The Independent and Interactive Effects of Embodied-Agent Appearance and Behavior on Self-Report, Cognitive, and Behavioral Markers of Copresence in Immersive Virtual Environments

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy N. Bailenson ◽  
Kim Swinth ◽  
Crystal Hoyt ◽  
Susan Persky ◽  
Alex Dimov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Behavioral Markers ◽  
Embodied Agent

The current study examined how assessments of copresence in an immersive virtual environment are influenced by variations in how much an embodied agent resembles a human being in appearance and behavior. We measured the extent to which virtual representations were both perceived and treated as if they were human via self-report, behavioral, and cognitive dependent measures. Distinctive patterns of findings emerged with respect to the behavior and appearance of embodied agents depending on the definition and operationalization of copresence. Independent and interactive effects for appearance and behavior were found suggesting that assessing the impact of behavioral realism on copresence without taking into account the appearance of the embodied agent (and vice versa) can lead to misleading conclusions. Consistent with the results of previous research, copresence was lowest when there was a large mismatch between the appearance and behavioral realism of an embodied agent.

Finding the Value of Immersive, Virtual Environments Using Competitive Usability Analysis

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt M. Satter ◽  
Alley C. Butler
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Cost Avoidance ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
Cave System ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Usability Analysis

Competitive usability studies are employed providing empirical results in a design evaluation and review context. Populations of novice and experienced users are tested against benchmarks. Benchmark 1 is used to evaluate error identification and correction. Benchmark 2 is employed to evaluate the user’s ability to understand spatial relationships. Both benchmarks 1 and 2 compare individual performance with performance of teams. Benchmarks 3 measures quantity of errors found in a 4 min time frame. For benchmark 1, there is a statistically significant difference, but for benchmark 2, there is no statistical difference. For benchmark 3, there is a statistically significant increase in errors found. This increase is evaluated for impact as cost avoidance. It is concluded that cost avoidance by using a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE) immersive virtual environment easily justifies the CAVE system.

scholarly journals Towards a Model of User Experience in Immersive Virtual Environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katy Tcha-Tokey ◽  
Olivier Christmann ◽  
Emilie Loup-Escande ◽  
Guillaume Loup ◽  
Simon Richir
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
User Experience ◽  
User Study ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Immersive Environments ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
Emotion Experience

There are increasing new advances in virtual reality technologies as well as a rise in learning virtual environments for which several studies highlighted the pedagogical value, knowledge transfer, and learners’ engaged-behaviors. Moreover, the notion of user experience is now abundant in the scientific literature without the fact that there are specific models for immersive environments. This paper aims at proposing and validating a model of User eXperience in Immersive Virtual Environment, including virtual learning environments. The model is composed of 10 components extracted from existing models (i.e., presence, engagement, immersion, flow, usability, skill, emotion, experience consequence, judgement, and technology adoption). It was validated in a user study involving 152 participants who were asked to use the edutainment application Think and Shoot and to complete an immersive virtual environment questionnaire. The findings lead us to a modified user experience model questioning new paths between user experience components (e.g., the influence of experience consequence on flow).

Telling Stories within Immersive Virtual Environments

Leonardo ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Llobera ◽  
Kristopher J. Blom ◽  
Mel Slater
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Virtual Characters ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
Human Participants ◽  
Freedom Of Action

Portraying an unfolding story within an immersive virtual environment (IVE) is difficult: In an IVE, participants can pay attention to and interact with whatever they choose within the scene. Moreover, the decisions taken by virtual characters must appear consistent with their personalities and motivations but also take into account the human participants' actions, whenever relevant. Finally, the results of the interactions should satisfy a pre-established plot. In this article, the authors introduce a new two-part approach that addresses the dilemma regarding freedom of action and narrative.

scholarly journals Proposition and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure the User Experience in Immersive Virtual Environments

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katy Tcha-Tokey ◽  
Olivier Christmann ◽  
Emilie Loup-Escande ◽  
Simon Richir
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Item Analysis ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
Emotion Experience ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Insight Into

