D video streaming technology to facilitate remote presence of users. In this paper, we present several experimental case studies to demonstrate the integration and interaction with 3D models and geographical information system (GIS) data in this collaborative environment.

Virtual Environments in Scientific Visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryson, Steve; Lisinski, T. A. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Virtual environment technology is a new way of approaching the interface between computers and humans. Emphasizing display and user control that conforms to the user's natural ways of perceiving and thinking about space, virtual environment technologies enhance the ability to perceive and interact with computer generated graphic information. This enhancement potentially has a major effect on the field of scientific visualization. Current examples of this technology include the Virtual Windtunnel being developed at NASA Ames Research Center. Other major institutions such as the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and SRI International are also exploring this technology. This talk will be describe several implementations of virtual environments for use in scientific visualization. Examples include the visualization of unsteady fluid flows (the virtual windtunnel), the visualization of geodesics in curved spacetime, surface manipulation, and examples developed at various laboratories.

Direct manipulation of virtual objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Long K.

Interacting with a Virtual Environment (VE) generally requires the user to correctly perceive the relative position and orientation of virtual objects. For applications requiring interaction in personal space, the user may also need to accurately judge the position of the virtual object relative to that of a real object, for example, a virtual button and the user's real hand. This is difficult since VEs generally only provide a subset of the cues experienced in the real world. Complicating matters further, VEs presented by currently available visual displays may be inaccurate or distorted due to technological limitations. Fundamental physiological and psychological aspects of vision as they pertain to the task of object manipulation were thoroughly reviewed. Other sensory modalities -- proprioception, haptics, and audition -- and their cross-interactions with each other and with vision are briefly discussed. Visual display technologies, the primary component of any VE, were canvassed and compared. Current applications and research were gathered and categorized by different VE types and object interaction techniques. While object interaction research abounds in the literature, pockets of research gaps remain. Direct, dexterous, manual interaction with virtual objects in Mixed Reality (MR), where the real, seen hand accurately and effectively interacts with virtual objects, has not yet been fully quantified. An experimental test bed was designed to provide the highest accuracy attainable for salient visual cues in personal space. Optical alignment and user calibration were carefully performed. The test bed accommodated the full continuum of VE types and sensory modalities for comprehensive comparison studies. Experimental designs included two sets, each measuring depth perception and object interaction. The first set addressed the extreme end points of the Reality-Virtuality (R-V) continuum -- Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) and Reality Environment (RE). This validated, linked, and extended several previous research findings, using one common test bed and participant pool. The results provided a proven method and solid reference points for further research. The second set of experiments leveraged the first to explore the full R-V spectrum and included additional, relevant sensory modalities. It consisted of two full-factorial experiments providing for rich data and key insights into the effect of each type of environment and each modality on accuracy and timeliness of virtual object interaction. The empirical results clearly showed that mean depth perception error in personal space was less than four millimeters whether the stimuli presented were real, virtual, or mixed. Likewise, mean error for the simple task of pushing a button was less than four millimeters whether the button was real or virtual. Mean task completion time was less than one second. Key to the high accuracy and quick task performance time observed was the correct presentation of the visual cues, including occlusion, stereoscopy, accommodation, and convergence. With performance results already near optimal level with accurate visual cues presented, adding proprioception, audio, and haptic cues did not significantly improve performance. Recommendations for future research include enhancement of the visual display and further experiments with more complex tasks and additional control variables.

Academic Library Services in Virtual Worlds: An Examination of the Potential for Library Services in Immersive Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Jenna; Porter, Marjorie; Miller, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Current literature on libraries is abundant with articles about the uses and the potential of new interactive communication technology, including Web 2.0 tools. Recently, the advent and use of virtual worlds have received top billing in these works. Many library institutions are exploring these virtual environments; this exploration and the…

A national center for biocomputation: in search of a patient-specific interactive virtual surgery workbench

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, M. D.; Montgomery, K.; Linton, S.; Cheng, R.; Smith, J.

1998-01-01

This report describes the three-dimensional imaging and virtual environment technologies developed in NASA's Biocomputation Center for scientific purposes that have now led to applications in the field of medicine. A major goal is to develop a virtual environment surgery workbench for planning complex craniofacial and breast reconstructive surgery, and for training surgeons.

DHM simulation in virtual environments: a case-study on control room design.

PubMed

Zamberlan, M; Santos, V; Streit, P; Oliveira, J; Cury, R; Negri, T; Pastura, F; Guimarães, C; Cid, G

2012-01-01

This paper will present the workflow developed for the application of serious games in the design of complex cooperative work settings. The project was based on ergonomic studies and development of a control room among participative design process. Our main concerns were the 3D human virtual representation acquired from 3D scanning, human interaction, workspace layout and equipment designed considering ergonomics standards. Using Unity3D platform to design the virtual environment, the virtual human model can be controlled by users on dynamic scenario in order to evaluate the new work settings and simulate work activities. The results obtained showed that this virtual technology can drastically change the design process by improving the level of interaction between final users and, managers and human factors team.

Distributed virtual environment for emergency medical training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stytz, Martin R.; Banks, Sheila B.; Garcia, Brian W.; Godsell-Stytz, Gayl M.

1997-07-01

In many professions where individuals must work in a team in a high stress environment to accomplish a time-critical task, individual and team performance can benefit from joint training using distributed virtual environments (DVEs). One professional field that lacks but needs a high-fidelity team training environment is the field of emergency medicine. Currently, emergency department (ED) medical personnel train by using words to create a metal picture of a situation for the physician and staff, who then cooperate to solve the problems portrayed by the word picture. The need in emergency medicine for realistic virtual team training is critical because ED staff typically encounter rarely occurring but life threatening situations only once in their careers and because ED teams currently have no realistic environment in which to practice their team skills. The resulting lack of experience and teamwork makes diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Virtual environment based training has the potential to redress these shortfalls. The objective of our research is to develop a state-of-the-art virtual environment for emergency medicine team training. The virtual emergency room (VER) allows ED physicians and medical staff to realistically prepare for emergency medical situations by performing triage, diagnosis, and treatment on virtual patients within an environment that provides them with the tools they require and the team environment they need to realistically perform these three tasks. There are several issues that must be addressed before this vision is realized. The key issues deal with distribution of computations; the doctor and staff interface to the virtual patient and ED equipment; the accurate simulation of individual patient organs' response to injury, medication, and treatment; and an accurate modeling of the symptoms and appearance of the patient while maintaining a real-time interaction capability. Our ongoing work addresses all of these issues. In this paper we report on our prototype VER system and its distributed system architecture for an emergency department distributed virtual environment for emergency medical staff training. The virtual environment enables emergency department physicians and staff to develop their diagnostic and treatment skills using the virtual tools they need to perform diagnostic and treatment tasks. Virtual human imagery, and real-time virtual human response are used to create the virtual patient and present a scenario. Patient vital signs are available to the emergency department team as they manage the virtual case. The work reported here consists of the system architectures we developed for the distributed components of the virtual emergency room. The architectures we describe consist of the network level architecture as well as the software architecture for each actor within the virtual emergency room. We describe the role of distributed interactive simulation and other enabling technologies within the virtual emergency room project.

Guidelines for developing distributed virtual environment applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stytz, Martin R.; Banks, Sheila B.

1998-08-01

We have conducted a variety of projects that served to investigate the limits of virtual environments and distributed virtual environment (DVE) technology for the military and medical professions. The projects include an application that allows the user to interactively explore a high-fidelity, dynamic scale model of the Solar System and a high-fidelity, photorealistic, rapidly reconfigurable aircraft simulator. Additional projects are a project for observing, analyzing, and understanding the activity in a military distributed virtual environment, a project to develop a distributed threat simulator for training Air Force pilots, a virtual spaceplane to determine user interface requirements for a planned military spaceplane system, and an automated wingman for use in supplementing or replacing human-controlled systems in a DVE. The last two projects are a virtual environment user interface framework; and a project for training hospital emergency department personnel. In the process of designing and assembling the DVE applications in support of these projects, we have developed rules of thumb and insights into assembling DVE applications and the environment itself. In this paper, we open with a brief review of the applications that were the source for our insights and then present the lessons learned as a result of these projects. The lessons we have learned fall primarily into five areas. These areas are requirements development, software architecture, human-computer interaction, graphical database modeling, and construction of computer-generated forces.

The NASA Augmented/Virtual Reality Lab: The State of the Art at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Little, William

2017-01-01

The NASA Augmented Virtual Reality (AVR) Lab at Kennedy Space Center is dedicated to the investigation of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, with the goal of determining potential uses of these technologies as human-computer interaction (HCI) devices in an aerospace engineering context. Begun in 2012, the AVR Lab has concentrated on commercially available AR and VR devices that are gaining in popularity and use in a number of fields such as gaming, training, and telepresence. We are working with such devices as the Microsoft Kinect, the Oculus Rift, the Leap Motion, the HTC Vive, motion capture systems, and the Microsoft Hololens. The focus of our work has been on human interaction with the virtual environment, which in turn acts as a communications bridge to remote physical devices and environments which the operator cannot or should not control or experience directly. Particularly in reference to dealing with spacecraft and the oftentimes hazardous environments they inhabit, it is our hope that AR and VR technologies can be utilized to increase human safety and mission success by physically removing humans from those hazardous environments while virtually putting them right in the middle of those environments.

Virtual reality system for treatment of the fear of public speaking using image-based rendering and moving pictures.

PubMed

Lee, Jae M; Ku, Jeong H; Jang, Dong P; Kim, Dong H; Choi, Young H; Kim, In Y; Kim, Sun I

2002-06-01

The fear of speaking is often cited as the world's most common social phobia. The rapid growth of computer technology enabled us to use virtual reality (VR) for the treatment of the fear of public speaking. There have been two techniques used to construct a virtual environment for the treatment of the fear of public speaking: model-based and movie-based. Virtual audiences and virtual environments made by model-based technique are unrealistic and unnatural. The movie-based technique has a disadvantage in that each virtual audience cannot be controlled respectively, because all virtual audiences are included in one moving picture file. To address this disadvantage, this paper presents a virtual environment made by using image-based rendering (IBR) and chroma keying simultaneously. IBR enables us to make the virtual environment realistic because the images are stitched panoramically with the photos taken from a digital camera. And the use of chroma keying allows a virtual audience to be controlled individually. In addition, a real-time capture technique was applied in constructing the virtual environment to give the subjects more interaction, in that they can talk with a therapist or another subject.

From Virtual Environments to Physical Environments: Exploring Interactivity in Ubiquitous-Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Hsinyi; Chou, Chien; Chang, Chun-Yu

2008-01-01

Computing devices and applications are now used beyond the desktop, in diverse environments, and this trend toward ubiquitous computing is evolving. In this study, we re-visit the interactivity concept and its applications for interactive function design in a ubiquitous-learning system (ULS). Further, we compare interactivity dimensions and…

Virtual goods recommendations in virtual worlds.

PubMed

Chen, Kuan-Yu; Liao, Hsiu-Yu; Chen, Jyun-Hung; Liu, Duen-Ren

2015-01-01

Virtual worlds (VWs) are computer-simulated environments which allow users to create their own virtual character as an avatar. With the rapidly growing user volume in VWs, platform providers launch virtual goods in haste and stampede users to increase sales revenue. However, the rapidity of development incurs virtual unrelated items which will be difficult to remarket. It not only wastes virtual global companies' intelligence resources, but also makes it difficult for users to find suitable virtual goods fit for their virtual home in daily virtual life. In the VWs, users decorate their houses, visit others' homes, create families, host parties, and so forth. Users establish their social life circles through these activities. This research proposes a novel virtual goods recommendation method based on these social interactions. The contact strength and contact influence result from interactions with social neighbors and influence users' buying intention. Our research highlights the importance of social interactions in virtual goods recommendation. The experiment's data were retrieved from an online VW platform, and the results show that the proposed method, considering social interactions and social life circle, has better performance than existing recommendation methods.

Virtual Goods Recommendations in Virtual Worlds

PubMed Central

Chen, Kuan-Yu; Liao, Hsiu-Yu; Chen, Jyun-Hung; Liu, Duen-Ren

2015-01-01

Virtual worlds (VWs) are computer-simulated environments which allow users to create their own virtual character as an avatar. With the rapidly growing user volume in VWs, platform providers launch virtual goods in haste and stampede users to increase sales revenue. However, the rapidity of development incurs virtual unrelated items which will be difficult to remarket. It not only wastes virtual global companies' intelligence resources, but also makes it difficult for users to find suitable virtual goods fit for their virtual home in daily virtual life. In the VWs, users decorate their houses, visit others' homes, create families, host parties, and so forth. Users establish their social life circles through these activities. This research proposes a novel virtual goods recommendation method based on these social interactions. The contact strength and contact influence result from interactions with social neighbors and influence users' buying intention. Our research highlights the importance of social interactions in virtual goods recommendation. The experiment's data were retrieved from an online VW platform, and the results show that the proposed method, considering social interactions and social life circle, has better performance than existing recommendation methods. PMID:25834837

Linking Immersive Virtual Field Trips with an Adaptive Learning Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruce, G.; Taylor, W.; Anbar, A. D.; Semken, S. C.; Buxner, S.; Mead, C.; El-Moujaber, E.; Summons, R. E.; Oliver, C.

2016-12-01

The use of virtual environments in science education has been constrained by the difficulty of guiding a learner's actions within the those environments. In this work, we demonstrate how advances in education software technology allow educators to create interactive learning experiences that respond and adapt intelligently to learner input within the virtual environment. This innovative technology provides a far greater capacity for delivering authentic inquiry-driven educational experiences in unique settings from around the world. Our immersive virtual field trips (iVFT) bring students virtually to geologically significant but inaccessible environments, where they learn through authentic practices of scientific inquiry. In one recent example, students explore the fossil beds in Nilpena, South Australia to learn about the Ediacaran fauna. Students interactively engage in 360° recreations of the environment, uncover the nature of the historical ecosystem by identifying fossils with a dichotomous key, explore actual fossil beds in high resolution imagery, and reconstruct what an ecosystem might have looked like millions of years ago in an interactive simulation. With the new capacity to connect actions within the iVFT to an intelligent tutoring system, these learning experiences can be tracked, guided, and tailored individually to the immediate actions of the student. This new capacity also has great potential for learning designers to take a data-driven approach to lesson improvement and for education researchers to study learning in virtual environments. Thus, we expect iVFT will be fertile ground for novel research. Such iVFT are currently in use in several introductory classes offered online at Arizona State University in anthropology, introductory biology, and astrobiology, reaching thousands of students to date. Drawing from these experiences, we are designing a curriculum for historical geology that will be built around iVFT-based exploration of Earth history.

Get immersed in the Soil Sciences: the first community of avatars in the EGU Assembly 2015!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, Sebastian; Alarcón, Purificación; Beato, Mamen; Emilio Guerrero, José; José Martínez, Juan; Pérez, Cristina; Ortiz, Leovigilda; Taguas, Encarnación V.

2015-04-01

Virtual reality and immersive worlds refer to artificial computer-generated environments, with which users act and interact as in a known environment by the use of figurative virtual individuals (avatars). Virtual environments will be the technology of the early twenty-first century that will most dramatically change the way we live, particularly in the areas of training and education, product development and entertainment (Schmorrow, 2009). The usefulness of immersive worlds has been proved in different fields. They reduce geographic and social barriers between different stakeholders and create virtual social spaces which can positively impact learning and discussion outcomes (Lorenzo et al. 2012). In this work we present a series of interactive meetings in a virtual building to celebrate the International Year of Soil to promote the importance of soil functions and its conservation. In a virtual room, the avatars of different senior researchers will meet young scientist avatars to talk about: 1) what remains to be done in Soil Sciences; 2) which are their main current limitations and difficulties and 3) which are the future hot research lines. The interactive participation does not require physically attend to the EGU Assembly 2015. In addition, this virtual building inspired in Soil Sciences can be completed with different teaching resources from different locations around the world and it will be used to improve the learning of Soil Sciences in a multicultural context. REFERENCES: Lorenzo C.M., Sicilia, M.A., Sánchez S. 2012. Studying the effectiveness of multi-user immersive environments for collaborative evaluation tasks. Computers & Education 59 (2012) 1361-1376 Schmorrow D.D. 2009. "Why virtual?" Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science 10(3): 279-282.

3D Technology Selection for a Virtual Learning Environment by Blending ISO 9126 Standard and AHP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Aydin; Guler, Inan

2011-01-01

Web3D presents many opportunities for learners in a virtual world or virtual environment over the web. This is a great opportunity for open-distance education institutions to benefit from web3d technologies to create courses with interactive 3d materials. There are many open source and commercial products offering 3d technologies over the web…

On Mediation in Virtual Learning Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Larry; Hassan, W. Shukry

2001-01-01

Discusses concepts of mediation and focuses on the importance of implementing comprehensive virtual learning environments. Topics include education and technology as they relate to cultural change, social institutions, the Internet and computer-mediated communication, software design and human-computer interaction, the use of MOOs, and language.…

Virtual environments for scene of crime reconstruction and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Toby L. J.; Murta, Alan D.; Gibson, Simon

2000-02-01

This paper describes research conducted in collaboration with Greater Manchester Police (UK), to evalute the utility of Virtual Environments for scene of crime analysis, forensic investigation, and law enforcement briefing and training. We present an illustrated case study of the construction of a high-fidelity virtual environment, intended to match a particular real-life crime scene as closely as possible. We describe and evaluate the combination of several approaches including: the use of the Manchester Scene Description Language for constructing complex geometrical models; the application of a radiosity rendering algorithm with several novel features based on human perceptual consideration; texture extraction from forensic photography; and experiments with interactive walkthroughs and large-screen stereoscopic display of the virtual environment implemented using the MAVERIK system. We also discuss the potential applications of Virtual Environment techniques in the Law Enforcement and Forensic communities.

Synchronous Learning Best Practices: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warden, Clyde A.; Stanworth, James O.; Ren, Jian Biao; Warden, Antony R.

2013-01-01

Low cost and significant advances in technology now allow instructors to create their own virtual learning environments. Creating social interactions within a virtual space that emulates the physical classroom remains challenging. While students are familiar with virtual worlds and video meetings, they are inexperienced as virtual learners. Over a…

Who Benefits from Virtuality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Barry; Hedberg, John G.; Wright, Rob

2000-01-01

Discusses the use of constructivist frameworks to develop effective and successful learning environments, including educational software. Topics include technology supporting reform; virtuality and multimedia; attributes of interactive multimedia and virtual reality; and examples of context and learner active participation. (Contains 35…

Human-machine interface for a VR-based medical imaging environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krapichler, Christian; Haubner, Michael; Loesch, Andreas; Lang, Manfred K.; Englmeier, Karl-Hans

1997-05-01

Modern 3D scanning techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) produce high- quality images of the human anatomy. Virtual environments open new ways to display and to analyze those tomograms. Compared with today's inspection of 2D image sequences, physicians are empowered to recognize spatial coherencies and examine pathological regions more facile, diagnosis and therapy planning can be accelerated. For that purpose a powerful human-machine interface is required, which offers a variety of tools and features to enable both exploration and manipulation of the 3D data. Man-machine communication has to be intuitive and efficacious to avoid long accustoming times and to enhance familiarity with and acceptance of the interface. Hence, interaction capabilities in virtual worlds should be comparable to those in the real work to allow utilization of our natural experiences. In this paper the integration of hand gestures and visual focus, two important aspects in modern human-computer interaction, into a medical imaging environment is shown. With the presented human- machine interface, including virtual reality displaying and interaction techniques, radiologists can be supported in their work. Further, virtual environments can even alleviate communication between specialists from different fields or in educational and training applications.

The use of PC based VR in clinical medicine: the VREPAR projects.

PubMed

Riva, G; Bacchetta, M; Baruffi, M; Borgomainerio, E; Defrance, C; Gatti, F; Galimberti, C; Fontaneto, S; Marchi, S; Molinari, E; Nugues, P; Rinaldi, S; Rovetta, A; Ferretti, G S; Tonci, A; Wann, J; Vincelli, F

1999-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that alters the way individuals interact with computers: a 3D computer-generated environment in which a person can move about and interact as if he actually was inside it. Given to the high computational power required to create virtual environments, these are usually developed on expensive high-end workstations. However, the significant advances in PC hardware that have been made over the last three years, are making PC-based VR a possible solution for clinical assessment and therapy. VREPAR - Virtual Reality Environments for Psychoneurophysiological Assessment and Rehabilitation - are two European Community funded projects (Telematics for health - HC 1053/HC 1055 - http://www.psicologia.net) that are trying to develop a modular PC-based virtual reality system for the medical market. The paper describes the rationale of the developed modules and the preliminary results obtained.

Implementing Advanced Characteristics of X3D Collaborative Virtual Environments for Supporting e-Learning: The Case of EVE Platform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouras, Christos; Triglianos, Vasileios; Tsiatsos, Thrasyvoulos

2014-01-01

Three dimensional Collaborative Virtual Environments are a powerful form of collaborative telecommunication applications, enabling the users to share a common three-dimensional space and interact with each other as well as with the environment surrounding them, in order to collaboratively solve problems or aid learning processes. Such an…

Investigating Learners' Attitudes toward Virtual Reality Learning Environments: Based on a Constructivist Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Hsiu-Mei; Rauch, Ulrich; Liaw, Shu-Sheng

2010-01-01

The use of animation and multimedia for learning is now further extended by the provision of entire Virtual Reality Learning Environments (VRLE). This highlights a shift in Web-based learning from a conventional multimedia to a more immersive, interactive, intuitive and exciting VR learning environment. VRLEs simulate the real world through the…

The Influences of the 2D Image-Based Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liou, Hsin-Hun; Yang, Stephen J. H.; Chen, Sherry Y.; Tarng, Wernhuar

2017-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) learning environments can provide students with concepts of the simulated phenomena, but users are not allowed to interact with real elements. Conversely, augmented reality (AR) learning environments blend real-world environments so AR could enhance the effects of computer simulation and promote students' realistic experience.…

The mixed reality of things: emerging challenges for human-information interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spicer, Ryan P.; Russell, Stephen M.; Rosenberg, Evan Suma

2017-05-01

Virtual and mixed reality technology has advanced tremendously over the past several years. This nascent medium has the potential to transform how people communicate over distance, train for unfamiliar tasks, operate in challenging environments, and how they visualize, interact, and make decisions based on complex data. At the same time, the marketplace has experienced a proliferation of network-connected devices and generalized sensors that are becoming increasingly accessible and ubiquitous. As the "Internet of Things" expands to encompass a predicted 50 billion connected devices by 2020, the volume and complexity of information generated in pervasive and virtualized environments will continue to grow exponentially. The convergence of these trends demands a theoretically grounded research agenda that can address emerging challenges for human-information interaction (HII). Virtual and mixed reality environments can provide controlled settings where HII phenomena can be observed and measured, new theories developed, and novel algorithms and interaction techniques evaluated. In this paper, we describe the intersection of pervasive computing with virtual and mixed reality, identify current research gaps and opportunities to advance the fundamental understanding of HII, and discuss implications for the design and development of cyber-human systems for both military and civilian use.

Virtual Heritage Tours: Developing Interactive Narrative-Based Environments for Historical Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuck, Deborah; Kuksa, Iryna

In the last decade there has been a noticeable growth in the use of virtual reality (VR) technologies for reconstructing cultural heritage sites. However, many of these virtual reconstructions evidence little of sites' social histories. Narrating the Past is a research project that aims to re-address this issue by investigating methods for embedding social histories within cultural heritage sites and by creating narrative based virtual environments (VEs) within them. The project aims to enhance the visitor's knowledge and understanding by developing a navigable 3D story space, in which participants are immersed. This has the potential to create a malleable virtual environment allowing the visitor to configure their own narrative paths.

The virtual mirror: a new interaction paradigm for augmented reality environments.

PubMed

Bichlmeier, Christoph; Heining, Sandro Michael; Feuerstein, Marco; Navab, Nassir

2009-09-01

Medical augmented reality (AR) has been widely discussed within the medical imaging as well as computer aided surgery communities. Different systems for exemplary medical applications have been proposed. Some of them produced promising results. One major issue still hindering AR technology to be regularly used in medical applications is the interaction between physician and the superimposed 3-D virtual data. Classical interaction paradigms, for instance with keyboard and mouse, to interact with visualized medical 3-D imaging data are not adequate for an AR environment. This paper introduces the concept of a tangible/controllable Virtual Mirror for medical AR applications. This concept intuitively augments the direct view of the surgeon with all desired views on volumetric medical imaging data registered with the operation site without moving around the operating table or displacing the patient. We selected two medical procedures to demonstrate and evaluate the potentials of the Virtual Mirror for the surgical workflow. Results confirm the intuitiveness of this new paradigm and its perceptive advantages for AR-based computer aided interventions.

Recent developments in virtual experience design and production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Scott S.

1995-03-01

Today, the media of VR and Telepresence are in their infancy and the emphasis is still on technology and engineering. But, it is not the hardware people might use that will determine whether VR becomes a powerful medium--instead, it will be the experiences that they are able to have that will drive its acceptance and impact. A critical challenge in the elaboration of these telepresence capabilities will be the development of environments that are as unpredictable and rich in interconnected processes as an actual location or experience. This paper will describe the recent development of several Virtual Experiences including: `Menagerie', an immersive Virtual Environment inhabited by virtual characters designed to respond to and interact with its users; and `The Virtual Brewery', an immersive public VR installation that provides multiple levels of interaction in an artistic interpretation of the brewing process.

Virtual reality environments for post-stroke arm rehabilitation.

PubMed

Subramanian, Sandeep; Knaut, Luiz A; Beaudoin, Christian; McFadyen, Bradford J; Feldman, Anatol G; Levin, Mindy F

2007-06-22

Optimal practice and feedback elements are essential requirements for maximal motor recovery in patients with motor deficits due to central nervous system lesions. A virtual environment (VE) was created that incorporates practice and feedback elements necessary for maximal motor recovery. It permits varied and challenging practice in a motivating environment that provides salient feedback. The VE gives the user knowledge of results feedback about motor behavior and knowledge of performance feedback about the quality of pointing movements made in a virtual elevator. Movement distances are related to length of body segments. We describe an immersive and interactive experimental protocol developed in a virtual reality environment using the CAREN system. The VE can be used as a training environment for the upper limb in patients with motor impairments.

Performance-Driven Hybrid Full-Body Character Control for Navigation and Interaction in Virtual Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousas, Christos; Anagnostopoulos, Christos-Nikolaos

2017-06-01

This paper presents a hybrid character control interface that provides the ability to synthesize in real-time a variety of actions based on the user's performance capture. The proposed methodology enables three different performance interaction modules: the performance animation control that enables the direct mapping of the user's pose to the character, the motion controller that synthesizes the desired motion of the character based on an activity recognition methodology, and the hybrid control that lies within the performance animation and the motion controller. With the methodology presented, the user will have the freedom to interact within the virtual environment, as well as the ability to manipulate the character and to synthesize a variety of actions that cannot be performed directly by him/her, but which the system synthesizes. Therefore, the user is able to interact with the virtual environment in a more sophisticated fashion. This paper presents examples of different scenarios based on the three different full-body character control methodologies.

Fostering Verbal and Non-Verbal Social Interactions in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment: A Case Study of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders Learning Social Competence in iSocial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xianhui; Laffey, James; Xing, Wanli; Galyen, Krista; Stichter, Janine

2017-01-01

This case study describes the verbal and nonverbal social interaction of 11 youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment-iSocial. The youth were developing social competence through participation in a social competence intervention curriculum implemented online so as to provide access to high quality…

Collaborative voxel-based surgical virtual environments.

PubMed

Acosta, Eric; Muniz, Gilbert; Armonda, Rocco; Bowyer, Mark; Liu, Alan

2008-01-01

Virtual Reality-based surgical simulators can utilize Collaborative Virtual Environments (C-VEs) to provide team-based training. To support real-time interactions, C-VEs are typically replicated on each user's local computer and a synchronization method helps keep all local copies consistent. This approach does not work well for voxel-based C-VEs since large and frequent volumetric updates make synchronization difficult. This paper describes a method that allows multiple users to interact within a voxel-based C-VE for a craniotomy simulator being developed. Our C-VE method requires smaller update sizes and provides faster synchronization update rates than volumetric-based methods. Additionally, we address network bandwidth/latency issues to simulate networked haptic and bone drilling tool interactions with a voxel-based skull C-VE.

Virtual Environment Training: Auxiliary Machinery Room (AMR) Watchstation Trainer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hriber, Dennis C.; And Others

1993-01-01

Describes a project implemented at Newport News Shipbuilding that used Virtual Environment Training to improve the performance of submarine crewmen. Highlights include development of the Auxiliary Machine Room (AMR) Watchstation Trainer; Digital Video Interactive (DVI); screen layout; test design and evaluation; user reactions; authoring language;…

PC-Based Virtual Reality for CAD Model Viewing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seth, Abhishek; Smith, Shana S.-F.

2004-01-01

Virtual reality (VR), as an emerging visualization technology, has introduced an unprecedented communication method for collaborative design. VR refers to an immersive, interactive, multisensory, viewer-centered, 3D computer-generated environment and the combination of technologies required to build such an environment. This article introduces the…

Studying and Treating Schizophrenia Using Virtual Reality: A New Paradigm

PubMed Central

Freeman, Daniel

2008-01-01

Understanding schizophrenia requires consideration of patients’ interactions in the social world. Misinterpretation of other peoples’ behavior is a key feature of persecutory ideation. The occurrence and intensity of hallucinations is affected by the social context. Negative symptoms such as anhedonia, asociality, and blunted affect reflect difficulties in social interactions. Withdrawal and avoidance of other people is frequent in schizophrenia, leading to isolation and rumination. The use of virtual reality (VR)—interactive immersive computer environments—allows one of the key variables in understanding psychosis, social environments, to be controlled, providing exciting applications to research and treatment. Seven applications of virtual social environments to schizophrenia are set out: symptom assessment, identification of symptom markers, establishment of predictive factors, tests of putative causal factors, investigation of the differential prediction of symptoms, determination of toxic elements in the environment, and development of treatment. The initial VR studies of persecutory ideation, which illustrate the ascription of personalities and mental states to virtual people, are highlighted. VR, suitably applied, holds great promise in furthering the understanding and treatment of psychosis. PMID:18375568

Lost in Interaction in IMS Learning Design Runtime Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derntl, Michael; Neumann, Susanne; Oberhuemer, Petra

2014-01-01

Educators are exploiting the advantages of advanced web-based collaboration technologies and massive online interactions. Interactions between learners and human or nonhuman resources therefore play an increasingly important pedagogical role, and the way these interactions are expressed in the user interface of virtual learning environments is…

Virtual Labs and Virtual Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehler, Ted

2006-12-01

Virtual Labs and Virtual Worlds Coastline Community College has under development several virtual lab simulations and activities that range from biology, to language labs, to virtual discussion environments. Imagine a virtual world that students enter online, by logging onto their computer from home or anywhere they have web access. Upon entering this world they select a personalized identity represented by a digitized character (avatar) that can freely move about, interact with the environment, and communicate with other characters. In these virtual worlds, buildings, gathering places, conference rooms, labs, science rooms, and a variety of other “real world” elements are evident. When characters move about and encounter other people (players) they may freely communicate. They can examine things, manipulate objects, read signs, watch video clips, hear sounds, and jump to other locations. Goals of critical thinking, social interaction, peer collaboration, group support, and enhanced learning can be achieved in surprising new ways with this innovative approach to peer-to-peer communication in a virtual discussion world. In this presentation, short demos will be given of several online learning environments including a virtual biology lab, a marine science module, a Spanish lab, and a virtual discussion world. Coastline College has been a leader in the development of distance learning and media-based education for nearly 30 years and currently offers courses through PDA, Internet, DVD, CD-ROM, TV, and Videoconferencing technologies. Its distance learning program serves over 20,000 students every year. sponsor Jerry Meisner

OpenSim-Supported Virtual Learning Environment: Transformative Content Representation, Facilitation, and Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Heesung; Ke, Fengfeng

2016-01-01

The pedagogical and design considerations for the use of a virtual reality (VR) learning environment are important for prospective and current teachers. However, empirical research investigating how preservice teachers interact with transformative content representation, facilitation, and learning activities in a VR educational simulation is still…

Collaborative Virtual Environment Technology for People with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, David; Cheng, Yufang; McGrath, Paul; Powell, Norman J.

2005-01-01

Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) hold great potential for people with autism. An exploratory empirical study was conducted to determine if children and youth with autism could understand basic emotions as represented by a humanoid avatar. Thirty-four participants (ages 7.8-16 years) reported to have autism interacted with a software…

Agency and Gender Influence Older Adults' Presence-Related Experiences in an Interactive Virtual Environment.

PubMed

Kothgassner, Oswald D; Goreis, Andreas; Kafka, Johanna X; Hlavacs, Helmut; Beutl, Leon; Kryspin-Exner, Ilse; Felnhofer, Anna

2018-05-01

While virtual humans are increasingly used to benefit the elderly, considerably little is still known about older adults' virtual experiences. However, due to age-related changes, older adults' perceptions of virtual environments (VEs) may be unique. Hence, our objective was to examine possible gender differences in immersion, flow, and emotional states as well as physical and social presence in elderly males and females interacting either with a computer-controlled agent or a human-controlled avatar. Seventy-eight German-speaking older adults were randomly assigned to an avatar or an agent condition and were exposed to a brief social encounter in a virtual café. Results indicate no overall gender differences, but a significant effect of agency on social presence, physical presence, immersion, and flow. Participants in the avatar condition reported higher levels in all measures, except for involvement. Furthermore, significant gender × agency interactions were found, with females showing more social presence, spatial presence, and flow when interacting with a human-controlled avatar and more realism when conversing with an agent. Also, all participants showed significant changes in their affect post exposure. In sum, older adults' virtual experiences seem to follow unique patterns, yet, they do not preclude the elderly from successfully participating in VEs.

My Ideal City (mic): Virtual Environments to Design the Future Town

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgherini, M.; Garbin, E.

2011-09-01

MIC is an EU funded project to explore the use of shared virtual environments as part of a public discussion on the issues of building the city of the future. An interactive exploration of four european cities - in the digital city models were translated urban places, family problems and citizens wishes - is a chance to see them in different ways and from different points of view, to imagine new scenarios to overcome barriers and stereotypes no longer effective. This paper describes the process from data to visualization of virtual cities and, in detail, the project of two interactive digital model (Trento and Lisbon).

Photorealistic virtual anatomy based on Chinese Visible Human data.

PubMed

Heng, P A; Zhang, S X; Xie, Y M; Wong, T T; Chui, Y P; Cheng, C Y

2006-04-01

Virtual reality based learning of human anatomy is feasible when a database of 3D organ models is available for the learner to explore, visualize, and dissect in virtual space interactively. In this article, we present our latest work on photorealistic virtual anatomy applications based on the Chinese Visible Human (CVH) data. We have focused on the development of state-of-the-art virtual environments that feature interactive photo-realistic visualization and dissection of virtual anatomical models constructed from ultra-high resolution CVH datasets. We also outline our latest progress in applying these highly accurate virtual and functional organ models to generate realistic look and feel to advanced surgical simulators. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Development of a novel visuomotor integration paradigm by integrating a virtual environment with mobile eye-tracking and motion-capture systems

PubMed Central

Miller, Haylie L.; Bugnariu, Nicoleta; Patterson, Rita M.; Wijayasinghe, Indika; Popa, Dan O.

2018-01-01

Visuomotor integration (VMI), the use of visual information to guide motor planning, execution, and modification, is necessary for a wide range of functional tasks. To comprehensively, quantitatively assess VMI, we developed a paradigm integrating virtual environments, motion-capture, and mobile eye-tracking. Virtual environments enable tasks to be repeatable, naturalistic, and varied in complexity. Mobile eye-tracking and minimally-restricted movement enable observation of natural strategies for interacting with the environment. This paradigm yields a rich dataset that may inform our understanding of VMI in typical and atypical development. PMID:29876370

The perception of spatial layout in real and virtual worlds.

PubMed

Arthur, E J; Hancock, P A; Chrysler, S T

1997-01-01

As human-machine interfaces grow more immersive and graphically-oriented, virtual environment systems become more prominent as the medium for human-machine communication. Often, virtual environments (VE) are built to provide exact metrical representations of existing or proposed physical spaces. However, it is not known how individuals develop representational models of these spaces in which they are immersed and how those models may be distorted with respect to both the virtual and real-world equivalents. To evaluate the process of model development, the present experiment examined participant's ability to reproduce a complex spatial layout of objects having experienced them previously under different viewing conditions. The layout consisted of nine common objects arranged on a flat plane. These objects could be viewed in a free binocular virtual condition, a free binocular real-world condition, and in a static monocular view of the real world. The first two allowed active exploration of the environment while the latter condition allowed the participant only a passive opportunity to observe from a single viewpoint. Viewing conditions were a between-subject variable with 10 participants randomly assigned to each condition. Performance was assessed using mapping accuracy and triadic comparisons of relative inter-object distances. Mapping results showed a significant effect of viewing condition where, interestingly, the static monocular condition was superior to both the active virtual and real binocular conditions. Results for the triadic comparisons showed a significant interaction for gender by viewing condition in which males were more accurate than females. These results suggest that the situation model resulting from interaction with a virtual environment was indistinguishable from interaction with real objects at least within the constraints of the present procedure.

Experiential Learning and Learning Environments: The Case of Active Listening Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huerta-Wong, Juan Enrique; Schoech, Richard

2010-01-01

Social work education research frequently has suggested an interaction between teaching techniques and learning environments. However, this interaction has never been tested. This study compared virtual and face-to-face learning environments and included active listening concepts to test whether the effectiveness of learning environments depends…

Modelling Ecological Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapies for Building Virtual Environments in Brain Injury.

PubMed

Martínez-Moreno, J M; Sánchez-González, P; Luna, M; Roig, T; Tormos, J M; Gómez, E J

2016-01-01

Brain Injury (BI) has become one of the most common causes of neurological disability in developed countries. Cognitive disorders result in a loss of independence and patients' quality of life. Cognitive rehabilitation aims to promote patients' skills to achieve their highest degree of personal autonomy. New technologies such as virtual reality or interactive video allow developing rehabilitation therapies based on reproducible Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), increasing the ecological validity of the therapy. However, the lack of frameworks to formalize and represent the definition of this kind of therapies can be a barrier for widespread use of interactive virtual environments in clinical routine. To provide neuropsychologists with a methodology and an instrument to design and evaluate cognitive rehabilitation therapeutic interventions strategies based on ADLs performed in interactive virtual environments. The proposed methodology is used to model therapeutic interventions during virtual ADLs considering cognitive deficit, expected abnormal interactions and therapeutic hypotheses. It allows identifying abnormal behavioural patterns and designing interventions strategies in order to achieve errorless-based rehabilitation. An ADL case study ('buying bread') is defined according to the guidelines established by the ADL intervention model. This case study is developed, as a proof of principle, using interactive video technology and is used to assess the feasibility of the proposed methodology in the definition of therapeutic intervention procedures. The proposed methodology provides neuropsychologists with an instrument to design and evaluate ADL-based therapeutic intervention strategies, attending to solve actual limitation of virtual scenarios, to be use for ecological rehabilitation of cognitive deficit in daily clinical practice. The developed case study proves the potential of the methodology to design therapeutic interventions strategies; however our current work is devoted to designing more experiments in order to present more evidence about its values.

Utility of virtual reality environments to examine physiological reactivity and subjective distress in adults who stutter.

PubMed

Brundage, Shelley B; Brinton, James M; Hancock, Adrienne B

2016-12-01

Virtual reality environments (VREs) allow for immersion in speaking environments that mimic real-life interactions while maintaining researcher control. VREs have been used successfully to engender arousal in other disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of virtual reality environments to examine physiological reactivity and subjective ratings of distress in persons who stutter (PWS). Subjective and objective measures of arousal were collected from 10PWS during four-minute speeches to a virtual audience and to a virtual empty room. Stuttering frequency and physiological measures (skin conductance level and heart rate) did not differ across speaking conditions, but subjective ratings of distress were significantly higher in the virtual audience condition compared to the virtual empty room. VREs have utility in elevating subjective ratings of distress in PWS. VREs have the potential to be useful tools for practicing treatment targets in a safe, controlled, and systematic manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3D Virtual Environment Used to Support Lighting System Management in a Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampaio, A. Z.; Ferreira, M. M.; Rosário, D. P.

The main aim of the research project, which is in progress at the UTL, is to develop a virtual interactive model as a tool to support decision-making in the planning of construction maintenance and facilities management. The virtual model gives the capacity to allow the user to transmit, visually and interactively, information related to the components of a building, defined as a function of the time variable. In addition, the analysis of solutions for repair work/substitution and inherent cost are predicted, the results being obtained interactively and visualized in the virtual environment itself. The first component of the virtual prototype concerns the management of lamps in a lighting system. It was applied in a study case. The interactive application allows the examination of the physical model, visualizing, for each element modeled in 3D and linked to a database, the corresponding technical information concerned with the use of the material, calculated for different points in time during their life. The control of a lamp stock, the constant updating of lifetime information and the planning of periodical local inspections are attended on the prototype. This is an important mean of cooperation between collaborators involved in the building management.

Virtual Teleoperation for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-24

Gilbert, S., “Wayfinder: Evaluating Multitouch Interaction in Supervisory Control of Unmanned Vehicles,” Proceedings of ASME 2nd World Conference on... interactive virtual reality environment that fuses available information into a coherent picture that can be viewed from multiple perspectives and scales...for multimodal interaction • Generally abstracted controller hardware and graphical interfaces facilitating deployment on a variety of VR platform

Comparative study on collaborative interaction in non-immersive and immersive systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahab, Qonita M.; Kwon, Yong-Moo; Ko, Heedong; Mayangsari, Maria N.; Yamasaki, Shoko; Nishino, Hiroaki

2007-09-01

This research studies the Virtual Reality simulation for collaborative interaction so that different people from different places can interact with one object concurrently. Our focus is the real-time handling of inputs from multiple users, where object's behavior is determined by the combination of the multiple inputs. Issues addressed in this research are: 1) The effects of using haptics on a collaborative interaction, 2) The possibilities of collaboration between users from different environments. We conducted user tests on our system in several cases: 1) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over LAN, 2) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over Internet, and 3) Analysis of collaborative interaction between non-immersive and immersive display environments. The case studies are the interaction of users in two cases: collaborative authoring of a 3D model by two users, and collaborative haptic interaction by multiple users. In Virtual Dollhouse, users can observe physics law while constructing a dollhouse using existing building blocks, under gravity effects. In Virtual Stretcher, multiple users can collaborate on moving a stretcher together while feeling each other's haptic motions.

Shared virtual environments for telerehabilitation.

PubMed

Popescu, George V; Burdea, Grigore; Boian, Rares

2002-01-01

Current VR telerehabilitation systems use offline remote monitoring from the clinic and patient-therapist videoconferencing. Such "store and forward" and video-based systems cannot implement medical services involving patient therapist direct interaction. Real-time telerehabilitation applications (including remote therapy) can be developed using a shared Virtual Environment (VE) architecture. We developed a two-user shared VE for hand telerehabilitation. Each site has a telerehabilitation workstation with a videocamera and a Rutgers Master II (RMII) force feedback glove. Each user can control a virtual hand and interact hapticly with virtual objects. Simulated physical interactions between therapist and patient are implemented using hand force feedback. The therapist's graphic interface contains several virtual panels, which allow control over the rehabilitation process. These controls start a videoconferencing session, collect patient data, or apply therapy. Several experimental telerehabilitation scenarios were successfully tested on a LAN. A Web-based approach to "real-time" patient telemonitoring--the monitoring portal for hand telerehabilitation--was also developed. The therapist interface is implemented as a Java3D applet that monitors patient hand movement. The monitoring portal gives real-time performance on off-the-shelf desktop workstations.

Brain activity during a lower limb functional task in a real and virtual environment: A comparative study.

PubMed

Pacheco, Thaiana Barbosa Ferreira; Oliveira Rego, Isabelle Ananda; Campos, Tania Fernandes; Cavalcanti, Fabrícia Azevedo da Costa

2017-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) has been contributing to Neurological Rehabilitation because of its interactive and multisensory nature, providing the potential of brain reorganization. Given the use of mobile EEG devices, there is the possibility of investigating how the virtual therapeutic environment can influence brain activity. To compare theta, alpha, beta and gamma power in healthy young adults during a lower limb motor task in a virtual and real environment. Ten healthy adults were submitted to an EEG assessment while performing a one-minute task consisted of going up and down a step in a virtual environment - Nintendo Wii virtual game "Basic step" - and in a real environment. Real environment caused an increase in theta and alpha power, with small to large size effects mainly in the frontal region. VR caused a greater increase in beta and gamma power, however, with small or negligible effects on a variety of regions regarding beta frequency, and medium to very large effects on the frontal and the occipital regions considering gamma frequency. Theta, alpha, beta and gamma activity during the execution of a motor task differs according to the environment that the individual is exposed - real or virtual - and may have varying size effects if brain area activation and frequency spectrum in each environment are taken into consideration.

The co-definition of self: conversations in virtual reality.

PubMed

Cantamesse, Matteo

2009-01-01

Conversation analysis can take the form of a qualitative methodology for the exploration of discursive productions, whose main goal is the formulation of hypotheses for reading psychosocial interaction through descriptive models of interlocution. Therefore, in this study, conversations in a shared Virtual Environment have been analyzed in order to understand the specific structure, dynamics, and phenomenology of Virtual Reality effects on the "interactive micro-chains" that constitute the communicative thread of daily experience.

