The Educational Value of an Information-Rich Virtual Environment

Information-rich virtual environments consist not only of three-dimensional graphics and other spatial data but also information of an abstract or symbolic nature that is related to the space. An environment of this type can stimulate learning and comprehension, because it provides a tight coupling between symbolic and experiential information. In our virtual zoo exhibit, students can explore an accurate model of the gorilla habitat at Zoo Atlanta and access information related to the design of the exhibit. This paper discusses the design of the application and the interaction techniques used to obtain information. We also present the results of a formal evaluation. Although no statistically significant differences were found, results indicate that students who used the virtual environment had higher test scores than those who only attended a lecture on the material. Trends suggest that the virtual experience allowed students to learn information directly and also equipped them to better learn and understand material from a traditional lecture.

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Considering multiscale scenes to elucidate problems encumbering three-dimensional intellection and navigation

Artificial intelligence for engineering design analysis and manufacturing ◽

10.1017/s0890060411000230 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 393-407 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Michael Glueck ◽

Azam Khan

Keyword(s):

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Mental Representation ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Iterative Refinement ◽

Abstract Model ◽

Interaction Techniques ◽

Research Focus ◽

Geometrically Complex ◽

Relationship Of

AbstractVirtual three-dimensional (3-D) environments have become pervasive tools in a number of professional and recreational tasks. However, interacting with these environments can be challenging for users, especially as these environments increase in complexity and scale. In this paper, we argue that the design of 3-D interaction techniques is an ill-defined problem. This claim is elucidated through the context of data-rich and geometrically complex multiscale virtual 3-D environments, where unexpected factors can encumber intellection and navigation. We develop an abstract model to guide our discussion, which illustrates the cyclic relationship of understanding and navigating; a relationship that supports the iterative refinement of a consistent mental representation of the virtual environment. Finally, we highlight strategies to support the design of interactions in multiscale virtual environments, and propose general categories of research focus.

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The Virtual Venue: User-Computer Interaction in Information-Rich Virtual Environments

Presence Teleoperators & Virtual Environments ◽

10.1162/105474698565866 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 478-493 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Doug A. Bowman ◽

Larry F. Hodges ◽

Jay Bolter

Keyword(s):

Information Retrieval ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Information Access ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Virtual Space ◽

Interaction Techniques ◽

Usability Study ◽

Dimensional Interaction ◽

Tightly Coupled

We present a virtual environment application that allows users to access embedded information within an immersive virtual space. Due to the richness and complexity of this environment, efficient and easy-to-use interaction techniques are a crucial requirement. The “Virtual Venue” seamlessly combines both twoand three-dimensional interaction techniques into a single system and utilizes previously reported as well as novel techniques that fit the task of information access. We present tools for user control of the system, travel through the environment, and information retrieval, as well as authoring tools for the creation of information-rich virtual environments. A usability study and its results are also presented and discussed. The study indicates that the use of abstract information that is tightly coupled to the virtual environment can be quite successful in enhancing the relevance of both the environment and the information. Results also show that the set of well-constrained interaction techniques presented here are usable and efficient for information retrieval.

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

Journal of The Royal Society Interface ◽

10.1098/rsif.2016.0414 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (122) ◽

pp. 20160414 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Mehdi Moussaïd ◽

Mubbasir Kapadia ◽

Tyler Thrash ◽

Robert W. Sumner ◽

Markus Gross ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Human Subjects ◽

High Stress ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Real Life ◽

Social Conventions ◽

Emergency Situations ◽

Crowd Behaviour ◽

The Individual

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.

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Visiting Tourist Landmarks in Virtual Reality Systems by Real-Walking

Tourism Informatics ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-818-5.ch011 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 180-193 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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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Influence of Physical Characteristics of Routes on Distance Cognition in Virtual Environments

Environment and Planning B Planning and Design ◽

10.1068/b31191 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 777-785 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Ebru Cubukcu ◽

Jack L Nasar

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Real World ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Spatial Behavior ◽

Self Report ◽

Parking Garage ◽

The Real ◽

Predicting Behavior

Discrepanices between perceived and actual distance may affect people's spatial behavior. In a previous study Nasar, using self report of behavior, found that segmentation (measured through the number of buildings) along the route affected choice of parking garage and path from the parking garage to a destination. We recreated that same environment in a three-dimensional virtual environment and conducted a test to see whether the same factors emerged under these more controlled conditions and to see whether spatial behavior in the virtual environment accurately reflected behavior in the real environment. The results confirmed similar patterns of response in the virtual and real environments. This supports the use of virtual reality as a tool for predicting behavior in the real world and confirms increases in segmentation as related to increases in perceived distance.

