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3 pages, 178 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue on New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications

by Ana Serrano, Qi Sun and Diego Gutierrez

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(16), 8217; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12168217 - 17 Aug 2022

Viewed by 1257

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to dramatically change the way we create and consume content in our everyday life [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

Research

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11 pages, 3099 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Object Grasp Technique for Placement of Objects in Virtual Reality

by Unai J. Fernández, Sonia Elizondo, Naroa Iriarte, Rafael Morales, Amalia Ortiz, Sebastian Marichal, Oscar Ardaiz and Asier Marzo

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4193; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094193 - 21 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2529

Abstract

Some daily tasks involve grasping multiple objects in one hand and releasing them in a determined order, for example laying out a surgical table or distributing items on shelves. For training these tasks in Virtual Reality (VR), there is no technique for allowing [...] Read more.

Some daily tasks involve grasping multiple objects in one hand and releasing them in a determined order, for example laying out a surgical table or distributing items on shelves. For training these tasks in Virtual Reality (VR), there is no technique for allowing users to grasp multiple objects in one hand in a realistic way, and it is not known if such a technique would benefit user experience. Here, we design a multi-object grasp technique that enables users to grasp multiple objects in one hand and release them in a controlled way. We tested an object placement task under three conditions: real life, VR with single-object grasp and VR with multi-object grasp. Task completion time, distance travelled by the hands and subjective experience were measured in three scenarios: sitting in front of a desktop table, standing up in front of shelves and a room-size scenario where walking was required. Results show that the performance in a real environment is better than in Virtual Reality, both for single-object and multi-object grasping. The single-object technique performs better than the multi-object, except for the room scenario, where multi-object leads to less distance travelled and reported physical demand. For use cases where the distances are small (i.e., desktop scenario), single-object grasp is simpler and easier to understand. For larger scenarios, the multi-object grasp technique represents a good option that can be considered by other application designers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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13 pages, 1228 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calculating and Analyzing Angular Head Jerk in Augmented and Virtual Reality: Effect of AR Cue Design on Angular Jerk

by Jared Van Dam, Kyle Tanous, Matt Werner and Joseph L. Gabbard

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 10082; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112110082 - 28 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2205

Abstract

In this work, we propose a convenient method for evaluating levels of angular jerk in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Jerk is a rarely analyzed metric in usability studies, although it can be measured and calculated easily with most head-worn displays [...] Read more.

In this work, we propose a convenient method for evaluating levels of angular jerk in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Jerk is a rarely analyzed metric in usability studies, although it can be measured and calculated easily with most head-worn displays and can yield highly relevant information to designers. Here, we developed and implemented a system capable of calculating and analyzing jerk in real-time based on orientation data from an off-the-shelf head-worn display. An experiment was then carried out to determine whether the presence of AR user interface annotations results in changes to users’ angular head jerk when conducting a time-pressured visual search task. Analysis of the data indicates that a decrease in jerk is significantly associated with the use of AR augmentations. As noted in the limitations section, however, the conclusions drawn from this work should be limited, as this analysis method is novel in the VR/AR space and because of methodological limitations that limited the reliability of the jerk data. The work presented herein considerably facilitates the use of jerk as a quick component measure of usability and serves as an initial point off which future research involving jerk in VR and AR can be performed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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20 pages, 11267 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hands-On Deformation of Volumetric Anatomical Images on a Touchscreen

by Rosell Torres, Alejandro Rodríguez and Miguel Otaduy

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(20), 9502; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11209502 - 13 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2047

Abstract

In this work, we propose a novel metaphor to interact with volumetric anatomical images, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans. Beyond simple visual inspection, we empower users to reach the visible anatomical elements directly with their hands, and then move and [...] Read more.

In this work, we propose a novel metaphor to interact with volumetric anatomical images, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans. Beyond simple visual inspection, we empower users to reach the visible anatomical elements directly with their hands, and then move and deform them through natural gestures, while respecting the mechanical behavior of the underlying anatomy. This interaction metaphor relies on novel technical methods that address three major challenges: selection of anatomical elements in volumetric images, mapping of 2D manipulation gestures to 3D transformations, and real-time deformation of the volumetric images. All components of the interaction metaphor have been designed to capture the user’s intent in an intuitive manner, solving the mapping from the 2D touchscreen to the visible elements of the 3D volume. As a result, users have the ability to interact with medical volume images much like they would do with physical anatomy, directly with their hands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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24 pages, 4770 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Test Platform for Managing School Stress Using a Virtual Reality Group Chatbot Counseling System

by Aislyn P. C. Lin, Charles V. Trappey, Chi-Cheng Luan, Amy J. C. Trappey and Kevin L. K. Tu

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 9071; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199071 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6671

Abstract

Student life causes many sources of stress due to the requirements of managing schoolwork, family, friends, health and wellbeing, and future career planning. Some students are overwhelmed and lack resilience to overcome stress, especially if they are inexperienced in managing setbacks, fail to [...] Read more.