Immersive Virtual Moon Scene System Based on Panoramic Camera Data of Chang'E-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, X.; Liu, J.; Mu, L.; Yan, W.; Zeng, X.; Zhang, X.; Li, C.

2014-12-01

The system "Immersive Virtual Moon Scene" is used to show the virtual environment of Moon surface in immersive environment. Utilizing stereo 360-degree imagery from panoramic camera of Yutu rover, the system enables the operator to visualize the terrain and the celestial background from the rover's point of view in 3D. To avoid image distortion, stereo 360-degree panorama stitched by 112 images is projected onto inside surface of sphere according to panorama orientation coordinates and camera parameters to build the virtual scene. Stars can be seen from the Moon at any time. So we render the sun, planets and stars according to time and rover's location based on Hipparcos catalogue as the background on the sphere. Immersing in the stereo virtual environment created by this imaged-based rendering technique, the operator can zoom, pan to interact with the virtual Moon scene and mark interesting objects. Hardware of the immersive virtual Moon system is made up of four high lumen projectors and a huge curve screen which is 31 meters long and 5.5 meters high. This system which take all panoramic camera data available and use it to create an immersive environment, enable operator to interact with the environment and mark interesting objects contributed heavily to establishment of science mission goals in Chang'E-3 mission. After Chang'E-3 mission, the lab with this system will be open to public. Besides this application, Moon terrain stereo animations based on Chang'E-1 and Chang'E-2 data will be showed to public on the huge screen in the lab. Based on the data of lunar exploration，we will made more immersive virtual moon scenes and animations to help the public understand more about the Moon in the future.

The feasibility and acceptability of virtual environments in the treatment of childhood social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Sarver, Nina Wong; Beidel, Deborah C; Spitalnick, Josh S

2014-01-01

Two significant challenges for the dissemination of social skills training programs are the need to assure generalizability and provide sufficient practice opportunities. In the case of social anxiety disorder, virtual environments may provide one strategy to address these issues. This study evaluated the utility of an interactive virtual school environment for the treatment of social anxiety disorder in preadolescent children. Eleven children with a primary diagnosis of social anxiety disorder between 8 to 12 years old participated in this initial feasibility trial. All children were treated with Social Effectiveness Therapy for Children, an empirically supported treatment for children with social anxiety disorder. However, the in vivo peer generalization sessions and standard parent-assisted homework assignments were substituted by practice in a virtual environment. Overall, the virtual environment programs were acceptable, feasible, and credible treatment components. Both children and clinicians were satisfied with using the virtual environment technology, and children believed it was a high-quality program overall. In addition, parents were satisfied with the virtual environment augmented treatment and indicated that they would recommend the program to family and friends. Findings indicate that the virtual environments are viewed as acceptable and credible by potential recipients. Furthermore, they are easy to implement by even novice users and appear to be useful adjunctive elements for the treatment of childhood social anxiety disorder.

The feasibility and acceptability of virtual environments in the treatment of childhood social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Wong, Nina; Beidel, Deborah C.; Spitalnick, Josh

2013-01-01

Objective Two significant challenges for the dissemination of social skills training programs are the need to assure generalizability and provide sufficient practice opportunities. In the case of social anxiety disorder, virtual environments may provide one strategy to address these issues. This study evaluated the utility of an interactive virtual school environment for the treatment of social anxiety disorder in preadolescent children. Method Eleven children with a primary diagnosis of social anxiety disorder between 8 to 12 years old participated in this initial feasibility trial. All children were treated with Social Effectiveness Therapy for Children, an empirically supported treatment for children with social anxiety disorder. However, the in vivo peer generalization sessions and standard parent-assisted homework assignments were substituted by practice in a virtual environment. Results Overall, the virtual environment programs were acceptable, feasible, and credible treatment components. Both children and clinicians were satisfied with using the virtual environment technology, and children believed it was a high quality program overall. Additionally, parents were satisfied with the virtual environment augmented treatment and indicated that they would recommend the program to family and friends. Conclusion Virtual environments are viewed as acceptable and credible by potential recipients. Furthermore, they are easy to implement by even novice users and appear to be useful adjunctive elements for the treatment of childhood social anxiety disorder. PMID:24144182

Ontological implications of being in immersive virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morie, Jacquelyn F.

2008-02-01

The idea of Virtual Reality once conjured up visions of new territories to explore, and expectations of awaiting worlds of wonder. VR has matured to become a practical tool for therapy, medicine and commercial interests, yet artists, in particular, continue to expand the possibilities for the medium. Artistic virtual environments created over the past two decades probe the phenomenological nature of these virtual environments. When we inhabit a fully immersive virtual environment, we have entered into a new form of Being. Not only does our body continue to exist in the real, physical world, we are also embodied within the virtual by means of technology that translates our bodied actions into interactions with the virtual environment. Very few states in human existence allow this bifurcation of our Being, where we can exist simultaneously in two spaces at once, with the possible exception of meta-physical states such as shamanistic trance and out-of-body experiences. This paper discusses the nature of this simultaneous Being, how we enter the virtual space, what forms of persona we can don there, what forms of spaces we can inhabit, and what type of wondrous experiences we can both hope for and expect.

Haptic interfaces: Hardware, software and human performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, Mandayam A.

1995-01-01

Virtual environments are computer-generated synthetic environments with which a human user can interact to perform a wide variety of perceptual and motor tasks. At present, most of the virtual environment systems engage only the visual and auditory senses, and not the haptic sensorimotor system that conveys the sense of touch and feel of objects in the environment. Computer keyboards, mice, and trackballs constitute relatively simple haptic interfaces. Gloves and exoskeletons that track hand postures have more interaction capabilities and are available in the market. Although desktop and wearable force-reflecting devices have been built and implemented in research laboratories, the current capabilities of such devices are quite limited. To realize the full promise of virtual environments and teleoperation of remote systems, further developments of haptic interfaces are critical. In this paper, the status and research needs in human haptics, technology development and interactions between the two are described. In particular, the excellent performance characteristics of Phantom, a haptic interface recently developed at MIT, are highlighted. Realistic sensations of single point of contact interactions with objects of variable geometry (e.g., smooth, textured, polyhedral) and material properties (e.g., friction, impedance) in the context of a variety of tasks (e.g., needle biopsy, switch panels) achieved through this device are described and the associated issues in haptic rendering are discussed.

Guiding Exploration through Three-Dimensional Virtual Environments: A Cognitive Load Reduction Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chwen Jen; Fauzy Wan Ismail, Wan Mohd

2008-01-01

The real-time interactive nature of three-dimensional virtual environments (VEs) makes this technology very appropriate for exploratory learning purposes. However, many studies have shown that the exploration process may cause cognitive overload that affects the learning of domain knowledge. This article reports a quasi-experimental study that…

PROVIDE: A Pedagogical Reference Oracle for Virtual IntegrateD E-ducation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narasimhan, V. Lakshmi; Zhao, Shuxin; Liang, Hailong; Zhang, Shuangyi

2006-01-01

This paper presents an interactive educational environment for use over both "in situ" and distance-based modalities of teaching. Several technological issues relating to the design and development of the distributed virtual learning environment have also been raised. The PROVIDE framework proposed in this paper is a seamless distributed…

The Development of a Web-Based Virtual Environment for Teaching Qualitative Analysis of Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Dwyer, D. W.; Logan-Phelan, T. M.; O'Neill, E. A.

2007-01-01

The current paper describes the design and development of a qualitative analysis course and an interactive web-based teaching and assessment tool called VSE (virtual structural environment). The widespread reliance on structural analysis programs requires engineers to be able to verify computer output by carrying out qualitative analyses.…

Development of Social Mediation and Emotional Regulation in Virtual Learning Environment Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehtonen, Miika; Page, Tom; Miloseva, Lence; Thorsteinsson, Gisli

2008-01-01

This paper puts forward a series of theoretical underpinnings and design considerations for embodying emotional and aesthetic aspects of virtual (reality) and learning environment (VLEs) in support of ubiquitous teaching, studying and learning. The authors assert that a VLE should be considered as an interactive and sensation-producing affordances…

Using Avatars and Virtual Environments in Learning: What Do They Have to Offer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falloon, Garry

2010-01-01

This paper explores and discusses arguments for the use of virtual environments and interactive avatars in supporting the achievement of student learning goals within conventional educational contexts. It describes and evaluates arguments promoted by some authors (eg, van den Brekel, 2007; Deuchar & Nodder, 2003; Dickey, 2003; Facer, 2004; de…

Computer Algebra, Virtual Learning Environment and Meaningful Learning: Is It Possible?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abar, Celina A. A. P.; Barbosa, Lisbete Madsen

2011-01-01

A major challenge faced by teachers nowadays relates to the usage of proper educational technology to achieve a true and meaningful learning experience involving time for reflection. Teachers constantly seek new ways to improve instruction, but in virtual learning environments they often find themselves in a new role, interacting in a dynamic…

Measuring Flow Experience in an Immersive Virtual Environment for Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Schaik, P.; Martin, S.; Vallance, M.

2012-01-01

In contexts other than immersive virtual environments, theoretical and empirical work has identified flow experience as a major factor in learning and human-computer interaction. Flow is defined as a "holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement". We applied the concept of flow to modeling the experience of…

Real-time tracking of visually attended objects in virtual environments and its application to LOD.

PubMed

Lee, Sungkil; Kim, Gerard Jounghyun; Choi, Seungmoon

2009-01-01

This paper presents a real-time framework for computationally tracking objects visually attended by the user while navigating in interactive virtual environments. In addition to the conventional bottom-up (stimulus-driven) saliency map, the proposed framework uses top-down (goal-directed) contexts inferred from the user's spatial and temporal behaviors, and identifies the most plausibly attended objects among candidates in the object saliency map. The computational framework was implemented using GPU, exhibiting high computational performance adequate for interactive virtual environments. A user experiment was also conducted to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the tracking framework by comparing objects regarded as visually attended by the framework to actual human gaze collected with an eye tracker. The results indicated that the accuracy was in the level well supported by the theory of human cognition for visually identifying single and multiple attentive targets, especially owing to the addition of top-down contextual information. Finally, we demonstrate how the visual attention tracking framework can be applied to managing the level of details in virtual environments, without any hardware for head or eye tracking.

A usability assessment on a virtual reality system for panic disorder treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaelin; Kawai, Takashi; Yoshida, Nahoko; Izawa, Shuhei; Nomura, Shinobu; Eames, Douglas; Kaiya, Hisanobu

2008-02-01

The authors have developed a virtual reality exposure system that reflects the Japanese culture and environment. Concretely, the system focuses on the subway environment, which is the environment most patients receiving treatment for panic disorder at hospitals in Tokyo, Japan tend to avoid. The system is PC based and features realistic video images and highly interactive functionality. In particular, the system enables instant transformation of the virtual space and allows situations to be freely customized according to the condition and symptoms expressed by each patient. Positive results achieved in therapy assessments aimed at patients with panic disorder accompanying agoraphobia indicate the possibility of indoor treatment. Full utilization of the functionality available requires that the interactive functions be easily operable. Accordingly, there appears to be a need for usability testing aimed at determining whether or not a therapist can operate the system naturally while focusing fully on treatment. In this paper, the configuration of the virtual reality exposure system focusing on the subway environment is outlined. Further, the results of usability tests aimed at assessing how naturally it can be operated while focusing fully on treatment are described.

Effective Student Learning of Fractions with an Interactive Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensberry, Karina K. R.; Moore, Emily B.; Perkins, Katherine K.

2015-01-01

Computer technology, when coupled with reform-based teaching practices, has been shown to be an effective way to support student learning of mathematics. The quality of the technology itself, as well as how it is used, impacts how much students learn. Interactive simulations are dynamic virtual environments similar to virtual manipulatives that…

"Homo Virtualis": Virtual Worlds, Learning, and an Ecology of Embodied Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarmon, Leslie

2010-01-01

This article previews the emergence of "homo virtualis." Drawing on data from seven research studies, peer-reviewed published research articles, and selected excerpts of 30 months of field notes taken in Second Life [SL], the article examines virtual learning environments and embodiment through the lens of interactions of avatars with…

When to Talk, When to Chat: Student Interactions in Live Virtual Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vu, Phu; Fadde, Peter J.

2013-01-01

This study explores students' choices of verbal and text interaction in a synchronous Live Virtual Classroom (LVC) environment that mixed onsite and online learners. Data were collected from analysis of recorded LVC sessions and post-course interviews with students in two different offerings of a graduate instructional design course that used…

Application of Semantic Approaches and Interactive Virtual Technology to Improve Teaching Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jou, Min; Liu, Chi-Chia

2012-01-01

This article describes an implementation of interactive virtual environments that have been designed for supporting the education of technical skills in material processing technology. The developed web-based systems provide the capability to train students in the technical skills of material processing technology without the need to work on…

Generalized interactions using virtual tools within the spring framework: probing, piercing, cauterizing and ablating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, Kevin; Bruyns, Cynthia D.

2002-01-01

We present schemes for real-time generalized interactions such as probing, piercing, cauterizing and ablating virtual tissues. These methods have been implemented in a robust, real-time (haptic rate) surgical simulation environment allowing us to model procedures including animal dissection, microsurgery, hysteroscopy, and cleft lip repair.

Mobile e-Learning for Next Generation Communication Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Tin-Yu; Chao, Han-Chieh

2008-01-01

This article develops an environment for mobile e-learning that includes an interactive course, virtual online labs, an interactive online test, and lab-exercise training platform on the fourth generation mobile communication system. The Next Generation Learning Environment (NeGL) promotes the term "knowledge economy." Inter-networking…

Focus, locus, and sensus: the three dimensions of virtual experience.

PubMed

Waterworth, E L; Waterworth, J A

2001-04-01

A model of virtual/physical experience is presented, which provides a three dimensional conceptual space for virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) comprising the dimensions of focus, locus, and sensus. Focus is most closely related to what is generally termed presence in the VR literature. When in a virtual environment, presence is typically shared between the VR and the physical world. "Breaks in presence" are actually shifts of presence away from the VR and toward the external environment. But we can also have "breaks in presence" when attention moves toward absence--when an observer is not attending to stimuli present in the virtual environment, nor to stimuli present in the surrounding physical environment--when the observer is present in neither the virtual nor the physical world. We thus have two dimensions of presence: focus of attention (between presence and absence) and the locus of attention (the virtual vs. the physical world). A third dimension is the sensus of attention--the level of arousal determining whether the observer is highly conscious or relatively unconscious while interacting with the environment. After expanding on each of these three dimensions of experience in relation to VR, we present a couple of educational examples as illustrations, and also relate our model to a suggested spectrum of evaluation methods for virtual environments.

Exploring Learning through Audience Interaction in Virtual Reality Dome Theaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apostolellis, Panagiotis; Daradoumis, Thanasis

Informal learning in public spaces like museums, science centers and planetariums is increasingly popular during the last years. Recent advancements in large-scale displays allowed contemporary technology-enhanced museums to get equipped with digital domes, some with real-time capabilities like Virtual Reality systems. By conducting extensive literature review we have come to the conclusion that little to no research has been carried out on the leaning outcomes that the combination of VR and audience interaction can provide in the immersive environments of dome theaters. Thus, we propose that audience collaboration in immersive virtual reality environments presents a promising approach to support effective learning in groups of school aged children.

An interactive VR system based on full-body tracking and gesture recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Xia; Sang, Xinzhu; Chen, Duo; Wang, Peng; Guo, Nan; Yan, Binbin; Wang, Kuiru

2016-10-01

Most current virtual reality (VR) interactions are realized with the hand-held input device which leads to a low degree of presence. There is other solutions using sensors like Leap Motion to recognize the gestures of users in order to interact in a more natural way, but the navigation in these systems is still a problem, because they fail to map the actual walking to virtual walking only with a partial body of the user represented in the synthetic environment. Therefore, we propose a system in which users can walk around in the virtual environment as a humanoid model, selecting menu items and manipulating with the virtual objects using natural hand gestures. With a Kinect depth camera, the system tracks the joints of the user, mapping them to a full virtual body which follows the move of the tracked user. The movements of the feet can be detected to determine whether the user is in walking state, so that the walking of model in the virtual world can be activated and stopped by means of animation control in Unity engine. This method frees the hands of users comparing to traditional navigation way using hand-held device. We use the point cloud data getting from Kinect depth camera to recognize the gestures of users, such as swiping, pressing and manipulating virtual objects. Combining the full body tracking and gestures recognition using Kinect, we achieve our interactive VR system in Unity engine with a high degree of presence.

The Impact of Virtual Reality Programs in Career and Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catterson, Anna J.

2013-01-01

Instructional technology has evolved from blackboards with chalk to in some cases three-dimensional virtual reality environments in which students are interacting and engaging with other students worldwide. The use of this new instructional methodology, known as "virtual reality," has experienced substantial growth in higher education…

Scenario-Based Spoken Interaction with Virtual Agents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, Hazel; Jack, Mervyn A.

2005-01-01

This paper describes a CALL approach which integrates software for speaker independent continuous speech recognition with embodied virtual agents and virtual worlds to create an immersive environment in which learners can converse in the target language in contextualised scenarios. The result is a self-access learning package: SPELL (Spoken…

Building a Virtual Learning Network for Teachers in a Suburban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtzworth-Keen, Kristin A.

2011-01-01

Emerging research indicates that learning management systems such as Moodle can function as virtual, collaborative environments, where collegial interactions promote professional learning opportunities. This study deployed a mixed methods design in order to describe and analyze teacher participation in a virtual learning network (VLN) that was…

Environments for online maritime simulators with cloud computing capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raicu, Gabriel; Raicu, Alexandra

2016-12-01

This paper presents the cloud computing environments, network principles and methods for graphical development in realistic naval simulation, naval robotics and virtual interactions. The aim of this approach is to achieve a good simulation quality in large networked environments using open source solutions designed for educational purposes. Realistic rendering of maritime environments requires near real-time frameworks with enhanced computing capabilities during distance interactions. E-Navigation concepts coupled with the last achievements in virtual and augmented reality will enhance the overall experience leading to new developments and innovations. We have to deal with a multiprocessing situation using advanced technologies and distributed applications using remote ship scenario and automation of ship operations.

Virtual Learning Environment for Interactive Engagement with Advanced Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedersen, Mads Kock; Skyum, Birk; Heck, Robert; Müller, Romain; Bason, Mark; Lieberoth, Andreas; Sherson, Jacob F.

2016-06-01

A virtual learning environment can engage university students in the learning process in ways that the traditional lectures and lab formats cannot. We present our virtual learning environment StudentResearcher, which incorporates simulations, multiple-choice quizzes, video lectures, and gamification into a learning path for quantum mechanics at the advanced university level. StudentResearcher is built upon the experiences gathered from workshops with the citizen science game Quantum Moves at the high-school and university level, where the games were used extensively to illustrate the basic concepts of quantum mechanics. The first test of this new virtual learning environment was a 2014 course in advanced quantum mechanics at Aarhus University with 47 enrolled students. We found increased learning for the students who were more active on the platform independent of their previous performances.

Visualizing vascular structures in virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wischgoll, Thomas

2013-01-01

In order to learn more about the cause of coronary heart diseases and develop diagnostic tools, the extraction and visualization of vascular structures from volumetric scans for further analysis is an important step. By determining a geometric representation of the vasculature, the geometry can be inspected and additional quantitative data calculated and incorporated into the visualization of the vasculature. To provide a more user-friendly visualization tool, virtual environment paradigms can be utilized. This paper describes techniques for interactive rendering of large-scale vascular structures within virtual environments. This can be applied to almost any virtual environment configuration, such as CAVE-type displays. Specifically, the tools presented in this paper were tested on a Barco I-Space and a large 62x108 inch passive projection screen with a Kinect sensor for user tracking.

A Virtual Environment System for the Comparison of Dome and HMD Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jian; Harm, Deboran L.; Loftin, R. Bowen; Lin, Ching-yao; Leiss, Ernst L.

2002-01-01

For effective astronaut training applications, choosing the right display devices to present images is crucial. In order to assess what devices are appropriate, it is important to design a successful virtual environment for a comparison study of the display devices. We present a comprehensive system for the comparison of Dome and head-mounted display (HMD) systems. In particular, we address interactions techniques and playback environments.

What Do Context Aware Electronic Alerts from Virtual Learning Environments Tell Us about User Time & Location?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Laura; Benachour, Phillip

2013-01-01

The paper describes the analysis of user location and time stamp information automatically logged when students receive and interact with electronic updates from the University's virtual learning environment. The electronic updates are sent to students' mobile devices using RSS feeds. The mobile reception of such information can be received in…

Socially Optimized Learning in a Virtual Environment: Reducing Risky Sexual Behavior among Men Who Have Sex with Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Read, Stephen J.; Miller, Lynn C.; Appleby, Paul Robert; Nwosu, Mary E.; Reynaldo, Sadina; Lauren, Ada; Putcha, Anila

2006-01-01

A socially optimized learning approach, which integrates diverse theoretical perspectives, places men who have sex with men (MSM) in an interactive virtual environment designed to simulate the emotional, interpersonal, and contextual narrative of an actual sexual encounter while challenging and changing MSM's more automatic patterns of risky…

Hybrid Reality Lab Capabilities - Video 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Francisco J.; Noyes, Matthew

2016-01-01

Our Hybrid Reality and Advanced Operations Lab is developing incredibly realistic and immersive systems that could be used to provide training, support engineering analysis, and augment data collection for various human performance metrics at NASA. To get a better understanding of what Hybrid Reality is, let's go through the two most commonly known types of immersive realities: Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality. Virtual Reality creates immersive scenes that are completely made up of digital information. This technology has been used to train astronauts at NASA, used during teleoperation of remote assets (arms, rovers, robots, etc.) and other activities. One challenge with Virtual Reality is that if you are using it for real time-applications (like landing an airplane) then the information used to create the virtual scenes can be old (i.e. visualized long after physical objects moved in the scene) and not accurate enough to land the airplane safely. This is where Augmented Reality comes in. Augmented Reality takes real-time environment information (from a camera, or see through window, and places digitally created information into the scene so that it matches with the video/glass information). Augmented Reality enhances real environment information collected with a live sensor or viewport (e.g. camera, window, etc.) with the information-rich visualization provided by Virtual Reality. Hybrid Reality takes Augmented Reality even further, by creating a higher level of immersion where interactivity can take place. Hybrid Reality takes Virtual Reality objects and a trackable, physical representation of those objects, places them in the same coordinate system, and allows people to interact with both objects' representations (virtual and physical) simultaneously. After a short period of adjustment, the individuals begin to interact with all the objects in the scene as if they were real-life objects. The ability to physically touch and interact with digitally created objects that have the same shape, size, location to their physical object counterpart in virtual reality environment can be a game changer when it comes to training, planning, engineering analysis, science, entertainment, etc. Our Project is developing such capabilities for various types of environments. The video outlined with this abstract is a representation of an ISS Hybrid Reality experience. In the video you can see various Hybrid Reality elements that provide immersion beyond just standard Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality.

The Ames Virtual Environment Workstation: Implementation issues and requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Scott S.; Jacoby, R.; Bryson, S.; Stone, P.; Mcdowall, I.; Bolas, M.; Dasaro, D.; Wenzel, Elizabeth M.; Coler, C.; Kerr, D.

1991-01-01

This presentation describes recent developments in the implementation of a virtual environment workstation in the Aerospace Human Factors Research Division of NASA's Ames Research Center. Introductory discussions are presented on the primary research objectives and applications of the system and on the system's current hardware and software configuration. Principle attention is then focused on unique issues and problems encountered in the workstation's development with emphasis on its ability to meet original design specifications for computational graphics performance and for associated human factors requirements necessary to provide compelling sense of presence and efficient interaction in the virtual environment.

Recalibrating Reference within a Dual-Space Interaction Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zemel, Alan; Koschmann, Timothy

2013-01-01

In this paper we examine how two groups of middle school students arrive at shared understandings of and solutions to mathematical problems. Our data consists of logs of student participation in the Virtual Math Teams (VMT) system as they work on math problems. The project supports interaction both through chat and through a virtual whiteboard. We…

EFL Learner Collaborative Interaction in Second Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Mark

2012-01-01

This paper reports on the task-based interaction of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in the 3D multiuser virtual environment (MUVE) Second Life. The discussion first explores research on the precursors of MUVEs, text-based 2D virtual worlds known as MOOs. This is followed by an examination of studies on the use of MUVEs in Computer…

Computer-Assisted Culture Learning in an Online Augmented Reality Environment Based on Free-Hand Gesture Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Mau-Tsuen; Liao, Wan-Che

2014-01-01

The physical-virtual immersion and real-time interaction play an essential role in cultural and language learning. Augmented reality (AR) technology can be used to seamlessly merge virtual objects with real-world images to realize immersions. Additionally, computer vision (CV) technology can recognize free-hand gestures from live images to enable…

Virtual environments for the transfer of navigation skills in the blind: a comparison of directed instruction vs. video game based learning approaches.

PubMed

Connors, Erin C; Chrastil, Elizabeth R; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B

2014-01-01

For profoundly blind individuals, navigating in an unfamiliar building can represent a significant challenge. We investigated the use of an audio-based, virtual environment called Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) that can be explored for the purposes of learning the layout of an unfamiliar, complex indoor environment. Furthermore, we compared two modes of interaction with AbES. In one group, blind participants implicitly learned the layout of a target environment while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game. By comparison, a second group was explicitly taught the same layout following a standard route and instructions provided by a sighted facilitator. As a control, a third group interacted with AbES while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game however, the explored environment did not correspond to the target layout. Following interaction with AbES, a series of route navigation tasks were carried out in the virtual and physical building represented in the training environment to assess the transfer of acquired spatial information. We found that participants from both modes of interaction were able to transfer the spatial knowledge gained as indexed by their successful route navigation performance. This transfer was not apparent in the control participants. Most notably, the game-based learning strategy was also associated with enhanced performance when participants were required to find alternate routes and short cuts within the target building suggesting that a ludic-based training approach may provide for a more flexible mental representation of the environment. Furthermore, outcome comparisons between early and late blind individuals suggested that greater prior visual experience did not have a significant effect on overall navigation performance following training. Finally, performance did not appear to be associated with other factors of interest such as age, gender, and verbal memory recall. We conclude that the highly interactive and immersive exploration of the virtual environment greatly engages a blind user to develop skills akin to positive near transfer of learning. Learning through a game play strategy appears to confer certain behavioral advantages with respect to how spatial information is acquired and ultimately manipulated for navigation.

Virtual environments for the transfer of navigation skills in the blind: a comparison of directed instruction vs. video game based learning approaches

PubMed Central

Connors, Erin C.; Chrastil, Elizabeth R.; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B.

2014-01-01

For profoundly blind individuals, navigating in an unfamiliar building can represent a significant challenge. We investigated the use of an audio-based, virtual environment called Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) that can be explored for the purposes of learning the layout of an unfamiliar, complex indoor environment. Furthermore, we compared two modes of interaction with AbES. In one group, blind participants implicitly learned the layout of a target environment while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game. By comparison, a second group was explicitly taught the same layout following a standard route and instructions provided by a sighted facilitator. As a control, a third group interacted with AbES while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game however, the explored environment did not correspond to the target layout. Following interaction with AbES, a series of route navigation tasks were carried out in the virtual and physical building represented in the training environment to assess the transfer of acquired spatial information. We found that participants from both modes of interaction were able to transfer the spatial knowledge gained as indexed by their successful route navigation performance. This transfer was not apparent in the control participants. Most notably, the game-based learning strategy was also associated with enhanced performance when participants were required to find alternate routes and short cuts within the target building suggesting that a ludic-based training approach may provide for a more flexible mental representation of the environment. Furthermore, outcome comparisons between early and late blind individuals suggested that greater prior visual experience did not have a significant effect on overall navigation performance following training. Finally, performance did not appear to be associated with other factors of interest such as age, gender, and verbal memory recall. We conclude that the highly interactive and immersive exploration of the virtual environment greatly engages a blind user to develop skills akin to positive near transfer of learning. Learning through a game play strategy appears to confer certain behavioral advantages with respect to how spatial information is acquired and ultimately manipulated for navigation. PMID:24822044

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Markidis, S.; Rizwan, U.

The use of virtual nuclear control room can be an effective and powerful tool for training personnel working in the nuclear power plants. Operators could experience and simulate the functioning of the plant, even in critical situations, without being in a real power plant or running any risk. 3D models can be exported to Virtual Reality formats and then displayed in the Virtual Reality environment providing an immersive 3D experience. However, two major limitations of this approach are that 3D models exhibit static textures, and they are not fully interactive and therefore cannot be used effectively in training personnel. Inmore » this paper we first describe a possible solution for embedding the output of a computer application in a 3D virtual scene, coupling real-world applications and VR systems. The VR system reported here grabs the output of an application running on an X server; creates a texture with the output and then displays it on a screen or a wall in the virtual reality environment. We then propose a simple model for providing interaction between the user in the VR system and the running simulator. This approach is based on the use of internet-based application that can be commanded by a laptop or tablet-pc added to the virtual environment. (authors)« less

Generating Contextual Descriptions of Virtual Reality (VR) Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, D. M.; Zaman, C. H.; Sutherland, A.

2017-12-01

Virtual reality holds great potential for science communication, education, and research. However, interfaces for manipulating data and environments in virtual worlds are limited and idiosyncratic. Furthermore, speech and vision are the primary modalities by which humans collect information about the world, but the linking of visual and natural language domains is a relatively new pursuit in computer vision. Machine learning techniques have been shown to be effective at image and speech classification, as well as at describing images with language (Karpathy 2016), but have not yet been used to describe potential actions. We propose a technique for creating a library of possible context-specific actions associated with 3D objects in immersive virtual worlds based on a novel dataset generated natively in virtual reality containing speech, image, gaze, and acceleration data. We will discuss the design and execution of a user study in virtual reality that enabled the collection and the development of this dataset. We will also discuss the development of a hybrid machine learning algorithm linking vision data with environmental affordances in natural language. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to develop a model which can generate interpretable verbal descriptions of possible actions associated with recognized 3D objects within immersive VR environments. This suggests promising applications for more intuitive user interfaces through voice interaction within 3D environments. It also demonstrates the potential to apply vast bodies of embodied and semantic knowledge to enrich user interaction within VR environments. This technology would allow for applications such as expert knowledge annotation of 3D environments, complex verbal data querying and object manipulation in virtual spaces, and computer-generated, dynamic 3D object affordances and functionality during simulations.

Formalizing and Promoting Collaboration in 3D Virtual Environments - A Blueprint for the Creation of Group Interaction Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmeil, Andreas; Eppler, Martin J.

Despite the fact that virtual worlds and other types of multi-user 3D collaboration spaces have long been subjects of research and of application experiences, it still remains unclear how to best benefit from meeting with colleagues and peers in a virtual environment with the aim of working together. Making use of the potential of virtual embodiment, i.e. being immersed in a space as a personal avatar, allows for innovative new forms of collaboration. In this paper, we present a framework that serves as a systematic formalization of collaboration elements in virtual environments. The framework is based on the semiotic distinctions among pragmatic, semantic and syntactic perspectives. It serves as a blueprint to guide users in designing, implementing, and executing virtual collaboration patterns tailored to their needs. We present two team and two community collaboration pattern examples as a result of the application of the framework: Virtual Meeting, Virtual Design Studio, Spatial Group Configuration, and Virtual Knowledge Fair. In conclusion, we also point out future research directions for this emerging domain.

Innovative application of virtual display technique in virtual museum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiankang

2017-09-01

Virtual museum refers to display and simulate the functions of real museum on the Internet in the form of 3 Dimensions virtual reality by applying interactive programs. Based on Virtual Reality Modeling Language, virtual museum building and its effective interaction with the offline museum lie in making full use of 3 Dimensions panorama technique, virtual reality technique and augmented reality technique, and innovatively taking advantages of dynamic environment modeling technique, real-time 3 Dimensions graphics generating technique, system integration technique and other key virtual reality techniques to make sure the overall design of virtual museum.3 Dimensions panorama technique, also known as panoramic photography or virtual reality, is a technique based on static images of the reality. Virtual reality technique is a kind of computer simulation system which can create and experience the interactive 3 Dimensions dynamic visual world. Augmented reality, also known as mixed reality, is a technique which simulates and mixes the information (visual, sound, taste, touch, etc.) that is difficult for human to experience in reality. These technologies make virtual museum come true. It will not only bring better experience and convenience to the public, but also be conducive to improve the influence and cultural functions of the real museum.

Applied virtual reality at the Research Triangle Institute

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montoya, R. Jorge

1994-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) is a way for humans to use computers in visualizing, manipulating and interacting with large geometric data bases. This paper describes a VR infrastructure and its application to marketing, modeling, architectural walk through, and training problems. VR integration techniques used in these applications are based on a uniform approach which promotes portability and reusability of developed modules. For each problem, a 3D object data base is created using data captured by hand or electronically. The object's realism is enhanced through either procedural or photo textures. The virtual environment is created and populated with the data base using software tools which also support interactions with and immersivity in the environment. These capabilities are augmented by other sensory channels such as voice recognition, 3D sound, and tracking. Four applications are presented: a virtual furniture showroom, virtual reality models of the North Carolina Global TransPark, a walk through the Dresden Fraunenkirche, and the maintenance training simulator for the National Guard.

Learning Icelandic Language and Culture in Virtual Reykjavik: Starting to Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bédi, Branislav; Arnbjörnsdóttir, Birna; Vilhjálmsson, Hannes Högni; Helgadóttir, Hafdís Erla; Ólafsson, Stefán; Björgvinsson, Elías

2016-01-01

This paper describes how beginners of Icelandic as a foreign and second language responded to playing the first scene in Virtual Reykjavik, a video game-like environment where learners interact with virtual characters--Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs). This game enables learners to practice speaking and listening skills, to learn about the…

Virtual Simulations and Serious Games in a Laptop-Based University: Gauging Faculty and Student Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapralos, Bill; Hogan, Michelle; Pribetic, Antonin I.; Dubrowski, Adam

2011-01-01

Purpose: Gaming and interactive virtual simulation environments support a learner-centered educational model allowing learners to work through problems acquiring knowledge through an active, experiential learning approach. To develop effective virtual simulations and serious games, the views and perceptions of learners and educators must be…

Social Presence and Motivation in a Three-Dimensional Virtual World: An Explanatory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Rabia M.; Topu, F. Burcu; Goktas, Yuksel; Coban, Murat

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional (3-D) virtual worlds differ from other learning environments in their similarity to real life, providing opportunities for more effective communication and interaction. With these features, 3-D virtual worlds possess considerable potential to enhance learning opportunities. For effective learning, the users' motivation levels and…

The Virtual Tablet: Virtual Reality as a Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chronister, Andrew

2016-01-01

In the field of human-computer interaction, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have been rapidly growing areas of interest and concerted development effort thanks to both private and public research. At NASA, a number of groups have explored the possibilities afforded by AR and VR technology, among which is the IT Advanced Concepts Lab (ITACL). Within ITACL, the AVR (Augmented/Virtual Reality) Lab focuses on VR technology specifically for its use in command and control. Previous work in the AVR lab includes the Natural User Interface (NUI) project and the Virtual Control Panel (VCP) project, which created virtual three-dimensional interfaces that users could interact with while wearing a VR headset thanks to body- and hand-tracking technology. The Virtual Tablet (VT) project attempts to improve on these previous efforts by incorporating a physical surrogate which is mirrored in the virtual environment, mitigating issues with difficulty of visually determining the interface location and lack of tactile feedback discovered in the development of previous efforts. The physical surrogate takes the form of a handheld sheet of acrylic glass with several infrared-range reflective markers and a sensor package attached. Using the sensor package to track orientation and a motion-capture system to track the marker positions, a model of the surrogate is placed in the virtual environment at a position which corresponds with the real-world location relative to the user's VR Head Mounted Display (HMD). A set of control mechanisms is then projected onto the surface of the surrogate such that to the user, immersed in VR, the control interface appears to be attached to the object they are holding. The VT project was taken from an early stage where the sensor package, motion-capture system, and physical surrogate had been constructed or tested individually but not yet combined or incorporated into the virtual environment. My contribution was to combine the pieces of hardware, write software to incorporate each piece of position or orientation data into a coherent description of the object's location in space, place the virtual analogue accordingly, and project the control interface onto it, resulting in a functioning object which has both a physical and a virtual presence. Additionally, the virtual environment was enhanced with two live video feeds from cameras mounted on the robotic device being used as an example target of the virtual interface. The working VT allows users to naturally interact with a control interface with little to no training and without the issues found in previous efforts.

Virtual Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammrs, Stephan R.

2008-01-01

Virtual Satellite (VirtualSat) is a computer program that creates an environment that facilitates the development, verification, and validation of flight software for a single spacecraft or for multiple spacecraft flying in formation. In this environment, enhanced functionality and autonomy of navigation, guidance, and control systems of a spacecraft are provided by a virtual satellite that is, a computational model that simulates the dynamic behavior of the spacecraft. Within this environment, it is possible to execute any associated software, the development of which could benefit from knowledge of, and possible interaction (typically, exchange of data) with, the virtual satellite. Examples of associated software include programs for simulating spacecraft power and thermal- management systems. This environment is independent of the flight hardware that will eventually host the flight software, making it possible to develop the software simultaneously with, or even before, the hardware is delivered. Optionally, by use of interfaces included in VirtualSat, hardware can be used instead of simulated. The flight software, coded in the C or C++ programming language, is compilable and loadable into VirtualSat without any special modifications. Thus, VirtualSat can serve as a relatively inexpensive software test-bed for development test, integration, and post-launch maintenance of spacecraft flight software.

Can hazard risk be communicated through a virtual experience?

PubMed

Mitchell, J T

1997-09-01

Cyberspace, defined by William Gibson as a consensual hallucination, now refers to all computer-generated interactive environments. Virtual reality, one of a class of interactive cyberspaces, allows us to create and interact directly with objects not available in the everyday world. Despite successes in the entertainment and aviation industries, this technology has been called a 'solution in search of a problem'. The purpose of this commentary is to suggest such a problem: the inability to acquire experience with a hazard to motivate mitigation. Direct experience with a hazard has been demonstrated as a powerful incentive to adopt mitigation measures. While we lack the ability to summon hazard events at will in order to gain access to that experience, a virtual environment can provide an arena where potential victims are exposed to a hazard's effects. Immersion as an active participant within the hazard event through virtual reality may stimulate users to undertake mitigation steps that might otherwise remain undone. This paper details the possible direction in which virtual reality may be applied to hazards mitigation through a discussion of the technology, the role of hazard experience, the creation of a hazard stimulation and the issues constraining implementation.

SIMPAVE : evaluation of virtual environments for pavement construction simulations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-05-01

In the last couple of years, the authors have been developing virtual simulations for modeling the construction of asphalt pavements. The simulations are graphically rich, interactive, three-dimensional, with realistic physics, and allow multiple peo...

Explore the virtual side of earth science

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1998-01-01

Scientists have always struggled to find an appropriate technology that could represent three-dimensional (3-D) data, facilitate dynamic analysis, and encourage on-the-fly interactivity. In the recent past, scientific visualization has increased the scientist's ability to visualize information, but it has not provided the interactive environment necessary for rapidly changing the model or for viewing the model in ways not predetermined by the visualization specialist. Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML 2.0) is a new environment for visualizing 3-D information spaces and is accessible through the Internet with current browser technologies. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are using VRML as a scientific visualization tool to help convey complex scientific concepts to various audiences. Kevin W. Laurent, computer scientist, and Maura J. Hogan, technical information specialist, have created a collection of VRML models available through the Internet at Virtual Earth Science (virtual.er.usgs.gov).

The ALIVE Project: Astronomy Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, K. C.; Sahami, K.; Denn, G.

2008-06-01

The Astronomy Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments (ALIVE) project seeks to discover learning modes and optimal teaching strategies using immersive virtual environments (VEs). VEs are computer-generated, three-dimensional environments that can be navigated to provide multiple perspectives. Immersive VEs provide the additional benefit of surrounding a viewer with the simulated reality. ALIVE evaluates the incorporation of an interactive, real-time ``virtual universe'' into formal college astronomy education. In the experiment, pre-course, post-course, and curriculum tests will be used to determine the efficacy of immersive visualizations presented in a digital planetarium versus the same visual simulations in the non-immersive setting of a normal classroom, as well as a control case using traditional classroom multimedia. To normalize for inter-instructor variability, each ALIVE instructor will teach at least one of each class in each of the three test groups.

Children's Perception of Gap Affordances: Bicycling Across Traffic-Filled Intersections in an Immersive Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plumert, Jodie M.; Kearney, Joseph K.; Cremer, James F.

2004-01-01

This study examined gap choices and crossing behavior in children and adults using an immersive, interactive bicycling simulator. Ten- and 12-year-olds and adults rode a bicycle mounted on a stationary trainer through a virtual environment consisting of a street with 6 intersections. Participants faced continuous cross traffic traveling at 25mph…

Using Learning Analytics to Identify Medical Student Misconceptions in an Online Virtual Patient Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poitras, Eric G.; Naismith, Laura M.; Doleck, Tenzin; Lajoie, Susanne P.

2016-01-01

This study aimed to identify misconceptions in medical student knowledge by mining user interactions in the MedU online learning environment. Data from 13000 attempts at a single virtual patient case were extracted from the MedU MySQL database. A subgroup discovery method was applied to identify patterns in learner-generated annotations and…

Why Some Teachers Easily Learn to Use a New Virtual Learning Environment: A Technology Acceptance Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienties, Bart; Giesbers, Bas; Lygo-Baker, Simon; Ma, Hoi Wah Serena; Rees, Roger

2016-01-01

After a decade of virtual learning environments (VLEs) in higher education, many teachers still use only a minimum of its affordances. This study looked at how academic staff interacted with a new and unknown VLE in order to understand how technology acceptance and support materials influence (perceived and actual) task performance. In an…

The Synergetic Effect of Learning Styles on the Interaction between Virtual Environments and the Enhancement of Spatial Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauptman, Hanoch; Cohen, Arie

2011-01-01

Students have difficulty learning 3D geometry; spatial thinking is an important aspect of the learning processes in this academic area. In light of the unique features of virtual environments and the influence of metacognitive processes (e.g., self-regulating questions) on the teaching of mathematics, we assumed that a combination of…

An optical brain computer interface for environmental control.

PubMed

Ayaz, Hasan; Shewokis, Patricia A; Bunce, Scott; Onaral, Banu

2011-01-01

A brain computer interface (BCI) is a system that translates neurophysiological signals detected from the brain to supply input to a computer or to control a device. Volitional control of neural activity and its real-time detection through neuroimaging modalities are key constituents of BCI systems. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a new BCI design that utilizes intention-related cognitive activity within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex using functional near infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy. fNIR is a noninvasive, safe, portable and affordable optical technique with which to monitor hemodynamic changes, in the brain's cerebral cortex. Because of its portability and ease of use, fNIR is amenable to deployment in ecologically valid natural working environments. We integrated a control paradigm in a computerized 3D virtual environment to augment interactivity. Ten healthy participants volunteered for a two day study in which they navigated a virtual environment with keyboard inputs, but were required to use the fNIR-BCI for interaction with virtual objects. Results showed that participants consistently utilized the fNIR-BCI with an overall success rate of 84% and volitionally increased their cerebral oxygenation level to trigger actions within the virtual environment.

An integrated pipeline to create and experience compelling scenarios in virtual reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Springer, Jan P.; Neumann, Carsten; Reiners, Dirk; Cruz-Neira, Carolina

2011-03-01

One of the main barriers to create and use compelling scenarios in virtual reality is the complexity and time-consuming efforts for modeling, element integration, and the software development to properly display and interact with the content in the available systems. Still today, most virtual reality applications are tedious to create and they are hard-wired to the specific display and interaction system available to the developers when creating the application. Furthermore, it is not possible to alter the content or the dynamics of the content once the application has been created. We present our research on designing a software pipeline that enables the creation of compelling scenarios with a fair degree of visual and interaction complexity in a semi-automated way. Specifically, we are targeting drivable urban scenarios, ranging from large cities to sparsely populated rural areas that incorporate both static components (e. g., houses, trees) and dynamic components (e. g., people, vehicles) as well as events, such as explosions or ambient noise. Our pipeline has four basic components. First, an environment designer, where users sketch the overall layout of the scenario, and an automated method constructs the 3D environment from the information in the sketch. Second, a scenario editor used for authoring the complete scenario, incorporate the dynamic elements and events, fine tune the automatically generated environment, define the execution conditions of the scenario, and set up any data gathering that may be necessary during the execution of the scenario. Third, a run-time environment for different virtual-reality systems provides users with the interactive experience as designed with the designer and the editor. And fourth, a bi-directional monitoring system that allows for capturing and modification of information from the virtual environment. One of the interesting capabilities of our pipeline is that scenarios can be built and modified on-the-fly as they are being presented in the virtual-reality systems. Users can quickly prototype the basic scene using the designer and the editor on a control workstation. More elements can then be introduced into the scene from both the editor and the virtual-reality display. In this manner, users are able to gradually increase the complexity of the scenario with immediate feedback. The main use of this pipeline is the rapid development of scenarios for human-factors studies. However, it is applicable in a much more general context.

Adaptive space warping to enhance passive haptics in an arthroscopy surgical simulator.