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Features of Second Life virtual environment and evaluation within the scope of art education

Journal of Human Sciences ◽

10.14687/jhs.v17i2.5769 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 485-512

Author(s):

Sevda Ceylan Dadakoğlu ◽

Şeniz Aksoy

Keyword(s):

Art Education ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Virtual Worlds ◽

Second Life ◽

Design Education ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Computer Applications ◽

Art And Design ◽

3D Virtual Worlds

Depending on the rapid development of technology, many environments, tools and methods are being developed in the field of education and training. These innovations include education in virtual worlds and three-dimensional education technologies that we have encountered frequently in recent years. With the improvement of three-dimensional education technologies, it is known that learning is used in "3D virtual worlds". Accordingly, it is mentioned that virtual environments are used in all levels of education, learning and teaching process.In this study, the virtual world of Second Life, which is a three-dimensional online life simulation and can be defined as an alternative teaching environment, was examined. The aim of this article; Introducing Second Life, a virtual environment that can be used in art and design education, to provide a theoretical perspective, to contribute to researchers and teachers who want to use 3D virtual worlds for educational purposes and to create a theoretical basis for the researches in this environment.Therefore, first of all, 3D virtual worlds are examined from a general perspective. Then, the Second Life application from 3D virtual environments was examined in detail and its general characteristics were defined.In addition, the use of Second Life in education, construction and content creation within the application, art and design making and art education were discussed. For this reason, examples of the artists using the Second Life application were given and some of the educational practices related to how Second Life was used in art and design education were included. In the conclusion part, with the development of technology and the use of virtual worlds in education, the gains that can be achieved in art classes were also included. In this context, the importance of the use of technology, various computer applications (VR, augmented reality applications, etc.) and 3D virtual worlds was mentioned in terms of today's art education gains. It was also stated that the ways of incorporating technology into art education should be questioned. Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. Özet Teknolojinin hızla ilerlemesine bağlı olarak eğitim ve öğretim alanında birçok ortam, araç ve yöntem geliştirilmektedir. Bu yeniliklerin içerisinde son yıllarda sıkça karşılaştığımız sanal dünyalarda eğitim ve üç boyutlu eğitim teknolojileri de yer almaktadır. Üç boyutlu eğitim teknolojilerinin iyileştirilmesiyle beraber “3B sanal dünyalarda öğrenme”nin ön plana çıktığı bilinmektedir. Buna bağlı olarak eğitimin tüm kademelerinde, öğrenme ve öğretme sürecinde sanal ortamların işe koşulduğundan söz edilmektedir. Bu araştırmada üç boyutlu, çevrimiçi bir yaşam simülasyonu olan ve alternatif bir öğretim ortamı olarak tanımlanabilen Second Life sanal dünyası incelenmiştir. Bu makalenin amacı; sanat ve tasarım eğitiminde kullanılabilecek sanal ortamlardan Second Life’ı tanıtmak, bu konuda teorik bir perspektif kazandırmak, 3B sanal dünyaları eğitim amaçlı kullanmak isteyen araştırmacı ve öğretmenlere katkı sağlamak ve bu ortamda yapılacak araştırmalar için kuramsal zemin oluşturmaktır. Bu nedenle öncelikle 3B sanal dünyalara genel bir çerçeveden bakılmıştır. Ardından 3B sanal ortamlardan Second Life uygulaması detaylı bir biçimde incelenerek genel özellikleri tanımlanmıştır. Second Life uygulamasının eğitimde kullanılması, uygulama dâhilinde inşa ve içerik oluşturma, sanat ve tasarım yapma ve sanat eğitimi konusu tartışılmıştır. Daha sonra Second Life uygulamasını kullanan sanatçılara örnekler verilmiş ve Second Life’ın sanat ve tasarım eğitiminde nasıl kullanıldığına ilişkin eğitim uygulamalarından bazılarına yer verilmiştir. Sonuç kısmında teknolojinin gelişmesi ve sanal dünyaların eğitimde kullanımıyla beraber sanat derslerinde elde edilebilecek kazanımlar yer almıştır. Buna bağlı olarak teknolojinin, çeşitli bilgisayar uygulamalarının (VR, artırılmış gerçeklik uygulamaları, vb.) 3B sanal dünyaların eğitimde kullanılmasının günümüz sanat eğitimi kazanımları açısından önemine değinilmiştir. Ayrıca sanat eğitimine teknolojinin dâhil edilme biçimlerinin sorgulanması gerektiği ifade edilmiştir.