There are increasing new advances in virtual reality technologies as well as a rise in immersive virtual environments research and user experience research. Within this framework, we decided to address the overall user experience in immersive virtual environments. Indeed, in our point of view, this topic is not fully dealt with in the scientific literature, neither in terms of user experience components nor in terms of user experience measurement methods. It is in this context that we conducted a study aiming at proposing and validating a unified questionnaire on user experience in immersive virtual environment(IVEQ). Our questionnaire contains 10 subscales measuring presence, engagement, immersion, flow, usability, skill, emotion, experience consequence, judgement and technology adoption. The construction of our questionnaire was based on existing ones. It was tested on 116 participants after they use the edutainment virtual environment "Think and Shoot". Results show that 9 out of 10 subscales and 68 out of 87 items are reliable as demonstrated by an internal consistency analysis with Cronbach's alpha and an item analysis. Findings also indicate that the scale scores from 6 subscales are considered normal distributed (e.g. presence) whereas the scale scores from 3 subscales are considered negatively skewed (e.g. skill). This study provides important new insight into UX in IVEs assessment.

scholarly journals The Effects of Witness Viewpoint Distance, Angle, and Choice on Eyewitness Accuracy in Police Lineups Conducted in Immersive Virtual Environments

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 242-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy N. Bailenson ◽  
Alexandra Davies ◽  
Jim Blascovich ◽  
Andrew C. Beall ◽  
Cade McCall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Eyewitness Identification ◽  
Eyewitness Testimony ◽  
Sequential Lineups ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Eyewitness Accuracy ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Improved Accuracy

The current study investigated the value of using immersive virtual environment technology as a tool for assessing eyewitness identification. Participants witnessed a staged crime and then examined sequential lineups within immersive virtual environments that contained 3D virtual busts of the suspect and six distractors. Participants either had unlimited viewpoints of the busts in terms of angle and distance, or a unitary view at only a single angle and distance. Furthermore, participants either were allowed to choose the angle and distance of the viewpoints they received, or were given viewpoints without choice. Results demonstrated that unlimited viewpoints improved accuracy in suspect-present lineups but not in suspect-absent lineups. Furthermore, across conditions, post-hoc measurements demonstrated that when the chosen view of the suspect during the lineup was similar to the view during the staged crime in terms of distance, accuracy improved. Finally, participants were more accurate in suspect-absent lineups than in suspect-present lineups. Implications of the findings in terms of theories of eyewitness testimony are discussed, as well as the value of using virtual lineups that elicit high levels of presence in the field. We conclude that digital avatars of higher fidelity may be necessary before actually implementing virtual lineups.

Individual reactions to a multisensory immersive virtual environment: the impact of a wind farm on individuals

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (S1) ◽  
pp. 319-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Ruotolo ◽  
Vincenzo Paolo Senese ◽  
Gennaro Ruggiero ◽  
Luigi Maffei ◽  
Massimiliano Masullo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Wind Farm ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environment ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Immersive virtual environments and embodied agents for e-learning applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e315
Author(s):  
Isabel S. Fitton ◽  
Daniel J. Finnegan ◽  
Michael J. Proulx
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Traditional Lectures ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Power Point ◽  
Lack Of Commitment ◽  
Embodied Agent ◽  
Remote Learning

Massive Open Online Courses are a dominant force in remote-learning yet suffer from persisting problems stemming from lack of commitment and low completion rates. In this initial study we investigate how the use of immersive virtual environments for Power-Point based informational learning may benefit learners and mimic traditional lectures successfully. We examine the role of embodied agent tutors which are frequently implemented within virtual learning environments. We find similar performance on a bespoke knowledge test and metrics for motivation, satisfaction, and engagement by learners in both real and virtual environments, regardless of embodied agent tutor presence. Our results raise questions regarding the viability of using virtual environments for remote-learning paradigms, and we emphasise the need for further investigation to inform the design of effective remote-learning applications.

scholarly journals Developing fit-for-purpose self-report instruments for assessing consumer responses to tobacco and nicotine products: the ABOUT™ Toolbox initiative

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christelle Chrea ◽  
Catherine Acquadro ◽  
Esther F. Afolalu ◽  
Erica Spies ◽  
Thomas Salzberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Medical Product ◽  
Consumer Perception ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Measurement Instruments ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Fit For Purpose ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