PubMed

Spillmann, Jonas; Tuchschmid, Stefan; Harders, Matthias

2013-04-01

Passive haptics, also known as tactile augmentation, denotes the use of a physical counterpart to a virtual environment to provide tactile feedback. Employing passive haptics can result in more realistic touch sensations than those from active force feedback, especially for rigid contacts. However, changes in the virtual environment would necessitate modifications of the physical counterparts. In recent work space warping has been proposed as one solution to overcome this limitation. In this technique virtual space is distorted such that a variety of virtual models can be mapped onto one single physical object. In this paper, we propose as an extension adaptive space warping; we show how this technique can be employed in a mixed-reality surgical training simulator in order to map different virtual patients onto one physical anatomical model. We developed methods to warp different organ geometries onto one physical mock-up, to handle different mechanical behaviors of the virtual patients, and to allow interactive modifications of the virtual structures, while the physical counterparts remain unchanged. Various practical examples underline the wide applicability of our approach. To the best of our knowledge this is the first practical usage of such a technique in the specific context of interactive medical training.

A Fully Immersive Set-Up for Remote Interaction and Neurorehabilitation Based on Virtual Body Ownership

PubMed Central

Perez-Marcos, Daniel; Solazzi, Massimiliano; Steptoe, William; Oyekoya, Oyewole; Frisoli, Antonio; Weyrich, Tim; Steed, Anthony; Tecchia, Franco; Slater, Mel; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V.

2012-01-01

Although telerehabilitation systems represent one of the most technologically appealing clinical solutions for the immediate future, they still present limitations that prevent their standardization. Here we propose an integrated approach that includes three key and novel factors: (a) fully immersive virtual environments, including virtual body representation and ownership; (b) multimodal interaction with remote people and virtual objects including haptic interaction; and (c) a physical representation of the patient at the hospital through embodiment agents (e.g., as a physical robot). The importance of secure and rapid communication between the nodes is also stressed and an example implemented solution is described. Finally, we discuss the proposed approach with reference to the existing literature and systems. PMID:22787454

CaveCAD: a tool for architectural design in immersive virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, Jürgen P.; Hughes, Cathleen E.; Zhang, Lelin; Edelstein, Eve; Macagno, Eduardo

2014-02-01

Existing 3D modeling tools were designed to run on desktop computers with monitor, keyboard and mouse. To make 3D modeling possible with mouse and keyboard, many 3D interactions, such as point placement or translations of geometry, had to be mapped to the 2D parameter space of the mouse, possibly supported by mouse buttons or keyboard keys. We hypothesize that had the designers of these existing systems had been able to assume immersive virtual reality systems as their target platforms, they would have been able to design 3D interactions much more intuitively. In collaboration with professional architects, we created a simple, but complete 3D modeling tool for virtual environments from the ground up and use direct 3D interaction wherever possible and adequate. In this publication, we present our approaches for interactions for typical 3D modeling functions, such as geometry creation, modification of existing geometry, and assignment of surface materials. We also discuss preliminary user experiences with this system.

Distributed interactive virtual environments for collaborative experiential learning and training independent of distance over Internet2.

PubMed

Alverson, Dale C; Saiki, Stanley M; Jacobs, Joshua; Saland, Linda; Keep, Marcus F; Norenberg, Jeffrey; Baker, Rex; Nakatsu, Curtis; Kalishman, Summers; Lindberg, Marlene; Wax, Diane; Mowafi, Moad; Summers, Kenneth L; Holten, James R; Greenfield, John A; Aalseth, Edward; Nickles, David; Sherstyuk, Andrei; Haines, Karen; Caudell, Thomas P

2004-01-01

Medical knowledge and skills essential for tomorrow's healthcare professionals continue to change faster than ever before creating new demands in medical education. Project TOUCH (Telehealth Outreach for Unified Community Health) has been developing methods to enhance learning by coupling innovations in medical education with advanced technology in high performance computing and next generation Internet2 embedded in virtual reality environments (VRE), artificial intelligence and experiential active learning. Simulations have been used in education and training to allow learners to make mistakes safely in lieu of real-life situations, learn from those mistakes and ultimately improve performance by subsequent avoidance of those mistakes. Distributed virtual interactive environments are used over distance to enable learning and participation in dynamic, problem-based, clinical, artificial intelligence rules-based, virtual simulations. The virtual reality patient is programmed to dynamically change over time and respond to the manipulations by the learner. Participants are fully immersed within the VRE platform using a head-mounted display and tracker system. Navigation, locomotion and handling of objects are accomplished using a joy-wand. Distribution is managed via the Internet2 Access Grid using point-to-point or multi-casting connectivity through which the participants can interact. Medical students in Hawaii and New Mexico (NM) participated collaboratively in problem solving and managing of a simulated patient with a closed head injury in VRE; dividing tasks, handing off objects, and functioning as a team. Students stated that opportunities to make mistakes and repeat actions in the VRE were extremely helpful in learning specific principles. VRE created higher performance expectations and some anxiety among VRE users. VRE orientation was adequate but students needed time to adapt and practice in order to improve efficiency. This was also demonstrated successfully between Western Australia and UNM. We successfully demonstrated the ability to fully immerse participants in a distributed virtual environment independent of distance for collaborative team interaction in medical simulation designed for education and training. The ability to make mistakes in a safe environment is well received by students and has a positive impact on their understanding, as well as memory of the principles involved in correcting those mistakes. Bringing people together as virtual teams for interactive experiential learning and collaborative training, independent of distance, provides a platform for distributed "just-in-time" training, performance assessment and credentialing. Further validation is necessary to determine the potential value of the distributed VRE in knowledge transfer, improved future performance and should entail training participants to competence in using these tools.

Grip force control during virtual object interaction: effect of force feedback,accuracy demands, and training.

PubMed

Gibo, Tricia L; Bastian, Amy J; Okamura, Allison M

2014-03-01

When grasping and manipulating objects, people are able to efficiently modulate their grip force according to the experienced load force. Effective grip force control involves providing enough grip force to prevent the object from slipping, while avoiding excessive force to avoid damage and fatigue. During indirect object manipulation via teleoperation systems or in virtual environments, users often receive limited somatosensory feedback about objects with which they interact. This study examines the effects of force feedback, accuracy demands, and training on grip force control during object interaction in a virtual environment. The task required subjects to grasp and move a virtual object while tracking a target. When force feedback was not provided, subjects failed to couple grip and load force, a capability fundamental to direct object interaction. Subjects also exerted larger grip force without force feedback and when accuracy demands of the tracking task were high. In addition, the presence or absence of force feedback during training affected subsequent performance, even when the feedback condition was switched. Subjects' grip force control remained reminiscent of their employed grip during the initial training. These results motivate the use of force feedback during telemanipulation and highlight the effect of force feedback during training.

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior.

PubMed

Ploydanai, Kunalai; van den Puttelaar, Jos; van Herpen, Erica; van Trijp, Hans

2017-07-24

People's responses to products and/or choice environments are crucial to understanding in-store consumer behaviors. Currently, there are various approaches (e.g., surveys or laboratory settings) to study in-store behaviors, but the external validity of these is limited by their poor capability to resemble realistic choice environments. In addition, building a real store to meet experimental conditions while controlling for undesirable effects is costly and highly difficult. A virtual store developed by virtual reality techniques potentially transcends these limitations by offering the simulation of a 3D virtual store environment in a realistic, flexible, and cost-efficient way. In particular, a virtual store interactively allows consumers (participants) to experience and interact with objects in a tightly controlled yet realistic setting. This paper presents the key elements of using a desktop virtual store to study in-store consumer behavior. Descriptions of the protocol steps to: 1) build the experimental store, 2) prepare the data management program, 3) run the virtual store experiment, and 4) organize and export data from the data management program are presented. The virtual store enables participants to navigate through the store, choose a product from alternatives, and select or return products. Moreover, consumer-related shopping behaviors (e.g., shopping time, walking speed, and number and type of products examined and bought) can also be collected. The protocol is illustrated with an example of a store layout experiment showing that shelf length and shelf orientation influence shopping- and movement-related behaviors. This demonstrates that the use of a virtual store facilitates the study of consumer responses. The virtual store can be especially helpful when examining factors that are costly or difficult to change in real life (e.g., overall store layout), products that are not presently available in the market, and routinized behaviors in familiar environments.

A collaborative interaction and visualization multi-modal environment for surgical planning.

PubMed

Foo, Jung Leng; Martinez-Escobar, Marisol; Peloquin, Catherine; Lobe, Thom; Winer, Eliot

2009-01-01

The proliferation of virtual reality visualization and interaction technologies has changed the way medical image data is analyzed and processed. This paper presents a multi-modal environment that combines a virtual reality application with a desktop application for collaborative surgical planning. Both visualization applications can function independently but can also be synced over a network connection for collaborative work. Any changes to either application is immediately synced and updated to the other. This is an efficient collaboration tool that allows multiple teams of doctors with only an internet connection to visualize and interact with the same patient data simultaneously. With this multi-modal environment framework, one team working in the VR environment and another team from a remote location working on a desktop machine can both collaborate in the examination and discussion for procedures such as diagnosis, surgical planning, teaching and tele-mentoring.

[Virtual + 1] * Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckhaus, Steffi

Virtual Reality aims at creating an artificial environment that can be perceived as a substitute to a real setting. Much effort in research and development goes into the creation of virtual environments that in their majority are perceivable only by eyes and hands. The multisensory nature of our perception, however, allows and, arguably, also expects more than that. As long as we are not able to simulate and deliver a fully sensory believable virtual environment to a user, we could make use of the fully sensory, multi-modal nature of real objects to fill in for this deficiency. The idea is to purposefully integrate real artifacts into the application and interaction, instead of dismissing anything real as hindering the virtual experience. The term virtual reality - denoting the goal, not the technology - shifts from a core virtual reality to an “enriched” reality, technologically encompassing both the computer generated and the real, physical artifacts. Together, either simultaneously or in a hybrid way, real and virtual jointly provide stimuli that are perceived by users through their senses and are later formed into an experience by the user's mind.

Evaluation of Distance Course Effectiveness - Exploring the Quality of Interactive Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botelho, Francisco Villa Ulhôa; Vicari, Rosa Maria

Understanding the dynamics of learning processes implies an understanding of their components: individuals, environment or context and mediation. It is known that distance learning (DL) has a distinctive characteristic in relation to the mediation component. Due to the need of overcoming the barriers of distance and time, DL intensively uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to perform interactive processes. Construction of effective learning environments depends on human relationships. It also depends on the emotionality placed on such relationships. Therefore, knowing how to act in virtual environments in the sense of creating the required ambiance for animation of learning processes has a unique importance. This is the theme of this study. Its general objectives were achieved and can be summarized as follows: analyze indexes that are significant for evaluations of distance course effectiveness; investigate to which extent effectiveness of DL courses is correlated with quality of interactive processes; search characteristics of the conversations by individuals interacting in study groups that are formed in virtual environments, which may contribute to effectiveness of distance courses.

Using CLIPS to represent knowledge in a VR simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelberg, Mark L.

1994-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) is an exciting use of advanced hardware and software technologies to achieve an immersive simulation. Until recently, the majority of virtual environments were merely 'fly-throughs' in which a user could freely explore a 3-dimensional world or a visualized dataset. Now that the underlying technologies are reaching a level of maturity, programmers are seeking ways to increase the complexity and interactivity of immersive simulations. In most cases, interactivity in a virtual environment can be specified in the form 'whenever such-and-such happens to object X, it reacts in the following manner.' CLIPS and COOL provide a simple and elegant framework for representing this knowledge-base in an efficient manner that can be extended incrementally. The complexity of a detailed simulation becomes more manageable when the control flow is governed by CLIPS' rule-based inference engine as opposed to by traditional procedural mechanisms. Examples in this paper will illustrate an effective way to represent VR information in CLIPS, and to tie this knowledge base to the input and output C routines of a typical virtual environment.

Surgical model-view-controller simulation software framework for local and collaborative applications

PubMed Central

Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Halic, Tansel; Arikatla, Venkata Sreekanth; Lu, Zhonghua; De, Suvranu

2010-01-01

Purpose Surgical simulations require haptic interactions and collaboration in a shared virtual environment. A software framework for decoupled surgical simulation based on a multi-controller and multi-viewer model-view-controller (MVC) pattern was developed and tested. Methods A software framework for multimodal virtual environments was designed, supporting both visual interactions and haptic feedback while providing developers with an integration tool for heterogeneous architectures maintaining high performance, simplicity of implementation, and straightforward extension. The framework uses decoupled simulation with updates of over 1,000 Hz for haptics and accommodates networked simulation with delays of over 1,000 ms without performance penalty. Results The simulation software framework was implemented and was used to support the design of virtual reality-based surgery simulation systems. The framework supports the high level of complexity of such applications and the fast response required for interaction with haptics. The efficacy of the framework was tested by implementation of a minimally invasive surgery simulator. Conclusion A decoupled simulation approach can be implemented as a framework to handle simultaneous processes of the system at the various frame rates each process requires. The framework was successfully used to develop collaborative virtual environments (VEs) involving geographically distributed users connected through a network, with the results comparable to VEs for local users. PMID:20714933

Surgical model-view-controller simulation software framework for local and collaborative applications.

PubMed

Maciel, Anderson; Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Halic, Tansel; Arikatla, Venkata Sreekanth; Lu, Zhonghua; De, Suvranu

2011-07-01

Surgical simulations require haptic interactions and collaboration in a shared virtual environment. A software framework for decoupled surgical simulation based on a multi-controller and multi-viewer model-view-controller (MVC) pattern was developed and tested. A software framework for multimodal virtual environments was designed, supporting both visual interactions and haptic feedback while providing developers with an integration tool for heterogeneous architectures maintaining high performance, simplicity of implementation, and straightforward extension. The framework uses decoupled simulation with updates of over 1,000 Hz for haptics and accommodates networked simulation with delays of over 1,000 ms without performance penalty. The simulation software framework was implemented and was used to support the design of virtual reality-based surgery simulation systems. The framework supports the high level of complexity of such applications and the fast response required for interaction with haptics. The efficacy of the framework was tested by implementation of a minimally invasive surgery simulator. A decoupled simulation approach can be implemented as a framework to handle simultaneous processes of the system at the various frame rates each process requires. The framework was successfully used to develop collaborative virtual environments (VEs) involving geographically distributed users connected through a network, with the results comparable to VEs for local users.

Physical Models and Virtual Reality Simulators in Otolaryngology.

PubMed

Javia, Luv; Sardesai, Maya G

2017-10-01

The increasing role of simulation in the medical education of future otolaryngologists has followed suit with other surgical disciplines. Simulators make it possible for the resident to explore and learn in a safe and less stressful environment. The various subspecialties in otolaryngology use physical simulators and virtual-reality simulators. Although physical simulators allow the operator to make direct contact with its components, virtual-reality simulators allow the operator to interact with an environment that is computer generated. This article gives an overview of the various types of physical simulators and virtual-reality simulators used in otolaryngology that have been reported in the literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Effects of Immersive Embodied Interaction on Cognition in Virtual Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmar, Dhaval

Virtual reality is on its advent of becoming mainstream household technology, as technologies such as head-mounted displays, trackers, and interaction devices are becoming affordable and easily available. Virtual reality (VR) has immense potential in enhancing the fields of education and training, and its power can be used to spark interest and enthusiasm among learners. It is, therefore, imperative to evaluate the risks and benefits that immersive virtual reality poses to the field of education. Research suggests that learning is an embodied process. Learning depends on grounded aspects of the body including action, perception, and interactions with the environment. This research aims to study if immersive embodiment through the means of virtual reality facilitates embodied cognition. A pedagogical VR solution which takes advantage of embodied cognition can lead to enhanced learning benefits. Towards achieving this goal, this research presents a linear continuum for immersive embodied interaction within virtual reality. This research evaluates the effects of three levels of immersive embodied interactions on cognitive thinking, presence, usability, and satisfaction among users in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Results from the presented experiments show that immersive virtual reality is greatly effective in knowledge acquisition and retention, and highly enhances user satisfaction, interest and enthusiasm. Users experience high levels of presence and are profoundly engaged in the learning activities within the immersive virtual environments. The studies presented in this research evaluate pedagogical VR software to train and motivate students in STEM education, and provide an empirical analysis comparing desktop VR (DVR), immersive VR (IVR), and immersive embodied VR (IEVR) conditions for learning. This research also proposes a fully immersive embodied interaction metaphor (IEIVR) for learning of computational concepts as a future direction, and presents the challenges faced in implementing the IEIVR metaphor due to extended periods of immersion. Results from the conducted studies help in formulating guidelines for virtual reality and education researchers working in STEM education and training, and for educators and curriculum developers seeking to improve student engagement in the STEM fields.

Introduction to Virtual Reality in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dede, Chris

2009-01-01

As an emerging technology for learning, virtual reality (VR) dates back four decades, to early work by Ivan Sutherland in the late 1960s. At long last, interactive media are emerging that offer the promise of VR in everyday settings. Quasi-VR already is commonplace in 2-1/2-D virtual environments like Second Life and in massively multiplayer…

An Intelligent Crawler for a Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eno, Joshua

2010-01-01

Virtual worlds, which allow users to create and interact with content in a 3D, multi-user environment, growing and becoming more integrated with the traditional flat web. However, little is empirically known about the content users create in virtual world and how it can be indexed and searched effectively. In order to gain a better understanding…

Effects of Pedagogical Agent Gestures on Social Acceptance and Learning: Virtual Real Relationships in an Elementary Foreign Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Robert; Antonenko, Pavlo

2017-01-01

Pedagogical agents (PAs) are lifelike characters in virtual environments that help facilitate learning through social interactions and the virtual real relationships with the learners. This study explored whether and how PA gesture design impacts learning and agent social acceptance when used with elementary students learning foreign language…

Using Virtual Worlds in Education: Second Life[R] as an Educational Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Suzanne C.; Wentz, Ryan K.; Woods, Madison M.

2009-01-01

The online virtual world Second Life (www.secondlife.com) has multiple potential uses in teaching. In Second Life (SL), users create avatars that represent them in the virtual world. Within SL, avatars can interact with each other and with objects and environments. SL offers tremendous creative potential in that users can create content within the…

Enhance Learning on Software Project Management through a Role-Play Game in a Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maratou, Vicky; Chatzidaki, Eleni; Xenos, Michalis

2016-01-01

This article presents a role-play game for software project management (SPM) in a three-dimensional online multiuser virtual world. The Opensimulator platform is used for the creation of an immersive virtual environment that facilitates students' collaboration and realistic interaction, in order to manage unexpected events occurring during the…

Teaching Physics to Deaf College Students in a 3-D Virtual Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Vicki

2013-01-01

Virtual worlds are used in many educational and business applications. At the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT), deaf college students are introduced to the virtual world of Second Life, which is a 3-D immersive, interactive environment, accessed through computer software. NTID students use…

L2 Immersion in 3D Virtual Worlds: The Next Thing to Being There?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paillat, Edith

2014-01-01

Second Life is one of the many three-dimensional virtual environments accessible through a computer and a fast broadband connection. Thousands of participants connect to this platform to interact virtually with the world, join international communities of practice and, for some, role play groups. Unlike online role play games however, Second Life…

The Use of Virtual Reality for Creating Unusual Environmental Stimulation to Motivate Students to Explore Creative Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Kung Wong; Lee, Pui Yuen

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the roles of simulation in creativity education and how to apply immersive virtual environments to enhance students' learning experiences in university, through the provision of interactive simulations. An empirical study of a simulated virtual reality was carried out in order to investigate the effectiveness of providing…

Virtual First Impressions Matter: The Effect of Social Networking Sites on Impression Formation in Virtual Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummings, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

The introduction of social media has changed the way individuals communicate and collaborate both within and outside the organization. While social media has the potential to change how organizations interact internally, minimal research has examined the impact this media may have within a virtual team environment. This dissertation examines a…

3D multiplayer virtual pets game using Google Card Board

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herumurti, Darlis; Riskahadi, Dimas; Kuswardayan, Imam

2017-08-01

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology which allows user to interact with the virtual environment. This virtual environment is generated and simulated by computer. This technology can make user feel the sensation when they are in the virtual environment. The VR technology provides real virtual environment view for user and it is not viewed from screen. But it needs another additional device to show the view of virtual environment. This device is known as Head Mounted Device (HMD). Oculust Rift and Microsoft Hololens are the most famous HMD devices used in VR. And in 2014, Google Card Board was introduced at Google I/O developers conference. Google Card Board is VR platform which allows user to enjoy the VR with simple and cheap way. In this research, we explore Google Card Board to develop simulation game of raising pet. The Google Card Board is used to create view for the VR environment. The view and control in VR environment is built using Unity game engine. And the simulation process is designed using Finite State Machine (FSM). This FSM can help to design the process clearly. So the simulation process can describe the simulation of raising pet well. Raising pet is fun activity. But sometimes, there are many conditions which cause raising pet become difficult to do, i.e. environment condition, disease, high cost, etc. this research aims to explore and implement Google Card Board in simulation of raising pet.

3D Sound Interactive Environments for Blind Children Problem Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Jaime; Saenz, Mauricio

2006-01-01

Audio-based virtual environments have been increasingly used to foster cognitive and learning skills. A number of studies have also highlighted that the use of technology can help learners to develop effective skills such as motivation and self-esteem. This study presents the design and usability of 3D interactive environments for children with…

Rehabilitation Program Integrating Virtual Environment to Improve Orientation and Mobility Skills for People Who Are Blind

PubMed Central

Lahav, Orly; Schloerb, David W.; Srinivasan, Mandayam A.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the integration of a virtual environment (BlindAid) in an orientation and mobility rehabilitation program as a training aid for people who are blind. BlindAid allows the users to interact with different virtual structures and objects through auditory and haptic feedback. This research explores if and how use of the BlindAid in conjunction with a rehabilitation program can help people who are blind train themselves in familiar and unfamiliar spaces. The study, focused on nine participants who were congenitally, adventitiously, and newly blind, during their orientation and mobility rehabilitation program at the Carroll Center for the Blind (Newton, Massachusetts, USA). The research was implemented using virtual environment (VE) exploration tasks and orientation tasks in virtual environments and real spaces. The methodology encompassed both qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, a questionnaire, videotape recording, and user computer logs. The results demonstrated that the BlindAid training gave participants additional time to explore the virtual environment systematically. Secondly, it helped elucidate several issues concerning the potential strengths of the BlindAid system as a training aid for orientation and mobility for both adults and teenagers who are congenitally, adventitiously, and newly blind. PMID:25284952

Telemedicine and pediatric radiology: a new environment for training, learning, and interactive discussions.

PubMed

Monteiro, Alexandra M V; Corrêa, Diogo Goulart; Santos, Alair Augusto Sarmet M D; Cavalcanti, Silvio A; Sakuno, Telma; Filgueiras, Tereza; Just, Eduardo; Santos, Munique; Messina, Luiz Ary; Haddad, Ana Estela; Marchiori, Edson

2011-12-01

To report the experience of the Brazilian Program of Pediatric Teleradiology in combining teleconferencing and a virtual learning environment for services integration, collaborative research, and continuing education in pediatric radiology. We performed virtual meetings from March 2005 to October 2010 on pediatric radiology-related themes, using a combination of videoconferences and Web conferences, which were recorded and made available in an open-source software (Moodle) for reuse. We performed 58 virtual sessions: 29 anatomical-clinical-radiological sessions, 28 on upgrading themes, and 1 virtual symposium. The average of connected points was 12 by videoconference and 39 by Web conference, and of 450 participants per event. At the time of this writing, 318 physicians and students are registered in the virtual learning environment, with a total of 14,678 accesses. Telemedicine is being included in pediatric radiology practice, as a means for distance education, training, and continuing integration between groups.

Exploring the Social Competence of Students with Autism Spectrum Conditions in a Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment--The Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Yufang; Ye, Jun

2010-01-01

Social reciprocity deficits are a core feature of the autism spectrum conditions (ASCs). Many individual with ASCs have difficulty with social interaction due to a frequent lack of social competence. This study focuses on using a virtual learning environment to help the deficiencies of social competence for people with ASCs, and to increase their…

Dynamic shared state maintenance in distributed virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamza-Lup, Felix George

Advances in computer networks and rendering systems facilitate the creation of distributed collaborative environments in which the distribution of information at remote locations allows efficient communication. Particularly challenging are distributed interactive Virtual Environments (VE) that allow knowledge sharing through 3D information. The purpose of this work is to address the problem of latency in distributed interactive VE and to develop a conceptual model for consistency maintenance in these environments based on the participant interaction model. An area that needs to be explored is the relationship between the dynamic shared state and the interaction with the virtual entities present in the shared scene. Mixed Reality (MR) and VR environments must bring the human participant interaction into the loop through a wide range of electronic motion sensors, and haptic devices. Part of the work presented here defines a novel criterion for categorization of distributed interactive VE and introduces, as well as analyzes, an adaptive synchronization algorithm for consistency maintenance in such environments. As part of the work, a distributed interactive Augmented Reality (AR) testbed and the algorithm implementation details are presented. Currently the testbed is part of several research efforts at the Optical Diagnostics and Applications Laboratory including 3D visualization applications using custom built head-mounted displays (HMDs) with optical motion tracking and a medical training prototype for endotracheal intubation and medical prognostics. An objective method using quaternion calculus is applied for the algorithm assessment. In spite of significant network latency, results show that the dynamic shared state can be maintained consistent at multiple remotely located sites. In further consideration of the latency problems and in the light of the current trends in interactive distributed VE applications, we propose a hybrid distributed system architecture for sensor-based distributed VE that has the potential to improve the system real-time behavior and scalability. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

VERDEX: A virtual environment demonstrator for remote driving applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Robert J.

1991-01-01

One of the key areas of the National Advanced Robotics Centre's enabling technologies research program is that of the human system interface, phase 1 of which started in July 1989 and is currently addressing the potential of virtual environments to permit intuitive and natural interactions between a human operator and a remote robotic vehicle. The aim of the first 12 months of this program (to September, 1990) is to develop a virtual human-interface demonstrator for use later as a test bed for human factors experimentation. This presentation will describe the current state of development of the test bed, and will outline some human factors issues and problems for more general discussion. In brief, the virtual telepresence system for remote driving has been designed to take the following form. The human operator will be provided with a helmet-mounted stereo display assembly, facilities for speech recognition and synthesis (using the Marconi Macrospeak system), and a VPL DataGlove Model 2 unit. The vehicle to be used for the purposes of remote driving is a Cybermotion Navmaster K2A system, which will be equipped with a stereo camera and microphone pair, mounted on a motorized high-speed pan-and-tilt head incorporating a closed-loop laser ranging sensor for camera convergence control (currently under contractual development). It will be possible to relay information to and from the vehicle and sensory system via an umbilical or RF link. The aim is to develop an interactive audio-visual display system capable of presenting combined stereo TV pictures and virtual graphics windows, the latter featuring control representations appropriate for vehicle driving and interaction using a graphical 'hand,' slaved to the flex and tracking sensors of the DataGlove and an additional helmet-mounted Polhemus IsoTrack sensor. Developments planned for the virtual environment test bed include transfer of operator control between remote driving and remote manipulation, dexterous end effector integration, virtual force and tactile sensing (also the focus of a current ARRL contract, initially employing a 14-pneumatic bladder glove attachment), and sensor-driven world modeling for total virtual environment generation and operator-assistance in remote scene interrogation.

Virtual Jupiter - Real Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzhitskaya, Lanika; Speck, A.; Laffey, J.

2010-01-01

How many earthlings went to visit Jupiter? None. How many students visited virtual Jupiter to fulfill their introductory astronomy courses’ requirements? Within next six months over 100 students from University of Missouri will get a chance to explore the planet and its Galilean Moons using a 3D virtual environment created especially for them to learn Kepler's and Newton's laws, eclipses, parallax, and other concepts in astronomy. The virtual world of Jupiter system is a unique 3D environment that allows students to learn course material - physical laws and concepts in astronomy - while engaging them into exploration of the Jupiter's system, encouraging their imagination, curiosity, and motivation. The virtual learning environment let students to work individually or collaborate with their teammates. The 3D world is also a great opportunity for research in astronomy education to investigate impact of social interaction, gaming features, and use of manipulatives offered by a learning tool on students’ motivation and learning outcomes. Use of 3D environment is also a valuable source for exploration of how the learners’ spatial awareness can be enhanced by working in 3-dimensional environment.

Virtual Tissues and Developmental Systems Biology (book chapter)

EPA Science Inventory

Virtual tissue (VT) models provide an in silico environment to simulate cross-scale properties in specific tissues or organs based on knowledge of the underlying biological networks. These integrative models capture the fundamental interactions in a biological system and enable ...

Enhancing Navigation Skills through Audio Gaming.

PubMed

Sánchez, Jaime; Sáenz, Mauricio; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Merabet, Lotfi

2010-01-01

We present the design, development and initial cognitive evaluation of an Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES). This software allows a blind user to navigate through a virtual representation of a real space for the purposes of training orientation and mobility skills. Our findings indicate that users feel satisfied and self-confident when interacting with the audio-based interface, and the embedded sounds allow them to correctly orient themselves and navigate within the virtual world. Furthermore, users are able to transfer spatial information acquired through virtual interactions into real world navigation and problem solving tasks.

Enhancing Navigation Skills through Audio Gaming

PubMed Central

Sánchez, Jaime; Sáenz, Mauricio; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Merabet, Lotfi

2014-01-01

We present the design, development and initial cognitive evaluation of an Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES). This software allows a blind user to navigate through a virtual representation of a real space for the purposes of training orientation and mobility skills. Our findings indicate that users feel satisfied and self-confident when interacting with the audio-based interface, and the embedded sounds allow them to correctly orient themselves and navigate within the virtual world. Furthermore, users are able to transfer spatial information acquired through virtual interactions into real world navigation and problem solving tasks. PMID:25505796

Virtual environment display for a 3D audio room simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapin, William L.; Foster, Scott

1992-06-01

Recent developments in virtual 3D audio and synthetic aural environments have produced a complex acoustical room simulation. The acoustical simulation models a room with walls, ceiling, and floor of selected sound reflecting/absorbing characteristics and unlimited independent localizable sound sources. This non-visual acoustic simulation, implemented with 4 audio ConvolvotronsTM by Crystal River Engineering and coupled to the listener with a Poihemus IsotrakTM, tracking the listener's head position and orientation, and stereo headphones returning binaural sound, is quite compelling to most listeners with eyes closed. This immersive effect should be reinforced when properly integrated into a full, multi-sensory virtual environment presentation. This paper discusses the design of an interactive, visual virtual environment, complementing the acoustic model and specified to: 1) allow the listener to freely move about the space, a room of manipulable size, shape, and audio character, while interactively relocating the sound sources; 2) reinforce the listener's feeling of telepresence into the acoustical environment with visual and proprioceptive sensations; 3) enhance the audio with the graphic and interactive components, rather than overwhelm or reduce it; and 4) serve as a research testbed and technology transfer demonstration. The hardware/software design of two demonstration systems, one installed and one portable, are discussed through the development of four iterative configurations. The installed system implements a head-coupled, wide-angle, stereo-optic tracker/viewer and multi-computer simulation control. The portable demonstration system implements a head-mounted wide-angle, stereo-optic display, separate head and pointer electro-magnetic position trackers, a heterogeneous parallel graphics processing system, and object oriented C++ program code.

Advanced Maintenance Simulation by Means of Hand-Based Haptic Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nappi, Michele; Paolino, Luca; Ricciardi, Stefano; Sebillo, Monica; Vitiello, Giuliana

Aerospace industry has been involved in virtual simulation for design and testing since the birth of virtual reality. Today this industry is showing a growing interest in the development of haptic-based maintenance training applications, which represent the most advanced way to simulate maintenance and repair tasks within a virtual environment by means of a visual-haptic approach. The goal is to allow the trainee to experiment the service procedures not only as a workflow reproduced at a visual level but also in terms of the kinaesthetic feedback involved with the manipulation of tools and components. This study, conducted in collaboration with aerospace industry specialists, is aimed to the development of an immersive virtual capable of immerging the trainees into a virtual environment where mechanics and technicians can perform maintenance simulation or training tasks by directly manipulating 3D virtual models of aircraft parts while perceiving force feedback through the haptic interface. The proposed system is based on ViRstperson, a virtual reality engine under development at the Italian Center for Aerospace Research (CIRA) to support engineering and technical activities such as design-time maintenance procedure validation, and maintenance training. This engine has been extended to support haptic-based interaction, enabling a more complete level of interaction, also in terms of impedance control, and thus fostering the development of haptic knowledge in the user. The user’s “sense of touch” within the immersive virtual environment is simulated through an Immersion CyberForce® hand-based force-feedback device. Preliminary testing of the proposed system seems encouraging.

Research on Intelligent Synthesis Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.; Lobeck, William E.

2002-01-01

Four research activities related to Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) have been performed under this grant. The four activities are: 1) non-deterministic approaches that incorporate technologies such as intelligent software agents, visual simulations and other ISE technologies; 2) virtual labs that leverage modeling, simulation and information technologies to create an immersive, highly interactive virtual environment tailored to the needs of researchers and learners; 3) advanced learning modules that incorporate advanced instructional, user interface and intelligent agent technologies; and 4) assessment and continuous improvement of engineering team effectiveness in distributed collaborative environments.

Research on Intelligent Synthesis Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Ahmed K.; Loftin, R. Bowen

2002-12-01

Four research activities related to Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) have been performed under this grant. The four activities are: 1) non-deterministic approaches that incorporate technologies such as intelligent software agents, visual simulations and other ISE technologies; 2) virtual labs that leverage modeling, simulation and information technologies to create an immersive, highly interactive virtual environment tailored to the needs of researchers and learners; 3) advanced learning modules that incorporate advanced instructional, user interface and intelligent agent technologies; and 4) assessment and continuous improvement of engineering team effectiveness in distributed collaborative environments.

Real-time, interactive, visually updated simulator system for telepresence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schebor, Frederick S.; Turney, Jerry L.; Marzwell, Neville I.

1991-01-01

Time delays and limited sensory feedback of remote telerobotic systems tend to disorient teleoperators and dramatically decrease the operator's performance. To remove the effects of time delays, key components were designed and developed of a prototype forward simulation subsystem, the Global-Local Environment Telerobotic Simulator (GLETS) that buffers the operator from the remote task. GLETS totally immerses an operator in a real-time, interactive, simulated, visually updated artificial environment of the remote telerobotic site. Using GLETS, the operator will, in effect, enter into a telerobotic virtual reality and can easily form a gestalt of the virtual 'local site' that matches the operator's normal interactions with the remote site. In addition to use in space based telerobotics, GLETS, due to its extendable architecture, can also be used in other teleoperational environments such as toxic material handling, construction, and undersea exploration.

Immersive virtual reality improves movement patterns in patients after ACL reconstruction: implications for enhanced criteria-based return-to-sport rehabilitation.

PubMed

Gokeler, Alli; Bisschop, Marsha; Myer, Gregory D; Benjaminse, Anne; Dijkstra, Pieter U; van Keeken, Helco G; van Raay, Jos J A M; Burgerhof, Johannes G M; Otten, Egbert

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of immersion in a virtual reality environment on knee biomechanics in patients after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). It was hypothesized that virtual reality techniques aimed to change attentional focus would influence altered knee flexion angle, knee extension moment and peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) in patients following ACLR. Twenty athletes following ACLR and 20 healthy controls (CTRL) performed a step-down task in both a non-virtual reality environment and a virtual reality environment displaying a pedestrian traffic scene. A motion analysis system and force plates were used to measure kinematics and kinetics during a step-down task to analyse each single-leg landing. A significant main effect was found for environment for knee flexion excursion (P = n.s.). Significant interaction differences were found between environment and groups for vGRF (P = 0.004), knee moment (P < 0.001), knee angle at peak vGRF (P = 0.01) and knee flexion excursion (P = 0.03). There was larger effect of virtual reality environment on knee biomechanics in patients after ACLR compared with controls. Patients after ACLR immersed in virtual reality environment demonstrated knee joint biomechanics that approximate those of CTRL. The results of this study indicate that a realistic virtual reality scenario may distract patients after ACLR from conscious motor control. Application of clinically available technology may aid in current rehabilitation programmes to target altered movement patterns after ACLR. Diagnostic study, Level III.

Modeling the C. elegans nematode and its environment using a particle system.

PubMed

Rönkkö, Mauno; Wong, Garry

2008-07-21

A particle system, as understood in computer science, is a novel technique for modeling living organisms in their environment. Such particle systems have traditionally been used for modeling the complex dynamics of fluids and gases. In the present study, a particle system was devised to model the movement and feeding behavior of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in three different virtual environments: gel, liquid, and soil. The results demonstrate that distinct movements of the nematode can be attributed to its mechanical interactions with the virtual environment. These results also revealed emergent properties associated with modeling organisms within environment-based systems.

ICCE/ICCAI 2000 Full & Short Papers (Interactive Learning Environments).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2000

This document contains the full and short papers on interactive learning environments from ICCE/ICCAI 2000 (International Conference on Computers in Education/International Conference on Computer-Assisted Instruction) covering the following topics: a CAL system for appreciation of 3D shapes by surface development; a constructivist virtual physics…

Design Concerns in the Engineering of Virtual Worlds for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapanotti, Lucia; Hall, Jon G.

2011-01-01

The convergence of 3D simulation and social networking into current multi-user virtual environments has opened the door to new forms of interaction for learning in order to complement the face-to-face and Web 2.0-based systems. Yet, despite a growing user community, design knowledge for virtual worlds remains patchy, particularly when it comes to…

Virtual Environments for People Who Are Visually Impaired Integrated into an Orientation and Mobility Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahav, Orly; Schloerb, David W.; Srinivasan, Mandayam A.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The BlindAid, a virtual system developed for orientation and mobility (O&M) training of people who are blind or have low vision, allows interaction with different virtual components (structures and objects) via auditory and haptic feedback. This research examined if and how the BlindAid that was integrated within an O&M…

Emerging Conceptual Understanding of Complex Astronomical Phenomena by Using a Virtual Solar System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gazit, Elhanan; Yair, Yoav; Chen, David

2005-01-01

This study describes high school students' conceptual development of the basic astronomical phenomena during real-time interactions with a Virtual Solar System (VSS). The VSS is a non-immersive virtual environment which has a dynamic frame of reference that can be altered by the user. Ten 10th grade students were given tasks containing a set of…

The Selimiye Mosque of Edirne, Turkey - AN Immersive and Interactive Virtual Reality Experience Using Htc Vive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kersten, T. P.; Büyüksalih, G.; Tschirschwitz, F.; Kan, T.; Deggim, S.; Kaya, Y.; Baskaraca, A. P.

2017-05-01

Recent advances in contemporary Virtual Reality (VR) technologies are going to have a significant impact on veryday life. Through VR it is possible to virtually explore a computer-generated environment as a different reality, and to immerse oneself into the past or in a virtual museum without leaving the current real-life situation. For such the ultimate VR experience, the user should only see the virtual world. Currently, the user must wear a VR headset which fits around the head and over the eyes to visually separate themselves from the physical world. Via the headset images are fed to the eyes through two small lenses. Cultural heritage monuments are ideally suited both for thorough multi-dimensional geometric documentation and for realistic interactive visualisation in immersive VR applications. Additionally, the game industry offers tools for interactive visualisation of objects to motivate users to virtually visit objects and places. In this paper the generation of a virtual 3D model of the Selimiye mosque in the city of Edirne, Turkey and its processing for data integration into the game engine Unity is presented. The project has been carried out as a co-operation between BİMTAŞ, a company of the Greater Municipality of Istanbul, Turkey and the Photogrammetry & Laser Scanning Lab of the HafenCity University Hamburg, Germany to demonstrate an immersive and interactive visualisation using the new VR system HTC Vive. The workflow from data acquisition to VR visualisation, including the necessary programming for navigation, is described. Furthermore, the possible use (including simultaneous multiple users environments) of such a VR visualisation for a CH monument is discussed in this contribution.

Understanding the Construction of the Teaching Discourse in an On-Line Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Juan

2013-01-01

The study of interactions regarding on-line environments for education is an area of research that has being developing during the last years in order to know the type of interactions that take place in discussion forums. Interactions analysis is important in order to know and to understand knowledge construction process in a virtual space.…

Interaction in a Blended Environment for English Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero Archila, Yuranny Marcela

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to identify the types of interaction that emerged not only in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) but also in face-to-face settings. The study also assessed the impact of the different kinds of interactions in terms of language learning. This is a qualitative case study that took place in a private Colombian…

The Virtual Environment for Rapid Prototyping of the Intelligent Environment

PubMed Central

Bouzouane, Abdenour; Gaboury, Sébastien

2017-01-01

Advances in domains such as sensor networks and electronic and ambient intelligence have allowed us to create intelligent environments (IEs). However, research in IE is being held back by the fact that researchers face major difficulties, such as a lack of resources for their experiments. Indeed, they cannot easily build IEs to evaluate their approaches. This is mainly because of economic and logistical issues. In this paper, we propose a simulator to build virtual IEs. Simulators are a good alternative to physical IEs because they are inexpensive, and experiments can be conducted easily. Our simulator is open source and it provides users with a set of virtual sensors that simulates the behavior of real sensors. This simulator gives the user the capacity to build their own environment, providing a model to edit inhabitants’ behavior and an interactive mode. In this mode, the user can directly act upon IE objects. This simulator gathers data generated by the interactions in order to produce datasets. These datasets can be used by scientists to evaluate several approaches in IEs. PMID:29112175

The Virtual Environment for Rapid Prototyping of the Intelligent Environment.

PubMed

Francillette, Yannick; Boucher, Eric; Bouzouane, Abdenour; Gaboury, Sébastien

2017-11-07

Advances in domains such as sensor networks and electronic and ambient intelligence have allowed us to create intelligent environments (IEs). However, research in IE is being held back by the fact that researchers face major difficulties, such as a lack of resources for their experiments. Indeed, they cannot easily build IEs to evaluate their approaches. This is mainly because of economic and logistical issues. In this paper, we propose a simulator to build virtual IEs. Simulators are a good alternative to physical IEs because they are inexpensive, and experiments can be conducted easily. Our simulator is open source and it provides users with a set of virtual sensors that simulates the behavior of real sensors. This simulator gives the user the capacity to build their own environment, providing a model to edit inhabitants' behavior and an interactive mode. In this mode, the user can directly act upon IE objects. This simulator gathers data generated by the interactions in order to produce datasets. These datasets can be used by scientists to evaluate several approaches in IEs.

Parallel-distributed mobile robot simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okada, Hiroyuki; Sekiguchi, Minoru; Watanabe, Nobuo

1996-06-01

The aim of this project is to achieve an autonomous learning and growth function based on active interaction with the real world. It should also be able to autonomically acquire knowledge about the context in which jobs take place, and how the jobs are executed. This article describes a parallel distributed movable robot system simulator with an autonomous learning and growth function. The autonomous learning and growth function which we are proposing is characterized by its ability to learn and grow through interaction with the real world. When the movable robot interacts with the real world, the system compares the virtual environment simulation with the interaction result in the real world. The system then improves the virtual environment to match the real-world result more closely. This the system learns and grows. It is very important that such a simulation is time- realistic. The parallel distributed movable robot simulator was developed to simulate the space of a movable robot system with an autonomous learning and growth function. The simulator constructs a virtual space faithful to the real world and also integrates the interfaces between the user, the actual movable robot and the virtual movable robot. Using an ultrafast CG (computer graphics) system (FUJITSU AG series), time-realistic 3D CG is displayed.

Creation of virtual patients for midwifery education.

PubMed

Urbanová, Eva; Bašková, Martina; Maskálová, Erika; Kvaltínyová, Eva

2018-07-01

The objective of the study was to create several new, original virtual patients (VPs) in the Slovak language, especially for educational purposes in midwifery. Virtual patients have been created for the needs of university midwifery education in Slovakia. The creation of the six virtual patients basically consisted of three fixed stages: preparation, design and development, implementation into the virtual environment. We used the Open Labyrinth (OL) virtual environment, an open-source system for creating VPs. The VPs include six various scenarios of the most common problems seen in midwifery practice: preterm birth, perinatal loss, gestational diabetes, ineffective breastfeeding, postpartum bleeding and sudden home birth. Currently, six original virtual patients are used in university midwifery education in Slovakia. We use them for contact teaching as well as self-study of students. They present the first VPs in Slovakia and the Czech Republic created in academic settings in these countries. The future perspective of a virtual patient as an interactive process between the student and the medium is that it can deepen and improve learning outcomes, solve specific midwifery issues, and reduce mistakes in the clinical environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-Agent Framework for Virtual Learning Spaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheremetov, Leonid; Nunez, Gustavo

1999-01-01

Discussion of computer-supported collaborative learning, distributed artificial intelligence, and intelligent tutoring systems focuses on the concept of agents, and describes a virtual learning environment that has a multi-agent system. Describes a model of interactions in collaborative learning and discusses agents for Web-based virtual…

Collaboration and Dialogue in Virtual Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Camilla Gyldendahl

2017-01-01

"Virtual reality" adds a new dimension to problem-based learning (PBL) environments in the architecture and building construction educations, where a realistic and lifelike presence in a building enables students to assess and discuss how the various solutions interact with each other. Combined with "Building Information…

eduCRATE--a Virtual Hospital architecture.

PubMed

Stoicu-Tivadar, Lăcrimioara; Stoicu-Tivadar, Vasile; Berian, Dorin; Drăgan, Simona; Serban, Alexandru; Serban, Corina

2014-01-01

eduCRATE is a complex project proposal which aims to develop a virtual learning environment offering interactive digital content through original and integrated solutions using cloud computing, complex multimedia systems in virtual space and personalized design with avatars. Compared to existing similar products the project brings the novelty of using languages for medical guides in order to ensure a maximum of flexibility. The Virtual Hospital simulations will create interactive clinical scenarios for which students will find solutions for positive diagnosis and therapeutic management. The solution based on cloud computing and immersive multimedia is an attractive option in education because is economical and it matches the current working style of the young generation to whom it addresses.

