Perceived Sensations in Architectural Spaces through Immersive Virtual Reality

To design architectural spaces that not only respond to the basic needs of users, but also seek their emotional well-being, it is necessary for the architecture students to have a special sensitivity and be aware of the different sensations that their designs should and can evoke. To achieve this competence without exploring real spaces, Immersive Virtual Reality technology offers an important contribution to the field of architecture. The purpose of this research is to determine if the sensations perceived in virtual architectural spaces by students are similar to the real ones and to determine the characteristics of this technology that allow a better perception of sensations. Six architectural modules were designed to be walked through and experienced at real scale using a Head Mounted Display by 22 students of the first and fifth year of studies of Architecture career in Peru. An ad-hoc questionnaire allowed to know the perceived sensations and the benefits of the tool. The results obtained showed that the perception of sensations of the fifth year students is a little closer to those expressed by a group of seven experts compared to that of the first year students and that the students consider the characteristics of accessibility, real scale of the space and the possibility of going through and looking at the space in all directions are those that have given more realism to the experience and therefore better perception of the space, while the characteristics of natural light and shadows, construction materials and external environment have been less valued in the realism of the experience. It is concluded that the sensory experimentation in architectural spaces modelled realistically in virtual environments allows the perception of sensations very similar to those that the architect seeks to convey initially.

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Realidad Virtual Inmersiva en personas mayores: estudio de casos (Immersive Virtual Reality in older people: a case study)

Retos ◽

10.47197/retos.v0i39.78195 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Pablo Campo-Prieto ◽

José Mª Cancela Carral ◽

Iris Machado de Oliveira ◽

Gustavo Rodríguez-Fuentes

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Older People ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Age Groups ◽

Future Research ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Structural Problems ◽

Senior Population

Introducción: El uso de la Realidad Virtual Inmersiva (RVI) se encuentra en auge en todas las franjas de edad. Sin embargo, algunos problemas estructurales han limitado su aplicación en colectivos más frágiles. Objetivo: Analizar la seguridad, usabilidad y experiencias de la RVI en personas mayores. Método: 4 varones (2 parkinsonianos y 2 sanos, 57-78 años) participaron en el estudio. Realizaron una sesión de RVI (10-15 minutos) con un dispositivo Head-Mounted Display (HTC Vive Pro). Se evaluó la seguridad de la experiencia inmersiva (SSQ), usabilidad del sistema (SUS) e impresiones tras la experiencia (GEQ y un cuestionario de satisfacción ad hoc para identificar fortalezas y puntos débiles de la herramienta). Resultados: Todos completaron la sesión con éxito, sin efectos adversos. La usabilidad del sistema fue buena, incluso salvando obstáculos como la presencia de gafas correctoras de visión y audífono. Las opiniones tras la sesión señalaron lo positivo de la experiencia y todos mostraron su predisposición a repetirla, calificándola como entretenida, divertida y útil. Conclusión: El uso con éxito de la RVI en los casos presentados abre la puerta a futuras investigaciones con ensayos clínicos que puedan evaluar la posible mejora de variables físicas, psíquicas y sociales en la población sénior española. Abstract. Background: The use of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) is booming in all age groups. However, some structural problems have limited its application in more fragile groups. Objective: Analyze the safety, usability and experiences of IVR in older people. Method: 4 males (2 parkinsonian and 2 healthy, 57-78 years) participated in the study. They conducted an RVI session (10-15 minutes) with a Head-Mounted Display (HTC Vive Pro) device. The safety of immersive experience (SSQ), system usability (SUS), and impressions after experience (GEQ and an ad hoc satisfaction questionnaire to identify strengths and weaknesses of the tool) were evaluated. Results: Everyone completed the session successfully, without adverse effects. The usability of the system was good, even overcoming obstacles such as the presence of vision corrective glasses and hearing aids. Opinions after the session pointed out the positive experience and all participants showed their willingness to repeat it, describing it as entertaining, fun, and useful. Conclusion: The successful use of IVR in the cases presented opens the door to future research with clinical trials that can evaluate the improvements of physical, psychic and social variables in the Spanish senior population.