Background. Determining the public health impact of tobacco harm reduction strategies requires the assessment of consumer perception and behavior associated with tobacco and nicotine products (TNPs) with different exposure and risk profiles. In this context, rigorous methods to develop and validate psychometrically sound self-report instruments to measure consumers’ responses to TNPs are needed. Methods. Consistent with best practice guidelines, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “Guidance for Industry Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Use in Medical Product Development to Support Labeling Claims,” scientifically designed, fit-for-purpose, reliable, and valid instruments are now being applied to tobacco regulatory research. Results. This brief report presents the ABOUT™ Toolbox (Assessment of Behavioral OUtcomes related to Tobacco and nicotine products) initiative. This communication: (1) describes the methodological steps followed for the development and validation of the measurement instruments included in the ABOUT™ Toolbox, (2) presents a summary of the high-priority tobacco-related domains that are currently covered in the ABOUT™ Toolbox (i.e., risk perception, dependence, product experience, health and functioning, and use history), and (3) details how the measurement instruments are made accessible to the scientific community. Conclusions. By making the ABOUT™ Toolbox available to the tobacco research and public health community, we envision a rapidly expanding knowledge base, with the goals of (1) supporting consumer perception and behavior research to allow comparisons across a wide spectrum of TNPs, (2) enabling public health and regulatory communities to make better-informed decisions for future regulation of TNPs, and (3) enhancing surveillance activities associated with the impact of TNPs on population health.

scholarly journals Subliminal Cueing of Selection Behavior in a Virtual Environment

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabor Aranyi ◽  
Sid Kouider ◽  
Alan Lindsay ◽  
Hielke Prins ◽  
Imtiaj Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Previous Literature ◽  
Intelligent Interfaces ◽  
Fully Integrated ◽  
Virtual Scene ◽  
Selection Behavior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rendering Engine ◽  
Selection Of

The performance of current graphics engines makes it possible to incorporate subliminal cues within virtual environments (VEs), providing an additional way of communication, fully integrated with the exploration of a virtual scene. In order to advance the application of subliminal information in this area, it is necessary to explore in the psychological literature how techniques previously reported as rendering information subliminal can be successfully implemented in VEs. Previous literature has also described the effects of subliminal cues as quantitatively modest, which raises the issue of their inclusion in practical tasks. We used a 3D rendering engine (Unity3D) to implement a masking paradigm within the context of a realistic scene and a familiar (kitchen) environment. We report significant effects of subliminal cueing on the selection of objects in a virtual scene, demonstrating the feasibility of subliminal cueing in VEs. Furthermore, we show that multiple iterations of masked objects within a trial, as well as the speeding of selection choices, can substantially reinforce the impact of subliminal cues. This is consistent with previous findings suggesting that the effect of subliminal stimuli fades rapidly. We conclude by proposing, as part of further work, possible mechanisms for the inclusion of subliminal cueing in intelligent interfaces to maximize their effects.

Visiting Tourist Landmarks in Virtual Reality Systems by Real-Walking

2010 ◽  
pp. 180-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Steinicke ◽  
G. Bruder ◽  
J. Jerald ◽  
H. Frenz
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
User Interfaces ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Interaction Space ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Redirected Walking ◽  
Virtual City

In recent years virtual environments (VEs) have become more and more popular and widespread due to the requirements of numerous application areas in particular in the 3D city visualization domain. Virtual reality (VR) systems, which make use of tracking technologies and stereoscopic projections of three-dimensional synthetic worlds, support better exploration of complex datasets. However, due to the limited interaction space usually provided by the range of the tracking sensors, users can explore only a portion of the virtual environment (VE). Redirected walking allows users to walk through large-scale immersive virtual environments (IVEs) such as virtual city models, while physically remaining in a reasonably small workspace by intentionally injecting scene motion into the IVE. With redirected walking users are guided on physical paths that may differ from the paths they perceive in the virtual world. The authors have conducted experiments in order to quantify how much humans can unknowingly be redirected. In this chapter they present the results of this study and the implications for virtual locomotion user interfaces that allow users to view arbitrary real world locations, before the users actually travel there in a natural environment.

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