Virtual environment display for a 3D audio room simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapin, William L.; Foster, Scott H.

1992-01-01

The development of a virtual environment simulation system integrating a 3D acoustic audio model with an immersive 3D visual scene is discussed. The system complements the acoustic model and is specified to: allow the listener to freely move about the space, a room of manipulable size, shape, and audio character, while interactively relocating the sound sources; reinforce the listener's feeling of telepresence in the acoustical environment with visual and proprioceptive sensations; enhance the audio with the graphic and interactive components, rather than overwhelm or reduce it; and serve as a research testbed and technology transfer demonstration. The hardware/software design of two demonstration systems, one installed and one portable, are discussed through the development of four iterative configurations.

Human-scale interaction for virtual model displays: a clear case for real tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, George C.; McDowall, Ian E.; Bolas, Mark T.

1998-04-01

We describe a hand-held user interface for interacting with virtual environments displayed on a Virtual Model Display. The tool, constructed entirely of transparent materials, is see-through. We render a graphical counterpart of the tool on the display and map it one-to-one with the real tool. This feature, combined with a capability for touch- sensitive, discrete input, results in a useful spatial input device that is visually versatile. We discuss the tool's design and interaction techniques it supports. Briefly, we look at the human factors issues and engineering challenges presented by this tool and, in general, by the class of hand-held user interfaces that are see-through.

The influence of action on episodic memory: a virtual reality study.

PubMed

Plancher, Gaën; Barra, Julien; Orriols, Eric; Piolino, Pascale

2013-01-01

A range of empirical findings suggest that active learning is important for memory. However, few studies have focused on the mechanisms underlying this enactment effect in episodic memory using complex environments. Research using virtual reality has yielded inconsistent results. We postulated that the effect of action depends on the degree of interaction with the environment and freedom in the planning of an itinerary. To test these hypotheses, we disentangled the interaction and planning components of action to investigate whether each enhances factual and spatial memory. Seventy-two participants (36 male and 36 female) explored a virtual town in one of three experimental conditions: (a) a passive condition where participants were immersed as passenger of the car (no interaction, no planning); (b) a planning-only condition (the subject chose the itinerary but did not drive the car); (c) an interaction-only condition (the subject drove the car but the itinerary was fixed). We found that itinerary choice and motor control both enhanced spatial memory, while factual memory was impaired by online motor control. The role of action in memory is discussed.

a Low-Cost and Lightweight 3d Interactive Real Estate-Purposed Indoor Virtual Reality Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozacar, K.; Ortakci, Y.; Kahraman, I.; Durgut, R.; Karas, I. R.

2017-11-01

Interactive 3D architectural indoor design have been more popular after it benefited from Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. VR brings computer-generated 3D content to real life scale and enable users to observe immersive indoor environments so that users can directly modify it. This opportunity enables buyers to purchase a property off-the-plan cheaper through virtual models. Instead of showing property through 2D plan or renders, this visualized interior architecture of an on-sale unbuilt property is demonstrated beforehand so that the investors have an impression as if they were in the physical building. However, current applications either use highly resource consuming software, or are non-interactive, or requires specialist to create such environments. In this study, we have created a real-estate purposed low-cost high quality fully interactive VR application that provides a realistic interior architecture of the property by using free and lightweight software: Sweet Home 3D and Unity. A preliminary study showed that participants generally liked proposed real estate-purposed VR application, and it satisfied the expectation of the property buyers.

Perceptual Fidelity vs. Engineering Compromises In Virtual Acoustic Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wenzel, Elizabeth M.; Ahumada, Albert (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Immersive, three-dimensional displays are increasingly becoming a goal of advanced human-machine interfaces. While the technology for achieving truly useful multisensory environments is still being developed, techniques for generating three-dimensional sound are now both sophisticated and practical enough to be applied to acoustic displays. The ultimate goal of virtual acoustics is to simulate the complex acoustic field experienced by a listener freely moving around within an environment. Of course, such complexity, freedom of movement and interactively is not always possible in a "true" virtual environment, much less in lower-fidelity multimedia systems. However, many of the perceptual and engineering constraints (and frustrations) that researchers, engineers and listeners have experienced in virtual audio are relevant to multimedia. In fact, some of the problems that have been studied will be even more of an issue for lower fidelity systems that are attempting to address the requirements of a huge, diverse and ultimately unknown audience. Examples include individual differences in head-related transfer functions, a lack of real interactively (head-tracking) in many multimedia displays, and perceptual degradation due to low sampling rates and/or low-bit compression. This paper discusses some of the engineering Constraints faced during implementation of virtual acoustic environments and the perceptual consequences of these constraints. Specific examples are given for NASA applications such as telerobotic control, aeronautical displays, and shuttle launch communications. An attempt will also be made to relate these issues to low-fidelity implementations such as the internet.

Perceptual Fidelity Versus Engineering Compromises in Virtual Acoustic Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wenzel, Elizabeth M.; Ellis, Stephen R. (Technical Monitor); Frey, Mary Anne (Technical Monitor); Schneider, Victor S. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Immersive, three-dimensional displays are increasingly becoming a goal of advanced human-machine interfaces. While the technology for achieving truly useful multisensory environments is still being developed, techniques for generating three-dimensional sound are now both sophisticated and practical enough to be applied to acoustic displays. The ultimate goal of virtual acoustics is to simulate the complex acoustic field experienced by a listener freely moving around within an environment. Of course, such complexity, freedom of movement and interactivity is not always possible in a 'true' virtual environment, much less in lower-fidelity multimedia systems. However, many of the perceptual and engineering constraints (and frustrations) that researchers, engineers and listeners have experienced in virtual audio are relevant to multimedia. In fact, some of the problems that have been studied will be even more of an issue for lower fidelity systems that are attempting to address the requirements of a huge, diverse and ultimately unknown audience. Examples include individual differences in head-related transfer functions, A lack of real interactively (head-tracking) in many multimedia displays, and perceptual degradation due to low sampling rates and/or low-bit compression. This paper discusses some of the engineering constraints faced during implementation of virtual acoustic environments and the perceptual consequences of these constraints. Specific examples are given for NASA applications such as telerobotic control, aeronautical displays, and shuttle launch communications. An attempt will also be made to relate these issues to low-fidelity implementations such as the internet.

Technology advancing the study of animal cognition: using virtual reality to present virtually simulated environments to investigate nonhuman primate spatial cognition

PubMed Central

Schweller, Kenneth; Milne, Scott

2017-01-01

Abstract Virtual simulated environments provide multiple ways of testing cognitive function and evaluating problem solving with humans (e.g., Woollett et al. 2009). The use of such interactive technology has increasingly become an essential part of modern life (e.g., autonomously driving vehicles, global positioning systems (GPS), and touchscreen computers; Chinn and Fairlie 2007; Brown 2011). While many nonhuman animals have their own forms of "technology", such as chimpanzees who create and use tools, in captive animal environments the opportunity to actively participate with interactive technology is not often made available. Exceptions can be found in some state-of-the-art zoos and laboratory facilities (e.g., Mallavarapu and Kuhar 2005). When interactive technology is available, captive animals often selectively choose to engage with it. This enhances the animal’s sense of control over their immediate surroundings (e.g., Clay et al. 2011; Ackerman 2012). Such self-efficacy may help to fulfill basic requirements in a species’ daily activities using problem solving that can involve foraging and other goal-oriented behaviors. It also assists in fulfilling the strong underlying motivation for contrafreeloading and exploration expressed behaviorally by many species in captivity (Young 1999). Moreover, being able to present nonhuman primates virtual reality environments under experimental conditions provides the opportunity to gain insight into their navigational abilities and spatial cognition. It allows for insight into the generation and application of internal mental representations of landmarks and environments under multiple conditions (e.g., small- and large-scale space) and subsequent spatial behavior. This paper reviews methods using virtual reality developed to investigate the spatial cognitive abilities of nonhuman primates, and great apes in particular, in comparison with that of humans of multiple age groups. We make recommendations about training, best practices, and also pitfalls to avoid. PMID:29491967

Technology advancing the study of animal cognition: using virtual reality to present virtually simulated environments to investigate nonhuman primate spatial cognition.

PubMed

Dolins, Francine L; Schweller, Kenneth; Milne, Scott

2017-02-01

Virtual simulated environments provide multiple ways of testing cognitive function and evaluating problem solving with humans (e.g., Woollett et al. 2009). The use of such interactive technology has increasingly become an essential part of modern life (e.g., autonomously driving vehicles, global positioning systems (GPS), and touchscreen computers; Chinn and Fairlie 2007; Brown 2011). While many nonhuman animals have their own forms of "technology", such as chimpanzees who create and use tools, in captive animal environments the opportunity to actively participate with interactive technology is not often made available. Exceptions can be found in some state-of-the-art zoos and laboratory facilities (e.g., Mallavarapu and Kuhar 2005). When interactive technology is available, captive animals often selectively choose to engage with it. This enhances the animal's sense of control over their immediate surroundings (e.g., Clay et al. 2011; Ackerman 2012). Such self-efficacy may help to fulfill basic requirements in a species' daily activities using problem solving that can involve foraging and other goal-oriented behaviors. It also assists in fulfilling the strong underlying motivation for contrafreeloading and exploration expressed behaviorally by many species in captivity (Young 1999). Moreover, being able to present nonhuman primates virtual reality environments under experimental conditions provides the opportunity to gain insight into their navigational abilities and spatial cognition. It allows for insight into the generation and application of internal mental representations of landmarks and environments under multiple conditions (e.g., small- and large-scale space) and subsequent spatial behavior. This paper reviews methods using virtual reality developed to investigate the spatial cognitive abilities of nonhuman primates, and great apes in particular, in comparison with that of humans of multiple age groups. We make recommendations about training, best practices, and also pitfalls to avoid.

Freeform object design and simultaneous manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Weihan; Lin, Heng; Leu, Ming C.

2003-04-01

Today's product design, especially the consuming product design, focuses more and more on individuation, originality, and the time to market. One way to meet these challenges is using the interactive and creationary product design methods and rapid prototyping/rapid tooling. This paper presents a novel Freeform Object Design and Simultaneous Manufacturing (FODSM) method that combines the natural interaction feature in the design phase and simultaneous manufacturing feature in the prototyping phase. The natural interactive three-dimensional design environment is achieved by adopting virtual reality technology. The geometry of the designed object is defined through the process of "virtual sculpting" during which the designer can touch and visualize the designed object and can hear the virtual manufacturing environment noise. During the designing process, the computer records the sculpting trajectories and automatically translates them into NC codes so as to simultaneously machine the designed part. The paper introduced the principle, implementation process, and key techniques of the new method, and compared it with other popular rapid prototyping methods.

A computer-based training system combining virtual reality and multimedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stansfield, Sharon A.

1993-01-01

Training new users of complex machines is often an expensive and time-consuming process. This is particularly true for special purpose systems, such as those frequently encountered in DOE applications. This paper presents a computer-based training system intended as a partial solution to this problem. The system extends the basic virtual reality (VR) training paradigm by adding a multimedia component which may be accessed during interaction with the virtual environment. The 3D model used to create the virtual reality is also used as the primary navigation tool through the associated multimedia. This method exploits the natural mapping between a virtual world and the real world that it represents to provide a more intuitive way for the student to interact with all forms of information about the system.

The Modeling of Virtual Environment Distance Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xueqin, Chang

This research presented a virtual environment that integrates in a virtual mockup services available in a university campus for students and teachers communication in different actual locations. Advantages of this system include: the remote access to a variety of services and educational tools, the representation of real structures and landscapes in an interactive 3D model that favors localization of services and preserves the administrative organization of the university. For that, the system was implemented a control access for users and an interface to allow the use of previous educational equipments and resources not designed for distance education mode.

A virtual surgical environment for rehearsal of tympanomastoidectomy.

PubMed

Chan, Sonny; Li, Peter; Lee, Dong Hoon; Salisbury, J Kenneth; Blevins, Nikolas H

2011-01-01

This article presents a virtual surgical environment whose purpose is to assist the surgeon in preparation for individual cases. The system constructs interactive anatomical models from patient-specific, multi-modal preoperative image data, and incorporates new methods for visually and haptically rendering the volumetric data. Evaluation of the system's ability to replicate temporal bone dissections for tympanomastoidectomy, using intraoperative video of the same patients as guides, showed strong correlations between virtual and intraoperative anatomy. The result is a portable and cost-effective tool that may prove highly beneficial for the purposes of surgical planning and rehearsal.

Augmented Virtuality: A Real-time Process for Presenting Real-world Visual Sensory Information in an Immersive Virtual Environment for Planetary Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McFadden, D.; Tavakkoli, A.; Regenbrecht, J.; Wilson, B.

2017-12-01

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications have recently seen an impressive growth, thanks to the advent of commercial Head Mounted Displays (HMDs). This new visualization era has opened the possibility of presenting researchers from multiple disciplines with data visualization techniques not possible via traditional 2D screens. In a purely VR environment researchers are presented with the visual data in a virtual environment, whereas in a purely AR application, a piece of virtual object is projected into the real world with which researchers could interact. There are several limitations to the purely VR or AR application when taken within the context of remote planetary exploration. For example, in a purely VR environment, contents of the planet surface (e.g. rocks, terrain, or other features) should be created off-line from a multitude of images using image processing techniques to generate 3D mesh data that will populate the virtual surface of the planet. This process usually takes a tremendous amount of computational resources and cannot be delivered in real-time. As an alternative, video frames may be superimposed on the virtual environment to save processing time. However, such rendered video frames will lack 3D visual information -i.e. depth information. In this paper, we present a technique to utilize a remotely situated robot's stereoscopic cameras to provide a live visual feed from the real world into the virtual environment in which planetary scientists are immersed. Moreover, the proposed technique will blend the virtual environment with the real world in such a way as to preserve both the depth and visual information from the real world while allowing for the sensation of immersion when the entire sequence is viewed via an HMD such as Oculus Rift. The figure shows the virtual environment with an overlay of the real-world stereoscopic video being presented in real-time into the virtual environment. Notice the preservation of the object's shape, shadows, and depth information. The distortions shown in the image are due to the rendering of the stereoscopic data into a 2D image for the purposes of taking screenshots.

Experiencing Soil Science from your office through virtual experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beato, M. Carmen; González-Merino, Ramón; Campillo, M. Carmen; Fernández-Ahumada, Elvira; Ortiz, Leovigilda; Taguas, Encarnación V.; Guerrero, José Emilio

2017-04-01

Currently, numerous tools based on the new information and communication technologies offer a wide range of possibilities for the implementation of interactive methodologies in Education and Science. In particular, virtual reality and immersive worlds - artificially generated computer environments where users interact through a figurative individual that represents them in that environment (their "avatar") - have been identified as the technology that will change the way we live, particularly in educational terms, product development and entertainment areas (Schmorrow, 2009). Gisbert-Cervera et al. (2011) consider that the 3D worlds in education, among others, provide a unique training and exchange of knowledge environment which allows a goal reflection to support activities and achieve learning outcomes. In Soil Sciences, the experimental component is essential to acquire the necessary knowledge to understand the biogeochemical processes taking place and their interactions with time, climate, topography and living organisms present. In this work, an immersive virtual environment which reproduces a series of pits have been developed to evaluate and differentiate soil characteristics such as texture, structure, consistency, color and other physical-chemical and biological properties for educational purposes. Bibliographical material such as pictures, books, papers and were collected in order to classify the information needed and to build the soil profiles into the virtual environment. The programming language for the virtual recreation was Unreal Engine4 (UE4; https://www.unrealengine.com/unreal-engine-4). This program was chosen because it provides two toolsets for programmers and it can also be used in tandem to accelerate development workflows. In addition, Unreal Engine4 technology powers hundreds of games as well as real-time 3D films, training simulations, visualizations and it creates very realistic graphics. For the evaluation of its impact and its usefulness in teaching, a series of surveys will be presented to undergraduate students and teachers. REFERENCES: Gisbert-Cervera M, Esteve-Gonzalez V., Camacho-Marti M.M. (2011). Delve into the Deep: Learning Potential in Metaverses and 3D Worlds. eLearning (25) Papers ISSN: 1887-1542 Schmorrow D.D. (2009). Why virtual? Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science 10(3): 279-282.

Novel design of interactive multimodal biofeedback system for neurorehabilitation.

PubMed

Huang, He; Chen, Y; Xu, W; Sundaram, H; Olson, L; Ingalls, T; Rikakis, T; He, Jiping

2006-01-01

A previous design of a biofeedback system for Neurorehabilitation in an interactive multimodal environment has demonstrated the potential of engaging stroke patients in task-oriented neuromotor rehabilitation. This report explores the new concept and alternative designs of multimedia based biofeedback systems. In this system, the new interactive multimodal environment was constructed with abstract presentation of movement parameters. Scenery images or pictures and their clarity and orientation are used to reflect the arm movement and relative position to the target instead of the animated arm. The multiple biofeedback parameters were classified into different hierarchical levels w.r.t. importance of each movement parameter to performance. A new quantified measurement for these parameters were developed to assess the patient's performance both real-time and offline. These parameters were represented by combined visual and auditory presentations with various distinct music instruments. Overall, the objective of newly designed system is to explore what information and how to feedback information in interactive virtual environment could enhance the sensorimotor integration that may facilitate the efficient design and application of virtual environment based therapeutic intervention.

Evaluating Multiple Levels of an Interaction Fidelity Continuum on Performance and Learning in Near-Field Training Simulations.

PubMed

Bhargava, Ayush; Bertrand, Jeffrey W; Gramopadhye, Anand K; Madathil, Kapil C; Babu, Sabarish V

2018-04-01

With costs of head-mounted displays (HMDs) and tracking technology decreasing rapidly, various virtual reality applications are being widely adopted for education and training. Hardware advancements have enabled replication of real-world interactions in virtual environments to a large extent, paving the way for commercial grade applications that provide a safe and risk-free training environment at a fraction of the cost. But this also mandates the need to develop more intrinsic interaction techniques and to empirically evaluate them in a more comprehensive manner. Although there exists a body of previous research that examines the benefits of selected levels of interaction fidelity on performance, few studies have investigated the constituent components of fidelity in a Interaction Fidelity Continuum (IFC) with several system instances and their respective effects on performance and learning in the context of a real-world skills training application. Our work describes a large between-subjects investigation conducted over several years that utilizes bimanual interaction metaphors at six discrete levels of interaction fidelity to teach basic precision metrology concepts in a near-field spatial interaction task in VR. A combined analysis performed on the data compares and contrasts the six different conditions and their overall effects on performance and learning outcomes, eliciting patterns in the results between the discrete application points on the IFC. With respect to some performance variables, results indicate that simpler restrictive interaction metaphors and highest fidelity metaphors perform better than medium fidelity interaction metaphors. In light of these results, a set of general guidelines are created for developers of spatial interaction metaphors in immersive virtual environments for precise fine-motor skills training simulations.

The Virtual Pelvic Floor, a tele-immersive educational environment.

PubMed Central

Pearl, R. K.; Evenhouse, R.; Rasmussen, M.; Dech, F.; Silverstein, J. C.; Prokasy, S.; Panko, W. B.

1999-01-01

This paper describes the development of the Virtual Pelvic Floor, a new method of teaching the complex anatomy of the pelvic region utilizing virtual reality and advanced networking technology. Virtual reality technology allows improved visualization of three-dimensional structures over conventional media because it supports stereo vision, viewer-centered perspective, large angles of view, and interactivity. Two or more ImmersaDesk systems, drafting table format virtual reality displays, are networked together providing an environment where teacher and students share a high quality three-dimensional anatomical model, and are able to converse, see each other, and to point in three dimensions to indicate areas of interest. This project was realized by the teamwork of surgeons, medical artists and sculptors, computer scientists, and computer visualization experts. It demonstrates the future of virtual reality for surgical education and applications for the Next Generation Internet. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:10566378

Novel Web-based Education Platforms for Information Communication utilizing Gamification, Virtual and Immersive Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.

2015-12-01

Recent developments in internet technologies make it possible to manage and visualize large data on the web. Novel visualization techniques and interactive user interfaces allow users to create realistic environments, and interact with data to gain insight from simulations and environmental observations. This presentation showcase information communication interfaces, games, and virtual and immersive reality applications for supporting teaching and learning of concepts in atmospheric and hydrological sciences. The information communication platforms utilizes latest web technologies and allow accessing and visualizing large scale data on the web. The simulation system is a web-based 3D interactive learning environment for teaching hydrological and atmospheric processes and concepts. The simulation systems provides a visually striking platform with realistic terrain and weather information, and water simulation. The web-based simulation system provides an environment for students to learn about the earth science processes, and effects of development and human activity on the terrain. Users can access the system in three visualization modes including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive reality using heads-up display. The system provides various scenarios customized to fit the age and education level of various users.

Socio-Linguistic Factors and Gender Mapping Across Real and Virtual World Cultures

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-25

multiplayer online games and other virtual world environments. Which in- game features...decaste@sfu.ca ABSTRACT   This  study  examines  a  large  corpus  of   online   gaming  chat  and  avatar  names   to...chat  interactions  in   online   gaming   environments.     In   addition,   we   study   the   relationship  

Embodied social interaction constitutes social cognition in pairs of humans: a minimalist virtual reality experiment.

PubMed

Froese, Tom; Iizuka, Hiroyuki; Ikegami, Takashi

2014-01-14

Scientists have traditionally limited the mechanisms of social cognition to one brain, but recent approaches claim that interaction also realizes cognitive work. Experiments under constrained virtual settings revealed that interaction dynamics implicitly guide social cognition. Here we show that embodied social interaction can be constitutive of agency detection and of experiencing another's presence. Pairs of participants moved their "avatars" along an invisible virtual line and could make haptic contact with three identical objects, two of which embodied the other's motions, but only one, the other's avatar, also embodied the other's contact sensor and thereby enabled responsive interaction. Co-regulated interactions were significantly correlated with identifications of the other's avatar and reports of the clearest awareness of the other's presence. These results challenge folk psychological notions about the boundaries of mind, but make sense from evolutionary and developmental perspectives: an extendible mind can offload cognitive work into its environment.

Embodied social interaction constitutes social cognition in pairs of humans: A minimalist virtual reality experiment

PubMed Central

Froese, Tom; Iizuka, Hiroyuki; Ikegami, Takashi

2014-01-01

Scientists have traditionally limited the mechanisms of social cognition to one brain, but recent approaches claim that interaction also realizes cognitive work. Experiments under constrained virtual settings revealed that interaction dynamics implicitly guide social cognition. Here we show that embodied social interaction can be constitutive of agency detection and of experiencing another's presence. Pairs of participants moved their “avatars” along an invisible virtual line and could make haptic contact with three identical objects, two of which embodied the other's motions, but only one, the other's avatar, also embodied the other's contact sensor and thereby enabled responsive interaction. Co-regulated interactions were significantly correlated with identifications of the other's avatar and reports of the clearest awareness of the other's presence. These results challenge folk psychological notions about the boundaries of mind, but make sense from evolutionary and developmental perspectives: an extendible mind can offload cognitive work into its environment. PMID:24419102

Evolution-based Virtual Content Insertion with Visually Virtual Interactions in Videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Chia-Hu; Wu, Ja-Ling

With the development of content-based multimedia analysis, virtual content insertion has been widely used and studied for video enrichment and multimedia advertising. However, how to automatically insert a user-selected virtual content into personal videos in a less-intrusive manner, with an attractive representation, is a challenging problem. In this chapter, we present an evolution-based virtual content insertion system which can insert virtual contents into videos with evolved animations according to predefined behaviors emulating the characteristics of evolutionary biology. The videos are considered not only as carriers of message conveyed by the virtual content but also as the environment in which the lifelike virtual contents live. Thus, the inserted virtual content will be affected by the videos to trigger a series of artificial evolutions and evolve its appearances and behaviors while interacting with video contents. By inserting virtual contents into videos through the system, users can easily create entertaining storylines and turn their personal videos into visually appealing ones. In addition, it would bring a new opportunity to increase the advertising revenue for video assets of the media industry and online video-sharing websites.

VBOT: Motivating computational and complex systems fluencies with constructionist virtual/physical robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berland, Matthew W.

As scientists use the tools of computational and complex systems theory to broaden science perspectives (e.g., Bar-Yam, 1997; Holland, 1995; Wolfram, 2002), so can middle-school students broaden their perspectives using appropriate tools. The goals of this dissertation project are to build, study, evaluate, and compare activities designed to foster both computational and complex systems fluencies through collaborative constructionist virtual and physical robotics. In these activities, each student builds an agent (e.g., a robot-bird) that must interact with fellow students' agents to generate a complex aggregate (e.g., a flock of robot-birds) in a participatory simulation environment (Wilensky & Stroup, 1999a). In a participatory simulation, students collaborate by acting in a common space, teaching each other, and discussing content with one another. As a result, the students improve both their computational fluency and their complex systems fluency, where fluency is defined as the ability to both consume and produce relevant content (DiSessa, 2000). To date, several systems have been designed to foster computational and complex systems fluencies through computer programming and collaborative play (e.g., Hancock, 2003; Wilensky & Stroup, 1999b); this study suggests that, by supporting the relevant fluencies through collaborative play, they become mutually reinforcing. In this work, I will present both the design of the VBOT virtual/physical constructionist robotics learning environment and a comparative study of student interaction with the virtual and physical environments across four middle-school classrooms, focusing on the contrast in systems perspectives differently afforded by the two environments. In particular, I found that while performance gains were similar overall, the physical environment supported agent perspectives on aggregate behavior, and the virtual environment supported aggregate perspectives on agent behavior. The primary research questions are: (1) What are the relative affordances of virtual and physical constructionist robotics systems towards computational and complex systems fluencies? (2) What can middle school students learn using computational/complex systems learning environments in a collaborative setting? (3) In what ways are these environments and activities effective in teaching students computational and complex systems fluencies?

iVFTs - immersive virtual field trips for interactive learning about Earth's environment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruce, G.; Anbar, A. D.; Semken, S. C.; Summons, R. E.; Oliver, C.; Buxner, S.

2014-12-01

Innovations in immersive interactive technologies are changing the way students explore Earth and its environment. State-of-the-art hardware has given developers the tools needed to capture high-resolution spherical content, 360° panoramic video, giga-pixel imagery, and unique viewpoints via unmanned aerial vehicles as they explore remote and physically challenging regions of our planet. Advanced software enables integration of these data into seamless, dynamic, immersive, interactive, content-rich, and learner-driven virtual field explorations, experienced online via HTML5. These surpass conventional online exercises that use 2-D static imagery and enable the student to engage in these virtual environments that are more like games than like lectures. Grounded in the active learning of exploration, inquiry, and application of knowledge as it is acquired, users interact non-linearly in conjunction with an intelligent tutoring system (ITS). The integration of this system allows the educational experience to be adapted to each individual student as they interact within the program. Such explorations, which we term "immersive virtual field trips" (iVFTs), are being integrated into cyber-learning allowing science teachers to take students to scientifically significant but inaccessible environments. Our team and collaborators are producing a diverse suite of freely accessible, iVFTs to teach key concepts in geology, astrobiology, ecology, and anthropology. Topics include Early Life, Biodiversity, Impact craters, Photosynthesis, Geologic Time, Stratigraphy, Tectonics, Volcanism, Surface Processes, The Rise of Oxygen, Origin of Water, Early Civilizations, Early Multicellular Organisms, and Bioarcheology. These diverse topics allow students to experience field sites all over the world, including, Grand Canyon (USA), Flinders Ranges (Australia), Shark Bay (Australia), Rainforests (Panama), Teotihuacan (Mexico), Upheaval Dome (USA), Pilbara (Australia), Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Iceland), and Mauna Kea (Hawaii). iVFTs are being beta-tested and used at ASU in several large-enrollment courses to assess its usability and effectiveness in meeting specific learning objectives. We invite geoscience educators to partake of this resource and find new applications to their own teaching.

Virtual community centre for power wheelchair training: Experience of children and clinicians.

PubMed

Torkia, Caryne; Ryan, Stephen E; Reid, Denise; Boissy, Patrick; Lemay, Martin; Routhier, François; Contardo, Resi; Woodhouse, Janet; Archambault, Phillipe S

2017-11-02

To: 1) characterize the overall experience in using the McGill immersive wheelchair - community centre (miWe-CC) simulator; and 2) investigate the experience of presence (i.e., sense of being in the virtual rather than in the real, physical environment) while driving a PW in the miWe-CC. A qualitative research design with structured interviews was used. Fifteen clinicians and 11 children were interviewed after driving a power wheelchair (PW) in the miWe-CC simulator. Data were analyzed using the conventional and directed content analysis approaches. Overall, participants enjoyed using the simulator and experienced a sense of presence in the virtual space. They felt a sense of being in the virtual environment, involved and focused on driving the virtual PW rather than on the surroundings of the actual room where they were. Participants reported several similarities between the virtual community centre layout and activities of the miWe-CC and the day-to-day reality of paediatric PW users. The simulator replicated participants' expectations of real-life PW use and promises to have an effect on improving the driving skills of new PW users. Implications for rehabilitation Among young users, the McGill immersive wheelchair (miWe) simulator provides an experience of presence within the virtual environment. This experience of presence is generated by a sense of being in the virtual scene, a sense of being involved, engaged, and focused on interacting within the virtual environment, and by the perception that the virtual environment is consistent with the real world. The miWe is a relevant and accessible approach, complementary to real world power wheelchair training for young users.

Virtual Environments: Issues and Opportunities for Researching Inclusive Educational Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheehy, Kieron

This chapter argues that virtual environments offer new research areas for those concerned with inclusive education. Further, it proposes that they also present opportunities for developing increasingly inclusive research processes. This chapter considers how researchers might approach researching some of these affordances. It discusses the relationship between specific features of inclusive pedagogy, derived from an international systematic literature review, and the affordances of different forms of virtual characters and environments. Examples are drawn from research in Second LifeTM (SL), virtual tutors and augmented reality. In doing this, the chapter challenges a simplistic notion of isolated physical and virtual worlds and, in the context of inclusion, between the practice of research and the research topic itself. There are a growing number of virtual worlds in which identified educational activities are taking place, or whose activities are being noted for their educational merit. These encompasses non-themed worlds such as SL and Active Worlds, game based worlds such as World of Warcraft and Runescape, and even Club Penguin, a themed virtual where younger players interact through a variety of Penguin themed environments and activities. It has been argued that these spaces, outside traditional education, are able to offer pedagogical insights (Twining 2009) i.e. that these global virtual communities have been identified as being useful as creative educational environments (Delwiche 2006; Sheehy 2009). This chapter will explore how researchers might use these spaces to investigative and create inclusive educational experiences for learners. In order to do this the chapter considers three interrelated issues: What is inclusive education?; How might inclusive education influence virtual world research? And, what might inclusive education look like in virtual worlds?

Are Spatial Visualization Abilities Relevant to Virtual Reality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chwen Jen

2006-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR)-based learning environment on learners of different spatial visualization abilities. The findings of the aptitude-by-treatment interaction study have shown that learners benefit most from the Guided VR mode, irrespective of their spatial visualization abilities. This indicates that…

My Science Tutor: A Conversational Multimedia Virtual Tutor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Wayne; Cole, Ron; Bolaños, Daniel; Buchenroth-Martin, Cindy; Svirsky, Edward; Weston, Tim

2013-01-01

My Science Tutor (MyST) is an intelligent tutoring system designed to improve science learning by elementary school students through conversational dialogs with a virtual science tutor in an interactive multimedia environment. Marni, a lifelike 3-D character, engages individual students in spoken dialogs following classroom investigations using…

The Impact of Using Synchronous Collaborative Virtual Tangram in Children's Geometric

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Chiu-Pin; Shao, Yin-juan; Wong, Lung-Hsiang; Li, Yin-Jen; Niramitranon, Jitti

2011-01-01

This study aimed to develop a collaborative and manipulative virtual Tangram puzzle to facilitate children to learn geometry in the computer-supported collaborative learning environment with Tablet PCs. In promoting peer interactions and stimulating students' higher-order thinking and creativity toward geometric problem-solving, we designed a…

Tasks for Easily Modifiable Virtual Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swier, Robert

2014-01-01

Recent studies of learner interaction in virtual worlds have tended to select basic tasks involving open-ended communication. There is evidence that such tasks are supportive of language acquisition, however it may also be beneficial to consider more complex tasks. Research in task-based learning has identified features such as non-linguistic…

Effects of Virtual Manipulatives with Different Approaches on Students' Knowledge of Slope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Mustafa

2018-01-01

Virtual Manipulatives (VMs) are computer-based, dynamic, and visual representations of mathematical concepts, provide interactive learning environments to advance mathematics instruction (Moyer et al., 2002). Despite their broad use, few research explored the integration of VMs into mathematics instruction (Moyer-Packenham & Westenskow, 2013).…

Understanding the Potential of Virtual Environments for Improving C2 Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

unprecedented ability to design and program custom virtual world solutions in a streamlined and affordable manner. This product is very much like videogame ...range of choice and interactions usually not supported in traditional videogames . In a videogame , you play the game, but you can’t necessarily

Cognitive evaluation for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on Turing Test and Virtual Environments.

PubMed

Fernandez Montenegro, Juan Manuel; Argyriou, Vasileios

2017-05-01

Alzheimer's screening tests are commonly used by doctors to diagnose the patient's condition and stage as early as possible. Most of these tests are based on pen-paper interaction and do not embrace the advantages provided by new technologies. This paper proposes novel Alzheimer's screening tests based on virtual environments and game principles using new immersive technologies combined with advanced Human Computer Interaction (HCI) systems. These new tests are focused on the immersion of the patient in a virtual room, in order to mislead and deceive the patient's mind. In addition, we propose two novel variations of Turing Test proposed by Alan Turing as a method to detect dementia. As a result, four tests are introduced demonstrating the wide range of screening mechanisms that could be designed using virtual environments and game concepts. The proposed tests are focused on the evaluation of memory loss related to common objects, recent conversations and events; the diagnosis of problems in expressing and understanding language; the ability to recognize abnormalities; and to differentiate between virtual worlds and reality, or humans and machines. The proposed screening tests were evaluated and tested using both patients and healthy adults in a comparative study with state-of-the-art Alzheimer's screening tests. The results show the capacity of the new tests to distinguish healthy people from Alzheimer's patients. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Synchronous Writing Environments: Real-Time Interaction in Cyberspace (Technology Tidbits).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson-Inman, Lynne; And Others

1996-01-01

Discusses three types of synchronous writing environments, each offering teachers and students a vehicle for using electronic text to promote literacy-based learning communities: classroom collaboration, networked notetaking, and virtual communities. (SR)

HVS: an image-based approach for constructing virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Maojun; Zhong, Li; Sun, Lifeng; Li, Yunhao

1998-09-01

Virtual Reality Systems can construct virtual environment which provide an interactive walkthrough experience. Traditionally, walkthrough is performed by modeling and rendering 3D computer graphics in real-time. Despite the rapid advance of computer graphics technique, the rendering engine usually places a limit on scene complexity and rendering quality. This paper presents a approach which uses the real-world image or synthesized image to comprise a virtual environment. The real-world image or synthesized image can be recorded by camera, or synthesized by off-line multispectral image processing for Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) Imagery and SPOT HRV imagery. They are digitally warped on-the-fly to simulate walking forward/backward, to left/right and 360-degree watching around. We have developed a system HVS (Hyper Video System) based on these principles. HVS improves upon QuickTime VR and Surround Video in the walking forward/backward.

Virtual reality, disability and rehabilitation.

PubMed

Wilson, P N; Foreman, N; Stanton, D

1997-06-01

Virtual reality, or virtual environment computer technology, generates simulated objects and events with which people can interact. Existing and potential applications for this technology in the field of disability and rehabilitation are discussed. The main benefits identified for disabled people are that they can engage in a range of activities in a simulator relatively free from the limitations imposed by their disability, and they can do so in safety. Evidence that the knowledge and skills acquired by disabled individuals in simulated environments can transfer to the real world is presented. In particular, spatial information and life skills learned in a virtual environment have been shown to transfer to the real world. Applications for visually impaired people are discussed, and the potential for medical interventions and the assessment and treatment of neurological damage are considered. Finally some current limitations of the technology, and ethical concerns in relation to disability, are discussed.

Development of virtual environment for treating acrophobia.

PubMed

Ku, J; Jang, D; Shin, M; Jo, H; Ahn, H; Lee, J; Cho, B; Kim, S I

2001-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) is a new technology that makes humans communicate with computer. It allows the user to see, hear, feel and interact in a three-dimensional virtual world created graphically. Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT), based on this sophisticated technology, has been recently used in the treatment of subjects diagnosed with acrophobia, a disorder that is characterized by marked anxiety upon exposure to heights, avoidance of heights, and a resulting interference in functioning. Conventional virtual reality system for the treatment of acrophobia has a limitation in scope that it is based on over-costly devices or somewhat unrealistic graphic scene. The goal of this study was to develop a inexpensive and more realistic virtual environment for the exposure therapy of acrophobia. We constructed two types virtual environment. One is constituted a bungee-jump tower in the middle of a city. It includes the open lift surrounded by props beside tower that allowed the patient to feel sense of heights. Another is composed of diving boards which have various heights. It provides a view of a lower diving board and people swimming in the pool to serve the patient stimuli upon exposure to heights.

Virtual collaboration in the online educational setting: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Breen, Henny

2013-01-01

This study was designed to explore the concept of virtual collaboration within the context of an online learning environment in an academic setting. Rodgers' method of evolutionary concept analysis was used to provide a contextual view of the concept to identify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of virtual collaboration. Commonly used terms to describe virtual collaboration are collaborative and cooperative learning, group work, group interaction, group learning, and teamwork. A constructivist pedagogy, group-based process with a shared purpose, support, and web-based technology is required for virtual collaboration to take place. Consequences of virtual collaboration are higher order thinking and learning to work with others. A comprehensive definition of virtual collaboration is offered as an outcome of this analysis. Clarification of virtual collaboration prior to using it as a pedagogical tool in the online learning environment will enhance nursing education with the changes in nursing curriculum being implemented today. Further research is recommended to describe the developmental stages of the collaborative process among nursing students in online education and how virtual collaboration facilitates collaboration in practice. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Integrating History of Science in Science Education through Historical Microworlds to Promote Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masson, Steve; Vazquez-Abad, Jesus

2006-01-01

This paper proposes a new way to integrate history of science in science education to promote conceptual change by introducing the notion of historical microworld, which is a computer-based interactive learning environment respecting historic conceptions. In this definition, "interactive" means that the user can act upon the virtual environment by…

Interaction Forms in Successful Collaborative Learning in Virtual Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vuopala, Essi; Hyvönen, Pirkko; Järvelä, Sanna

2016-01-01

Despite the numerous studies on social interaction in collaborative learning, little is known about interaction forms in successful computer-supported collaborative learning situations. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand student interaction in successful collaborative learning during a university course which was mediated by…

Why E-Business Must Evolve beyond Market Orientation: Applying Human Interaction Models to Computer-Mediated Corporate Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Kevin McCullough

2001-01-01

Considers the design of corporate communications for electronic business and discusses the increasing importance of corporate interaction as companies work in virtual environments. Compares sociological and psychological theories of human interaction and relationship formation with organizational interaction theories of corporate relationship…

Collaborative virtual environments art exhibition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolinsky, Margaret; Anstey, Josephine; Pape, Dave E.; Aguilera, Julieta C.; Kostis, Helen-Nicole; Tsoupikova, Daria

2005-03-01

This panel presentation will exhibit artwork developed in CAVEs and discuss how art methodologies enhance the science of VR through collaboration, interaction and aesthetics. Artists and scientists work alongside one another to expand scientific research and artistic expression and are motivated by exhibiting collaborative virtual environments. Looking towards the arts, such as painting and sculpture, computer graphics captures a visual tradition. Virtual reality expands this tradition to not only what we face, but to what surrounds us and even what responds to our body and its gestures. Art making that once was isolated to the static frame and an optimal point of view is now out and about, in fully immersive mode within CAVEs. Art knowledge is a guide to how the aesthetics of 2D and 3D worlds affect, transform, and influence the social, intellectual and physical condition of the human body through attention to psychology, spiritual thinking, education, and cognition. The psychological interacts with the physical in the virtual in such a way that each facilitates, enhances and extends the other, culminating in a "go together" world. Attention to sharing art experience across high-speed networks introduces a dimension of liveliness and aliveness when we "become virtual" in real time with others.

How virtual reality works: illusions of vision in "real" and virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stark, Lawrence W.

1995-04-01

Visual illusions abound in normal vision--illusions of clarity and completeness, of continuity in time and space, of presence and vivacity--and are part and parcel of the visual world inwhich we live. These illusions are discussed in terms of the human visual system, with its high- resolution fovea, moved from point to point in the visual scene by rapid saccadic eye movements (EMs). This sampling of visual information is supplemented by a low-resolution, wide peripheral field of view, especially sensitive to motion. Cognitive-spatial models controlling perception, imagery, and 'seeing,' also control the EMs that shift the fovea in the Scanpath mode. These illusions provide for presence, the sense off being within an environment. They equally well lead to 'Telepresence,' the sense of being within a virtual display, especially if the operator is intensely interacting within an eye-hand and head-eye human-machine interface that provides for congruent visual and motor frames of reference. Interaction, immersion, and interest compel telepresence; intuitive functioning and engineered information flows can optimize human adaptation to the artificial new world of virtual reality, as virtual reality expands into entertainment, simulation, telerobotics, and scientific visualization and other professional work.

Modeling and computational simulation and the potential of virtual and augmented reality associated to the teaching of nanoscience and nanotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Allan; Santos, Helen

With the advent of new information and communication technologies (ICTs), the communicative interaction changes the way of being and acting of people, at the same time that changes the way of work activities related to education. In this range of possibilities provided by the advancement of computational resources include virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), are highlighted as new forms of information visualization in computer applications. While the RV allows user interaction with a virtual environment totally computer generated; in RA the virtual images are inserted in real environment, but both create new opportunities to support teaching and learning in formal and informal contexts. Such technologies are able to express representations of reality or of the imagination, as systems in nanoscale and low dimensionality, being imperative to explore, in the most diverse areas of knowledge, the potential offered by ICT and emerging technologies. In this sense, this work presents computer applications of virtual and augmented reality developed with the use of modeling and simulation in computational approaches to topics related to nanoscience and nanotechnology, and articulated with innovative pedagogical practices.

Virtual reality and interactive 3D as effective tools for medical training.

PubMed

Webb, George; Norcliffe, Alex; Cannings, Peter; Sharkey, Paul; Roberts, Dave

2003-01-01

CAVE-like displays allow a user to walk in to a virtual environment, and use natural movement to change the viewpoint of virtual objects which they can manipulate with a hand held device. This maps well to many surgical procedures offering strong potential for training and planning. These devices may be networked together allowing geographically remote users to share the interactive experience. This maps to the strong need for distance training and planning of surgeons. Our paper shows how the properties of a CAVE-Like facility can be maximised in order to provide an ideal environment for medical training. The implementation of a large 3D-eye is described. The resulting application is that of an eye that can be manipulated and examined by trainee medics under the guidance of a medical expert. The progression and effects of different ailments can be illustrated and corrective procedures, demonstrated.

Virtual Environments Using Video Capture for Social Phobia with Psychosis

PubMed Central

White, Richard; Clarke, Timothy; Turner, Ruth; Fowler, David

2013-01-01

Abstract A novel virtual environment (VE) system was developed and used as an adjunct to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with six socially anxious patients recovering from psychosis. The novel aspect of the VE system is that it uses video capture so the patients can see a life-size projection of themselves interacting with a specially scripted and digitally edited filmed environment played in real time on a screen in front of them. Within-session process outcomes (subjective units of distress and belief ratings on individual behavioral experiments), as well as patient feedback, generated the hypothesis that this type of virtual environment can potentially add value to CBT by helping patients understand the role of avoidance and safety behaviors in the maintenance of social anxiety and paranoia and by boosting their confidence to carry out “real-life” behavioral experiments. PMID:23659722

A hardware and software architecture to deal with multimodal and collaborative interactions in multiuser virtual reality environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, P.; Tseu, A.; Férey, N.; Touraine, D.; Bourdot, P.

2014-02-01

Most advanced immersive devices provide collaborative environment within several users have their distinct head-tracked stereoscopic point of view. Combining with common used interactive features such as voice and gesture recognition, 3D mouse, haptic feedback, and spatialized audio rendering, these environments should faithfully reproduce a real context. However, even if many studies have been carried out on multimodal systems, we are far to definitively solve the issue of multimodal fusion, which consists in merging multimodal events coming from users and devices, into interpretable commands performed by the application. Multimodality and collaboration was often studied separately, despite of the fact that these two aspects share interesting similarities. We discuss how we address this problem, thought the design and implementation of a supervisor that is able to deal with both multimodal fusion and collaborative aspects. The aim of this supervisor is to ensure the merge of user's input from virtual reality devices in order to control immersive multi-user applications. We deal with this problem according to a practical point of view, because the main requirements of this supervisor was defined according to a industrial task proposed by our automotive partner, that as to be performed with multimodal and collaborative interactions in a co-located multi-user environment. In this task, two co-located workers of a virtual assembly chain has to cooperate to insert a seat into the bodywork of a car, using haptic devices to feel collision and to manipulate objects, combining speech recognition and two hands gesture recognition as multimodal instructions. Besides the architectural aspect of this supervisor, we described how we ensure the modularity of our solution that could apply on different virtual reality platforms, interactive contexts and virtual contents. A virtual context observer included in this supervisor in was especially designed to be independent to the content of the virtual scene of targeted application, and is use to report high-level interactive and collaborative events. This context observer allows the supervisor to merge these interactive and collaborative events, but is also used to deal with new issues coming from our observation of two co-located users in an immersive device performing this assembly task. We highlight the fact that when speech recognition features are provided to the two users, it is required to automatically detect according to the interactive context, whether the vocal instructions must be translated into commands that have to be performed by the machine, or whether they take a part of the natural communication necessary for collaboration. Information coming from this context observer that indicates a user is looking at its collaborator, is important to detect if the user is talking to its partner. Moreover, as the users are physically co-localised and head-tracking is used to provide high fidelity stereoscopic rendering, and natural walking navigation in the virtual scene, we have to deals with collision and screen occlusion between the co-located users in the physical work space. Working area and focus of each user, computed and reported by the context observer is necessary to prevent or avoid these situations.