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Spatial Perception in Desktop Virtual Environments

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129604002202 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 40 (22) ◽

pp. 1117-1121 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Dennis C. Neale

Keyword(s):

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Spatial Ability ◽

Spatial Perception ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Field Of View ◽

Office Building ◽

Cognitive Errors ◽

Basic Space ◽

Virtual Office

This study investigated perceptual and cognitive issues relating to manipulations of geometric field of view (GFOV) in three-dimensional perspective displays and the effects of incorporating virtual environment enhancements in the interface based on visual momentum (VM) techniques. Sixty participants, who were pretested for spatial ability, were required to navigate through a virtual office building while estimating space dimensions and performing spatial orientation tasks. A 3 − 2 − 2 mixed-subjects design compared three levels of GFOV, two levels of VM, and two levels of Difficulty. This study effectively demonstrates that the spatial characteristics of architectural representations in perspective displays are not always accurately perceived. Furthermore, the results indicate that manipulations in GFOV can produce perceptual and cognitive errors for the basic space dimensions in perspective displays; however, VM can be used to compensate for many of the biases shown to occur.

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Virtual environments in cancer care: Pilot-testing a three-dimensional web-based platform as a tool for support in young cancer patients

Health Informatics Journal ◽

10.1177/1460458216678442 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 419-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mette Terp Høybye ◽

Pia Riis Olsen ◽

Helena Eva Hansson ◽

David Spiegel ◽

Henrik Bennetsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adult ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Adolescent And Young Adult ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Pilot Testing ◽

Cancer Support

Bringing virtual environments into cancer support may offer a particular potential to engage patients and increase adherence to treatment. Developing and pilot-testing an online real-time multi-user three-dimensional platform, this study tested the use of an early prototype of the platform among adolescent and young adult cancer patients. Data were collected with an online questionnaire and using ethnographic methods of participant observation. The adolescent and young adult patients tested basic features of the virtual environment and some conducted brief in-world interactions with fellow patients during hospitalization. They had no reservations about using the technology and shared their ideas about its use. Our pilot test pointed to a number of areas of development for virtual environment applications as potential platforms for medical or behavioral interventions in cancer care. Overall, the results demonstrate the need for high user involvement in the development of such interventions and early testing of intervention designs.

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VEOS: The Virtual Environment Operating Shell

Virtual Environments and Advanced Interface Design ◽

10.1093/oso/9780195075557.003.0011 ◽

1995 ◽

Author(s):

William Bricken ◽

Geoffrey Coco

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Spatial Interaction ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Cognitive Effort ◽

Digital Data ◽

Digital Information ◽

Spatial Environment ◽

Perceptual Recognition

Computer technology has only recently become advanced enough to solve the problems it creates with its own interface. One solution, virtual reality (VR), immediately raises fundamental issues in both semantics and epistcmology. Broadly, virtual reality is that aspect of reality which people construct from information, a reality which is potentially orthogonal to the reality of mass. Within computer science, VR refers to interaction with computer-generated spatial environments, environments constructed to include and immerse those who enter them. VR affords non-symbolic experience within a symbolic environment Since people evolve in a spatial environment, our knowledge skills are anchored to interactions within spatial environments. VR design techniques, such as scientific visualization, map digital information onto spatial concepts. When our senses are immersed in stimuli from the virtual world, our minds construct a closure to create the experience of inclusion. Participant inclusion is the defining characteristic of VR. (Participation within information is often called immersion.) Inclusion is measured by the degree of presence a participant experiences in a virtual environment. We currently use computers as symbol processors, interacting with them through a layer of symbolic mediation. The computer user, just like the reader of books, must provide cognitive effort to convert the screen’s representations into the user’s meanings. VR systems, in contrast, provide interface tools which support natural behavior as input and direct perceptual recognition of output. The idea is to access digital data in the form most easy for our comprehension; this generally implies using representations that look and feel like the thing they represent. A physical pendulum, for example, might be represented by an accurate three-dimensional digital model of a pendulum which supports direct spatial interaction and dynamically behaves as would an actual pendulum. Immersive environments redefine the relationship between experience and representation, in effect eliminating the syntax-semantics barrier. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are cast out of the computer interface, replaced by direct, non-symbolic environmental experience. Before we can explore the deeper issues of experience in virtual environments, we must develop an infrastructure of hardware and software to support “tricking the senses” into believing that representation is reality. The VEOS project was designed to provide a rapid prototyping infrastructure for exploring virtual environments.

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