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Immersive virtual reality health games: a narrative review of game design

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s12984-020-00801-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gordon Tao ◽

Bernie Garrett ◽

Tarnia Taverner ◽

Elliott Cordingley ◽

Crystal Sun

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Game Design ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

User Engagement ◽

Exercise Interventions ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Sufficient Detail

Abstract Background High quality head-mounted display based virtual reality (HMD-VR) has become widely available, spurring greater development of HMD-VR health games. As a behavior change approach, these applications use HMD-VR and game-based formats to support long-term engagement with therapeutic interventions. While the bulk of research to date has primarily focused on the therapeutic efficacy of particular HMD-VR health games, how developers and researchers incorporate best-practices in game design to achieve engaging experiences remains underexplored. This paper presents the findings of a narrative review exploring the trends and future directions of game design for HMD-VR health games. Methods We searched the literature on the intersection between HMD-VR, games, and health in databases including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Compendex. We identified articles describing HMD-VR games designed specifically as health applications from 2015 onwards in English. HMD-VR health games were charted and tabulated according to technology, health context, outcomes, and user engagement in game design. Findings We identified 29 HMD-VR health games from 2015 to 2020, with the majority addressing health contexts related to physical exercise, motor rehabilitation, and pain. These games typically involved obstacle-based challenges and extrinsic reward systems to engage clients in interventions related to physical functioning and pain. Less common were games emphasizing narrative experiences and non-physical exercise interventions. However, discourse regarding game design was diverse and often lacked sufficient detail. Game experience was evaluated using primarily ad-hoc questionnaires. User engagement in the development of HMD-VR health games primarily manifested as user studies. Conclusion HMD-VR health games are promising tools for engaging clients in highly immersive experiences designed to address diverse health contexts. However, more in-depth and structured attention to how HMD-VR health games are designed as game experiences is needed. Future development of HMD-VR health games may also benefit from greater involvement of end-users in participatory approaches.

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Design of Immersive Virtual Reality System to Improve Communication Skills in Individuals with Autism

International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET) ◽

10.3991/ijet.v12i05.6766 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (05) ◽

pp. 50 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Osama Halabi ◽

Samir Abou El-Seoud ◽

Jihad Alja'am ◽

Hena Alpona ◽

Moza Al-Hemadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Social Performance ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Autistic Children ◽

Natural Interaction ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Communications Skills ◽

Improved Performance ◽

Communication Impairments

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) regularly experience situations in which they need to give answers but do not know how to respond; for example, questions related to everyday life activities that are asked by strangers. Research geared at utilizing technology to mend social and communication impairments in children with autism is actively underway. Immersive virtual reality (VR) is a relatively recent technology that has the potential of being an effective therapeutic tool for developing various skills in autistic children. This paper presents an interactive scenario-based VR system developed to improve the communications skills of autistic children. The system utilizes speech recognition to provide natural interaction and role-play and turn-taking to evaluate and verify the effectiveness of the immersive environment on the social performance of autistic children. In experiments conducted, participants showed more improved performance with a computer augmented virtual environment (CAVE) than with a head mounted display (HMD) or a normal desktop. The results indicate that immersive VR could be more satisfactory and motivational than desktop for children with ASD.

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Low-cost and home-made immersive systems

International Journal of Virtual Reality ◽

10.20870/ijvr.2012.11.3.2846 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 9-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sébastien Kuntz ◽

Ján Cíger

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Vision System ◽

Low Cost ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Simple Application ◽

3D Vision ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Good Level ◽

Application Sharing ◽

Immersive Systems

A lot of professionals or hobbyists at home would like to create their own immersive virtual reality systems for cheap and taking little space. We offer two examples of such "home-made" systems using the cheapest hardware possible while maintaining a good level of immersion: the first system is based on a projector (VRKit-Wall) and cost around 1000$, while the second system is based on a head-mounted display (VRKit-HMD) and costs between 600� and 1000�. We also propose a standardization of those systems in order to enable simple application sharing. Finally, we describe a method to calibrate the stereoscopy of a NVIDIA 3D Vision system.