A collaborative virtual reality environment for neurosurgical planning and training.

PubMed

Kockro, Ralf A; Stadie, Axel; Schwandt, Eike; Reisch, Robert; Charalampaki, Cleopatra; Ng, Ivan; Yeo, Tseng Tsai; Hwang, Peter; Serra, Luis; Perneczky, Axel

2007-11-01

We have developed a highly interactive virtual environment that enables collaborative examination of stereoscopic three-dimensional (3-D) medical imaging data for planning, discussing, or teaching neurosurgical approaches and strategies. The system consists of an interactive console with which the user manipulates 3-D data using hand-held and tracked devices within a 3-D virtual workspace and a stereoscopic projection system. The projection system displays the 3-D data on a large screen while the user is working with it. This setup allows users to interact intuitively with complex 3-D data while sharing this information with a larger audience. We have been using this system on a routine clinical basis and during neurosurgical training courses to collaboratively plan and discuss neurosurgical procedures with 3-D reconstructions of patient-specific magnetic resonance and computed tomographic imaging data or with a virtual model of the temporal bone. Working collaboratively with the 3-D information of a large, interactive, stereoscopic projection provides an unambiguous way to analyze and understand the anatomic spatial relationships of different surgical corridors. In our experience, the system creates a unique forum for open and precise discussion of neurosurgical approaches. We believe the system provides a highly effective way to work with 3-D data in a group, and it significantly enhances teaching of neurosurgical anatomy and operative strategies.

Virtual reality in anxiety disorders: the past and the future.

PubMed

Gorini, Alessandra; Riva, Giuseppe

2008-02-01

One of the most effective treatments of anxiety is exposure therapy: a person is exposed to specific feared situations or objects that trigger anxiety. This exposure process may be done through actual exposure, with visualization, by imagination or using virtual reality (VR), that provides users with computer simulated environments with and within which they can interact. VR is made possible by the capability of computers to synthesize a 3D graphical environment from numerical data. Furthermore, because input devices sense the subject's reactions and motions, the computer can modify the synthetic environment accordingly, creating the illusion of interacting with, and thus being immersed within the environment. Starting from 1995, different experimental studies have been conducted in order to investigate the effect of VR exposure in the treatment of subclinical fears and anxiety disorders. This review will discuss their outcome and provide guidelines for the use of VR exposure for the treatment of anxious patients.

Science Education Using a Computer Model-Virtual Puget Sound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fruland, R.; Winn, W.; Oppenheimer, P.; Stahr, F.; Sarason, C.

2002-12-01

We created an interactive learning environment based on an oceanographic computer model of Puget Sound-Virtual Puget Sound (VPS)-as an alternative to traditional teaching methods. Students immersed in this navigable 3-D virtual environment observed tidal movements and salinity changes, and performed tracer and buoyancy experiments. Scientific concepts were embedded in a goal-based scenario to locate a new sewage outfall in Puget Sound. Traditional science teaching methods focus on distilled representations of agreed-upon knowledge removed from real-world context and scientific debate. Our strategy leverages students' natural interest in their environment, provides meaningful context and engages students in scientific debate and knowledge creation. Results show that VPS provides a powerful learning environment, but highlights the need for research on how to most effectively represent concepts and organize interactions to support scientific inquiry and understanding. Research is also needed to ensure that new technologies and visualizations do not foster misconceptions, including the impression that the model represents reality rather than being a useful tool. In this presentation we review results from prior work with VPS and outline new work for a modeling partnership recently formed with funding from the National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP).

Adapting line integral convolution for fabricating artistic virtual environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jiunn-Shyan; Wang, Chung-Ming

2003-04-01

Vector field occurs not only extensively in scientific applications but also in treasured art such as sculptures and paintings. Artist depicts our natural environment stressing valued directional feature besides color and shape information. Line integral convolution (LIC), developed for imaging vector field in scientific visualization, has potential of producing directional image. In this paper we present several techniques of exploring LIC techniques to generate impressionistic images forming artistic virtual environment. We take advantage of directional information given by a photograph, and incorporate many investigations to the work including non-photorealistic shading technique and statistical detail control. In particular, the non-photorealistic shading technique blends cool and warm colors into the photograph to imitate artists painting convention. Besides, we adopt statistical technique controlling integral length according to image variance to preserve details. Furthermore, we also propose method for generating a series of mip-maps, which revealing constant strokes under multi-resolution viewing and achieving frame coherence in an interactive walkthrough system. The experimental results show merits of emulating satisfyingly and computing efficiently, as a consequence, relying on the proposed technique successfully fabricates a wide category of non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) application such as interactive virtual environment with artistic perception.

Web-Based Testing Tools for Electrical Engineering Courses

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

ideas of distance learning are based on forming “ virtual teams” [2]. Each team is equipped with the same software packages and share information via...using virtual laboratories where they can simulate a laboratory experience in a web-based environment. They can also control laboratory devices over...possible to create a set of virtual laboratories that allow students to interact with the learning material at the same time that the student is

Multisensory Integration in the Virtual Hand Illusion with Active Movement

PubMed Central

Satoh, Satoru; Hachimura, Kozaburo

2016-01-01

Improving the sense of immersion is one of the core issues in virtual reality. Perceptual illusions of ownership can be perceived over a virtual body in a multisensory virtual reality environment. Rubber Hand and Virtual Hand Illusions showed that body ownership can be manipulated by applying suitable visual and tactile stimulation. In this study, we investigate the effects of multisensory integration in the Virtual Hand Illusion with active movement. A virtual xylophone playing system which can interactively provide synchronous visual, tactile, and auditory stimulation was constructed. We conducted two experiments regarding different movement conditions and different sensory stimulations. Our results demonstrate that multisensory integration with free active movement can improve the sense of immersion in virtual reality. PMID:27847822

A Virtual Walk through London: Culture Learning through a Cultural Immersion Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Ya-Chun

2015-01-01

Integrating Google Street View into a three-dimensional virtual environment in which users control personal avatars provides these said users with access to an innovative, interactive, and real-world context for communication and culture learning. We have selected London, a city famous for its rich historical, architectural, and artistic heritage,…

The SEE Experience: Edutainment in 3D Virtual Worlds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Blas, Nicoletta; Paolini, Paolo; Hazan, Susan

Shared virtual worlds are innovative applications where several users, represented by Avatars, simultaneously access via Internet a 3D space. Users cooperate through interaction with the environment and with each other, manipulating objects and chatting as they go. Apart from in the well documented online action games industry, now often played…

Genome Island: A Virtual Science Environment in Second Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Mary Anne

2009-01-01

Mary Anne CLark describes the organization and uses of Genome Island, a virtual laboratory complex constructed in Second Life. Genome Island was created for teaching genetics to university undergraduates but also provides a public space where anyone interested in genetics can spend a few minutes, or a few hours, interacting with genetic…

Foreign Language Anxiety Levels in Second Life Oral Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melchor-Couto, Sabela

2017-01-01

Virtual worlds have been described as low anxiety environments (Dickey, 2005), where students may feel "shielded" behind their avatars (Rosell-Aguilar, 2005: 432). The aim of this article is to analyse the evolution of the Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) levels experienced by a group of participants who used the virtual world "Second…

Are Learning Styles Relevant to Virtual Reality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chwen Jen; Toh, Seong Chong; Ismail, Wan Mohd Fauzy Wan

2005-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of a virtual reality (VR)-based learning environment on learners with different learning styles. The findings of the aptitude-by-treatment interaction study have shown that learners benefit most from the VR (guided exploration) mode, irrespective of their learning styles. This shows that the VR-based…

Collaborative Learning in Architectural Education: Benefits of Combining Conventional Studio, Virtual Design Studio and Live Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Carolina; Hudson, Roland; Niblock, Chantelle

2018-01-01

Combinations of Conventional Studio and Virtual Design Studio (VDS) have created valuable learning environments that take advantage of different instruments of communication and interaction. However, past experiences have reported limitations in regards to student engagement and motivation, especially when the studio projects encourage abstraction…

Relating Narrative, Inquiry, and Inscriptions: Supporting Consequential Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barab, Sasha A.; Sadler, Troy D.; Heiselt, Conan; Hickey, Daniel; Zuiker, Steven

2007-01-01

In this paper we describe our research using a multi-user virtual environment, "Quest Atlantis," to embed fourth grade students in an aquatic habitat simulation. Specifically targeted towards engaging students in a rich inquiry investigation, we layered a socio-scientific narrative and an interactive rule set into a multi-user virtual environment…

Providing Interactive Access to Cave Geology for All Students, Regardless of Physical Ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atchison, C. `; Stredney, D.; Hittle, B.; Irving, K.; Toomey, R. S., III; Lemon, N. N.; Price, A.; Kerwin, T.

2013-12-01

Based on an identified need to accommodate students with mobility impairments in field-based instructional experiences, this presentation will discuss current efforts to promote participation, broaden diversity, and impart a historical perspective in the geosciences through the use of an interactive virtual environment. Developed through the integration of emerging simulation technologies, this prototypical virtual environment is created from LIDAR data of the Historic Tour route of Mammoth Cave National Park. The educational objectives of the simulation focus on four primary locations within the tour route that provide evidence of the hydrologic impact on the cave and karst formation. The overall objective is to provide a rich experience of a geological field-based learning for all students, regardless of their physical abilities. Employing a virtual environment that interchangeably uses two and three-dimensional representation of geoscience content, this synthetic field-based cave and karst module will provide an opportunity to assess the effectiveness in engaging the student community, and its efficacy in the curriculum when used as an alternative representation of a traditional field experience. The expected outcome is that based on the level of interactivity, the simulated environment will provide adequate pedagogical representation for content transfer without the need for physical experience in the uncontrolled field environment. Additionally, creating such an environment will impact all able-bodied students by providing supplemental resources that can both precede a traditional field experience and allow for students to re-examine a field site long after a the field experience, in both current formal and informal educational settings.

Interactions with Virtual People: Do Avatars Dream of Digital Sheep?. Chapter 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slater, Mel; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V.

2007-01-01

This paper explores another form of artificial entity, ones without physical embodiment. We refer to virtual characters as the name for a type of interactive object that have become familiar in computer games and within virtual reality applications. We refer to these as avatars: three-dimensional graphical objects that are in more-or-less human form which can interact with humans. Sometimes such avatars will be representations of real-humans who are interacting together within a shared networked virtual environment, other times the representations will be of entirely computer generated characters. Unlike other authors, who reserve the term agent for entirely computer generated characters and avatars for virtual embodiments of real people; the same term here is used for both. This is because avatars and agents are on a continuum. The question is where does their behaviour originate? At the extremes the behaviour is either completely computer generated or comes only from tracking of a real person. However, not every aspect of a real person can be tracked every eyebrow move, every blink, every breath rather real tracking data would be supplemented by inferred behaviours which are programmed based on the available information as to what the real human is doing and her/his underlying emotional and psychological state. Hence there is always some programmed behaviour it is only a matter of how much. In any case the same underlying problem remains how can the human character be portrayed in such a manner that its actions are believable and have an impact on the real people with whom it interacts? This paper has three main parts. In the first part we will review some evidence that suggests that humans react with appropriate affect in their interactions with virtual human characters, or with other humans who are represented as avatars. This is so in spite of the fact that the representational fidelity is relatively low. Our evidence will be from the realm of psychotherapy, where virtual social situations are created that do test whether people react appropriately within these situations. We will also consider some experiments on face-to-face virtual communications between people in the same shared virtual environments. The second part will try to give some clues about why this might happen, taking into account modern theories of perception from neuroscience. The third part will include some speculations about the future developments of the relationship between people and virtual people. We will suggest that a more likely scenario than the world becoming populated by physically embodied virtual people (robots, androids) is that in the relatively near future we will interact more and more in our everyday lives with virtual people- bank managers, shop assistants, instructors, and so on. What is happening in the movies with computer graphic generated individuals and entire crowds may move into the space of everyday life.

Molecular Rift: Virtual Reality for Drug Designers.

PubMed

Norrby, Magnus; Grebner, Christoph; Eriksson, Joakim; Boström, Jonas

2015-11-23

Recent advances in interaction design have created new ways to use computers. One example is the ability to create enhanced 3D environments that simulate physical presence in the real world--a virtual reality. This is relevant to drug discovery since molecular models are frequently used to obtain deeper understandings of, say, ligand-protein complexes. We have developed a tool (Molecular Rift), which creates a virtual reality environment steered with hand movements. Oculus Rift, a head-mounted display, is used to create the virtual settings. The program is controlled by gesture-recognition, using the gaming sensor MS Kinect v2, eliminating the need for standard input devices. The Open Babel toolkit was integrated to provide access to powerful cheminformatics functions. Molecular Rift was developed with a focus on usability, including iterative test-group evaluations. We conclude with reflections on virtual reality's future capabilities in chemistry and education. Molecular Rift is open source and can be downloaded from GitHub.

A comparison of older adults' subjective experiences with virtual and real environments during dynamic balance activities.

PubMed

Proffitt, Rachel; Lange, Belinda; Chen, Christina; Winstein, Carolee

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of older adults interacting with both virtual and real environments. Thirty healthy older adults engaged with real and virtual tasks of similar motor demands: reaching to a target in standing and stepping stance. Immersive tendencies and absorption scales were administered before the session. Game engagement and experience questionnaires were completed after each task, followed by a semistructured interview at the end of the testing session. Data were analyzed respectively using paired t tests and grounded theory methodology. Participants preferred the virtual task over the real task. They also reported an increase in presence and absorption with the virtual task, describing an external focus of attention. Findings will be used to inform future development of appropriate game-based balance training applications that could be embedded in the home or community settings as part of evidence-based fall prevention programs.

Social anxiety in virtual environments: results of a pilot study.

PubMed

James, Laura K; Lin, Chien-Yu; Steed, Anthony; Swapp, David; Slater, Mel

2003-06-01

This paper reports on a pilot study of the extent to which social anxiety can be generated within a virtual environment. Ten subjects were exposed to a virtual reality experience depicting a London underground train and also a wine bar. The first provided a social setting with virtual characters (avatars) that had relatively neutral behaviors towards the subject, and the second was more socially demanding--with subjects required to interact with relatively disinterested avatars. The purpose was to assess whether social anxiety would be greater for the wine bar experience than the train journey experience, taking into account prior tendencies to social anxiety, and the order of presentation. The results suggest that social anxiety was higher for the wine bar experience, but lower for the second exposure.

Relating Narrative, Inquiry, and Inscriptions: Supporting Consequential Play

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barab, Sasha A.; Sadler, Troy D.; Heiselt, Conan; Hickey, Daniel; Zuiker, Steven

2007-02-01

In this paper we describe our research using a multi-user virtual environment, Quest Atlantis, to embed fourth grade students in an aquatic habitat simulation. Specifically targeted towards engaging students in a rich inquiry investigation, we layered a socio-scientific narrative and an interactive rule set into a multi-user virtual environment gaming engine to establish a virtual world through which students learned about science inquiry, water quality concepts, and the challenges in balancing scientific and socio-economic factors. Overall, students were clearly engaged, participated in rich scientific discourse, submitted quality work, and learned science content. Further, through participation in this narrative, students developed a rich perceptual, conceptual, and ethical understanding of science. This study suggests that multi-user virtual worlds can be effectively leveraged to support academic content learning.

Erratum to: Relating Narrative, Inquiry, and Inscriptions: Supporting Consequential Play

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barab, Sasha A.; Sadler, Troy D.; Heiselt, Conan; Hickey, Daniel; Zuiker, Steven

2010-08-01

In this paper we describe our research using a multi-user virtual environment, Quest Atlantis, to embed fourth grade students in an aquatic habitat simulation. Specifically targeted towards engaging students in a rich inquiry investigation, we layered a socio-scientific narrative and an interactive rule set into a multi-user virtual environment gaming engine to establish a virtual world through which students learned about science inquiry, water quality concepts, and the challenges in balancing scientific and socio-economic factors. Overall, students were clearly engaged, participated in rich scientific discourse, submitted quality work, and learned science content. Further, through participation in this narrative, students developed a rich perceptual, conceptual, and ethical understanding of science. This study suggests that multi-user virtual worlds can be effectively leveraged to support academic content learning.

Crowd behaviour during high-stress evacuations in an immersive virtual environment

PubMed Central

Kapadia, Mubbasir; Thrash, Tyler; Sumner, Robert W.; Gross, Markus; Helbing, Dirk; Hölscher, Christoph

2016-01-01

Understanding the collective dynamics of crowd movements during stressful emergency situations is central to reducing the risk of deadly crowd disasters. Yet, their systematic experimental study remains a challenging open problem due to ethical and methodological constraints. In this paper, we demonstrate the viability of shared three-dimensional virtual environments as an experimental platform for conducting crowd experiments with real people. In particular, we show that crowds of real human subjects moving and interacting in an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment exhibit typical patterns of real crowds as observed in real-life crowded situations. These include the manifestation of social conventions and the emergence of self-organized patterns during egress scenarios. High-stress evacuation experiments conducted in this virtual environment reveal movements characterized by mass herding and dangerous overcrowding as they occur in crowd disasters. We describe the behavioural mechanisms at play under such extreme conditions and identify critical zones where overcrowding may occur. Furthermore, we show that herding spontaneously emerges from a density effect without the need to assume an increase of the individual tendency to imitate peers. Our experiments reveal the promise of immersive virtual environments as an ethical, cost-efficient, yet accurate platform for exploring crowd behaviour in high-risk situations with real human subjects. PMID:27605166

Crowd behaviour during high-stress evacuations in an immersive virtual environment.

PubMed

Moussaïd, Mehdi; Kapadia, Mubbasir; Thrash, Tyler; Sumner, Robert W; Gross, Markus; Helbing, Dirk; Hölscher, Christoph

2016-09-01

Understanding the collective dynamics of crowd movements during stressful emergency situations is central to reducing the risk of deadly crowd disasters. Yet, their systematic experimental study remains a challenging open problem due to ethical and methodological constraints. In this paper, we demonstrate the viability of shared three-dimensional virtual environments as an experimental platform for conducting crowd experiments with real people. In particular, we show that crowds of real human subjects moving and interacting in an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment exhibit typical patterns of real crowds as observed in real-life crowded situations. These include the manifestation of social conventions and the emergence of self-organized patterns during egress scenarios. High-stress evacuation experiments conducted in this virtual environment reveal movements characterized by mass herding and dangerous overcrowding as they occur in crowd disasters. We describe the behavioural mechanisms at play under such extreme conditions and identify critical zones where overcrowding may occur. Furthermore, we show that herding spontaneously emerges from a density effect without the need to assume an increase of the individual tendency to imitate peers. Our experiments reveal the promise of immersive virtual environments as an ethical, cost-efficient, yet accurate platform for exploring crowd behaviour in high-risk situations with real human subjects. © 2016 The Authors.

A Mobile Virtual Butler to Bridge the Gap between Users and Ambient Assisted Living: A Smart Home Case Study

PubMed Central

Costa, Nuno; Domingues, Patricio; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino; Pereira, António

2014-01-01

Ambient Intelligence promises to transform current spaces into electronic environments that are responsive, assistive and sensitive to human presence. Those electronic environments will be fully populated with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of connected devices that share information and thus become intelligent. That massive wave of electronic devices will also invade everyday objects, turning them into smart entities, keeping their native features and characteristics while seamlessly promoting them to a new class of thinking and reasoning everyday objects. Although there are strong expectations that most of the users' needs can be fulfilled without their intervention, there are still situations where interaction is required. This paper presents work being done in the field of human-computer interaction, focusing on smart home environments, while being a part of a larger project called Aging Inside a Smart Home. This initiative arose as a way to deal with a large scourge of our country, where lots of elderly persons live alone in their homes, often with limited or no physical mobility. The project relies on the mobile agent computing paradigm in order to create a Virtual Butler that provides the interface between the elderly and the smart home infrastructure. The Virtual Butler is receptive to user questions, answering them according to the context and knowledge of the AISH. It is also capable of interacting with the user whenever it senses that something has gone wrong, notifying next of kin and/or medical services, etc. The Virtual Butler is aware of the user location and moves to the computing device which is closest to the user, in order to be always present. Its avatar can also run in handheld devices keeping its main functionality in order to track user when s/he goes out. According to the evaluation carried out, the Virtual Butler is assessed as a very interesting and loved digital friend, filling the gap between the user and the smart home. The evaluation also showed that the Virtual Butler concept can be easily ported to other types of possible smart and assistive environments like airports, hospitals, shopping malls, offices, etc. PMID:25102342

A mobile Virtual Butler to bridge the gap between users and ambient assisted living: a Smart Home case study.

PubMed

Costa, Nuno; Domingues, Patricio; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino; Pereira, António

2014-08-06

Ambient Intelligence promises to transform current spaces into electronic environments that are responsive, assistive and sensitive to human presence. Those electronic environments will be fully populated with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of connected devices that share information and thus become intelligent. That massive wave of electronic devices will also invade everyday objects, turning them into smart entities, keeping their native features and characteristics while seamlessly promoting them to a new class of thinking and reasoning everyday objects. Although there are strong expectations that most of the users' needs can be fulfilled without their intervention, there are still situations where interaction is required. This paper presents work being done in the field of human-computer interaction, focusing on smart home environments, while being a part of a larger project called Aging Inside a Smart Home. This initiative arose as a way to deal with a large scourge of our country, where lots of elderly persons live alone in their homes, often with limited or no physical mobility. The project relies on the mobile agent computing paradigm in order to create a Virtual Butler that provides the interface between the elderly and the smart home infrastructure. The Virtual Butler is receptive to user questions, answering them according to the context and knowledge of the AISH. It is also capable of interacting with the user whenever it senses that something has gone wrong, notifying next of kin and/or medical services, etc. The Virtual Butler is aware of the user location and moves to the computing device which is closest to the user, in order to be always present. Its avatar can also run in handheld devices keeping its main functionality in order to track user when s/he goes out. According to the evaluation carried out, the Virtual Butler is assessed as a very interesting and loved digital friend, filling the gap between the user and the smart home. The evaluation also showed that the Virtual Butler concept can be easily ported to other types of possible smart and assistive environments like airports, hospitals, shopping malls, offices, etc.

A succinct overview of virtual reality technology use in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

García-Betances, Rebeca I; Arredondo Waldmeyer, María Teresa; Fico, Giuseppe; Cabrera-Umpiérrez, María Fernanda

2015-01-01

We provide a brief review and appraisal of recent and current virtual reality (VR) technology for Alzheimer's disease (AD) applications. We categorize them according to their intended purpose (e.g., diagnosis, patient cognitive training, caregivers' education, etc.), focus feature (e.g., spatial impairment, memory deficit, etc.), methodology employed (e.g., tasks, games, etc.), immersion level, and passive or active interaction. Critical assessment indicates that most of them do not yet take full advantage of virtual environments with high levels of immersion and interaction. Many still rely on conventional 2D graphic displays to create non-immersive or semi-immersive VR scenarios. Important improvements are needed to make VR a better and more versatile assessment and training tool for AD. The use of the latest display technologies available, such as emerging head-mounted displays and 3D smart TV technologies, together with realistic multi-sensorial interaction devices, and neuro-physiological feedback capacity, are some of the most beneficial improvements this mini-review suggests. Additionally, it would be desirable that such VR applications for AD be easily and affordably transferable to in-home and nursing home environments.

The Effect of Realistic Appearance of Virtual Characters in Immersive Environments - Does the Character's Personality Play a Role?

PubMed

Zibrek, Katja; Kokkinara, Elena; Mcdonnell, Rachel

2018-04-01

Virtual characters that appear almost photo-realistic have been shown to induce negative responses from viewers in traditional media, such as film and video games. This effect, described as the uncanny valley, is the reason why realism is often avoided when the aim is to create an appealing virtual character. In Virtual Reality, there have been few attempts to investigate this phenomenon and the implications of rendering virtual characters with high levels of realism on user enjoyment. In this paper, we conducted a large-scale experiment on over one thousand members of the public in order to gather information on how virtual characters are perceived in interactive virtual reality games. We were particularly interested in whether different render styles (realistic, cartoon, etc.) would directly influence appeal, or if a character's personality was the most important indicator of appeal. We used a number of perceptual metrics such as subjective ratings, proximity, and attribution bias in order to test our hypothesis. Our main result shows that affinity towards virtual characters is a complex interaction between the character's appearance and personality, and that realism is in fact a positive choice for virtual characters in virtual reality.

ESL Students' Interaction in Second Life: Task-Based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jee, Min Jung

2010-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore ESL students' interactions in task-based synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) in Second Life, a virtual environment by which users can interact through representational figures. I investigated Low-Intermediate and High-Intermediate ESL students' interaction patterns before, during, and…

High Fidelity Virtual Environments: Does Shader Quality or Higher Polygon Count Models Increase Presence and Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horton, Scott

This research study investigated the effects of high fidelity graphics on both learning and presence, or the "sense of being there," inside a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Four versions of a VLE on the subject of the element mercury were created, each with a different combination of high and low fidelity polygon models and high and low fidelity shaders. A total of 76 college age (18+ years of age) participants were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. The participants interacted with the VLE and then completed several posttest measures on learning, presence, and attitudes towards the VLE experience. Demographic information was also collected, including age, computer gameplay experience, number of virtual environments interacted with, gender and time spent in this virtual environment. The data was analyzed as a 2 x 2 between subjects ANOVA. The main effects of shader fidelity and polygon fidelity were both non-significant for both learning and all presence subscales inside the VLE. In addition, there was no significant interaction between shader fidelity and model fidelity. However, there were two significant results on the supplementary variables. First, gender was found to have a significant main effect on all the presence subscales. Females reported higher average levels of presence than their male counterparts. Second, gameplay hours, or the number of hours a participant played computer games per week, also had a significant main effect on participant score on the learning measure. The participants who reported playing 15+ hours of computer games per week, the highest amount of time in the variable, had the highest score as a group on the mercury learning measure while those participants that played 1-5 hours per week had the lowest scores.

D-VASim: an interactive virtual laboratory environment for the simulation and analysis of genetic circuits.

PubMed

Baig, Hasan; Madsen, Jan

2017-01-15

Simulation and behavioral analysis of genetic circuits is a standard approach of functional verification prior to their physical implementation. Many software tools have been developed to perform in silico analysis for this purpose, but none of them allow users to interact with the model during runtime. The runtime interaction gives the user a feeling of being in the lab performing a real world experiment. In this work, we present a user-friendly software tool named D-VASim (Dynamic Virtual Analyzer and Simulator), which provides a virtual laboratory environment to simulate and analyze the behavior of genetic logic circuit models represented in an SBML (Systems Biology Markup Language). Hence, SBML models developed in other software environments can be analyzed and simulated in D-VASim. D-VASim offers deterministic as well as stochastic simulation; and differs from other software tools by being able to extract and validate the Boolean logic from the SBML model. D-VASim is also capable of analyzing the threshold value and propagation delay of a genetic circuit model. D-VASim is available for Windows and Mac OS and can be downloaded from bda.compute.dtu.dk/downloads/. haba@dtu.dk, jama@dtu.dk. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

EVA: An Interactive Web-Based Collaborative Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheremetov, Leonid; Arenas, Adolfo Guzman

2002-01-01

In this paper, a Web-based learning environment developed within the project called Virtual Learning Spaces (EVA, in Spanish) is described. The environment is composed of knowledge, collaboration, consulting and experimentation spaces as a collection of agents and conventional software components working over the knowledge domains. All user…

An interactive physics-based unmanned ground vehicle simulator leveraging open source gaming technology: progress in the development and application of the virtual autonomous navigation environment (VANE) desktop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, Mitchell M.; Crawford, Justin; Toschlog, Matthew; Iagnemma, Karl D.; Kewlani, Guarav; Cummins, Christopher L.; Jones, Randolph A.; Horner, David A.

2009-05-01

It is widely recognized that simulation is pivotal to vehicle development, whether manned or unmanned. There are few dedicated choices, however, for those wishing to perform realistic, end-to-end simulations of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The Virtual Autonomous Navigation Environment (VANE), under development by US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), provides such capabilities but utilizes a High Performance Computing (HPC) Computational Testbed (CTB) and is not intended for on-line, real-time performance. A product of the VANE HPC research is a real-time desktop simulation application under development by the authors that provides a portal into the HPC environment as well as interaction with wider-scope semi-automated force simulations (e.g. OneSAF). This VANE desktop application, dubbed the Autonomous Navigation Virtual Environment Laboratory (ANVEL), enables analysis and testing of autonomous vehicle dynamics and terrain/obstacle interaction in real-time with the capability to interact within the HPC constructive geo-environmental CTB for high fidelity sensor evaluations. ANVEL leverages rigorous physics-based vehicle and vehicle-terrain interaction models in conjunction with high-quality, multimedia visualization techniques to form an intuitive, accurate engineering tool. The system provides an adaptable and customizable simulation platform that allows developers a controlled, repeatable testbed for advanced simulations. ANVEL leverages several key technologies not common to traditional engineering simulators, including techniques from the commercial video-game industry. These enable ANVEL to run on inexpensive commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware. In this paper, the authors describe key aspects of ANVEL and its development, as well as several initial applications of the system.

Building a Virtual Environment for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support

PubMed Central

Johnson, Constance; Feenan, Kevin; Setliff, Glenn; Pereira, Katherine; Hassell, Nancy; Beresford, Henry F.; Epps, Shelly; Nicollerat, Janet; Tatum, William; Feinglos, Mark; Vorderstrasse, Allison

2015-01-01

The authors developed an immersive diabetes community to provide diabetes self-management education and support for adults with type 2 diabetes. In this article the authors describe the procedures used to develop this virtual environment (VE). Second Life Impacts Diabetes Education & Self-Management (SLIDES), the VE for our diabetes community was built in Second Life. Social Cognitive Theory, behavioral principles and key aspects of virtual environments related to usability were applied in the development in this VE. Collaboration between researchers, clinicians and information technology (IT) specialists occurred throughout the development process. An interactive community was successfully built and utilized to provide diabetes self-management education and support. VEs for health applications may be innovative and enticing, yet it must be kept in mind that there are substantial effort, expertise, and usability factors that must be considered in the development of these environments for health care consumers. PMID:25699133

Development of an Interactive Augmented Environment and Its Application to Autonomous Learning for Quadruped Robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Hayato; Osaki, Tsugutoyo; Okuyama, Tetsuro; Gramm, Joshua; Ishino, Akira; Shinohara, Ayumi

This paper describes an interactive experimental environment for autonomous soccer robots, which is a soccer field augmented by utilizing camera input and projector output. This environment, in a sense, plays an intermediate role between simulated environments and real environments. We can simulate some parts of real environments, e.g., real objects such as robots or a ball, and reflect simulated data into the real environments, e.g., to visualize the positions on the field, so as to create a situation that allows easy debugging of robot programs. The significant point compared with analogous work is that virtual objects are touchable in this system owing to projectors. We also show the portable version of our system that does not require ceiling cameras. As an application in the augmented environment, we address the learning of goalie strategies on real quadruped robots in penalty kicks. We make our robots utilize virtual balls in order to perform only quadruped locomotion in real environments, which is quite difficult to simulate accurately. Our robots autonomously learn and acquire more beneficial strategies without human intervention in our augmented environment than those in a fully simulated environment.

Interactive Learning Environment: Web-based Virtual Hydrological Simulation System using Augmented and Immersive Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.

2014-12-01

Recent developments in internet technologies make it possible to manage and visualize large data on the web. Novel visualization techniques and interactive user interfaces allow users to create realistic environments, and interact with data to gain insight from simulations and environmental observations. The hydrological simulation system is a web-based 3D interactive learning environment for teaching hydrological processes and concepts. The simulation systems provides a visually striking platform with realistic terrain information, and water simulation. Students can create or load predefined scenarios, control environmental parameters, and evaluate environmental mitigation alternatives. The web-based simulation system provides an environment for students to learn about the hydrological processes (e.g. flooding and flood damage), and effects of development and human activity in the floodplain. The system utilizes latest web technologies and graphics processing unit (GPU) for water simulation and object collisions on the terrain. Users can access the system in three visualization modes including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive reality using heads-up display. The system provides various scenarios customized to fit the age and education level of various users. This presentation provides an overview of the web-based flood simulation system, and demonstrates the capabilities of the system for various visualization and interaction modes.

Process migration in UNIX environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Chin; Liu, J. W. S.

1988-01-01

To support process migration in UNIX environments, the main problem is how to encapsulate the location dependent features of the system in such a way that a host independent virtual environment is maintained by the migration handlers on the behalf of each migrated process. An object-oriented approach is used to describe the interaction between a process and its environment. More specifically, environmental objects were introduced in UNIX systems to carry out the user-environment interaction. The implementation of the migration handlers is based on both the state consistency criterion and the property consistency criterion.

Enrichment of Human-Computer Interaction in Brain-Computer Interfaces via Virtual Environments

PubMed Central

Víctor Rodrigo, Mercado-García

2017-01-01

Tridimensional representations stimulate cognitive processes that are the core and foundation of human-computer interaction (HCI). Those cognitive processes take place while a user navigates and explores a virtual environment (VE) and are mainly related to spatial memory storage, attention, and perception. VEs have many distinctive features (e.g., involvement, immersion, and presence) that can significantly improve HCI in highly demanding and interactive systems such as brain-computer interfaces (BCI). BCI is as a nonmuscular communication channel that attempts to reestablish the interaction between an individual and his/her environment. Although BCI research started in the sixties, this technology is not efficient or reliable yet for everyone at any time. Over the past few years, researchers have argued that main BCI flaws could be associated with HCI issues. The evidence presented thus far shows that VEs can (1) set out working environmental conditions, (2) maximize the efficiency of BCI control panels, (3) implement navigation systems based not only on user intentions but also on user emotions, and (4) regulate user mental state to increase the differentiation between control and noncontrol modalities. PMID:29317861

Modeling mechanical cardiopulmonary interactions for virtual environments.

PubMed

Kaye, J M

1997-01-01

We have developed a computer system for modeling mechanical cardiopulmonary behavior in an interactive, 3D virtual environment. The system consists of a compact, scalar description of cardiopulmonary mechanics, with an emphasis on respiratory mechanics, that drives deformable 3D anatomy to simulate mechanical behaviors of and interactions between physiological systems. Such an environment can be used to facilitate exploration of cardiopulmonary physiology, particularly in situations that are difficult to reproduce clinically. We integrate 3D deformable body dynamics with new, formal models of (scalar) cardiorespiratory physiology, associating the scalar physiological variables and parameters with corresponding 3D anatomy. Our approach is amenable to modeling patient-specific circumstances in two ways. First, using CT scan data, we apply semi-automatic methods for extracting and reconstructing the anatomy to use in our simulations. Second, our scalar models are defined in terms of clinically-measurable, patient-specific parameters. This paper describes our approach and presents a sample of results showing normal breathing and acute effects of pneumothoraces.

Designing 3 Dimensional Virtual Reality Using Panoramic Image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan Abd Arif, Wan Norazlinawati; Wan Ahmad, Wan Fatimah; Nordin, Shahrina Md.; Abdullah, Azrai; Sivapalan, Subarna

The high demand to improve the quality of the presentation in the knowledge sharing field is to compete with rapidly growing technology. The needs for development of technology based learning and training lead to an idea to develop an Oil and Gas Plant Virtual Environment (OGPVE) for the benefit of our future. Panoramic Virtual Reality learning based environment is essential in order to help educators overcome the limitations in traditional technical writing lesson. Virtual reality will help users to understand better by providing the simulations of real-world and hard to reach environment with high degree of realistic experience and interactivity. Thus, in order to create a courseware which will achieve the objective, accurate images of intended scenarios must be acquired. The panorama shows the OGPVE and helps to generate ideas to users on what they have learnt. This paper discusses part of the development in panoramic virtual reality. The important phases for developing successful panoramic image are image acquisition and image stitching or mosaicing. In this paper, the combination of wide field-of-view (FOV) and close up image used in this panoramic development are also discussed.

Latency and User Performance in Virtual Environments and Augmented Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Stephen R.

2009-01-01

System rendering latency has been recognized by senior researchers, such as Professor Fredrick Brooks of UNC (Turing Award 1999), as a major factor limiting the realism and utility of head-referenced displays systems. Latency has been shown to reduce the user's sense of immersion within a virtual environment, disturb user interaction with virtual objects, and to contribute to motion sickness during some simulation tasks. Latency, however, is not just an issue for external display systems since finite nerve conduction rates and variation in transduction times in the human body's sensors also pose problems for latency management within the nervous system. Some of the phenomena arising from the brain's handling of sensory asynchrony due to latency will be discussed as a prelude to consideration of the effects of latency in interactive displays. The causes and consequences of the erroneous movement that appears in displays due to latency will be illustrated with examples of the user performance impact provided by several experiments. These experiments will review the generality of user sensitivity to latency when users judge either object or environment stability. Hardware and signal processing countermeasures will also be discussed. In particular the tuning of a simple extrapolative predictive filter not using a dynamic movement model will be presented. Results show that it is possible to adjust this filter so that the appearance of some latencies may be hidden without the introduction of perceptual artifacts such as overshoot. Several examples of the effects of user performance will be illustrated by three-dimensional tracking and tracing tasks executed in virtual environments. These experiments demonstrate classic phenomena known from work on manual control and show the need for very responsive systems if they are indented to support precise manipulation. The practical benefits of removing interfering latencies from interactive systems will be emphasized with some classic final examples from surgical telerobotics, and human-computer interaction.

MnemoCity Task: Assessment of Childrens Spatial Memory Using Stereoscopy and Virtual Environments.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Andrés, David; Juan, M-Carmen; Méndez-López, Magdalena; Pérez-Hernández, Elena; Lluch, Javier

2016-01-01

This paper presents the MnemoCity task, which is a 3D application that introduces the user into a totally 3D virtual environment to evaluate spatial short-term memory. A study has been carried out to validate the MnemoCity task for the assessment of spatial short-term memory in children, by comparing the children's performance in the developed task with current approaches. A total of 160 children participated in the study. The task incorporates two types of interaction: one based on standard interaction and another one based on natural interaction involving physical movement by the user. There were no statistically significant differences in the results of the task using the two types of interaction. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were not found in relation to gender. The correlations between scores were obtained using the MnemoCity task and a traditional procedure for assessing spatial short-term memory. Those results revealed that the type of interaction used did not affect the performance of children in the MnemoCity task.

Foreign language learning in immersive virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Benjamin; Sheldon, Lee; Si, Mei; Hand, Anton

2012-03-01

Virtual reality has long been used for training simulations in fields from medicine to welding to vehicular operation, but simulations involving more complex cognitive skills present new design challenges. Foreign language learning, for example, is increasingly vital in the global economy, but computer-assisted education is still in its early stages. Immersive virtual reality is a promising avenue for language learning as a way of dynamically creating believable scenes for conversational training and role-play simulation. Visual immersion alone, however, only provides a starting point. We suggest that the addition of social interactions and motivated engagement through narrative gameplay can lead to truly effective language learning in virtual environments. In this paper, we describe the development of a novel application for teaching Mandarin using CAVE-like VR, physical props, human actors and intelligent virtual agents, all within a semester-long multiplayer mystery game. Students travel (virtually) to China on a class field trip, which soon becomes complicated with intrigue and mystery surrounding the lost manuscript of an early Chinese literary classic. Virtual reality environments such as the Forbidden City and a Beijing teahouse provide the setting for learning language, cultural traditions, and social customs, as well as the discovery of clues through conversation in Mandarin with characters in the game.

Exploring 4D Flow Data in an Immersive Virtual Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, A. H.; Butkiewicz, T.

2017-12-01

Ocean models help us to understand and predict a wide range of intricate physical processes which comprise the atmospheric and oceanic systems of the Earth. Because these models output an abundance of complex time-varying three-dimensional (i.e., 4D) data, effectively conveying the myriad information from a given model poses a significant visualization challenge. The majority of the research effort into this problem has concentrated around synthesizing and examining methods for representing the data itself; by comparison, relatively few studies have looked into the potential merits of various viewing conditions and virtual environments. We seek to improve our understanding of the benefits offered by current consumer-grade virtual reality (VR) systems through an immersive, interactive 4D flow visualization system. Our dataset is a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) model representing a 12-hour tidal cycle of the currents within New Hampshire's Great Bay estuary. The model data was loaded into a custom VR particle system application using the OpenVR software library and the HTC Vive hardware, which tracks a headset and two six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) controllers within a 5m-by-5m area. The resulting visualization system allows the user to coexist in the same virtual space as the data, enabling rapid and intuitive analysis of the flow model through natural interactions with the dataset and within the virtual environment. Whereas a traditional computer screen typically requires the user to reposition a virtual camera in the scene to obtain the desired view of the data, in virtual reality the user can simply move their head to the desired viewpoint, completely eliminating the mental context switches from data exploration/analysis to view adjustment and back. The tracked controllers become tools to quickly manipulate (reposition, reorient, and rescale) the dataset and to interrogate it by, e.g., releasing dye particles into the flow field, probing scalar velocities, placing a cutting plane through a region of interest, etc. It is hypothesized that the advantages afforded by head-tracked viewing and 6DOF interaction devices will lead to faster and more efficient examination of 4D flow data. A human factors study is currently being prepared to empirically evaluate this method of visualization and interaction.

Kinematic/Dynamic Characteristics for Visual and Kinesthetic Virtual Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bortolussi, Michael R. (Compiler); Adelstein, B. D.; Gold, Miriam

1996-01-01

Work was carried out on two topics of principal importance to current progress in virtual environment research at NASA Ames and elsewhere. The first topic was directed at maximizing the temporal dynamic response of visually presented Virtual Environments (VEs) through reorganization and optimization of system hardware and software. The final results of this portion of the work was a VE system in the Advanced Display and Spatial Perception Laboratory at NASA Ames capable of updating at 60 Hz (the maximum hardware refresh rate) with latencies approaching 30 msec. In the course of achieving this system performance, specialized hardware and software tools for measurement of VE latency and analytic models correlating update rate and latency for different system configurations were developed. The second area of activity was the preliminary development and analysis of a novel kinematic architecture for three Degree Of Freedom (DOF) haptic interfaces--devices that provide force feedback for manipulative interaction with virtual and remote environments. An invention disclosure was filed on this work and a patent application is being pursued by NASA Ames. Activities in these two areas are expanded upon below.

Effect of a virtual environment on the development of mathematical skills in children with dyscalculia.

PubMed

de Castro, Marcus Vasconcelos; Bissaco, Márcia Aparecida Silva; Panccioni, Bruno Marques; Rodrigues, Silvia Cristina Martini; Domingues, Andreia Miranda

2014-01-01

In this study, we show the effectiveness of a virtual environment comprising 18 computer games that cover mathematics topics in a playful setting and that can be executed on the Internet with the possibility of player interaction through chat. An arithmetic pre-test contained in the Scholastic Performance Test was administered to 300 children between 7 and 10 years old, including 162 males and 138 females, in the second grade of primary school. Twenty-six children whose scores showed a low level of mathematical knowledge were chosen and randomly divided into the control (CG) and experimental (EG) groups. The EG participated to the virtual environment and the CG participated in reinforcement using traditional teaching methods. Both groups took a post-test in which the Scholastic Performance Test (SPT) was given again. A statistical analysis of the results using the Student's t-test showed a significant learning improvement for the EG and no improvement for the CG (p≤0.05). The virtual environment allows the students to integrate thought, feeling and action, thus motivating the children to learn and contributing to their intellectual development.

Novel graphical environment for virtual and real-world operations of tracked mobile manipulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, ChuXin; Trivedi, Mohan M.; Azam, Mir; Lassiter, Nils T.

1993-08-01

A simulation, animation, visualization and interactive control (SAVIC) environment has been developed for the design and operation of an integrated mobile manipulator system. This unique system possesses the abilities for (1) multi-sensor simulation, (2) kinematics and locomotion animation, (3) dynamic motion and manipulation animation, (4) transformation between real and virtual modes within the same graphics system, (5) ease in exchanging software modules and hardware devices between real and virtual world operations, and (6) interfacing with a real robotic system. This paper describes a working system and illustrates the concepts by presenting the simulation, animation and control methodologies for a unique mobile robot with articulated tracks, a manipulator, and sensory modules.

Motivating the Learning of Science Topics in Secondary School: A Constructivist Edutainment Setting for Studying Chaos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertacchini, Francesca; Bilotta, Eleonora; Pantano, Pietro; Tavernise, Assunta

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present an Edutainment (education plus entertainment) secondary school setting based on the construction of artifacts and manipulation of virtual contents (images, sound, and music) connected to Chaos. This interactive learning environment also foresees the use of a virtual theatre, by which students can manipulate 3D contents…

The Experiences of Students with Learning Disabilities in a Higher Education Virtual Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollins, Nancy; Foley, Alan R.