Student life causes many sources of stress due to the requirements of managing schoolwork, family, friends, health and wellbeing, and future career planning. Some students are overwhelmed and lack resilience to overcome stress, especially if they are inexperienced in managing setbacks, fail to achieve expectations, or lack skills to independently manage social skills, recreation, and study time. The long-term accumulation of stress has a negative impact on students’ physical and mental health, and may lead to a range of symptoms such as depression, anxiety, headache, insomnia, and eating disorders. Although most universities provide psychological counseling services, there is often a shortage of professional psychologists, which leads to students suffering from stress for longer than necessary without immediate assistance. The build-up of stress can lead to tragic consequences including abnormal reasoning, anti-social behavior, and suicide. There should never be a need for a student to wait more than a month to make an appointment for counseling services and every request for help should be immediately addressed and assessed. In this research, we designed a unique test platform for an immersive virtual reality group chatbot counseling system so students can receive psychological help and stress management counseling anytime and anywhere. First, the research used questionnaires to measure the stress levels and identifies how stress affects their lives. An immersive virtual reality chatbot was developed using professional psychological counseling knowledge that can provide answers during individual or group counseling sessions. Students can log in to the platform as avatars and ask the chatbot questions or interact with other students on the platform. This research provides college students with a new technology-based counseling environment designed to help relieve stress and learn new ways to improve student life quality from others. The platform provides a test base for future clinical trials to evaluate and improve the automated virtual reality chatbot counseling system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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9 pages, 2586 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on Visually Induced VR Reduction Method for Virtual Reality Sickness

by Ju-hye Won and Yoon Sang Kim

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(14), 6339; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11146339 - 8 Jul 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2791

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new type of visually induced reduction method for virtual reality (VR) sickness. This method induces a gaze based on a visual guide (VG). Although VGs are used in commercial VR game contents as crosshairs, no studies have [...] Read more.

In this paper, we propose a new type of visually induced reduction method for virtual reality (VR) sickness. This method induces a gaze based on a visual guide (VG). Although VGs are used in commercial VR game contents as crosshairs, no studies have been conducted related to VR sickness. VGs can have various properties determined by position, size, shape, color, etc., and it was necessary to investigate which properties affect VR sickness. In particular, size and position of VG are properties that directly affect the user’s gaze movement. Therefore, in this paper, five VR sickness reduction methods with different position and size of VG are proposed. Then, an experiment was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed VR sickness reduction method. To this end, a SSQ (including nausea, oculomotor discomfort, disorientation, and total score) and a questionnaire on fatigue and immersion were used. From the experimental results, a VG with a size 30% that of the aspect ratio, and a position synchronized to the user’s head movement direction, was most effective in terms of VR sickness reduction and immersion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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21 pages, 12863 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of View-Dependent Image-Based Effects on Perception of Visual Realism and Presence in Virtual Reality Environments Created Using Multi-Camera Systems

by Grégoire Dupont de Dinechin, Alexis Paljic and Jonathan Tanant

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6173; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11136173 - 2 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2668

Abstract

Several recent works have presented image-based methods for creating high-fidelity immersive virtual environments from photographs of real-world scenes. In this paper, we provide a user-centered evaluation of such methods by way of a user study investigating their impact on viewers’ perception of visual [...] Read more.

Several recent works have presented image-based methods for creating high-fidelity immersive virtual environments from photographs of real-world scenes. In this paper, we provide a user-centered evaluation of such methods by way of a user study investigating their impact on viewers’ perception of visual realism and sense of presence. In particular, we focus on two specific elements commonly introduced by image-based approaches. First, we investigate the extent to which using dedicated image-based rendering algorithms to render the scene with view-dependent effects (such as specular highlights) causes users to perceive it as being more realistic. Second, we study whether making the scene fade out beyond a fixed volume in 3D space significantly reduces participants’ feeling of being there, examining different sizes for this viewing volume. To provide details on the virtual environment used in the study, we also describe how we recreated a museum gallery for room-scale virtual reality using a custom-built multi-camera rig. The results of our study show that using image-based rendering to render view-dependent effects can effectively enhance the perception of visual realism and elicit a stronger sense of presence, even when it implies constraining the viewing volume to a small range of motion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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Other

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17 pages, 23423 KiB

Open AccessConcept Paper

Conceptual Design of an Extended Reality Exercise Game for the Elderly

by Yu Fu, Yan Hu, Veronica Sundstedt and Yvonne Forsell

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(13), 6436; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12136436 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3555

Abstract

Facing the increasingly serious ageing problem, IT technology is being applied more and more to alleviate the increasing health demands of the elderly. Virtual reality (VR) games, in particular, have been shown to benefit the physical and mental health of the elderly. However, [...] Read more.

Facing the increasingly serious ageing problem, IT technology is being applied more and more to alleviate the increasing health demands of the elderly. Virtual reality (VR) games, in particular, have been shown to benefit the physical and mental health of the elderly. However, almost all consumer-level VR games address the general user, not considering the characteristics of the elderly, such as their particular needs regarding cognitive aspects and safety. In addition, the existing VR rowing games’ research typically focuses on athlete training or is based on a rowing machine. Extending on previous research, this paper proposes a conceptual design of a VR rowing game, VRrowing to provide a home exercise game for the elderly which benefits both physical and mental health. This research first analysed the relevant literature and existing VR exercise games for the elderly to find characteristics and their particular needs. Then, following design principles (in exercise games, human–computer interaction, and user interfaces (UIs)) for the elderly, this study proposed a conceptual design of VRrowing through the MDA framework (standing for mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics). The results cover the system architecture, activities and tasks, patterns and roles, mechanics and structures, and UI examples. Based on comprehensive consideration of the results from relevant research and fostering strengths and circumventing weaknesses, VRrowing was designed as a sports game, aimed at the elderly according to their characteristics and needs, which fills the void of home VR rowing games for seniors’ exercise. This research has reference value for scientific research or development personnel in VR game applications and evaluations, especially for such games targeting the elderly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Virtual Reality: Methods, Devices and Applications)

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