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Validation of the Virtual Reality Neuroscience Questionnaire: Maximum Duration of Immersive Virtual Reality Sessions Without the Presence of Pertinent Adverse Symptomatology

10.31234/osf.io/r4xew ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Panagiotis Kourtesis ◽

Simona Collina ◽

Leonidas A. A. Doumas ◽

Sarah E. MacPherson

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Clinical Tool ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Brief Assessment ◽

Game Mechanics ◽

Maximum Duration

There are major concerns about the suitability of immersive virtual reality (VR) systems (i.e., head-mounted display; HMD) to be implemented in research and clinical settings, because of the presence of nausea, dizziness, disorientation, fatigue, and instability (i.e., VR induced symptoms and effects; VRISE). Research suggests that the duration of a VR session modulates the presence and intensity of VRISE, but there are no suggestions regarding the appropriate maximum duration of VR sessions. The implementation of high-end VR HMDs in conjunction with ergonomic VR software seems to mitigate the presence of VRISE substantially. However, a brief tool does not currently exist to appraise and report both the quality of software features and VRISE intensity quantitatively. The Virtual Reality Neuroscience Questionnaire (VRNQ) was developed to assess the quality of VR software in terms of user experience, game mechanics, in-game assistance, and VRISE. Forty participants aged between 28 and 43 years were recruited (18 gamers and 22 non-gamers) for the study. They participated in 3 different VR sessions until they felt weary or discomfort and subsequently filled in the VRNQ. Our results demonstrated that VRNQ is a valid tool for assessing VR software as it has good convergent, discriminant, and construct validity. The maximum duration of VR sessions should be between 55 and 70 min when the VR software meets or exceeds the parsimonious cut-offs of the VRNQ and the users are familiarized with the VR system. Also, the gaming experience does not seem to affect how long VR sessions should last. Also, while the quality of VR software substantially modulates the maximum duration of VR sessions, age and education do not. Finally, deeper immersion, better quality of graphics and sound, and more helpful in-game instructions and prompts were found to reduce VRISE intensity. The VRNQ facilitates the brief assessment and reporting of the quality of VR software features and/or the intensity of VRISE, while its minimum and parsimonious cut-offs may appraise the suitability of VR software for implementation in research and clinical settings. The findings of this study contribute to the establishment of rigorous VR methods that are crucial for the viability of immersive VR as a research and clinical tool in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology.

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Embodied well-being through two media technologies: Virtual reality and social media

New Media & Society ◽

10.1177/1461444819829873 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 1734-1749 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kaylee Payne Kruzan ◽

Andrea Stevenson Won

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Virtual Worlds ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Well Being ◽

The Body ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Media Technologies ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Embodied Experiences

How the body is perceived through media is key to many well-being interventions. Researchers have examined the effects of platforms on users’ self-perceptions, including immersive virtual reality, nonimmersive virtual worlds, and social media such as Facebook. In this article, we use several conceptions of levels of embodiment to compare empirical work on the effects of virtual reality and social media as they relate to perceptions and conceptions of the self and body. We encourage social media researchers to utilize research on embodiment in virtual reality to help frame the effects of social media use on well-being. Similarly, researchers in immersive media should consider the opportunities and risks that may arise as embodied experiences become more social. We conclude our discussion with implications for future applications in mental health.