2013-01-01

Institutions of higher education are increasingly asking students to use the online environment, or virtual campus, when carrying out business related to college life. In this paper, we report findings from a study conducted to learn more about the experiences of college students with learning disabilities as they interacted with this virtual…

Virtual Office Hours Using a Tablet PC: E-lluminating Biochemistry in an Online Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohorst, Kelly; Cox, James R.

2007-01-01

The availability of online collaboration software has provided new opportunities for instructors to interact with students outside the classroom. This report describes how Elluminate "Live!"[R], a particular conferencing software package, can be used with a tablet PC to conduct virtual office hours in a biochemistry course. The educational value…

Web3D Technologies in Learning, Education and Training: Motivations, Issues, Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chittaro, Luca; Ranon, Roberto

2007-01-01

Web3D open standards allow the delivery of interactive 3D virtual learning environments through the Internet, reaching potentially large numbers of learners worldwide, at any time. This paper introduces the educational use of virtual reality based on Web3D technologies. After briefly presenting the main Web3D technologies, we summarize the…

Investigating the Affective Learning in a 3D Virtual Learning Environment: The Case Study of the Chatterdale Mystery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molka-Danielsen, Judith; Hadjistassou, Stella; Messl-Egghart, Gerhilde

2016-01-01

This research is motivated by the emergence of virtual technologies and their potential as engaging pedagogical tools for facilitating comprehension, interactions and collaborations for learning; and in particular as applied to learning second languages (L2). This paper provides a descriptive analysis of a case study that examines affective…

Designing Interactive and Collaborative Learning Tasks in a 3-D Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berns, Anke; Palomo-Duarte, Manuel; Fernández, David Camacho

2012-01-01

The aim of our study is to explore several possibilities to use virtual worlds (VWs) and game-applications with learners of the A1 level (CEFR) of German as a foreign language. Our interest focuses especially on designing those learning tools which increase firstly, learner motivation towards online-learning and secondly, enhance autonomous…

A Head in Virtual Reality: Development of A Dynamic Head and Neck Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Ngan; Wilson, Timothy D.

2009-01-01

Advances in computer and interface technologies have made it possible to create three-dimensional (3D) computerized models of anatomical structures for visualization, manipulation, and interaction in a virtual 3D environment. In the past few decades, a multitude of digital models have been developed to facilitate complex spatial learning of the…

The Tree of Knowledge Project: Organic Designs as Virtual Learning Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gui, Dean A. F.; AuYeung, Gigi

2013-01-01

The virtual Department of English at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, also known as the Tree of Knowledge, is a project premised upon using ecology and organic forms to promote language learning in Second Life (SL). Inspired by Salmon's (2010) Tree of Learning concept this study examines how an interactive ecological environment--in this…

Use of 3D techniques for virtual production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grau, Oliver; Price, Marc C.; Thomas, Graham A.

2000-12-01

Virtual production for broadcast is currently mainly used in the form of virtual studios, where the resulting media is a sequence of 2D images. With the steady increase of 3D computing power in home PCs and the technical progress in 3D display technology, the content industry is looking for new kinds of program material, which makes use of 3D technology. The applications range form analysis of sport scenes, 3DTV, up to the creation of fully immersive content. In a virtual studio a camera films one or more actors in a controlled environment. The pictures of the actors can be segmented very accurately in real time using chroma keying techniques. The isolated silhouette can be integrated into a new synthetic virtual environment using a studio mixer. The resulting shape description of the actors is 2D so far. For the realization of more sophisticated optical interactions of the actors with the virtual environment, such as occlusions and shadows, an object-based 3D description of scenes is needed. However, the requirements of shape accuracy, and the kind of representation, differ in accordance with the application. This contribution gives an overview of requirements and approaches for the generation of an object-based 3D description in various applications studied by the BBC R and D department. An enhanced Virtual Studio for 3D programs is proposed that covers a range of applications for virtual production.

Study on Collaborative Object Manipulation in Virtual Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayangsari, Maria Niken; Yong-Moo, Kwon

This paper presents comparative study on network collaboration performance in different immersion. Especially, the relationship between user collaboration performance and degree of immersion provided by the system is addressed and compared based on several experiments. The user tests on our system include several cases: 1) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over LAN, 2) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over Internet, and 3) Analysis of collaborative interaction between non-immersive and immersive display environments.

A canopy architectural model to study the competitive ability of chickpea with sowthistle.

PubMed

Cici, S-Zahra-Hosseini; Adkins, Steve; Hanan, Jim

2008-06-01

Improving the competitive ability of crops is a sustainable method of weed management. This paper shows how a virtual plant model of competition between chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) can be used as a framework for discovering and/or developing more competitive chickpea cultivars. The virtual plant models were developed using the L-systems formalism, parameterized according to measurements taken on plants at intervals during their development. A quasi-Monte Carlo light-environment model was used to model the effect of chickpea canopy on the development of sowthistle. The chickpea-light environment-sowthistle model (CLES model) captured the hypothesis that the architecture of chickpea plants modifies the light environment inside the canopy and determines sowthistle growth and development pattern. The resulting CLES model was parameterized for different chickpea cultivars (viz. 'Macarena', 'Bumper', 'Jimbour' and '99071-1001') to compare their competitive ability with sowthistle. To validate the CLES model, an experiment was conducted using the same four chickpea cultivars as different treatments with a sowthistle growing under their canopy. The growth of sowthistle, both in silico and in glasshouse experiments, was reduced most by '99071-1001', a cultivar with a short phyllochron. The second rank of competitive ability belonged to 'Macarena' and 'Bumper', while 'Jimbour' was the least competitive cultivar. The architecture of virtual chickpea plants modified the light inside the canopy, which influenced the growth and development of the sowthistle plants in response to different cultivars. This is the first time that a virtual plant model of a crop-weed interaction has been developed. This virtual plant model can serve as a platform for a broad range of applications in the study of chickpea-weed interactions and their environment.

Extending MAM5 Meta-Model and JaCalIV E Framework to Integrate Smart Devices from Real Environments.

PubMed

Rincon, J A; Poza-Lujan, Jose-Luis; Julian, V; Posadas-Yagüe, Juan-Luis; Carrascosa, C

2016-01-01

This paper presents the extension of a meta-model (MAM5) and a framework based on the model (JaCalIVE) for developing intelligent virtual environments. The goal of this extension is to develop augmented mirror worlds that represent a real and virtual world coupled, so that the virtual world not only reflects the real one, but also complements it. A new component called a smart resource artifact, that enables modelling and developing devices to access the real physical world, and a human in the loop agent to place a human in the system have been included in the meta-model and framework. The proposed extension of MAM5 has been tested by simulating a light control system where agents can access both virtual and real sensor/actuators through the smart resources developed. The results show that the use of real environment interactive elements (smart resource artifacts) in agent-based simulations allows to minimize the error between simulated and real system.

Extending MAM5 Meta-Model and JaCalIV E Framework to Integrate Smart Devices from Real Environments

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This paper presents the extension of a meta-model (MAM5) and a framework based on the model (JaCalIVE) for developing intelligent virtual environments. The goal of this extension is to develop augmented mirror worlds that represent a real and virtual world coupled, so that the virtual world not only reflects the real one, but also complements it. A new component called a smart resource artifact, that enables modelling and developing devices to access the real physical world, and a human in the loop agent to place a human in the system have been included in the meta-model and framework. The proposed extension of MAM5 has been tested by simulating a light control system where agents can access both virtual and real sensor/actuators through the smart resources developed. The results show that the use of real environment interactive elements (smart resource artifacts) in agent-based simulations allows to minimize the error between simulated and real system. PMID:26926691

Human Factors Virtual Analysis Techniques for NASA's Space Launch System Ground Support using MSFC's Virtual Environments Lab (VEL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Searcy, Brittani

2017-01-01

Using virtual environments to assess complex large scale human tasks provides timely and cost effective results to evaluate designs and to reduce operational risks during assembly and integration of the Space Launch System (SLS). NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) uses a suite of tools to conduct integrated virtual analysis during the design phase of the SLS Program. Siemens Jack is a simulation tool that allows engineers to analyze human interaction with CAD designs by placing a digital human model into the environment to test different scenarios and assess the design's compliance to human factors requirements. Engineers at MSFC are using Jack in conjunction with motion capture and virtual reality systems in MSFC's Virtual Environments Lab (VEL). The VEL provides additional capability beyond standalone Jack to record and analyze a person performing a planned task to assemble the SLS at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The VEL integrates Vicon Blade motion capture system, Siemens Jack, Oculus Rift, and other virtual tools to perform human factors assessments. By using motion capture and virtual reality, a more accurate breakdown and understanding of how an operator will perform a task can be gained. By virtual analysis, engineers are able to determine if a specific task is capable of being safely performed by both a 5% (approx. 5ft) female and a 95% (approx. 6'1) male. In addition, the analysis will help identify any tools or other accommodations that may to help complete the task. These assessments are critical for the safety of ground support engineers and keeping launch operations on schedule. Motion capture allows engineers to save and examine human movements on a frame by frame basis, while virtual reality gives the actor (person performing a task in the VEL) an immersive view of the task environment. This presentation will discuss the need of human factors for SLS and the benefits of analyzing tasks in NASA MSFC's VEL.

Virtually Ostracized: Studying Ostracism in Immersive Virtual Environments

PubMed Central

Wesselmann, Eric D.; Law, Alvin Ty; Williams, Kipling D.

2012-01-01

Abstract Electronic-based communication (such as Immersive Virtual Environments; IVEs) may offer new ways of satisfying the need for social connection, but they also provide ways this need can be thwarted. Ostracism, being ignored and excluded, is a common social experience that threatens fundamental human needs (i.e., belonging, control, self-esteem, and meaningful existence). Previous ostracism research has made use of a variety of paradigms, including minimal electronic-based interactions (e.g., Cyberball) and communication (e.g., chatrooms and Short Message Services). These paradigms, however, lack the mundane realism that many IVEs now offer. Further, IVE paradigms designed to measure ostracism may allow researchers to test more nuanced hypotheses about the effects of ostracism. We created an IVE in which ostracism could be manipulated experimentally, emulating a previously validated minimal ostracism paradigm. We found that participants who were ostracized in this IVE experienced the same negative effects demonstrated in other ostracism paradigms, providing, to our knowledge, the first evidence of the negative effects of ostracism in virtual environments. Though further research directly exploring these effects in online virtual environments is needed, this research suggests that individuals encountering ostracism in other virtual environments (such as massively multiplayer online role playing games; MMORPGs) may experience negative effects similar to those of being ostracized in real life. This possibility may have serious implications for individuals who are marginalized in their real life and turn to IVEs to satisfy their need for social connection. PMID:22897472

Virtually ostracized: studying ostracism in immersive virtual environments.

PubMed

Kassner, Matthew P; Wesselmann, Eric D; Law, Alvin Ty; Williams, Kipling D

2012-08-01

Electronic-based communication (such as Immersive Virtual Environments; IVEs) may offer new ways of satisfying the need for social connection, but they also provide ways this need can be thwarted. Ostracism, being ignored and excluded, is a common social experience that threatens fundamental human needs (i.e., belonging, control, self-esteem, and meaningful existence). Previous ostracism research has made use of a variety of paradigms, including minimal electronic-based interactions (e.g., Cyberball) and communication (e.g., chatrooms and Short Message Services). These paradigms, however, lack the mundane realism that many IVEs now offer. Further, IVE paradigms designed to measure ostracism may allow researchers to test more nuanced hypotheses about the effects of ostracism. We created an IVE in which ostracism could be manipulated experimentally, emulating a previously validated minimal ostracism paradigm. We found that participants who were ostracized in this IVE experienced the same negative effects demonstrated in other ostracism paradigms, providing, to our knowledge, the first evidence of the negative effects of ostracism in virtual environments. Though further research directly exploring these effects in online virtual environments is needed, this research suggests that individuals encountering ostracism in other virtual environments (such as massively multiplayer online role playing games; MMORPGs) may experience negative effects similar to those of being ostracized in real life. This possibility may have serious implications for individuals who are marginalized in their real life and turn to IVEs to satisfy their need for social connection.

Virtual Tour Environment of Cuba's National School of Art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napolitano, R. K.; Douglas, I. P.; Garlock, M. E.; Glisic, B.

2017-08-01

Innovative technologies have enabled new opportunities for collecting, analyzing, and sharing information about cultural heritage sites. Through a combination of two of these technologies, spherical imaging and virtual tour environment, we preliminarily documented one of Cuba's National Schools of Art, the National Ballet School.The Ballet School is one of the five National Art Schools built in Havana, Cuba after the revolution. Due to changes in the political climate, construction was halted on the schools before completion. The Ballet School in particular was partially completed but never used for the intended purpose. Over the years, the surrounding vegetation and environment have started to overtake the buildings; damages such as missing bricks, corroded rebar, and broken tie bars can be seen. We created a virtual tour through the Ballet School which highlights key satellite classrooms and the main domed performance spaces. Scenes of the virtual tour were captured utilizing the Ricoh Theta S spherical imaging camera and processed with Kolor Panotour virtual environment software. Different forms of data can be included in this environment in order to provide a user with pertinent information. Image galleries, hyperlinks to websites, videos, PDFs, and links to databases can be embedded within the scene and interacted with by a user. By including this information within the virtual tour, a user can better understand how the site was constructed as well as the existing types of damage. The results of this work are recommendations for how a site can be preliminarily documented and information can be initially organized and shared.

3D Visualisation and Artistic Imagery to Enhance Interest in "Hidden Environments"--New Approaches to Soil Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilford, J.; Falconer, R. E.; Wade, R.; Scott-Brown, K. C.

2014-01-01

Interactive Virtual Environments (VEs) have the potential to increase student interest in soil science. Accordingly a bespoke "soil atlas" was created using Java3D as an interactive 3D VE, to show soil information in the context of (and as affected by) the over-lying landscape. To display the below-ground soil characteristics, four sets…

Human Machine Interfaces for Teleoperators and Virtual Environments Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

In a teleoperator system the human operator senses, moves within, and operates upon a remote or hazardous environment by means of a slave mechanism (a mechanism often referred to as a teleoperator). In a virtual environment system the interactive human machine interface is retained but the slave mechanism and its environment are replaced by a computer simulation. Video is replaced by computer graphics. The auditory and force sensations imparted to the human operator are similarly computer generated. In contrast to a teleoperator system, where the purpose is to extend the operator's sensorimotor system in a manner that facilitates exploration and manipulation of the physical environment, in a virtual environment system, the purpose is to train, inform, alter, or study the human operator to modify the state of the computer and the information environment. A major application in which the human operator is the target is that of flight simulation. Although flight simulators have been around for more than a decade, they had little impact outside aviation presumably because the application was so specialized and so expensive.

Teachers' perceptions of virtual worlds as a medium for social inclusion for adults with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Balandin, Susan; Molka-Danielsen, Judith

2015-01-01

The aim of this research was to explore educators' perceptions of a virtual world Second Life TM as an environment for social interaction and social inclusion for the Norwegian adult students with intellectual disability that they supported. Five educators who supported a total of 10 adult students with intellectual disability in computer classes in community Adult Education Centres participated in individual in-depth interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a content analysis. Participants were positive about Second Life although they did not perceive that it offered a successful context for social interaction or inclusion. They identified a number of benefits to using a virtual world and for students participating in virtual world research. Barriers identified included language, literacy, and technology issues along with the complexity of participating independently in a virtual world. Some people with intellectual disability can use virtual worlds but the skills required need additional research. Virtual worlds may provide a stimulating, safe, and exciting context for a range of activities but the level of support required by many people is high and consequently expensive.

Students' Experiences of Learning in a Virtual Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gedera, Dilani S. P.

2014-01-01

Online learning environments can offer learners opportunities for flexibility, interaction and collaboration distinctly different from face-to-face learning environments. However, the integration of educational technologies also presents challenges and concerns in relation to students' learning. This article attempts to develop a better…

The Application of Modeling and Simulation to the Behavioral Deficit of Autism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anton, John J.

2010-01-01

This abstract describes a research effort to apply technological advances in virtual reality simulation and computer-based games to create behavioral modification programs for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research investigates virtual social skills training within a 3D game environment to diminish the impact of ASD social impairments and to increase learning capacity for optimal intellectual capability. Individuals with autism will encounter prototypical social contexts via computer interface and will interact with 3D avatars with predefined roles within a game-like environment. Incremental learning objectives will combine to form a collaborative social environment. A secondary goal of the effort is to begin the research and development of virtual reality exercises aimed at triggering the release of neurotransmitters to promote critical aspects of synaptic maturation at an early age to change the course of the disease.

Validation of a Spanish Version of the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES) in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernández-Pascual, Maria Dolores; Ferrer-Cascales, Rosario; Reig-Ferrer, Abilio; Albaladejo-Blázquez, Natalia; Walker, Scott L.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the Spanish version of the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (Sp-DELES). This instrument assesses students' perceptions of virtual learning environments using six scales: Instructor Support, Student Interaction and Collaboration, Personal Relevance, Authentic Learning, Active…

Using Five Stage Model to Design of Collaborative Learning Environments in Second Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orhan, Sevil; Karaman, M. Kemal

2014-01-01

Specifically Second Life (SL) among virtual worlds draws attention of researchers to form collaborative learning environments (Sutcliffe & Alrayes, 2012) since it could be used as a rich platform to simulate a real environment containing many collaborative learning characteristics and interaction tools within itself. Five Stage Model (FSM)…

Evaluation of Pseudo-Haptic Interactions with Soft Objects in Virtual Environments.

PubMed

Li, Min; Sareh, Sina; Xu, Guanghua; Ridzuan, Maisarah Binti; Luo, Shan; Xie, Jun; Wurdemann, Helge; Althoefer, Kaspar

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a pseudo-haptic feedback method conveying simulated soft surface stiffness information through a visual interface. The method exploits a combination of two feedback techniques, namely visual feedback of soft surface deformation and control of the indenter avatar speed, to convey stiffness information of a simulated surface of a soft object in virtual environments. The proposed method was effective in distinguishing different sizes of virtual hard nodules integrated into the simulated soft bodies. To further improve the interactive experience, the approach was extended creating a multi-point pseudo-haptic feedback system. A comparison with regards to (a) nodule detection sensitivity and (b) elapsed time as performance indicators in hard nodule detection experiments to a tablet computer incorporating vibration feedback was conducted. The multi-point pseudo-haptic interaction is shown to be more time-efficient than the single-point pseudo-haptic interaction. It is noted that multi-point pseudo-haptic feedback performs similarly well when compared to a vibration-based feedback method based on both performance measures elapsed time and nodule detection sensitivity. This proves that the proposed method can be used to convey detailed haptic information for virtual environmental tasks, even subtle ones, using either a computer mouse or a pressure sensitive device as an input device. This pseudo-haptic feedback method provides an opportunity for low-cost simulation of objects with soft surfaces and hard inclusions, as, for example, occurring in ever more realistic video games with increasing emphasis on interaction with the physical environment and minimally invasive surgery in the form of soft tissue organs with embedded cancer nodules. Hence, the method can be used in many low-budget applications where haptic sensation is required, such as surgeon training or video games, either using desktop computers or portable devices, showing reasonably high fidelity in conveying stiffness perception to the user.

Exploring Design Requirements for Repurposing Dental Virtual Patients From the Web to Second Life: A Focus Group Study

PubMed Central

Antoniou, Panagiotis E; Athanasopoulou, Christina A; Dafli, Eleni

2014-01-01

Background Since their inception, virtual patients have provided health care educators with a way to engage learners in an experience simulating the clinician’s environment without danger to learners and patients. This has led this learning modality to be accepted as an essential component of medical education. With the advent of the visually and audio-rich 3-dimensional multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), a new deployment platform has emerged for educational content. Immersive, highly interactive, multimedia-rich, MUVEs that seamlessly foster collaboration provide a new hotbed for the deployment of medical education content. Objective This work aims to assess the suitability of the Second Life MUVE as a virtual patient deployment platform for undergraduate dental education, and to explore the requirements and specifications needed to meaningfully repurpose Web-based virtual patients in MUVEs. Methods Through the scripting capabilities and available art assets in Second Life, we repurposed an existing Web-based periodontology virtual patient into Second Life. Through a series of point-and-click interactions and multiple-choice queries, the user experienced a specific periodontology case and was asked to provide the optimal responses for each of the challenges of the case. A focus group of 9 undergraduate dentistry students experienced both the Web-based and the Second Life version of this virtual patient. The group convened 3 times and discussed relevant issues such as the group’s computer literacy, the assessment of Second Life as a virtual patient deployment platform, and compared the Web-based and MUVE-deployed virtual patients. Results A comparison between the Web-based and the Second Life virtual patient revealed the inherent advantages of the more experiential and immersive Second Life virtual environment. However, several challenges for the successful repurposing of virtual patients from the Web to the MUVE were identified. The identified challenges for repurposing of Web virtual patients to the MUVE platform from the focus group study were (1) increased case complexity to facilitate the user’s gaming preconception in a MUVE, (2) necessity to decrease textual narration and provide the pertinent information in a more immersive sensory way, and (3) requirement to allow the user to actuate the solutions of problems instead of describing them through narration. Conclusions For a successful systematic repurposing effort of virtual patients to MUVEs such as Second Life, the best practices of experiential and immersive game design should be organically incorporated in the repurposing workflow (automated or not). These findings are pivotal in an era in which open educational content is transferred to and shared among users, learners, and educators of various open repositories/environments. PMID:24927470

Student perceptions of a virtual learning environment for a problem-based learning undergraduate medical curriculum.

PubMed

de Leng, Bas A; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Muijtjens, Arno M M; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2006-06-01

To investigate the effects of a virtual learning environment (VLE) on group interaction and consultation of information resources during the preliminary phase, self-study phase and reporting phase of the problem-based learning process in an undergraduate medical curriculum. A questionnaire was administered to 355 medical students in Years 1 and 2 to ask them about the perceived usefulness of a virtual learning environment that was created with Blackboard for group interaction and the use of learning resources. The students indicated that the VLE supported face-to-face interaction in the preliminary discussion and in the reporting phase but did not stimulate computer-mediated distance interaction during the self-study phase. They perceived that the use of multimedia in case presentations led to a better quality of group discussion than if case presentations were exclusively text-based. They also indicated that the information resources that were hyperlinked in the VLE stimulated the consultation of these resources during self-study, but not during the reporting phase. Students indicated that the use of a VLE in the tutorial room and the inclusion of multimedia in case presentations supported processes of active learning in the tutorial groups. However, if we want to exploit the full potential of asynchronous computer-mediated communication to initiate in-depth discussion during the self-study phase, its application will have to be selective and deliberate. Students indicated that the links in the VLE to selected information in library repositories supported their learning.

Fish in the matrix: motor learning in a virtual world.

PubMed

Engert, Florian

2012-01-01

One of the large remaining challenges in the field of zebrafish neuroscience is the establishment of techniques and preparations that permit the recording and perturbation of neural activity in animals that can interact meaningfully with the environment. Since it is very difficult to do this in freely behaving zebrafish, I describe here two alternative approaches that meet this goal via tethered preparations. The first uses head-fixation in agarose in combination with online imaging and analysis of tail motion. In the second method, paralyzed fish are suspended with suction pipettes in mid-water and nerve root recordings serve as indicators for intended locomotion. In both cases, fish can be immersed into a virtual environment and allowed to interact with this virtual world via real or fictive tail motions. The specific examples given in this review focus primarily on the role of visual feedback~- but the general principles certainly extend to other modalities, including proprioception, hearing, balance, and somatosensation.

Fish in the matrix: motor learning in a virtual world

PubMed Central

Engert, Florian

2013-01-01

One of the large remaining challenges in the field of zebrafish neuroscience is the establishment of techniques and preparations that permit the recording and perturbation of neural activity in animals that can interact meaningfully with the environment. Since it is very difficult to do this in freely behaving zebrafish, I describe here two alternative approaches that meet this goal via tethered preparations. The first uses head-fixation in agarose in combination with online imaging and analysis of tail motion. In the second method, paralyzed fish are suspended with suction pipettes in mid-water and nerve root recordings serve as indicators for intended locomotion. In both cases, fish can be immersed into a virtual environment and allowed to interact with this virtual world via real or fictive tail motions. The specific examples given in this review focus primarily on the role of visual feedback~– but the general principles certainly extend to other modalities, including proprioception, hearing, balance, and somatosensation. PMID:23355810

Virtual reality in the operating room of the future.

PubMed

Müller, W; Grosskopf, S; Hildebrand, A; Malkewitz, R; Ziegler, R

1997-01-01

In cooperation with the Max-Delbrück-Centrum/Robert-Rössle-Klinik (MDC/RRK) in Berlin, the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics is currently designing and developing a scenario for the operating room of the future. The goal of this project is to integrate new analysis, visualization and interaction tools in order to optimize and refine tumor diagnostics and therapy in combination with laser technology and remote stereoscopic video transfer. Hence, a human 3-D reference model is reconstructed using CT, MR, and anatomical cryosection images from the National Library of Medicine's Visible Human Project. Applying segmentation algorithms and surface-polygonization methods a 3-D representation is obtained. In addition, a "fly-through" the virtual patient is realized using 3-D input devices (data glove, tracking system, 6-DOF mouse). In this way, the surgeon can experience really new perspectives of the human anatomy. Moreover, using a virtual cutting plane any cut of the CT volume can be interactively placed and visualized in realtime. In conclusion, this project delivers visions for the application of effective visualization and VR systems. Commonly known as Virtual Prototyping and applied by the automotive industry long ago, this project shows, that the use of VR techniques can also prototype an operating room. After evaluating design and functionality of the virtual operating room, MDC plans to build real ORs in the near future. The use of VR techniques provides a more natural interface for the surgeon in the OR (e.g., controlling interactions by voice input). Besides preoperative planning future work will focus on supporting the surgeon in performing surgical interventions. An optimal synthesis of real and synthetic data, and the inclusion of visual, aural, and tactile senses in virtual environments can meet these requirements. This Augmented Reality could represent the environment for the surgeons of tomorrow.

The scientific research potential of virtual worlds.

PubMed

Bainbridge, William Sims

2007-07-27

Online virtual worlds, electronic environments where people can work and interact in a somewhat realistic manner, have great potential as sites for research in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences, as well as in human-centered computer science. This article uses Second Life and World of Warcraft as two very different examples of current virtual worlds that foreshadow future developments, introducing a number of research methodologies that scientists are now exploring, including formal experimentation, observational ethnography, and quantitative analysis of economic markets or social networks.

[Preliminary construction of three-dimensional visual educational system for clinical dentistry based on world wide web webpage].

PubMed

Hu, Jian; Xu, Xiang-yang; Song, En-min; Tan, Hong-bao; Wang, Yi-ning

2009-09-01

To establish a new visual educational system of virtual reality for clinical dentistry based on world wide web (WWW) webpage in order to provide more three-dimensional multimedia resources to dental students and an online three-dimensional consulting system for patients. Based on computer graphics and three-dimensional webpage technologies, the software of 3Dsmax and Webmax were adopted in the system development. In the Windows environment, the architecture of whole system was established step by step, including three-dimensional model construction, three-dimensional scene setup, transplanting three-dimensional scene into webpage, reediting the virtual scene, realization of interactions within the webpage, initial test, and necessary adjustment. Five cases of three-dimensional interactive webpage for clinical dentistry were completed. The three-dimensional interactive webpage could be accessible through web browser on personal computer, and users could interact with the webpage through rotating, panning and zooming the virtual scene. It is technically feasible to implement the visual educational system of virtual reality for clinical dentistry based on WWW webpage. Information related to clinical dentistry can be transmitted properly, visually and interactively through three-dimensional webpage.

Affective Behavior and Nonverbal Interaction in Collaborative Virtual Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peña, Adriana; Rangel, Nora; Muñoz, Mirna; Mejia, Jezreel; Lara, Graciela

2016-01-01

While a person's internal state might not be easily inferred through an automatic computer system, within a group, people express themselves through their interaction with others. The group members' interaction can be then helpful to understand, to certain extent, its members' affective behavior in any case toward the task at hand. In this…

Design of virtual three-dimensional instruments for sound control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, Axel Gezienus Elith

An environment for designing virtual instruments with 3D geometry has been prototyped and applied to real-time sound control and design. It enables a sound artist, musical performer or composer to design an instrument according to preferred or required gestural and musical constraints instead of constraints based only on physical laws as they apply to an instrument with a particular geometry. Sounds can be created, edited or performed in real-time by changing parameters like position, orientation and shape of a virtual 3D input device. The virtual instrument can only be perceived through a visualization and acoustic representation, or sonification, of the control surface. No haptic representation is available. This environment was implemented using CyberGloves, Polhemus sensors, an SGI Onyx and by extending a real- time, visual programming language called Max/FTS, which was originally designed for sound synthesis. The extension involves software objects that interface the sensors and software objects that compute human movement and virtual object features. Two pilot studies have been performed, involving virtual input devices with the behaviours of a rubber balloon and a rubber sheet for the control of sound spatialization and timbre parameters. Both manipulation and sonification methods affect the naturalness of the interaction. Informal evaluation showed that a sonification inspired by the physical world appears natural and effective. More research is required for a natural sonification of virtual input device features such as shape, taking into account possible co- articulation of these features. While both hands can be used for manipulation, left-hand-only interaction with a virtual instrument may be a useful replacement for and extension of the standard keyboard modulation wheel. More research is needed to identify and apply manipulation pragmatics and movement features, and to investigate how they are co-articulated, in the mapping of virtual object parameters. While the virtual instruments can be adapted to exploit many manipulation gestures, further work is required to reduce the need for technical expertise to realize adaptations. Better virtual object simulation techniques and faster sensor data acquisition will improve the performance of virtual instruments. The design environment which has been developed should prove useful as a (musical) instrument prototyping tool and as a tool for researching the optimal adaptation of machines to humans.

Design of an efficient framework for fast prototyping of customized human-computer interfaces and virtual environments for rehabilitation.

PubMed

Avola, Danilo; Spezialetti, Matteo; Placidi, Giuseppe

2013-06-01

Rehabilitation is often required after stroke, surgery, or degenerative diseases. It has to be specific for each patient and can be easily calibrated if assisted by human-computer interfaces and virtual reality. Recognition and tracking of different human body landmarks represent the basic features for the design of the next generation of human-computer interfaces. The most advanced systems for capturing human gestures are focused on vision-based techniques which, on the one hand, may require compromises from real-time and spatial precision and, on the other hand, ensure natural interaction experience. The integration of vision-based interfaces with thematic virtual environments encourages the development of novel applications and services regarding rehabilitation activities. The algorithmic processes involved during gesture recognition activity, as well as the characteristics of the virtual environments, can be developed with different levels of accuracy. This paper describes the architectural aspects of a framework supporting real-time vision-based gesture recognition and virtual environments for fast prototyping of customized exercises for rehabilitation purposes. The goal is to provide the therapist with a tool for fast implementation and modification of specific rehabilitation exercises for specific patients, during functional recovery. Pilot examples of designed applications and preliminary system evaluation are reported and discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality hardware for use in interactive 3D data fusion and visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourley, Christopher S.; Abidi, Mongi A.

1997-09-01

Virtual reality has become a tool for use in many areas of research. We have designed and built a VR system for use in range data fusion and visualization. One major VR tool is the CAVE. This is the ultimate visualization tool, but comes with a large price tag. Our design uses a unique CAVE whose graphics are powered by a desktop computer instead of a larger rack machine making it much less costly. The system consists of a screen eight feet tall by twenty-seven feet wide giving a variable field-of-view currently set at 160 degrees. A silicon graphics Indigo2 MaxImpact with the impact channel option is used for display. This gives the capability to drive three projectors at a resolution of 640 by 480 for use in displaying the virtual environment and one 640 by 480 display for a user control interface. This machine is also the first desktop package which has built-in hardware texture mapping. This feature allows us to quickly fuse the range and intensity data and other multi-sensory data. The final goal is a complete 3D texture mapped model of the environment. A dataglove, magnetic tracker, and spaceball are to be used for manipulation of the data and navigation through the virtual environment. This system gives several users the ability to interactively create 3D models from multiple range images.

Wireless physiological monitoring and ocular tracking: 3D calibration in a fully-immersive virtual health care environment.

PubMed

Zhang, Lelin; Chi, Yu Mike; Edelstein, Eve; Schulze, Jurgen; Gramann, Klaus; Velasquez, Alvaro; Cauwenberghs, Gert; Macagno, Eduardo

2010-01-01

Wireless physiological/neurological monitoring in virtual reality (VR) offers a unique opportunity for unobtrusively quantifying human responses to precisely controlled and readily modulated VR representations of health care environments. Here we present such a wireless, light-weight head-mounted system for measuring electrooculogram (EOG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) activity in human subjects interacting with and navigating in the Calit2 StarCAVE, a five-sided immersive 3-D visualization VR environment. The system can be easily expanded to include other measurements, such as cardiac activity and galvanic skin responses. We demonstrate the capacity of the system to track focus of gaze in 3-D and report a novel calibration procedure for estimating eye movements from responses to the presentation of a set of dynamic visual cues in the StarCAVE. We discuss cyber and clinical applications that include a 3-D cursor for visual navigation in VR interactive environments, and the monitoring of neurological and ocular dysfunction in vision/attention disorders.

Guided exploration in virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckhaus, Steffi; Eckel, Gerhard; Strothotte, Thomas

2001-06-01

We describe an application supporting alternating interaction and animation for the purpose of exploration in a surround- screen projection-based virtual reality system. The exploration of an environment is a highly interactive and dynamic process in which the presentation of objects of interest can give the user guidance while exploring the scene. Previous systems for automatic presentation of models or scenes need either cinematographic rules, direct human interaction, framesets or precalculation (e.g. precalculation of paths to a predefined goal). We report on the development of a system that can deal with rapidly changing user interest in objects of a scene or model as well as with dynamic models and changes of the camera position introduced interactively by the user. It is implemented as a potential-field based camera data generating system. In this paper we describe the implementation of our approach in a virtual art museum on the CyberStage, our surround-screen projection-based stereoscopic display. The paradigm of guided exploration is introduced describing the freedom of the user to explore the museum autonomously. At the same time, if requested by the user, guided exploration provides just-in-time navigational support. The user controls this support by specifying the current field of interest in high-level search criteria. We also present an informal user study evaluating this approach.

Problem-Based Learning Spanning Real and Virtual Words: A Case Study in Second Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Judith; Howland, Katherine; Thackray, Liz

2008-01-01

There is a growing use of immersive virtual environments for educational purposes. However, much of this activity is not yet documented in the public domain, or is descriptive rather than analytical. This paper presents a case study in which university students were tasked with building an interactive learning experience using Second Life as a…

Virtual Social Environments as a Tool for Psychological Assessment: Dynamics of Interaction with a Virtual Spouse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schonbrodt, Felix D.; Asendorpf, Jens B.

2011-01-01

Computer games are advocated as a promising tool bridging the gap between the controllability of a lab experiment and the mundane realism of a field experiment. At the same time, many authors stress the importance of observing real behavior instead of asking participants about possible or intended behaviors. In this article, the authors introduce…

A Learning Game for Youth Financial Literacy Education in the Teen Grid of Second Life Three-Dimensional Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chang; Franklin, Teresa; Shelor, Roger; Ozercan, Sertac; Reuter, Jarrod; Ye, En; Moriarty, Scott

2011-01-01

Game-like three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds have become popular venues for youth to explore and interact with friends. To bring vital financial literacy education to them in places they frequent, a multi-disciplinary team of computer scientists, educators, and financial experts developed a youth-oriented financial literacy education game in…

Design on the MUVE: Synergizing Online Design Education with Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakalli, Isinsu; Chung, WonJoon

2015-01-01

The world is becoming increasingly virtual. Since the invention of the World Wide Web, information and human interaction has been transferring to the web at a rapid rate. Education is one of the many institutions that is taking advantage of accessing large numbers of people globally through computers. While this can be a simpler task for…

What Role Can Avatars Play in e-Mental Health Interventions? Exploring New Models of Client–Therapist Interaction

PubMed Central

Rehm, Imogen C.; Foenander, Emily; Wallace, Klaire; Abbott, Jo-Anne M.; Kyrios, Michael; Thomas, Neil

2016-01-01

In the burgeoning field of e-mental health interventions, avatars are increasingly being utilized to facilitate online communication between clients and therapists, and among peers. Avatars are digital self-representations, which enable individuals to interact with each other in computer-based virtual environments. In this narrative review, we examine the psychotherapeutic applications of avatars that have been investigated and trialed to date. Five key applications were identified (1) in the formation of online peer support communities; (2) replicating traditional modes of psychotherapy by using avatars as a vehicle to communicate within a wholly virtual environment; (3) using avatar technology to facilitate or augment face-to-face treatment; (4) as part of serious games; and (5) communication with an autonomous virtual therapist. Across these applications, avatars appeared to serve several functions conducive to treatment engagement by (1) facilitating the development of a virtual therapeutic alliance; (2) reducing communication barriers; (3) promoting treatment-seeking through anonymity; (4) promoting expression and exploration of client identity; and (5) enabling therapists to control and manipulate treatment stimuli. Further research into the feasibility and ethical implementation of avatar-based psychotherapies is required. PMID:27917128

What Role Can Avatars Play in e-Mental Health Interventions? Exploring New Models of Client-Therapist Interaction.

PubMed

Rehm, Imogen C; Foenander, Emily; Wallace, Klaire; Abbott, Jo-Anne M; Kyrios, Michael; Thomas, Neil

2016-01-01

In the burgeoning field of e-mental health interventions, avatars are increasingly being utilized to facilitate online communication between clients and therapists, and among peers. Avatars are digital self-representations, which enable individuals to interact with each other in computer-based virtual environments. In this narrative review, we examine the psychotherapeutic applications of avatars that have been investigated and trialed to date. Five key applications were identified (1) in the formation of online peer support communities; (2) replicating traditional modes of psychotherapy by using avatars as a vehicle to communicate within a wholly virtual environment; (3) using avatar technology to facilitate or augment face-to-face treatment; (4) as part of serious games; and (5) communication with an autonomous virtual therapist. Across these applications, avatars appeared to serve several functions conducive to treatment engagement by (1) facilitating the development of a virtual therapeutic alliance; (2) reducing communication barriers; (3) promoting treatment-seeking through anonymity; (4) promoting expression and exploration of client identity; and (5) enabling therapists to control and manipulate treatment stimuli. Further research into the feasibility and ethical implementation of avatar-based psychotherapies is required.

A Nationwide Experimental Multi-Gigabit Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

television and cinema , and to real- time interactive teleconferencing. There is another variable which affects this happy growth in network bandwidth and...render large scientific data sets with interactive frame rates on the desktop or in an immersive virtual reality ( VR ) environment. In our design, we

The development of a collaborative virtual environment for finite element simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdul-Jalil, Mohamad Kasim

Communication between geographically distributed designers has been a major hurdle in traditional engineering design. Conventional methods of communication, such as video conferencing, telephone, and email, are less efficient especially when dealing with complex design models. Complex shapes, intricate features and hidden parts are often difficult to describe verbally or even using traditional 2-D or 3-D visual representations. Virtual Reality (VR) and Internet technologies have provided a substantial potential to bridge the present communication barrier. VR technology allows designers to immerse themselves in a virtual environment to view and manipulate this model just as in real-life. Fast Internet connectivity has enabled fast data transfer between remote locations. Although various collaborative virtual environment (CVE) systems have been developed in the past decade, they are limited to high-end technology that is not accessible to typical designers. The objective of this dissertation is to discover and develop a new approach to increase the efficiency of the design process, particularly for large-scale applications wherein participants are geographically distributed. A multi-platform and easily accessible collaborative virtual environment (CVRoom), is developed to accomplish the stated research objective. Geographically dispersed designers can meet in a single shared virtual environment to discuss issues pertaining to the engineering design process and to make trade-off decisions more quickly than before, thereby speeding the entire process. This 'faster' design process will be achieved through the development of capabilities to better enable the multidisciplinary and modeling the trade-off decisions that are so critical before launching into a formal detailed design. The features of the environment developed as a result of this research include the ability to view design models, use voice interaction, and to link engineering analysis modules (such as Finite Element Analysis module, such as is demonstrated in this work). One of the major issues in developing a CVE system for engineering design purposes is to obtain any pertinent simulation results in real-time. This is critical so that the designers can make decisions based on these results quickly. For example, in a finite element analysis, if a design model is changed or perturbed, the analysis results must be obtained in real-time or near real-time to make the virtual meeting environment realistic. In this research, the finite difference-based Design Sensitivity Analysis (DSA) approach is employed to approximate structural responses (i.e. stress, displacement, etc), so as to demonstrate the applicability of CVRoom for engineering design trade-offs. This DSA approach provides for fast approximation and is well-suited for the virtual meeting environment where fast response time is required. The DSA-based approach is tested on several example test problems to show its applicability and limitations. This dissertation demonstrates that an increase in efficiency and reduction of time required for a complex design processing can be accomplished using the approach developed in this dissertation research. Several implementations of CVRoom by students working on common design tasks were investigated. All participants confirmed the preference of using the collaborative virtual environment developed in this dissertation work (CVRoom) over other modes of interactions. It is proposed here that CVRoom is representative of the type of collaborative virtual environment that will be used by most designers in the future to reduce the time required in a design cycle and thereby reduce the associated cost.

A “virtually minimal” visuo-haptic training of attention in severe traumatic brain injury

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although common during the early stages of recovery from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), attention deficits have been scarcely investigated. Encouraging evidence suggests beneficial effects of attention training in more chronic and higher functioning patients. Interactive technology may provide new opportunities for rehabilitation in inpatients who are earlier in their recovery. Methods We designed a “virtually minimal” approach using robot-rendered haptics in a virtual environment to train severely injured inpatients in the early stages of recovery to sustain attention to a visuo-motor task. 21 inpatients with severe TBI completed repetitive reaching toward targets that were both seen and felt. Patients were tested over two consecutive days, experiencing 3 conditions (no haptic feedback, a break-through force, and haptic nudge) in 12 successive, 4-minute blocks. Results The interactive visuo-haptic environments were well-tolerated and engaging. Patients typically remained attentive to the task. However, patients exhibited attention loss both before (prolonged initiation) and during (pauses during motion) a movement. Compared to no haptic feedback, patients benefited from haptic nudge cues but not break-through forces. As training progressed, patients increased the number of targets acquired and spontaneously improved from one day to the next. Conclusions Interactive visuo-haptic environments could be beneficial for attention training for severe TBI patients in the early stages of recovery and warrants further and more prolonged clinical testing. PMID:23938101

A "virtually minimal" visuo-haptic training of attention in severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Dvorkin, Assaf Y; Ramaiya, Milan; Larson, Eric B; Zollman, Felise S; Hsu, Nancy; Pacini, Sonia; Shah, Amit; Patton, James L

2013-08-09

Although common during the early stages of recovery from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), attention deficits have been scarcely investigated. Encouraging evidence suggests beneficial effects of attention training in more chronic and higher functioning patients. Interactive technology may provide new opportunities for rehabilitation in inpatients who are earlier in their recovery. We designed a "virtually minimal" approach using robot-rendered haptics in a virtual environment to train severely injured inpatients in the early stages of recovery to sustain attention to a visuo-motor task. 21 inpatients with severe TBI completed repetitive reaching toward targets that were both seen and felt. Patients were tested over two consecutive days, experiencing 3 conditions (no haptic feedback, a break-through force, and haptic nudge) in 12 successive, 4-minute blocks. The interactive visuo-haptic environments were well-tolerated and engaging. Patients typically remained attentive to the task. However, patients exhibited attention loss both before (prolonged initiation) and during (pauses during motion) a movement. Compared to no haptic feedback, patients benefited from haptic nudge cues but not break-through forces. As training progressed, patients increased the number of targets acquired and spontaneously improved from one day to the next. Interactive visuo-haptic environments could be beneficial for attention training for severe TBI patients in the early stages of recovery and warrants further and more prolonged clinical testing.

Interactive exploration of coastal restoration modeling in virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerndt, Andreas; Miller, Robert; Su, Simon; Meselhe, Ehab; Cruz-Neira, Carolina

2009-02-01

Over the last decades, Louisiana has lost a substantial part of its coastal region to the Gulf of Mexico. The goal of the project depicted in this paper is to investigate the complex ecological and geophysical system not only to find solutions to reverse this development but also to protect the southern landscape of Louisiana for disastrous impacts of natural hazards like hurricanes. This paper sets a focus on the interactive data handling of the Chenier Plain which is only one scenario of the overall project. The challenge addressed is the interactive exploration of large-scale time-depending 2D simulation results and of terrain data with a high resolution that is available for this region. Besides data preparation, efficient visualization approaches optimized for the usage in virtual environments are presented. These are embedded in a complex framework for scientific visualization of time-dependent large-scale datasets. To provide a straightforward interface for rapid application development, a software layer called VRFlowVis has been developed. Several architectural aspects to encapsulate complex virtual reality aspects like multi-pipe vs. cluster-based rendering are discussed. Moreover, the distributed post-processing architecture is investigated to prove its efficiency for the geophysical domain. Runtime measurements conclude this paper.

A Succinct Overview of Virtual Reality Technology Use in Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

García-Betances, Rebeca I.; Arredondo Waldmeyer, María Teresa; Fico, Giuseppe; Cabrera-Umpiérrez, María Fernanda

2015-01-01

We provide a brief review and appraisal of recent and current virtual reality (VR) technology for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) applications. We categorize them according to their intended purpose (e.g., diagnosis, patient cognitive training, caregivers’ education, etc.), focus feature (e.g., spatial impairment, memory deficit, etc.), methodology employed (e.g., tasks, games, etc.), immersion level, and passive or active interaction. Critical assessment indicates that most of them do not yet take full advantage of virtual environments with high levels of immersion and interaction. Many still rely on conventional 2D graphic displays to create non-immersive or semi-immersive VR scenarios. Important improvements are needed to make VR a better and more versatile assessment and training tool for AD. The use of the latest display technologies available, such as emerging head-mounted displays and 3D smart TV technologies, together with realistic multi-sensorial interaction devices, and neuro-physiological feedback capacity, are some of the most beneficial improvements this mini-review suggests. Additionally, it would be desirable that such VR applications for AD be easily and affordably transferable to in-home and nursing home environments. PMID:26029101

Virtual reality and planetary exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgreevy, Michael W.

1992-01-01

Exploring planetary environments is central to NASA's missions and goals. A new computing technology called Virtual Reality has much to offer in support of planetary exploration. This technology augments and extends human presence within computer-generated and remote spatial environments. Historically, NASA has been a leader in many of the fundamental concepts and technologies that comprise Virtual Reality. Indeed, Ames Research Center has a central role in the development of this rapidly emerging approach to using computers. This ground breaking work has inspired researchers in academia, industry, and the military. Further, NASA's leadership in this technology has spun off new businesses, has caught the attention of the international business community, and has generated several years of positive international media coverage. In the future, Virtual Reality technology will enable greatly improved human-machine interactions for more productive planetary surface exploration. Perhaps more importantly, Virtual Reality technology will democratize the experience of planetary exploration and thereby broaden understanding of, and support for, this historic enterprise.

A comparison of older adults' subjective experience with virtual and real environments during dynamic balance activities

PubMed Central

Proffitt, Rachel; Lange, Belinda; Chen, Christina; Winstein, Carolee

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of older adults interacting with both virtual and real environments. Thirty healthy older adults engaged with real and virtual tasks of similar motor demands: reaching to a target in standing and stepping stance. Immersive tendencies and absorption scales were administered before the session. Game engagement and experience questionnaires were completed after each task, followed by a semi-structured interview at the end of the testing session. Data were analyzed respectively using paired t-tests and grounded theory methodology. Participants preferred the virtual task over the real task. They also reported an increase in presence and absorption with the virtual task, describing an external focus of attention. Findings will be used to inform future development of appropriate game-based balance training applications that could be embedded in the home or community settings as part of evidence-based fall prevention programs. PMID:24334299

Virtual reality and planetary exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGreevy, Michael W.

Exploring planetary environments is central to NASA's missions and goals. A new computing technology called Virtual Reality has much to offer in support of planetary exploration. This technology augments and extends human presence within computer-generated and remote spatial environments. Historically, NASA has been a leader in many of the fundamental concepts and technologies that comprise Virtual Reality. Indeed, Ames Research Center has a central role in the development of this rapidly emerging approach to using computers. This ground breaking work has inspired researchers in academia, industry, and the military. Further, NASA's leadership in this technology has spun off new businesses, has caught the attention of the international business community, and has generated several years of positive international media coverage. In the future, Virtual Reality technology will enable greatly improved human-machine interactions for more productive planetary surface exploration. Perhaps more importantly, Virtual Reality technology will democratize the experience of planetary exploration and thereby broaden understanding of, and support for, this historic enterprise.

Virtual- and real-world operation of mobile robotic manipulators: integrated simulation, visualization, and control environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, ChuXin; Trivedi, Mohan M.

1992-03-01

This research is focused on enhancing the overall productivity of an integrated human-robot system. A simulation, animation, visualization, and interactive control (SAVIC) environment has been developed for the design and operation of an integrated robotic manipulator system. This unique system possesses the abilities for multisensor simulation, kinematics and locomotion animation, dynamic motion and manipulation animation, transformation between real and virtual modes within the same graphics system, ease in exchanging software modules and hardware devices between real and virtual world operations, and interfacing with a real robotic system. This paper describes a working system and illustrates the concepts by presenting the simulation, animation, and control methodologies for a unique mobile robot with articulated tracks, a manipulator, and sensory modules.

Challenges to the development of complex virtual reality surgical simulations.

PubMed

Seymour, N E; Røtnes, J S

2006-11-01

Virtual reality simulation in surgical training has become more widely used and intensely investigated in an effort to develop safer, more efficient, measurable training processes. The development of virtual reality simulation of surgical procedures has begun, but well-described technical obstacles must be overcome to permit varied training in a clinically realistic computer-generated environment. These challenges include development of realistic surgical interfaces and physical objects within the computer-generated environment, modeling of realistic interactions between objects, rendering of the surgical field, and development of signal processing for complex events associated with surgery. Of these, the realistic modeling of tissue objects that are fully responsive to surgical manipulations is the most challenging. Threats to early success include relatively limited resources for development and procurement, as well as smaller potential for return on investment than in other simulation industries that face similar problems. Despite these difficulties, steady progress continues to be made in these areas. If executed properly, virtual reality offers inherent advantages over other training systems in creating a realistic surgical environment and facilitating measurement of surgeon performance. Once developed, complex new virtual reality training devices must be validated for their usefulness in formative training and assessment of skill to be established.

Estimating Distance in Real and Virtual Environments: Does Order Make a Difference?

PubMed Central

Ziemer, Christine J.; Plumert, Jodie M.; Cremer, James F.; Kearney, Joseph K.

2010-01-01

This investigation examined how the order in which people experience real and virtual environments influences their distance estimates. Participants made two sets of distance estimates in one of the following conditions: 1) real environment first, virtual environment second; 2) virtual environment first, real environment second; 3) real environment first, real environment second; or 4) virtual environment first, virtual environment second. In Experiment 1, participants imagined how long it would take to walk to targets in real and virtual environments. Participants’ first estimates were significantly more accurate in the real than in the virtual environment. When the second environment was the same as the first environment (real-real and virtual-virtual), participants’ second estimates were also more accurate in the real than in the virtual environment. When the second environment differed from the first environment (real-virtual and virtual-real), however, participants’ second estimates did not differ significantly across the two environments. A second experiment in which participants walked blindfolded to targets in the real environment and imagined how long it would take to walk to targets in the virtual environment replicated these results. These subtle, yet persistent order effects suggest that memory can play an important role in distance perception. PMID:19525540

Training software using virtual-reality technology and pre-calculated effective dose data.

PubMed

Ding, Aiping; Zhang, Di; Xu, X George

2009-05-01

This paper describes the development of a software package, called VR Dose Simulator, which aims to provide interactive radiation safety and ALARA training to radiation workers using virtual-reality (VR) simulations. Combined with a pre-calculated effective dose equivalent (EDE) database, a virtual radiation environment was constructed in VR authoring software, EON Studio, using 3-D models of a real nuclear power plant building. Models of avatars representing two workers were adopted with arms and legs of the avatar being controlled in the software to simulate walking and other postures. Collision detection algorithms were developed for various parts of the 3-D power plant building and avatars to confine the avatars to certain regions of the virtual environment. Ten different camera viewpoints were assigned to conveniently cover the entire virtual scenery in different viewing angles. A user can control the avatar to carry out radiological engineering tasks using two modes of avatar navigation. A user can also specify two types of radiation source: Cs and Co. The location of the avatar inside the virtual environment during the course of the avatar's movement is linked to the EDE database. The accumulative dose is calculated and displayed on the screen in real-time. Based on the final accumulated dose and the completion status of all virtual tasks, a score is given to evaluate the performance of the user. The paper concludes that VR-based simulation technologies are interactive and engaging, thus potentially useful in improving the quality of radiation safety training. The paper also summarizes several challenges: more streamlined data conversion, realistic avatar movement and posture, more intuitive implementation of the data communication between EON Studio and VB.NET, and more versatile utilization of EDE data such as a source near the body, etc., all of which needs to be addressed in future efforts to develop this type of software.

Computer Based Training: Field Deployable Trainer and Shared Virtual Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullen, Terence J.

1997-01-01

Astronaut training has traditionally been conducted at specific sites with specialized facilities. Because of its size and nature the training equipment is generally not portable. Efforts are now under way to develop training tools that can be taken to remote locations, including into orbit. Two of these efforts are the Field Deployable Trainer and Shared Virtual Reality projects. Field Deployable Trainer NASA has used the recent shuttle mission by astronaut Shannon Lucid to the Russian space station, Mir, as an opportunity to develop and test a prototype of an on-orbit computer training system. A laptop computer with a customized user interface, a set of specially prepared CD's, and video tapes were taken to the Mir by Ms. Lucid. Based upon the feedback following the launch of the Lucid flight, our team prepared materials for the next Mir visitor. Astronaut John Blaha will fly on NASA/MIR Long Duration Mission 3, set to launch in mid September. He will take with him a customized hard disk drive and a package of compact disks containing training videos, references and maps. The FDT team continues to explore and develop new and innovative ways to conduct offsite astronaut training using personal computers. Shared Virtual Reality Training NASA's Space Flight Training Division has been investigating the use of virtual reality environments for astronaut training. Recent efforts have focused on activities requiring interaction by two or more people, called shared VR. Dr. Bowen Loftin, from the University of Houston, directs a virtual reality laboratory that conducts much of the NASA sponsored research. I worked on a project involving the development of a virtual environment that can be used to train astronauts and others to operate a science unit called a Biological Technology Facility (BTF). Facilities like this will be used to house and control microgravity experiments on the space station. It is hoped that astronauts and instructors will ultimately be able to share common virtual environments and, using telephone links, conduct interactive training from separate locations.

Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy with Myoelectric Control for Treatment-resistant Phantom Limb Pain: Case Report.

PubMed

Chau, Brian; Phelan, Ivan; Ta, Phillip; Humbert, Sarah; Hata, Justin; Tran, Duc

2017-01-01

Objective: Phantom limb pain is a condition frequently experienced after amputation. One treatment for phantom limb pain is traditional mirror therapy, yet some patients do not respond to this intervention, and immersive virtual reality mirror therapy offers some potential advantages. We report the case of a patient with severe phantom limb pain following an upper limb amputation and successful treatment with therapy in a custom virtual reality environment. Methods: An interactive 3-D kitchen environment was developed based on the principles of mirror therapy to allow for control of virtual hands while wearing a motion-tracked, head-mounted virtual reality display. The patient used myoelectric control of a virtual hand as well as motion-tracking control in this setting for five therapy sessions. Pain scale measurements and subjective feedback was elicited at each session. Results: Analysis of the measured pain scales showed statistically significant decreases per session [Visual Analog Scale, Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Wong-Baker FACES pain scores decreased by 55 percent (p=0.0143), 60 percent (p=0.023), and 90 percent (p=0.0024), respectively]. Significant subjective pain relief persisting between sessions was also reported, as well as marked immersion within the virtual environments. On followup at six weeks, the patient noted continued decrease in phantom limb pain symptoms. Conclusions: Currently available immersive virtual reality technology with myolectric and motion tracking control may represent a possible therapy option for treatment-resistant phantom limb pain.

Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy with Myoelectric Control for Treatment-resistant Phantom Limb Pain: Case Report

PubMed Central

Phelan, Ivan; Ta, Phillip; Humbert, Sarah; Hata, Justin; Tran, Duc

2017-01-01

Objective: Phantom limb pain is a condition frequently experienced after amputation. One treatment for phantom limb pain is traditional mirror therapy, yet some patients do not respond to this intervention, and immersive virtual reality mirror therapy offers some potential advantages. We report the case of a patient with severe phantom limb pain following an upper limb amputation and successful treatment with therapy in a custom virtual reality environment. Methods: An interactive 3-D kitchen environment was developed based on the principles of mirror therapy to allow for control of virtual hands while wearing a motion-tracked, head-mounted virtual reality display. The patient used myoelectric control of a virtual hand as well as motion-tracking control in this setting for five therapy sessions. Pain scale measurements and subjective feedback was elicited at each session. Results: Analysis of the measured pain scales showed statistically significant decreases per session [Visual Analog Scale, Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Wong-Baker FACES pain scores decreased by 55 percent (p=0.0143), 60 percent (p=0.023), and 90 percent (p=0.0024), respectively]. Significant subjective pain relief persisting between sessions was also reported, as well as marked immersion within the virtual environments. On followup at six weeks, the patient noted continued decrease in phantom limb pain symptoms. Conclusions: Currently available immersive virtual reality technology with myolectric and motion tracking control may represent a possible therapy option for treatment-resistant phantom limb pain. PMID:29616149

Naver: a PC-cluster-based VR system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, ChangHoon; Ko, HeeDong; Kim, TaiYun

2003-04-01

In this paper, we present a new framework NAVER for virtual reality application. The NAVER is based on a cluster of low-cost personal computers. The goal of NAVER is to provide flexible, extensible, scalable and re-configurable framework for the virtual environments defined as the integration of 3D virtual space and external modules. External modules are various input or output devices and applications on the remote hosts. From the view of system, personal computers are divided into three servers according to its specific functions: Render Server, Device Server and Control Server. While Device Server contains external modules requiring event-based communication for the integration, Control Server contains external modules requiring synchronous communication every frame. And, the Render Server consists of 5 managers: Scenario Manager, Event Manager, Command Manager, Interaction Manager and Sync Manager. These managers support the declaration and operation of virtual environment and the integration with external modules on remote servers.

A serious gaming/immersion environment to teach clinical cancer genetics.

PubMed

Nosek, Thomas M; Cohen, Mark; Matthews, Anne; Papp, Klara; Wolf, Nancy; Wrenn, Gregg; Sher, Andrew; Coulter, Kenneth; Martin, Jessica; Wiesner, Georgia L

2007-01-01

We are creating an interactive, simulated "Cancer Genetics Tower" for the self-paced learning of Clinical Cancer Genetics by medical students (go to: http://casemed.case.edu/cancergenetics). The environment uses gaming theory to engage the students into achieving specific learning objectives. The first few levels contain virtual laboratories where students achieve the basic underpinnings of Cancer Genetics. The next levels apply these principles to clinical practice. A virtual attending physician and four virtual patients, available for questioning through virtual video conferencing, enrich each floor. The pinnacle clinical simulation challenges the learner to integrate all information and demonstrate mastery, thus "winning" the game. A pilot test of the program by 17 medical students yielded very favorable feedback; the students found the Tower a "great way to teach", it held their attention, and it made learning fun. A majority of the students preferred the Tower over other resources to learn Cancer Genetics.

A Virtual Reality Simulator Prototype for Learning and Assessing Phaco-sculpting Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Kup-Sze

This paper presents a virtual reality based simulator prototype for learning phacoemulsification in cataract surgery, with focus on the skills required for making a cross-shape trench in cataractous lens by an ultrasound probe during the phaco-sculpting procedure. An immersive virtual environment is created with 3D models of the lens and surgical tools. Haptic device is also used as 3D user interface. Phaco-sculpting is simulated by interactively deleting the constituting tetrahedrons of the lens model. Collisions between the virtual probe and the lens are effectively identified by partitioning the space containing the lens hierarchically with an octree. The simulator can be programmed to collect real-time quantitative user data for reviewing and assessing trainee's performance in an objective manner. A game-based learning environment can be created on top of the simulator by incorporating gaming elements based on the quantifiable performance metrics.

Tunable aqueous virtual micropore.

PubMed

Park, Jae Hyun; Guan, Weihua; Reed, Mark A; Krstić, Predrag S

2012-03-26

A charged microparticle can be trapped in an aqueous environment by forming a narrow virtual pore--a cylindrical space region in which the particle motion in the radial direction is limited by forces emerging from dynamical interactions of the particle charge and dipole moment with an external radiofrequency quadrupole electric field. If the particle satisfies the trap stability criteria, its mean motion is reduced exponentially with time due to the viscosity of the aqueous environment; thereafter the long-time motion of particle is subject only to random, Brownian fluctuations, whose magnitude, influenced by the electrophoretic and dielectrophoretic effects and added to the particle size, determines the radius of the virtual pore, which is demonstrated by comparison of computer simulations and experiment. The measured size of the virtual nanopore could be utilized to estimate the charge of a trapped micro-object. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Social pressure-induced craving in patients with alcohol dependence: application of virtual reality to coping skill training.

PubMed

Lee, Jung Suk; Namkoong, Kee; Ku, Jeonghun; Cho, Sangwoo; Park, Ji Yeon; Choi, You Kyong; Kim, Jae-Jin; Kim, In Young; Kim, Sun I; Jung, Young-Chul

2008-12-01

This study was conducted to assess the interaction between alcohol cues and social pressure in the induction of alcohol craving. Fourteen male patients with alcohol dependence and 14 age-matched social drinkers completed a virtual reality coping skill training program composed of four blocks according to the presence of alcohol cues (x2) and social pressure (x2). Before and after each block, the craving levels were measured using a visual analogue scale. Patients with alcohol dependence reported extremely high levels of craving immediately upon exposure to a virtual environment with alcohol cues, regardless of social pressure. In contrast, the craving levels of social drinkers were influenced by social pressure from virtual avatars. Our findings imply that an alcohol cue-laden environment should interfere with the ability to use coping skills against social pressure in real-life situations.

Development of a virtual flight simulator.

PubMed

Kuntz Rangel, Rodrigo; Guimarães, Lamartine N F; de Assis Correa, Francisco

2002-10-01

We present the development of a flight simulator that allows the user to interact in a created environment by means of virtual reality devices. This environment simulates the sight of a pilot in an airplane cockpit. The environment is projected in a helmet visor and allows the pilot to see inside as well as outside the cockpit. The movement of the airplane is independent of the movement of the pilot's head, which means that the airplane might travel in one direction while the pilot is looking at a 30 degrees angle with respect to the traveled direction. In this environment, the pilot will be able to take off, fly, and land the airplane. So far, the objects in the environment are geometrical figures. This is an ongoing project, and only partial results are available now.

Immersive Environments - A Connectivist Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loureiro, Ana; Bettencourt, Teresa

We are conducting a research project with the aim of achieving better and more efficient ways to facilitate teaching and learning in Higher Level Education. We have chosen virtual environments, with particular emphasis to Second Life® platform augmented by web 2.0 tools, to develop the study. The Second Life® environment has some interesting characteristics that captured our attention, it is immersive; it is a real world simulator; it is a social network; it allows real time communication, cooperation, collaboration and interaction; it is a safe and controlled environment. We specifically chose tools from web 2.0 that enable sharing and collaborative way of learning. Through understanding the characteristics of this learning environment, we believe that immersive learning along with other virtual tools can be integrated in today's pedagogical practices.

VEVI: A Virtual Reality Tool For Robotic Planetary Explorations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piguet, Laurent; Fong, Terry; Hine, Butler; Hontalas, Phil; Nygren, Erik

1994-01-01

The Virtual Environment Vehicle Interface (VEVI), developed by the NASA Ames Research Center's Intelligent Mechanisms Group, is a modular operator interface for direct teleoperation and supervisory control of robotic vehicles. Virtual environments enable the efficient display and visualization of complex data. This characteristic allows operators to perceive and control complex systems in a natural fashion, utilizing the highly-evolved human sensory system. VEVI utilizes real-time, interactive, 3D graphics and position / orientation sensors to produce a range of interface modalities from the flat panel (windowed or stereoscopic) screen displays to head mounted/head-tracking stereo displays. The interface provides generic video control capability and has been used to control wheeled, legged, air bearing, and underwater vehicles in a variety of different environments. VEVI was designed and implemented to be modular, distributed and easily operated through long-distance communication links, using a communication paradigm called SYNERGY.

Computational memory architectures for autobiographic agents interacting in a complex virtual environment: a working model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Wan Ching; Dautenhahn, Kerstin; Nehaniv, Chrystopher

2008-03-01

In this paper, we discuss the concept of autobiographic agent and how memory may extend an agent's temporal horizon and increase its adaptability. These concepts are applied to an implementation of a scenario where agents are interacting in a complex virtual artificial life environment. We present computational memory architectures for autobiographic virtual agents that enable agents to retrieve meaningful information from their dynamic memories which increases their adaptation and survival in the environment. The design of the memory architectures, the agents, and the virtual environment are described in detail. Next, a series of experimental studies and their results are presented which show the adaptive advantage of autobiographic memory, i.e. from remembering significant experiences. Also, in a multi-agent scenario where agents can communicate via stories based on their autobiographic memory, it is found that new adaptive behaviours can emerge from an individual's reinterpretation of experiences received from other agents whereby higher communication frequency yields better group performance. An interface is described that visualises the memory contents of an agent. From an observer perspective, the agents' behaviours can be understood as individually structured, and temporally grounded, and, with the communication of experience, can be seen to rely on emergent mixed narrative reconstructions combining the experiences of several agents. This research leads to insights into how bottom-up story-telling and autobiographic reconstruction in autonomous, adaptive agents allow temporally grounded behaviour to emerge. The article concludes with a discussion of possible implications of this research direction for future autobiographic, narrative agents.

Virtual reality: new method of teaching anorectal and pelvic floor anatomy.

PubMed

Dobson, Howard D; Pearl, Russell K; Orsay, Charles P; Rasmussen, Mary; Evenhouse, Ray; Ai, Zhuming; Blew, Gregory; Dech, Fred; Edison, Marcia I; Silverstein, Jonathan C; Abcarian, Herand

2003-03-01

A clear understanding of the intricate spatial relationships among the structures of the pelvic floor, rectum, and anal canal is essential for the treatment of numerous pathologic conditions. Virtual-reality technology allows improved visualization of three-dimensional structures over conventional media because it supports stereoscopic-vision, viewer-centered perspective, large angles of view, and interactivity. We describe a novel virtual reality-based model designed to teach anorectal and pelvic floor anatomy, pathology, and surgery. A static physical model depicting the pelvic floor and anorectum was created and digitized at 1-mm intervals in a CT scanner. Multiple software programs were used along with endoscopic images to generate a realistic interactive computer model, which was designed to be viewed on a networked, interactive, virtual-reality display (CAVE or ImmersaDesk). A standard examination of ten basic anorectal and pelvic floor anatomy questions was administered to third-year (n = 6) and fourth-year (n = 7) surgical residents. A workshop using the Virtual Pelvic Floor Model was then given, and the standard examination was readministered so that it was possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the Digital Pelvic Floor Model as an educational instrument. Training on the Virtual Pelvic Floor Model produced substantial improvements in the overall average test scores for the two groups, with an overall increase of 41 percent (P = 0.001) and 21 percent (P = 0.0007) for third-year and fourth-year residents, respectively. Resident evaluations after the workshop also confirmed the effectiveness of understanding pelvic anatomy using the Virtual Pelvic Floor Model. This model provides an innovative interactive educational framework that allows educators to overcome some of the barriers to teaching surgical and endoscopic principles based on understanding highly complex three-dimensional anatomy. Using this collaborative, shared virtual-reality environment, teachers and students can interact from locations world-wide to manipulate the components of this model to achieve the educational goals of this project along with the potential for virtual surgery.

Virtually Naked: Virtual Environment Reveals Sex-Dependent Nature of Skin Disclosure

PubMed Central

Lomanowska, Anna M.; Guitton, Matthieu J.

2012-01-01

The human tendency to reveal or cover naked skin reflects a competition between the individual propensity for social interactions related to sexual appeal and interpersonal touch versus climatic, environmental, physical, and cultural constraints. However, due to the ubiquitous nature of these constraints, isolating on a large scale the spontaneous human tendency to reveal naked skin has remained impossible. Using the online 3-dimensional virtual world of Second Life, we examined spontaneous human skin-covering behavior unhindered by real-world climatic, environmental, and physical variables. Analysis of hundreds of avatars revealed that virtual females disclose substantially more naked skin than virtual males. This phenomenon was not related to avatar hypersexualization as evaluated by measurement of sexually dimorphic body proportions. Furthermore, analysis of skin-covering behavior of a population of culturally homogeneous avatars indicated that the propensity of female avatars to reveal naked skin persisted despite explicit cultural norms promoting less revealing attire. These findings have implications for further understanding how sex-specific aspects of skin disclosure influence human social interactions in both virtual and real settings. PMID:23300580

Virtually naked: virtual environment reveals sex-dependent nature of skin disclosure.

PubMed

Lomanowska, Anna M; Guitton, Matthieu J

2012-01-01

The human tendency to reveal or cover naked skin reflects a competition between the individual propensity for social interactions related to sexual appeal and interpersonal touch versus climatic, environmental, physical, and cultural constraints. However, due to the ubiquitous nature of these constraints, isolating on a large scale the spontaneous human tendency to reveal naked skin has remained impossible. Using the online 3-dimensional virtual world of Second Life, we examined spontaneous human skin-covering behavior unhindered by real-world climatic, environmental, and physical variables. Analysis of hundreds of avatars revealed that virtual females disclose substantially more naked skin than virtual males. This phenomenon was not related to avatar hypersexualization as evaluated by measurement of sexually dimorphic body proportions. Furthermore, analysis of skin-covering behavior of a population of culturally homogeneous avatars indicated that the propensity of female avatars to reveal naked skin persisted despite explicit cultural norms promoting less revealing attire. These findings have implications for further understanding how sex-specific aspects of skin disclosure influence human social interactions in both virtual and real settings.

Manually locating physical and virtual reality objects.

PubMed

Chen, Karen B; Kimmel, Ryan A; Bartholomew, Aaron; Ponto, Kevin; Gleicher, Michael L; Radwin, Robert G

2014-09-01

In this study, we compared how users locate physical and equivalent three-dimensional images of virtual objects in a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE) using the hand to examine how human performance (accuracy, time, and approach) is affected by object size, location, and distance. Virtual reality (VR) offers the promise to flexibly simulate arbitrary environments for studying human performance. Previously, VR researchers primarily considered differences between virtual and physical distance estimation rather than reaching for close-up objects. Fourteen participants completed manual targeting tasks that involved reaching for corners on equivalent physical and virtual boxes of three different sizes. Predicted errors were calculated from a geometric model based on user interpupillary distance, eye location, distance from the eyes to the projector screen, and object. Users were 1.64 times less accurate (p < .001) and spent 1.49 times more time (p = .01) targeting virtual versus physical box corners using the hands. Predicted virtual targeting errors were on average 1.53 times (p < .05) greater than the observed errors for farther virtual targets but not significantly different for close-up virtual targets. Target size, location, and distance, in addition to binocular disparity, affected virtual object targeting inaccuracy. Observed virtual box inaccuracy was less than predicted for farther locations, suggesting possible influence of cues other than binocular vision. Human physical interaction with objects in VR for simulation, training, and prototyping involving reaching and manually handling virtual objects in a CAVE are more accurate than predicted when locating farther objects.

Virtual Reality Simulations and Animations in a Web-Based Interactive Manufacturing Engineering Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ong, S. K.; Mannan, M. A.

2004-01-01

This paper presents a web-based interactive teaching package that provides a comprehensive and conducive yet dynamic and interactive environment for a module on automated machine tools in the Manufacturing Division at the National University of Singapore. The use of Internet technologies in this teaching tool makes it possible to conjure…

Designing for Interaction, Thinking and Academic Achievement in a Tanzanian Undergraduate Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Msonde, Sydney Enock; Van Aalst, Jan

2017-01-01

Virtual learning environments are used in higher education around the world to promote student learning. However, in many countries it has not yielded the expected effect on student interaction and learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the use of certain pedagogical approaches would promote student interaction,…

Along the Virtuality Continuum - Two Showcases on how xR Technologies Transform Geoscience Research and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klippel, A.; Zhao, J.; Masrur, A.; Wallgruen, J. O.; La Femina, P. C.

2017-12-01

We present work along the virtuality continuum showcasing both AR and VR environments for geoscience applications and research. The AR/VR project focusses on one of the most prominent landmarks on the Penn State campus which, at the same time, is a representation of the geology of Pennsylvania. The Penn State Obelisk is a 32" high, 51 ton monument composed of 281 rocks collected from across Pennsylvania. While information about its origins and composition are scattered in articles and some web databases, we compiled all the available data from the web and archives and curated them as a basis for an immersive xR experience. Tabular data was amended by xR data such as 360° photos, videos, and 3D models (e.g., the Obelisk). Our xR (both AR and VR) prototype provides an immersive analytical environment that supports interactive data visualization and virtual navigation in a natural environment (a campus model of today and of 1896, the year of the Obelisk's installation). This work-in-progress project can provide an interactive immersive learning platform (specifically, for K-12 and introductory level geosciences students) where learning process is enhanced through seamless navigation between 3D data space and physical space. The, second, VR focused application is creating and empirically evaluating virtual reality (VR) experiences for geosciences research, specifically, an interactive volcano experience based on LiDAR and image data of Iceland's Thrihnukar volcano. The prototype addresses the lack of content and tools for immersive virtual reality (iVR) in geoscientific education and research and how to make it easier to integrate iVR into research and classroom experiences. It makes use of environmentally sensed data such that interaction and linked content can be integrated into a single experience. We discuss our workflows as well as methods and authoring tools for iVR analysis and creation of virtual experiences. These methods and tools aim to enhance the utility of geospatial data from repositories such as OpenTopography.org through unlocking treasure-troves of geospatial data for VR applications. Their enhanced accessibility in education and research for the geosciences and beyond will benefit geoscientists and educators who cannot be expected to be VR and 3D application experts.

Implementation of a three degree of freedom, motor/brake hybrid force output device for virtual environment control tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russo, Massimo; Tadros, Alfred; Flowers, Woodie; Zeltzer, David

1991-01-01

The advent of high resolution, physical model based computer graphics has left a gap in the design of input/output technology appropriate for interacting with such complex virtual world models. Since virtual worlds consist of physical models, it is appropriate to output the inherent force information necessary for the simulation to the user. The detailed design, construction, and control of a three degree freedom force output joystick will be presented. A novel kinematic design allows all three axes to be uncoupled, so that the system inertia matrix is diagonal. The two planar axes are actuated through an offset gimbal, and the third through a sleeved cable. To compensate for friction and inertia effects, this transmission is controlled by a force feedforward and a closed force feedback proportional loop. Workspace volume is a cone of 512 cubic inches, and the device bandwidth is maximized at 60 Hz for the two planar and 30 Hz for the third axis. Each axis is controlled by a motor/proportional magnetic particle brake combination fixed to the base. The innovative use of motors and brakes allows objects with high resistive torque requirements to be simulated without the stability and related safety issues involved with high torque, energy storing motors alone. Position, velocity, and applied endpoint force are sensed directly. Different control strategies are discussed and implemented, with an emphasis on how virtual environment force information, generated by the MIT Media Lab Computer Graphics and Animation Group BOLIO system, is transmitted to the device controller. The design constraints for a kinesthetic force feedback device can be summarized as: How can the symbiosis between the sense of presence in the virtual environment be maximized without compromising the interaction task under the constraints of the mechanical device limitations? Research in this field will yield insights to the optimal human sensory feedback mix for a wide spectrum of control and interaction problems. A flexible research tool that is designed as an easily reproducible product prototype has been constructed to explore the variety of possible force interaction.

Development of an audio-based virtual gaming environment to assist with navigation skills in the blind.

PubMed

Connors, Erin C; Yazzolino, Lindsay A; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B

2013-03-27

Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is virtual environment software designed to improve real world navigation skills in the blind. Using only audio based cues and set within the context of a video game metaphor, users gather relevant spatial information regarding a building's layout. This allows the user to develop an accurate spatial cognitive map of a large-scale three-dimensional space that can be manipulated for the purposes of a real indoor navigation task. After game play, participants are then assessed on their ability to navigate within the target physical building represented in the game. Preliminary results suggest that early blind users were able to acquire relevant information regarding the spatial layout of a previously unfamiliar building as indexed by their performance on a series of navigation tasks. These tasks included path finding through the virtual and physical building, as well as a series of drop off tasks. We find that the immersive and highly interactive nature of the AbES software appears to greatly engage the blind user to actively explore the virtual environment. Applications of this approach may extend to larger populations of visually impaired individuals.

How do people with persecutory delusions evaluate threat in a controlled social environment? A qualitative study using virtual reality.

PubMed

Fornells-Ambrojo, Miriam; Freeman, Daniel; Slater, Mel; Swapp, David; Antley, Angus; Barker, Chris

2015-01-01

Environmental factors have been associated with psychosis but there is little qualitative research looking at how the ongoing interaction between individual and environment maintains psychotic symptoms. The current study investigates how people with persecutory delusions interpret events in a virtual neutral social environment using qualitative methodology. 20 participants with persecutory delusions and 20 controls entered a virtual underground train containing neutral characters. Under these circumstances, people with persecutory delusions reported similar levels of paranoia as non-clinical participants. The transcripts of a post-virtual reality interview of the first 10 participants in each group were analysed. Thematic analyses of interviews focusing on the decision making process associated with attributing intentions of computer-generated characters revealed 11 themes grouped in 3 main categories (evidence in favour of paranoid appraisals, evidence against paranoid appraisals, other behaviour). People with current persecutory delusions are able to use a range of similar strategies to healthy volunteers when making judgements about potential threat in a neutral environment that does not elicit anxiety, but they are less likely than controls to engage in active hypothesis-testing and instead favour experiencing "affect" as evidence of persecutory intention.

A functional magnetic resonance imaging assessment of small animals' phobia using virtual reality as a stimulus.

PubMed

Clemente, Miriam; Rey, Beatriz; Rodriguez-Pujadas, Aina; Breton-Lopez, Juani; Barros-Loscertales, Alfonso; Baños, Rosa M; Botella, Cristina; Alcañiz, Mariano; Avila, Cesar

2014-06-27

To date, still images or videos of real animals have been used in functional magnetic resonance imaging protocols to evaluate the brain activations associated with small animals' phobia. The objective of our study was to evaluate the brain activations associated with small animals' phobia through the use of virtual environments. This context will have the added benefit of allowing the subject to move and interact with the environment, giving the subject the illusion of being there. We have analyzed the brain activation in a group of phobic people while they navigated in a virtual environment that included the small animals that were the object of their phobia. We have found brain activation mainly in the left occipital inferior lobe (P<.05 corrected, cluster size=36), related to the enhanced visual attention to the phobic stimuli; and in the superior frontal gyrus (P<.005 uncorrected, cluster size=13), which is an area that has been previously related to the feeling of self-awareness. In our opinion, these results demonstrate that virtual stimulus can enhance brain activations consistent with previous studies with still images, but in an environment closer to the real situation the subject would face in their daily lives.

Effect of a Virtual Environment on the Development of Mathematical Skills in Children with Dyscalculia

PubMed Central

de Castro, Marcus Vasconcelos; Bissaco, Márcia Aparecida Silva; Panccioni, Bruno Marques; Rodrigues, Silvia Cristina Martini; Domingues, Andreia Miranda

2014-01-01

In this study, we show the effectiveness of a virtual environment comprising 18 computer games that cover mathematics topics in a playful setting and that can be executed on the Internet with the possibility of player interaction through chat. An arithmetic pre-test contained in the Scholastic Performance Test was administered to 300 children between 7 and 10 years old, including 162 males and 138 females, in the second grade of primary school. Twenty-six children whose scores showed a low level of mathematical knowledge were chosen and randomly divided into the control (CG) and experimental (EG) groups. The EG participated to the virtual environment and the CG participated in reinforcement using traditional teaching methods. Both groups took a post-test in which the Scholastic Performance Test (SPT) was given again. A statistical analysis of the results using the Student's t-test showed a significant learning improvement for the EG and no improvement for the CG (p≤0.05). The virtual environment allows the students to integrate thought, feeling and action, thus motivating the children to learn and contributing to their intellectual development. PMID:25068511

Sculpting 3D worlds with music: advanced texturing techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greuel, Christian; Bolas, Mark T.; Bolas, Niko; McDowall, Ian E.

1996-04-01

Sound within the virtual environment is often considered to be secondary to the graphics. In a typical scenario, either audio cues are locally associated with specific 3D objects or a general aural ambiance is supplied in order to alleviate the sterility of an artificial experience. This paper discusses a completely different approach, in which cues are extracted from live or recorded music in order to create geometry and control object behaviors within a computer- generated environment. Advanced texturing techniques used to generate complex stereoscopic images are also discussed. By analyzing music for standard audio characteristics such as rhythm and frequency, information is extracted and repackaged for processing. With the Soundsculpt Toolkit, this data is mapped onto individual objects within the virtual environment, along with one or more predetermined behaviors. Mapping decisions are implemented with a user definable schedule and are based on the aesthetic requirements of directors and designers. This provides for visually active, immersive environments in which virtual objects behave in real-time correlation with the music. The resulting music-driven virtual reality opens up several possibilities for new types of artistic and entertainment experiences, such as fully immersive 3D `music videos' and interactive landscapes for live performance.

Fire training in a virtual-reality environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freund, Eckhard; Rossmann, Jurgen; Bucken, Arno

2005-03-01

Although fire is very common in our daily environment - as a source of energy at home or as a tool in industry - most people cannot estimate the danger of a conflagration. Therefore it is important to train people in combating fire. Beneath training with propane simulators or real fires and real extinguishers, fire training can be performed in virtual reality, which means a pollution-free and fast way of training. In this paper we describe how to enhance a virtual-reality environment with a real-time fire simulation and visualisation in order to establish a realistic emergency-training system. The presented approach supports extinguishing of the virtual fire including recordable performance data as needed in teletraining environments. We will show how to get realistic impressions of fire using advanced particle-simulation and how to use the advantages of particles to trigger states in a modified cellular automata used for the simulation of fire-behaviour. Using particle systems that interact with cellular automata it is possible to simulate a developing, spreading fire and its reaction on different extinguishing agents like water, CO2 or oxygen. The methods proposed in this paper have been implemented and successfully tested on Cosimir, a commercial robot-and VR-simulation-system.

MnemoCity Task: Assessment of Childrens Spatial Memory Using Stereoscopy and Virtual Environments

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Andrés, David; Méndez-López, Magdalena; Pérez-Hernández, Elena; Lluch, Javier

2016-01-01

This paper presents the MnemoCity task, which is a 3D application that introduces the user into a totally 3D virtual environment to evaluate spatial short-term memory. A study has been carried out to validate the MnemoCity task for the assessment of spatial short-term memory in children, by comparing the children’s performance in the developed task with current approaches. A total of 160 children participated in the study. The task incorporates two types of interaction: one based on standard interaction and another one based on natural interaction involving physical movement by the user. There were no statistically significant differences in the results of the task using the two types of interaction. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were not found in relation to gender. The correlations between scores were obtained using the MnemoCity task and a traditional procedure for assessing spatial short-term memory. Those results revealed that the type of interaction used did not affect the performance of children in the MnemoCity task. PMID:27579715

Comparing two types of navigational interfaces for Virtual Reality.

PubMed

Teixeira, Luís; Vilar, Elisângela; Duarte, Emília; Rebelo, Francisco; da Silva, Fernando Moreira

2012-01-01

Previous studies suggest significant differences between navigating virtual environments in a life-like walking manner (i.e., using treadmills or walk-in-place techniques) and virtual navigation (i.e., flying while really standing). The latter option, which usually involves hand-centric devices (e.g., joysticks), is the most common in Virtual Reality-based studies, mostly due to low costs, less space and technology demands. However, recently, new interaction devices, originally conceived for videogames have become available offering interesting potentialities for research. This study aimed to explore the potentialities of the Nintendo Wii Balance Board as a navigation interface in a Virtual Environment presented in an immersive Virtual Reality system. Comparing participants' performance while engaged in a simulated emergency egress allows determining the adequacy of such alternative navigation interface on the basis of empirical results. Forty university students participated in this study. Results show that participants were more efficient when performing navigation tasks using the Joystick than with the Balance Board. However there were no significantly differences in the behavioral compliance with exit signs. Therefore, this study suggests that, at least for tasks similar to the studied, the Balance Board have good potentiality to be used as a navigation interface for Virtual Reality systems.

Discovering new methods of data fusion, visualization, and analysis in 3D immersive environments for hyperspectral and laser altimetry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, C. A.; Gertman, V.; Olsoy, P.; Mitchell, J.; Glenn, N. F.; Joshi, A.; Norpchen, D.; Shrestha, R.; Pernice, M.; Spaete, L.; Grover, S.; Whiting, E.; Lee, R.

2011-12-01

Immersive virtual reality environments such as the IQ-Station or CAVE° (Cave Automated Virtual Environment) offer new and exciting ways to visualize and explore scientific data and are powerful research and educational tools. Combining remote sensing data from a range of sensor platforms in immersive 3D environments can enhance the spectral, textural, spatial, and temporal attributes of the data, which enables scientists to interact and analyze the data in ways never before possible. Visualization and analysis of large remote sensing datasets in immersive environments requires software customization for integrating LiDAR point cloud data with hyperspectral raster imagery, the generation of quantitative tools for multidimensional analysis, and the development of methods to capture 3D visualizations for stereographic playback. This study uses hyperspectral and LiDAR data acquired over the China Hat geologic study area near Soda Springs, Idaho, USA. The data are fused into a 3D image cube for interactive data exploration and several methods of recording and playback are investigated that include: 1) creating and implementing a Virtual Reality User Interface (VRUI) patch configuration file to enable recording and playback of VRUI interactive sessions within the CAVE and 2) using the LiDAR and hyperspectral remote sensing data and GIS data to create an ArcScene 3D animated flyover, where left- and right-eye visuals are captured from two independent monitors for playback in a stereoscopic player. These visualizations can be used as outreach tools to demonstrate how integrated data and geotechnology techniques can help scientists see, explore, and more adequately comprehend scientific phenomena, both real and abstract.

Virtual VMASC: A 3D Game Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manepalli, Suchitra; Shen, Yuzhong; Garcia, Hector M.; Lawsure, Kaleen

2010-01-01

The advantages of creating interactive 3D simulations that allow viewing, exploring, and interacting with land improvements, such as buildings, in digital form are manifold and range from allowing individuals from anywhere in the world to explore those virtual land improvements online, to training military personnel in dealing with war-time environments, and to making those land improvements available in virtual worlds such as Second Life. While we haven't fully explored the true potential of such simulations, we have identified a requirement within our organization to use simulations like those to replace our front-desk personnel and allow visitors to query, naVigate, and communicate virtually with various entities within the building. We implemented the Virtual VMASC 3D simulation of the Virginia Modeling Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) office building to not only meet our front-desk requirement but also to evaluate the effort required in designing such a simulation and, thereby, leverage the experience we gained in future projects of this kind. This paper describes the goals we set for our implementation, the software approach taken, the modeling contribution made, and the technologies used such as XNA Game Studio, .NET framework, Autodesk software packages, and, finally, the applicability of our implementation on a variety of architectures including Xbox 360 and PC. This paper also summarizes the result of our evaluation and the lessons learned from our effort.

Design of a 3D Navigation Technique Supporting VR Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudoin, Pierre; Otmane, Samir; Mallem, Malik

2008-06-01

Multimodality is a powerful paradigm to increase the realness and the easiness of the interaction in Virtual Environments (VEs). In particular, the search for new metaphors and techniques for 3D interaction adapted to the navigation task is an important stage for the realization of future 3D interaction systems that support multimodality, in order to increase efficiency and usability. In this paper we propose a new multimodal 3D interaction model called Fly Over. This model is especially devoted to the navigation task. We present a qualitative comparison between Fly Over and a classical navigation technique called gaze-directed steering. The results from preliminary evaluation on the IBISC semi-immersive Virtual Reality/Augmented Realty EVR@ platform show that Fly Over is a user friendly and efficient navigation technique.

Analyzing Multimodal Interaction within a Classroom Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moura, Heloisa

2006-01-01

Human interactions are multimodal in nature. From simple to complex forms of transferal of information, human beings draw on a multiplicity of communicative modes, such as intonation and gaze, to make sense of everyday experiences. Likewise, the learning process, either within traditional classrooms or Virtual Learning Environments, is shaped by…

Socio-Emotional Connections: Identity, Belonging and Learning in Online Interactions--A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delahunty, Janine; Verenikina, Irina; Jones, Pauline

2014-01-01

This review focuses on three interconnected socio-emotional aspects of online learning: interaction, sense of community and identity formation. In the intangible social space of the virtual classroom, students come together to learn through dialogic, often asynchronous, exchanges. This creates distinctive learning environments where learning…

"Dropbox" Brings Course Management Back to Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niles, Thaddeus M.

2013-01-01

Course management software (CMS) allows teachers to deliver content electronically and manage collaborative coursework, either blending with face-to-face interactions or as the core of an entirely virtual classroom environment. CMS often takes the form of an electronic storehouse of course materials with which students can interact, a virtual…

Defense applications of the CAVE (CAVE automatic virtual environment)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isabelle, Scott K.; Gilkey, Robert H.; Kenyon, Robert V.; Valentino, George; Flach, John M.; Spenny, Curtis H.; Anderson, Timothy R.

1997-07-01

The CAVE is a multi-person, room-sized, high-resolution, 3D video and auditory environment, which can be used to present very immersive virtual environment experiences. This paper describes the CAVE technology and the capability of the CAVE system as originally developed at the Electronics Visualization Laboratory of the University of Illinois- Chicago and as more recently implemented by Wright State University (WSU) in the Armstrong Laboratory at Wright- Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). One planned use of the WSU/WPAFB CAVE is research addressing the appropriate design of display and control interfaces for controlling uninhabited aerial vehicles. The WSU/WPAFB CAVE has a number of features that make it well-suited to this work: (1) 360 degrees surround, plus floor, high resolution visual displays, (2) virtual spatialized audio, (3) the ability to integrate real and virtual objects, and (4) rapid and flexible reconfiguration. However, even though the CAVE is likely to have broad utility for military applications, it does have certain limitations that may make it less well- suited to applications that require 'natural' haptic feedback, vestibular stimulation, or an ability to interact with close detailed objects.