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Development and Calibration of an Eye-Tracking Fixation Identification Algorithm for Immersive Virtual Reality

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s20174956 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (17) ◽

pp. 4956

Author(s):

Jose Llanes-Jurado ◽

Javier Marín-Morales ◽

Jaime Guixeres ◽

Mariano Alcañiz

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Eye Tracking ◽

Tracking System ◽

Time Windows ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Identification Algorithm ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Gaze Patterns ◽

Head Mounted Displays

Fixation identification is an essential task in the extraction of relevant information from gaze patterns; various algorithms are used in the identification process. However, the thresholds used in the algorithms greatly affect their sensitivity. Moreover, the application of these algorithm to eye-tracking technologies integrated into head-mounted displays, where the subject’s head position is unrestricted, is still an open issue. Therefore, the adaptation of eye-tracking algorithms and their thresholds to immersive virtual reality frameworks needs to be validated. This study presents the development of a dispersion-threshold identification algorithm applied to data obtained from an eye-tracking system integrated into a head-mounted display. Rules-based criteria are proposed to calibrate the thresholds of the algorithm through different features, such as number of fixations and the percentage of points which belong to a fixation. The results show that distance-dispersion thresholds between 1–1.6° and time windows between 0.25–0.4 s are the acceptable range parameters, with 1° and 0.25 s being the optimum. The work presents a calibrated algorithm to be applied in future experiments with eye-tracking integrated into head-mounted displays and guidelines for calibrating fixation identification algorithms

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Older Adults’ Experiences and Perceptions of Immersive Virtual Reality: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.35802 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

David Healy ◽

Aisling Flynn ◽

Owen Conlan ◽

Jenny McSharry ◽

Jane Walsh

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Qualitative Studies ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Thematic Synthesis ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Barriers To Use ◽

Key Steps

BACKGROUND Immersive virtual reality (IVR) can be defined as fully computer-generated environments that are displayed through a head-mounted display. Existing research suggests that key features of IVR can assist older adults in their everyday lives–providing opportunities in health promotion and tackling social isolation and loneliness. There has been a surge in the number of qualitative studies exploring older adults’ experiences and perceptions of IVR. However, there has been no systematic synthesis of these studies to inform the design of new, more accessible IVR technologies. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to systematically review and synthesize qualitative studies exploring older adults’ experiences and perceptions of IVR. METHODS A systematic review and thematic synthesis was conducted following the ENTREQ guidelines. Two reviewers completed title and abstract screening, full-text screening, data extraction and quality appraisal. Thematic synthesis is derived from the qualitative method, thematic analysis. It involves three key steps: initial coding and grouping of these codes, the formation of descriptive themes from these codes and finally, going beyond the data to form novel insights and theories known as analytical themes. Confidence in the evidence was assessed using the GRADE-CERQual approach. RESULTS Thirteen studies were included in the final synthesis, consisting of 224 participants ranging across nine countries and five continents. Confidence in the evidence ranged from high to moderate. Four descriptive themes were generated: (1) facilitating IVR interactions, (2) experiencing unique features of IVR, (3) perceptions of IVR and (4) accounts of agency in IVR. The findings from the descriptive themes suggested that there are several improvements that need to be made to existing IVR devices to greater facilitate older adults’ use of this technology. However, despite this, older adults’ responses to IVR were generally positive. Three analytical themes were then generated: (1) tolerating the bad to experience the good, (2) buying in to IVR: don’t judge a book by its cover and (3) “it proves to me I can do it”. The analytical themes illustrated that older adults were willing to tolerate discomforts that accompany existing IVR technologies to experience features such as immersive social networking experiences, there was a discrepancy between older adults’ perceptions of IVR prior to use–which were generally negative–and after use–which were generally positive–and, IVR provided a platform for older adults to access certain activities and environments more easily than in the real world due to limitations caused by ageing. CONCLUSIONS This review highlights the need to overcome initial negative views of IVR and perceived barriers to use by emphasizing the unique ability of IVR to increase older adults’ agency through features such as presence, immersion, and embodiment, which in turn offer new opportunities to take part in meaningful activities tailored to their needs and preferences. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.1177%2F16094069211009682

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