Tele Hyper Virtuality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Terashima, Nobuyoshi

1994-01-01

In the future, remote images sent over communication lines will be reproduced in virtual reality (VR). This form of virtual telecommunications, which will allow observers to engage in an activity as though it were real, is the focus of considerable attention. Taken a step further, real and unreal objects will be placed in a single space to create an extremely realistic environment. Here, imaginary and other life forms as well as people and animals in remote locations will gather via telecommunication lines that create a common environment where life forms can work and interact together. Words, gestures, diagrams and other forms of communication will be used freely in performing work. Actual construction of a system based on this new concept will not only provide people with experiences that would have been impossible in the past, but will also inspire new applications in which people will function in environments where it would have been difficult if not impossible for them to function until now. This paper describes Tele Hyper Virtuality concept, its definition, applications, the key technologies to accomplish it and future prospects.

Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alaghband, Gita; Fardi, Hamid; Gnabasik, David

2007-03-01

The Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL) is a scientific discovery environment, an interactive simulated virtual laboratory, for learning physics and mathematics. The purpose of this computer-assisted intervention is to improve middle and high school student interest, insight and scores in physics and mathematics. SAVL develops scientific and mathematical imagination in a visual, symbolic, and experimental simulation environment. It directly addresses the issues of scientific and technological competency by providing critical thinking training through integrated modules. This on-going research provides a virtual laboratory environment in which the student directs the building of the experiment rather than observing a packaged simulation. SAVL: * Engages the persistent interest of young minds in physics and math by visually linking simulation objects and events with mathematical relations. * Teaches integrated concepts by the hands-on exploration and focused visualization of classic physics experiments within software. * Systematically and uniformly assesses and scores students by their ability to answer their own questions within the context of a Master Question Network. We will demonstrate how the Master Question Network uses polymorphic interfaces and C# lambda expressions to manage simulation objects.

Presence Relates to Distinct Outcomes in Two Virtual Environments Employing Different Learning Modalities

PubMed Central

Persky, Susan; Kaphingst, Kimberly A.; McCall, Cade; Lachance, Christina; Beall, Andrew C.; Blascovich, Jim

2009-01-01

Presence in virtual learning environments (VLEs) has been associated with a number of outcome factors related to a user’s ability and motivation to learn. The extant but relatively small body of research suggests that a high level of presence is related to better performance on learning outcomes in VLEs. Different configurations of form and content variables such as those associated with active (self-driven, interactive activities) versus didactic (reading or lecture) learning may, however, influence how presence operates and on what content it operates. We compared the influence of presence between two types of immersive VLEs (i.e., active versus didactic techniques) on comprehension and engagement-related outcomes. The findings revealed that the active VLE promoted greater presence. Although we found no relationship between presence and learning comprehension outcomes for either virtual environment, presence was related to information engagement variables in the didactic immersive VLE but not the active environment. Results demonstrate that presence is not uniformly elicited or effective across immersive VLEs. Educational delivery mode and environment complexity may influence the impact of presence on engagement. PMID:19366319

Presence relates to distinct outcomes in two virtual environments employing different learning modalities.

PubMed

Persky, Susan; Kaphingst, Kimberly A; McCall, Cade; Lachance, Christina; Beall, Andrew C; Blascovich, Jim

2009-06-01

Presence in virtual learning environments (VLEs) has been associated with a number of outcome factors related to a user's ability and motivation to learn. The extant but relatively small body of research suggests that a high level of presence is related to better performance on learning outcomes in VLEs. Different configurations of form and content variables such as those associated with active (self-driven, interactive activities) versus didactic (reading or lecture) learning may, however, influence how presence operates and on what content it operates. We compared the influence of presence between two types of immersive VLEs (i.e., active versus didactic techniques) on comprehension and engagement-related outcomes. The findings revealed that the active VLE promoted greater presence. Although we found no relationship between presence and learning comprehension outcomes for either virtual environment, presence was related to information engagement variables in the didactic immersive VLE but not the active environment. Results demonstrate that presence is not uniformly elicited or effective across immersive VLEs. Educational delivery mode and environment complexity may influence the impact of presence on engagement.

Image-based 3D reconstruction and virtual environmental walk-through

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jifeng; Fang, Lixiong; Luo, Ying

2001-09-01

We present a 3D reconstruction method, which combines geometry-based modeling, image-based modeling and rendering techniques. The first component is an interactive geometry modeling method which recovery of the basic geometry of the photographed scene. The second component is model-based stereo algorithm. We discus the image processing problems and algorithms of walking through in virtual space, then designs and implement a high performance multi-thread wandering algorithm. The applications range from architectural planning and archaeological reconstruction to virtual environments and cinematic special effects.

Using virtual reality environment to improve joint attention associated with pervasive developmental disorder.

PubMed

Cheng, Yufang; Huang, Ruowen

2012-01-01

The focus of this study is using data glove to practice Joint attention skill in virtual reality environment for people with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). The virtual reality environment provides a safe environment for PDD people. Especially, when they made errors during practice in virtual reality environment, there is no suffering or dangerous consequences to deal with. Joint attention is a critical skill in the disorder characteristics of children with PDD. The absence of joint attention is a deficit frequently affects their social relationship in daily life. Therefore, this study designed the Joint Attention Skills Learning (JASL) systems with data glove tool to help children with PDD to practice joint attention behavior skills. The JASL specifically focus the skills of pointing, showing, sharing things and behavior interaction with other children with PDD. The system is designed in playroom-scene and presented in the first-person perspectives for users. The functions contain pointing and showing, moving virtual objects, 3D animation, text, speaking sounds, and feedback. The method was employed single subject multiple-probe design across subjects' designs, and analysis of visual inspection in this study. It took 3 months to finish the experimental section. Surprisingly, the experiment results reveal that the participants have further extension in improving the joint attention skills in their daily life after using the JASL system. The significant potential in this particular treatment of joint attention for each participant will be discussed in details in this paper. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technology and Community Behavior in Online Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanchard, Anita L.; Markus, M. Lynne

The literature on virtual or online communities contains two largely disjoint bodies of scholarship. One, which we call the “communities” literature, is concerned primarily with the social and psychological processes observable within groups of people that interact regularly in online environments. The other, concerned primarily with the effects of technological environments on individual and group behavior, we call the “environments” literature.

Awareware: Narrowcasting Attributes for Selective Attention, Privacy, and Multipresence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Michael; Newton Fernando, Owen Noel

The domain of cscw, computer-supported collaborative work, and DSC, distributed synchronous collaboration, spans real-time interactive multiuser systems, shared information spaces, and applications for teleexistence and artificial reality, including collaborative virtual environments ( cves) (Benford et al., 2001). As presence awareness systems emerge, it is important to develop appropriate interfaces and architectures for managing multimodal multiuser systems. Especially in consideration of the persistent connectivity enabled by affordable networked communication, shared distributed environments require generalized control of media streams, techniques to control source → sink transmissions in synchronous groupware, including teleconferences and chatspaces, online role-playing games, and virtual concerts.

Scalable metadata environments (MDE): artistically impelled immersive environments for large-scale data exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, Ruth G.; Margolis, Todd; Prudhomme, Andrew; Schulze, Jürgen P.; Mostafavi, Iman; Lewis, J. P.; Gossmann, Joachim; Singh, Rajvikram

2014-02-01

Scalable Metadata Environments (MDEs) are an artistic approach for designing immersive environments for large scale data exploration in which users interact with data by forming multiscale patterns that they alternatively disrupt and reform. Developed and prototyped as part of an art-science research collaboration, we define an MDE as a 4D virtual environment structured by quantitative and qualitative metadata describing multidimensional data collections. Entire data sets (e.g.10s of millions of records) can be visualized and sonified at multiple scales and at different levels of detail so they can be explored interactively in real-time within MDEs. They are designed to reflect similarities and differences in the underlying data or metadata such that patterns can be visually/aurally sorted in an exploratory fashion by an observer who is not familiar with the details of the mapping from data to visual, auditory or dynamic attributes. While many approaches for visual and auditory data mining exist, MDEs are distinct in that they utilize qualitative and quantitative data and metadata to construct multiple interrelated conceptual coordinate systems. These "regions" function as conceptual lattices for scalable auditory and visual representations within virtual environments computationally driven by multi-GPU CUDA-enabled fluid dyamics systems.

Type 2 Diabetes Education and Support in a Virtual Environment: A Secondary Analysis of Synchronously Exchanged Social Interaction and Support

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background Virtual environments (VEs) facilitate interaction and support among individuals with chronic illness, yet the characteristics of these VE interactions remain unknown. Objective The objective of this study was to describe social interaction and support among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who interacted in a VE. Methods Data included VE-mediated synchronous conversations and text-chat and asynchronous emails and discussion board posts from a study that facilitated interaction among individuals with T2D and diabetes educators (N=24) in 2 types of sessions: education and support. Results VE interactions consisted of communication techniques (how individuals interact in the VE), expressions of self-management (T2D-related topics), depth (personalization of topics), and breadth (number of topics discussed). Individuals exchanged support more often in the education (723/1170, 61.79%) than in the support (406/1170, 34.70%) sessions or outside session time (41/1170, 3.50%). Of all support exchanges, 535/1170 (45.73%) were informational, 377/1170 (32.22%) were emotional, 217/1170 (18.55%) were appraisal, and 41/1170 (3.50%) were instrumental. When comparing session types, education sessions predominately provided informational support (357/723, 49.4%), and the support sessions predominately provided emotional (159/406, 39.2%) and informational (159/406, 39.2%) support. Conclusions VE-mediated interactions resemble those in face-to-face environments, as individuals in VEs engage in bidirectional exchanges with others to obtain self-management education and support. Similar to face-to-face environments, individuals in the VE revealed personal information, sought information, and exchanged support during the moderated education sessions and unstructured support sessions. With this versatility, VEs are able to contribute substantially to support for those with diabetes and, very likely, other chronic diseases. PMID:29467118

Non-Native Speaker Interaction Management Strategies in a Network-Based Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Mark

2008-01-01

This article investigates the dyad-based communication of two groups of non-native speakers (NNSs) of English involved in real time interaction in a type of text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) tool known as a MOO. The object of this semester long study was to examine the ways in which the subjects managed their L2 interaction during…

Virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM) that is well received by resuscitation experts.

PubMed

Semeraro, Federico; Frisoli, Antonio; Bergamasco, Massimo; Cerchiari, Erga L

2009-04-01

The objective of this study was to test acceptance of, and interest in, a newly developed prototype of virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM) on a sample of congress attendees who volunteered to participate in the evaluation session and to respond to a specifically designed questionnaire. A commercial Laerdal HeartSim 4000 mannequin was developed to integrate virtual reality (VR) technologies with specially developed virtual reality software to increase the immersive perception of emergency scenarios. To evaluate the acceptance of a virtual reality enhanced mannequin (VREM), we presented it to a sample of 39 possible users. Each evaluation session involved one trainee and two instructors with a standardized procedure and scenario: the operator was invited by the instructor to wear the data-gloves and the head mounted display and was briefly introduced to the scope of the simulation. The instructor helped the operator familiarize himself with the environment. After the patient's collapse, the operator was asked to check the patient's clinical conditions and start CPR. Finally, the patient started to recover signs of circulation and the evaluation session was concluded. Each participant was then asked to respond to a questionnaire designed to explore the trainee's perception in the areas of user-friendliness, realism, and interaction/immersion. Overall, the evaluation of the system was very positive, as was the feeling of immersion and realism of the environment and simulation. Overall, 84.6% of the participants judged the virtual reality experience as interesting and believed that its development could be very useful for healthcare training. The prototype of the virtual reality enhanced mannequin was well-liked, without interfence by interaction devices, and deserves full technological development and validation in emergency medical training.

Virtual Reality for Enhanced Ecological Validity and Experimental Control in the Clinical, Affective and Social Neurosciences

PubMed Central

Parsons, Thomas D.

2015-01-01

An essential tension can be found between researchers interested in ecological validity and those concerned with maintaining experimental control. Research in the human neurosciences often involves the use of simple and static stimuli lacking many of the potentially important aspects of real world activities and interactions. While this research is valuable, there is a growing interest in the human neurosciences to use cues about target states in the real world via multimodal scenarios that involve visual, semantic, and prosodic information. These scenarios should include dynamic stimuli presented concurrently or serially in a manner that allows researchers to assess the integrative processes carried out by perceivers over time. Furthermore, there is growing interest in contextually embedded stimuli that can constrain participant interpretations of cues about a target’s internal states. Virtual reality environments proffer assessment paradigms that combine the experimental control of laboratory measures with emotionally engaging background narratives to enhance affective experience and social interactions. The present review highlights the potential of virtual reality environments for enhanced ecological validity in the clinical, affective, and social neurosciences. PMID:26696869

Virtual Reality for Enhanced Ecological Validity and Experimental Control in the Clinical, Affective and Social Neurosciences.

PubMed

Parsons, Thomas D

2015-01-01

An essential tension can be found between researchers interested in ecological validity and those concerned with maintaining experimental control. Research in the human neurosciences often involves the use of simple and static stimuli lacking many of the potentially important aspects of real world activities and interactions. While this research is valuable, there is a growing interest in the human neurosciences to use cues about target states in the real world via multimodal scenarios that involve visual, semantic, and prosodic information. These scenarios should include dynamic stimuli presented concurrently or serially in a manner that allows researchers to assess the integrative processes carried out by perceivers over time. Furthermore, there is growing interest in contextually embedded stimuli that can constrain participant interpretations of cues about a target's internal states. Virtual reality environments proffer assessment paradigms that combine the experimental control of laboratory measures with emotionally engaging background narratives to enhance affective experience and social interactions. The present review highlights the potential of virtual reality environments for enhanced ecological validity in the clinical, affective, and social neurosciences.

Environmental Social Stress, Paranoia and Psychosis Liability: A Virtual Reality Study

PubMed Central

Veling, Wim; Pot-Kolder, Roos; Counotte, Jacqueline; van Os, Jim; van der Gaag, Mark

2016-01-01

The impact of social environments on mental states is difficult to assess, limiting the understanding of which aspects of the social environment contribute to the onset of psychotic symptoms and how individual characteristics moderate this outcome. This study aimed to test sensitivity to environmental social stress as a mechanism of psychosis using Virtual Reality (VR) experiments. Fifty-five patients with recent onset psychotic disorder, 20 patients at ultra high risk for psychosis, 42 siblings of patients with psychosis, and 53 controls walked 5 times in a virtual bar with different levels of environmental social stress. Virtual social stressors were population density, ethnic density and hostility. Paranoia about virtual humans and subjective distress in response to virtual social stress exposures were measured with State Social Paranoia Scale (SSPS) and self-rated momentary subjective distress (SUD), respectively. Pre-existing (subclinical) symptoms were assessed with the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), Green Paranoid Thoughts Scale (GPTS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). Paranoia and subjective distress increased with degree of social stress in the environment. Psychosis liability and pre-existing symptoms, in particular negative affect, positively impacted the level of paranoia and distress in response to social stress. These results provide experimental evidence that heightened sensitivity to environmental social stress may play an important role in the onset and course of psychosis. PMID:27038469

Generalized interactions using virtual tools within the spring framework: cutting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, Kevin; Bruyns, Cynthia D.

2002-01-01

We present schemes for real-time generalized mesh cutting. Starting with the a basic example, we describe the details of implementing cutting on single and multiple surface objects as well as hybrid and volumetric meshes using virtual tools with single and multiple cutting surfaces. These methods have been implemented in a robust surgical simulation environment allowing us to model procedures ranging from animal dissection to cleft lip correction.

The James Webb Space Telescope RealWorld-InWorld Design Challenge: Involving Professionals in a Virtual Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masetti, Margaret; Bowers, S.

2011-01-01

Students around the country are becoming experts on the James Webb Space Telescope by designing solutions to two of the design challenges presented by this complex mission. RealWorld-InWorld has two parts; the first (the Real World portion) has high-school students working face to face in their classroom as engineers and scientists. The InWorld phase starts December 15, 2010 as interested teachers and their teams of high school students register to move their work into a 3D multi-user virtual world environment. At the start of this phase, college students from all over the country choose a registered team to lead InWorld. Each InWorld team is also assigned an engineer or scientist mentor. In this virtual world setting, each team refines their design solutions and creates a 3D model of the Webb telescope. InWorld teams will use 21st century tools to collaborate and build in the virtual world environment. Each team will learn, not only from their own team members, but will have the opportunity to interact with James Webb Space Telescope researchers through the virtual world setting, which allows for synchronous interactions. Halfway through the challenge, design solutions will be critiqued and a mystery problem will be introduced for each team. The top five teams will be invited to present their work during a synchronous Education Forum April 14, 2011. The top team will earn scholarships and technology. This is an excellent opportunity for professionals in both astronomy and associated engineering disciplines to become involved with a unique educational program. Besides the chance to mentor a group of interested students, there are many opportunities to interact with the students as a guest, via chats and presentations.

Educational Online Technologies in Blended Tertiary Environments: A Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuapawa, Kimberley N.

2013-01-01

This is a review of the literature surrounding five popular media-rich educational online technologies (EOTs) currently being used by educationalists to support blended learning within tertiary environments. This review considers the following EOTs: 1) connective media, 2) interactive gaming, 3) virtual worlds, 4) web conferencing and 5) learning…

Access, Equity, and Capacity in Asia-Pacific Higher Education. International and Development Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neubauer, Deane, Ed.; Tanaka, Yoshiro, Ed.

2011-01-01

Access, equity and capacity are elements within the higher education environment that interact in complex ways to affect virtually all other aspects of such institutions. This volume examines various features of how these concepts are generated, transformed throughout policy environments, and deployed across the complex differences of higher…

Development and Deployment of a Library of Industrially Focused Advanced Immersive VR Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, Ian; Crosthwaite, Caroline; Norton, Christine; Balliu, Nicoleta; Tadé, Moses; Hoadley, Andrew; Shallcross, David; Barton, Geoff

2008-01-01

This work presents a unique education resource for both process engineering students and the industry workforce. The learning environment is based around spherical imagery of real operating plants coupled with interactive embedded activities and content. This Virtual Reality (VR) learning tool has been developed by applying aspects of relevant…

Understanding the Conics through Augmented Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas, Patricia; Pulido, Ricardo

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the production of a digital environment to foster the learning of conics through augmented reality. The name conic refers to curves obtained by the intersection of a plane with a right circular conical surface. The environment gives students the opportunity to interact with the cone and the plane as virtual objects in real…

Blended Learning Environments: Using Social Networking Sites to Enhance the First Year Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Joshua

2010-01-01

This study explores blending virtual and physical learning environments to enhance the experience of first year by immersing students into university culture through social and academic interaction between peers. It reports on the progress made from 2008 to 2009 using an existing academic platform, the first year design elective course…

Translating the simulation of procedural drilling techniques for interactive neurosurgical training.

PubMed

Stredney, Don; Rezai, Ali R; Prevedello, Daniel M; Elder, J Bradley; Kerwin, Thomas; Hittle, Bradley; Wiet, Gregory J

2013-10-01

Through previous efforts we have developed a fully virtual environment to provide procedural training of otologic surgical technique. The virtual environment is based on high-resolution volumetric data of the regional anatomy. These volumetric data help drive an interactive multisensory, ie, visual (stereo), aural (stereo), and tactile, simulation environment. Subsequently, we have extended our efforts to support the training of neurosurgical procedural technique as part of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons simulation initiative. To deliberately study the integration of simulation technologies into the neurosurgical curriculum and to determine their efficacy in teaching minimally invasive cranial and skull base approaches. We discuss issues of biofidelity and our methods to provide objective, quantitative and automated assessment for the residents. We conclude with a discussion of our experiences by reporting preliminary formative pilot studies and proposed approaches to take the simulation to the next level through additional validation studies. We have presented our efforts to translate an otologic simulation environment for use in the neurosurgical curriculum. We have demonstrated the initial proof of principles and define the steps to integrate and validate the system as an adjuvant to the neurosurgical curriculum.

WWW creates new interactive 3D graphics and collaborative environments for medical research and education.

PubMed

Samothrakis, S; Arvanitis, T N; Plataniotis, A; McNeill, M D; Lister, P F

1997-11-01

Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) is the start of a new era for medicine and the World Wide Web (WWW). Scientists can use VRML across the Internet to explore new three-dimensional (3D) worlds, share concepts and collaborate together in a virtual environment. VRML enables the generation of virtual environments through the use of geometric, spatial and colour data structures to represent 3D objects and scenes. In medicine, researchers often want to interact with scientific data, which in several instances may also be dynamic (e.g. MRI data). This data is often very large and is difficult to visualise. A 3D graphical representation can make the information contained in such large data sets more understandable and easier to interpret. Fast networks and satellites can reliably transfer large data sets from computer to computer. This has led to the adoption of remote tale-working in many applications including medical applications. Radiology experts, for example, can view and inspect in near real-time a 3D data set acquired from a patient who is in another part of the world. Such technology is destined to improve the quality of life for many people. This paper introduces VRML (including some technical details) and discusses the advantages of VRML in application developing.

Sonic intelligence as a virtual therapeutic environment.

PubMed

Tarnanas, Ioannis; Adam, Dimitrios

2003-06-01

This paper reports on the results of a research project, on comparing one virtual collaborative environment with a first-person visual immersion (first-perspective interaction) and a second one where the user interacts through a sound-kinetic virtual representation of himself (avatar), as a stress-coping environment in real-life situations. Recent developments in coping research are proposing a shift from a trait-oriented approach of coping to a more situation-specific treatment. We defined as real-life situation a target-oriented situation that demands a complex coping skills inventory of high self-efficacy and internal or external "locus of control" strategies. The participants were 90 normal adults with healthy or impaired coping skills, 25-40 years of age, randomly spread across two groups. There was the same number of participants across groups and gender balance within groups. All two groups went through two phases. In Phase I, Solo, one participant was assessed using a three-stage assessment inspired by the transactional stress theory of Lazarus and the stress inoculation theory of Meichenbaum. In Phase I, each participant was given a coping skills measurement within the time course of various hypothetical stressful encounters performed in two different conditions and a control group. In Condition A, the participant was given a virtual stress assessment scenario relative to a first-person perspective (VRFP). In Condition B, the participant was given a virtual stress assessment scenario relative to a behaviorally realistic motion controlled avatar with sonic feedback (VRSA). In Condition C, the No Treatment Condition (NTC), the participant received just an interview. In Phase II, all three groups were mixed and exercised the same tasks but with two participants in pairs. The results showed that the VRSA group performed notably better in terms of cognitive appraisals, emotions and attributions than the other two groups in Phase I (VRSA, 92%; VRFP, 85%; NTC, 34%). In Phase II, the difference again favored the VRSA group against the other two. These results indicate that a virtual collaborative environment seems to be a consistent coping environment, tapping two classes of stress: (a) aversive or ambiguous situations, and (b) loss or failure situations in relation to the stress inoculation theory. In terms of coping behaviors, a distinction is made between self-directed and environment-directed strategies. A great advantage of the virtual collaborative environment with the behaviorally enhanced sound-kinetic avatar is the consideration of team coping intentions in different stages. Even if the aim is to tap transactional processes in real-life situations, it might be better to conduct research using a sound-kinetic avatar based collaborative environment than a virtual first-person perspective scenario alone. The VE consisted of two dual-processor PC systems, a video splitter, a digital camera and two stereoscopic CRT displays. The system was programmed in C++ and VRScape Immersive Cluster from VRCO, which created an artificial environment that encodes the user's motion from a video camera, targeted at the face of the users and physiological sensors attached to the body.

Transduction between worlds: using virtual and mixed reality for earth and planetary science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedley, N.; Lochhead, I.; Aagesen, S.; Lonergan, C. D.; Benoy, N.

2017-12-01

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have the potential to transform the way we visualize multidimensional geospatial datasets in support of geoscience research, exploration and analysis. The beauty of virtual environments is that they can be built at any scale, users can view them at many levels of abstraction, move through them in unconventional ways, and experience spatial phenomena as if they had superpowers. Similarly, augmented reality allows you to bring the power of virtual 3D data visualizations into everyday spaces. Spliced together, these interface technologies hold incredible potential to support 21st-century geoscience. In my ongoing research, my team and I have made significant advances to connect data and virtual simulations with real geographic spaces, using virtual environments, geospatial augmented reality and mixed reality. These research efforts have yielded new capabilities to connect users with spatial data and phenomena. These innovations include: geospatial x-ray vision; flexible mixed reality; augmented 3D GIS; situated augmented reality 3D simulations of tsunamis and other phenomena interacting with real geomorphology; augmented visual analytics; and immersive GIS. These new modalities redefine the ways in which we can connect digital spaces of spatial analysis, simulation and geovisualization, with geographic spaces of data collection, fieldwork, interpretation and communication. In a way, we are talking about transduction between real and virtual worlds. Taking a mixed reality approach to this, we can link real and virtual worlds. This paper presents a selection of our 3D geovisual interface projects in terrestrial, coastal, underwater and other environments. Using rigorous applied geoscience data, analyses and simulations, our research aims to transform the novelty of virtual and augmented reality interface technologies into game-changing mixed reality geoscience.

Surgery applications of virtual reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, Joseph

1994-01-01

Virtual reality is a computer-generated technology which allows information to be displayed in a simulated, bus lifelike, environment. In this simulated 'world', users can move and interact as if they were actually a part of that world. This new technology will be useful in many different fields, including the field of surgery. Virtual reality systems can be used to teach surgical anatomy, diagnose surgical problems, plan operations, simulate and perform surgical procedures (telesurgery), and predict the outcomes of surgery. The authors of this paper describe the basic components of a virtual reality surgical system. These components include: the virtual world, the virtual tools, the anatomical model, the software platform, the host computer, the interface, and the head-coupled display. In the chapter they also review the progress towards using virtual reality for surgical training, planning, telesurgery, and predicting outcomes. Finally, the authors present a training system being developed for the practice of new procedures in abdominal surgery.

Enabling scientific workflows in virtual reality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreylos, O.; Bawden, G.; Bernardin, T.; Billen, M.I.; Cowgill, E.S.; Gold, R.D.; Hamann, B.; Jadamec, M.; Kellogg, L.H.; Staadt, O.G.; Sumner, D.Y.

2006-01-01

To advance research and improve the scientific return on data collection and interpretation efforts in the geosciences, we have developed methods of interactive visualization, with a special focus on immersive virtual reality (VR) environments. Earth sciences employ a strongly visual approach to the measurement and analysis of geologic data due to the spatial and temporal scales over which such data ranges, As observations and simulations increase in size and complexity, the Earth sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing amounts of data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR requires us to tailor exploratory approaches to scientific problems. These applications build on the visualization method's strengths, using both 3D perception and interaction with data and models, to take advantage of the skills and training of the geological scientists exploring their data in the VR environment. This interactive approach has enabled us to develop a suite of tools that are adaptable to a range of problems in the geosciences and beyond. Copyright ?? 2008 by the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc.

Playing in or out of character: user role differences in the experience of interactive storytelling.

PubMed

Roth, Christian; Vermeulen, Ivar; Vorderer, Peter; Klimmt, Christoph; Pizzi, David; Lugrin, Jean-Luc; Cavazza, Marc

2012-11-01

Interactive storytelling (IS) is a promising new entertainment technology synthesizing preauthored narrative with dynamic user interaction. Existing IS prototypes employ different modes to involve users in a story, ranging from individual avatar control to comprehensive control over the virtual environment. The current experiment tested whether different player modes (exerting local vs. global influence) yield different user experiences (e.g., senses of immersion vs. control). A within-subject design involved 34 participants playing the cinematic IS drama "Emo Emma"( 1 ) both in the local (actor) and in global (ghost) mode. The latter mode allowed free movement in the virtual environment and hidden influence on characters, objects, and story development. As expected, control-related experiential qualities (effectance, autonomy, flow, and pride) were more intense for players in the global (ghost) mode. Immersion-related experiences did not differ over modes. Additionally, men preferred the sense of command facilitated by the ghost mode, whereas women preferred the sense of involvement facilitated by the actor mode.

Gestural interaction in a virtual environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacoby, Richard H.; Ferneau, Mark; Humphries, Jim

1994-04-01

This paper discusses the use of hand gestures (i.e., changing finger flexion) within a virtual environment (VE). Many systems now employ static hand postures (i.e., static finger flexion), often coupled with hand translations and rotations, as a method of interacting with a VE. However, few systems are currently using dynamically changing finger flexion for interacting with VEs. In our system, the user wears an electronically instrumented glove. We have developed a simple algorithm for recognizing gestures for use in two applications: automotive design and visualization of atmospheric data. In addition to recognizing the gestures, we also calculate the rate at which the gestures are made and the rate and direction of hand movement while making the gestures. We report on our experiences with the algorithm design and implementation, and the use of the gestures in our applications. We also talk about our background work in user calibration of the glove, as well as learned and innate posture recognition (postures recognized with and without training, respectively).

Affective Interaction with a Virtual Character Through an fNIRS Brain-Computer Interface.

PubMed

Aranyi, Gabor; Pecune, Florian; Charles, Fred; Pelachaud, Catherine; Cavazza, Marc

2016-01-01

Affective brain-computer interfaces (BCI) harness Neuroscience knowledge to develop affective interaction from first principles. In this article, we explore affective engagement with a virtual agent through Neurofeedback (NF). We report an experiment where subjects engage with a virtual agent by expressing positive attitudes towards her under a NF paradigm. We use for affective input the asymmetric activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC), which has been previously found to be related to the high-level affective-motivational dimension of approach/avoidance. The magnitude of left-asymmetric DL-PFC activity, measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and treated as a proxy for approach, is mapped onto a control mechanism for the virtual agent's facial expressions, in which action units (AUs) are activated through a neural network. We carried out an experiment with 18 subjects, which demonstrated that subjects are able to successfully engage with the virtual agent by controlling their mental disposition through NF, and that they perceived the agent's responses as realistic and consistent with their projected mental disposition. This interaction paradigm is particularly relevant in the case of affective BCI as it facilitates the volitional activation of specific areas normally not under conscious control. Overall, our contribution reconciles a model of affect derived from brain metabolic data with an ecologically valid, yet computationally controllable, virtual affective communication environment.

Interaction Management Strategies on IRC and Virtual Chat Rooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altun, Arif

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is an electronic medium that combines orthographic form with real time, synchronous transmission in an unregulated global multi-user environment. The orthographic letters mediate the interaction in that users can only access the IRC session through reading and writing; they have no access to any visual representations at…

Design and Functionality of the Graphical Interactive Narrative (Gin) System Version 0.2

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

System. The purpose of the Gin system is to increase the interactivity and sense of agency for human subjects in virtual environments (VEs) used for...tractability of scenario development while providing the user with an increased sense of agency by allowing them to control their own navigation

Reforming the Environment: The Influence of the Roundtable Classroom Design on Interactive Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Caroline S.

2017-01-01

This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on interactive learning in a college and university setting. Qualitative analysis of an undergraduate liberal arts program that employs the use of roundtable classrooms was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, along with classroom…

The Digichaint Interactive Game as a Virtual Learning Environment for Irish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ní Chiaráin, Neasa; Ní Chasaide, Ailbhe

2016-01-01

Although Text-To-Speech (TTS) synthesis has been little used in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), it is ripe for deployment, particularly for minority and endangered languages, where learners have little access to native speaker models and where few genuinely interactive and engaging teaching/learning materials are available. These…

Identifying Learning Behaviors by Contextualizing Differential Sequence Mining with Action Features and Performance Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinnebrew, John S.; Biswas, Gautam

2012-01-01

Our learning-by-teaching environment, Betty's Brain, captures a wealth of data on students' learning interactions as they teach a virtual agent. This paper extends an exploratory data mining methodology for assessing and comparing students' learning behaviors from these interaction traces. The core algorithm employs sequence mining techniques to…

Effects of Group Reflection Variations in Project-Based Learning Integrated in a Web 2.0 Learning Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Paul; Hong, Ji-Seong; Bonk, Curtis; Lim, Gloria

2011-01-01

A Web 2.0 environment that is coupled with emerging multimodal interaction tools can have considerable influence on team learning outcomes. Today, technologies supporting social networking, collective intelligence, emotional interaction, and virtual communication are introducing new forms of collaboration that are profoundly impacting education.…

A Virtual Environment to Improve the Detection of Oral-Facial Malfunction in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Martín-Ruiz, María-Luisa; Máximo-Bocanegra, Nuria; Luna-Oliva, Laura

2016-03-26

The importance of an early rehabilitation process in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is widely recognized. On the one hand, new and useful treatment tools such as rehabilitation systems based on interactive technologies have appeared for rehabilitation of gross motor movements. On the other hand, from the therapeutic point of view, performing rehabilitation exercises with the facial muscles can improve the swallowing process, the facial expression through the management of muscles in the face, and even the speech of children with cerebral palsy. However, it is difficult to find interactive games to improve the detection and evaluation of oral-facial musculature dysfunctions in children with CP. This paper describes a framework based on strategies developed for interactive serious games that is created both for typically developed children and children with disabilities. Four interactive games are the core of a Virtual Environment called SONRIE. This paper demonstrates the benefits of SONRIE to monitor children's oral-facial difficulties. The next steps will focus on the validation of SONRIE to carry out the rehabilitation process of oral-facial musculature in children with cerebral palsy.

Virtual Reality Hysteroscopy

PubMed

Levy

1996-08-01

New interactive computer technologies are having a significant influence on medical education, training, and practice. The newest innovation in computer technology, virtual reality, allows an individual to be immersed in a dynamic computer-generated, three-dimensional environment and can provide realistic simulations of surgical procedures. A new virtual reality hysteroscope passes through a sensing device that synchronizes movements with a three-dimensional model of a uterus. Force feedback is incorporated into this model, so the user actually experiences the collision of an instrument against the uterine wall or the sensation of the resistance or drag of a resectoscope as it cuts through a myoma in a virtual environment. A variety of intrauterine pathologies and procedures are simulated, including hyperplasia, cancer, resection of a uterine septum, polyp, or myoma, and endometrial ablation. This technology will be incorporated into comprehensive training programs that will objectively assess hand-eye coordination and procedural skills. It is possible that by incorporating virtual reality into hysteroscopic training programs, a decrease in the learning curve and the number of complications presently associated with the procedures may be realized. Prospective studies are required to assess these potential benefits.

Developing a Novel Measure of Body Satisfaction Using Virtual Reality

PubMed Central

Purvis, Clare K.; Jones, Megan; Bailey, Jakki O.; Bailenson, Jeremy; Taylor, C. Barr

2015-01-01

Body image disturbance (BID), considered a key feature in eating disorders, is a pervasive issue among young women. Accurate assessment of BID is critical, but the field is currently limited to self-report assessment methods. In the present study, we build upon existing research, and explore the utility of virtual reality (VR) to elicit and detect changes in BID across various immersive virtual environments. College-aged women with elevated weight and shape concerns (n = 38) and a non-weight and shape concerned control group (n = 40) were randomly exposed to four distinct virtual environments with high or low levels of body salience and social presence (i.e., presence of virtual others). Participants interacted with avatars of thin, normal weight, and overweight body size (BMI of approximately 18, 22, and 27 respectively) in virtual social settings (i.e., beach, party). We measured state-level body satisfaction (state BD) immediately after exposure to each environment. In addition, we measured participants’ minimum interpersonal distance, visual attention, and approach preference toward avatars of each size. Women with higher baseline BID reported significantly higher state BD in all settings compared to controls. Both groups reported significantly higher state BD in a beach with avatars as compared to other environments. In addition, women with elevated BID approached closer to normal weight avatars and looked longer at thin avatars compared to women in the control group. Our findings indicate that VR may serve as a novel tool for measuring state-level BID, with applications for measuring treatment outcomes. Implications for future research and clinical interventions are discussed. PMID:26469860

Vroom: designing an augmented environment for remote collaboration in digital cinema production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margolis, Todd; Cornish, Tracy

2013-03-01

As media technologies become increasingly affordable, compact and inherently networked, new generations of telecollaborative platforms continue to arise which integrate these new affordances. Virtual reality has been primarily concerned with creating simulations of environments that can transport participants to real or imagined spaces that replace the "real world". Meanwhile Augmented Reality systems have evolved to interleave objects from Virtual Reality environments into the physical landscape. Perhaps now there is a new class of systems that reverse this precept to enhance dynamic media landscapes and immersive physical display environments to enable intuitive data exploration through collaboration. Vroom (Virtual Room) is a next-generation reconfigurable tiled display environment in development at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) at the University of California, San Diego. Vroom enables freely scalable digital collaboratories, connecting distributed, high-resolution visualization resources for collaborative work in the sciences, engineering and the arts. Vroom transforms a physical space into an immersive media environment with large format interactive display surfaces, video teleconferencing and spatialized audio built on a highspeed optical network backbone. Vroom enables group collaboration for local and remote participants to share knowledge and experiences. Possible applications include: remote learning, command and control, storyboarding, post-production editorial review, high resolution video playback, 3D visualization, screencasting and image, video and multimedia file sharing. To support these various scenarios, Vroom features support for multiple user interfaces (optical tracking, touch UI, gesture interface, etc.), support for directional and spatialized audio, giga-pixel image interactivity, 4K video streaming, 3D visualization and telematic production. This paper explains the design process that has been utilized to make Vroom an accessible and intuitive immersive environment for remote collaboration specifically for digital cinema production.

The photoelectric effect and study of the diffraction of light: Two new experiments in UNILabs virtual and remote laboratories network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedro Sánchez, Juan; Sáenz, Jacobo; de la Torre, Luis; Carreras, Carmen; Yuste, Manuel; Heradio, Rubén; Dormido, Sebastián

2016-05-01

This work describes two experiments: "study of the diffraction of light: Fraunhofer approximation" and "the photoelectric effect". Both of them count with a virtual, simulated, version of the experiment as well as with a real one which can be operated remotely. The two previous virtual and remote labs (built using Easy Java(script) Simulations) are integrated in UNILabs, a network of online interactive laboratories based on the free Learning Management System Moodle. In this web environment, students can find not only the virtual and remote labs but also manuals with related theory, the user interface description for each application, and so on.

Semi-Immersive Virtual Turbine Engine Simulation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidi, Mustufa H.; Al-Ahmari, Abdulrahman M.; Ahmad, Ali; Darmoul, Saber; Ameen, Wadea

2018-05-01

The design and verification of assembly operations is essential for planning product production operations. Recently, virtual prototyping has witnessed tremendous progress, and has reached a stage where current environments enable rich and multi-modal interaction between designers and models through stereoscopic visuals, surround sound, and haptic feedback. The benefits of building and using Virtual Reality (VR) models in assembly process verification are discussed in this paper. In this paper, we present the virtual assembly (VA) of an aircraft turbine engine. The assembly parts and sequences are explained using a virtual reality design system. The system enables stereoscopic visuals, surround sounds, and ample and intuitive interaction with developed models. A special software architecture is suggested to describe the assembly parts and assembly sequence in VR. A collision detection mechanism is employed that provides visual feedback to check the interference between components. The system is tested for virtual prototype and assembly sequencing of a turbine engine. We show that the developed system is comprehensive in terms of VR feedback mechanisms, which include visual, auditory, tactile, as well as force feedback. The system is shown to be effective and efficient for validating the design of assembly, part design, and operations planning.

An efficient and scalable deformable model for virtual reality-based medical applications.

PubMed

Choi, Kup-Sze; Sun, Hanqiu; Heng, Pheng-Ann

2004-09-01

Modeling of tissue deformation is of great importance to virtual reality (VR)-based medical simulations. Considerable effort has been dedicated to the development of interactively deformable virtual tissues. In this paper, an efficient and scalable deformable model is presented for virtual-reality-based medical applications. It considers deformation as a localized force transmittal process which is governed by algorithms based on breadth-first search (BFS). The computational speed is scalable to facilitate real-time interaction by adjusting the penetration depth. Simulated annealing (SA) algorithms are developed to optimize the model parameters by using the reference data generated with the linear static finite element method (FEM). The mechanical behavior and timing performance of the model have been evaluated. The model has been applied to simulate the typical behavior of living tissues and anisotropic materials. Integration with a haptic device has also been achieved on a generic personal computer (PC) platform. The proposed technique provides a feasible solution for VR-based medical simulations and has the potential for multi-user collaborative work in virtual environment.

Inertial Sensor-Based Touch and Shake Metaphor for Expressive Control of 3D Virtual Avatars

PubMed Central

Patil, Shashidhar; Chintalapalli, Harinadha Reddy; Kim, Dubeom; Chai, Youngho

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present an inertial sensor-based touch and shake metaphor for expressive control of a 3D virtual avatar in a virtual environment. An intuitive six degrees-of-freedom wireless inertial motion sensor is used as a gesture and motion control input device with a sensor fusion algorithm. The algorithm enables user hand motions to be tracked in 3D space via magnetic, angular rate, and gravity sensors. A quaternion-based complementary filter is implemented to reduce noise and drift. An algorithm based on dynamic time-warping is developed for efficient recognition of dynamic hand gestures with real-time automatic hand gesture segmentation. Our approach enables the recognition of gestures and estimates gesture variations for continuous interaction. We demonstrate the gesture expressivity using an interactive flexible gesture mapping interface for authoring and controlling a 3D virtual avatar and its motion by tracking user dynamic hand gestures. This synthesizes stylistic variations in a 3D virtual avatar, producing motions that are not present in the motion database using hand gesture sequences from a single inertial motion sensor. PMID:26094629

Virtual Environment Training on Mobile Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

NONFUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS .............................................. 41 G. PRODUCT FEATURES...52 E. SOFTWARE PRODUCTION .............................................................. 52 F. LIMITATIONS...on Android and iOS tablets. G. PRODUCT FEATURES 1. The final product shall include interactive 3D graphics with simulated representation of actual

Development of a system based on 3D vision, interactive virtual environments, ergonometric signals and a humanoid for stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Ibarra Zannatha, Juan Manuel; Tamayo, Alejandro Justo Malo; Sánchez, Angel David Gómez; Delgado, Jorge Enrique Lavín; Cheu, Luis Eduardo Rodríguez; Arévalo, Wilson Alexander Sierra

2013-11-01

This paper presents a stroke rehabilitation (SR) system for the upper limbs, developed as an interactive virtual environment (IVE) based on a commercial 3D vision system (a Microsoft Kinect), a humanoid robot (an Aldebaran's Nao), and devices producing ergonometric signals. In one environment, the rehabilitation routines, developed by specialists, are presented to the patient simultaneously by the humanoid and an avatar inside the IVE. The patient follows the rehabilitation task, while his avatar copies his gestures that are captured by the Kinect 3D vision system. The information of the patient movements, together with the signals obtained from the ergonometric measurement devices, is used also to supervise and to evaluate the rehabilitation progress. The IVE can also present an RGB image of the patient. In another environment, that uses the same base elements, four game routines--Touch the balls 1 and 2, Simon says, and Follow the point--are used for rehabilitation. These environments are designed to create a positive influence in the rehabilitation process, reduce costs, and engage the patient. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Small Animals’ Phobia Using Virtual Reality as a Stimulus

PubMed Central

Rey, Beatriz; Rodriguez-Pujadas, Aina; Breton-Lopez, Juani; Barros-Loscertales, Alfonso; Baños, Rosa M; Botella, Cristina; Alcañiz, Mariano; Avila, Cesar

2014-01-01

Background To date, still images or videos of real animals have been used in functional magnetic resonance imaging protocols to evaluate the brain activations associated with small animals’ phobia. Objective The objective of our study was to evaluate the brain activations associated with small animals’ phobia through the use of virtual environments. This context will have the added benefit of allowing the subject to move and interact with the environment, giving the subject the illusion of being there. Methods We have analyzed the brain activation in a group of phobic people while they navigated in a virtual environment that included the small animals that were the object of their phobia. Results We have found brain activation mainly in the left occipital inferior lobe (P<.05 corrected, cluster size=36), related to the enhanced visual attention to the phobic stimuli; and in the superior frontal gyrus (P<.005 uncorrected, cluster size=13), which is an area that has been previously related to the feeling of self-awareness. Conclusions In our opinion, these results demonstrate that virtual stimulus can enhance brain activations consistent with previous studies with still images, but in an environment closer to the real situation the subject would face in their daily lives. PMID:25654753

Navigation of a virtual exercise environment with Microsoft Kinect by people post-stroke or with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Pool, Sean M; Hoyle, John M; Malone, Laurie A; Cooper, Lloyd; Bickel, C Scott; McGwin, Gerald; Rimmer, James H; Eberhardt, Alan W

2016-04-08

One approach to encourage and facilitate exercise is through interaction with virtual environments. The present study assessed the utility of Microsoft Kinect as an interface for choosing between multiple routes within a virtual environment through body gestures and voice commands. The approach was successfully tested on 12 individuals post-stroke and 15 individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants rated their perception of difficulty in completing each gesture using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The "most viable" gestures were defined as those with average success rates of 90% or higher and perception of difficulty ranging between easy and very easy. For those with CP, hand raises, hand extensions, and head nod gestures were found most viable. For those post-stroke, the most viable gestures were torso twists, head nods, as well as hand raises and hand extensions using the less impaired hand. Voice commands containing two syllables were viable (>85% successful) for those post-stroke; however, participants with CP were unable to complete any voice commands with a high success rate. This study demonstrated that Kinect may be useful for persons with mobility impairments to interface with virtual exercise environments, but the effectiveness of the various gestures depends upon the disability of the user.