Spatially resolved transcriptomics in immersive environments

Spatially resolved transcriptomics is an emerging class of high-throughput technologies that enable biologists to systematically investigate the expression of genes along with spatial information. Upon data acquisition, one major hurdle is the subsequent interpretation and visualization of the datasets acquired. To address this challenge, VR-Cardiomicsis presented, which is a novel data visualization system with interactive functionalities designed to help biologists interpret spatially resolved transcriptomic datasets. By implementing the system in two separate immersive environments, fish tank virtual reality (FTVR) and head-mounted display virtual reality (HMD-VR), biologists can interact with the data in novel ways not previously possible, such as visually exploring the gene expression patterns of an organ, and comparing genes based on their 3D expression profiles. Further, a biologist-driven use-case is presented, in which immersive environments facilitate biologists to explore and compare the heart expression profiles of different genes.

Cognitive Performance in Immersive Environments After Acquired Brain Injury

The use of immersive environments such as virtual and augmented reality is quickly developing. For cognitive assessment and training in a neuropsychological setting, this offers a perspective for innovation and improvement of existing methods. Most of the current clinical uses of immersive environments focus on factors such as anxiety, or motor activities for physical therapy. Cognitive applications, concerning, for example, memory, attention, visuospatial processing, are relatively scarce. In this chapter, considerations of using immersive environments for cognitive purposes are presented. In addition to immersion, the individual experience of immersive environments, as expressed by sense of presence, will be discussed. By examining advantages and disadvantages of using immersive environments to measure and train cognitive performance, recommendations for clinical use of these methods are provided.

Immersive Environments, VR, AR in Ukrainian Contemporary Art of The Recent Years

The article is devoted to the scientific problem of theoretical elaboration and contextualization of immersive environment realized in the physical space of a gallery or museum, in VR and on the new virtual platforms on the Internet, as well as in hybrid space, in the augmented and mixed reality of the 21st century. The aim of the research is to identify the peculiarities of the formation of the immersive environment and of the practices of VR and AR projects creation in Ukrainian contemporary art in recent years. The task is to elaborate the theoretical bases of the development of immersive environments and VR, review and analysis of projects that use the digital technologies in order to create an immersion and AR. The methodology of the study consists in theoretical and field research of immersivity and in the author’s experiments development. The main method is a comprehensive and systematic approach to the development of the theory of virtuality, visual and photometric methods, analysis of concepts, spatial structure and technological features of online VR platforms and artistic realizations. The concept of sensorium is involved, which describes the feeling, perception and interpretation of information about the world around. The peculiarities of creating immersive environments in physical space in the projects «MetaPhysical Time-Space», «Refraction of Reality», «Living Energy» were explored (to be included into the national art discourse), as well as in VR in the frame of VR-festivals, such, as Carbon Media Art Festival, «Frontier» and «Virtuality» that serve as a testing ground for the development of new technological art. The possibilities of new online VR platforms, such as Mozilla Hubs, WebXR, AltspaceVR, artspaces.kunstmatrix, Cryptovoxels, Transmadatac Virtual Museum, are analyzed. The practice of creating VR projects on platforms on the Internet: Artefact Chornobyl 33 and Artefact Chornobyl + MADATAC, «VR Collider» and «Genesis» are considered as case study. Drift from immersive environments in physical space to virtual reality has been detected. The multi-vector nature of AR projects and different types of connection with book publishing, public art objects, contemporary sculpture and urban practice have been revealed.

Harmonize: a shared environment for extended immersive entertainment

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications are very diffuse nowadays. Moreover, recent technology innovations led to the diffusion of commercial head-mounted displays for immersive VR: users can enjoy entertainment activities that fill their visual fields, experiencing the sensation of physical presence in these virtual immersive environments. Even if AR and VR are mostly used separately, they can be effectively combined to provide a multi-user shared environment (SE), where two or more users perform some specific tasks in a cooperative or competitive way, providing a wider set of interactions and use cases compared to immersive VR alone. However, due to the differences between the two technologies, it is difficult to develop SEs offering a similar experience for both AR and VR users. This paper presents Harmonize, a novel framework to deploy applications based on SEs with a comparable experience for both AR and VR users. Moreover, the framework is hardware-independent, and it has been designed to be as much extendable to novel hardware as possible. An immersive game has been designed to test and to evaluate the validity of the proposed framework. The assessment of the system through the System Usability Scale questionnaire and the Game Experience Questionnaire shows a positive evaluation.

THE IMMERSION CYCLE: UNDERSTANDING IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES THROUGH A CYCLICAL MODEL

The present work introduces a cyclical model which showcases the process of immersion during Immersive Technological Experiences (ITEs) such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality. This model is based on the identified concepts around immersion and immersive environments across 30 years. The concepts' similarities were used to organize them on a cyclical model by acknowledging the user's presence at the beginning and end of immersive experiences. The proposed model's value relies on its cyclical approach based on a user-centred perspective and having a general overview of the immersion process. The Immersive cycle can serve as a mapping tool for developers and researchers, thanks to the inclusion of guidelines that complements the model. Both of these were used in three different examples of ITEs. Furthermore, the cyclical model could be used as a tool for ideation and conceptualization during the early stages of developing immersive experiences. Nevertheless, it is recognized that this is the first step in developing this model; therefore, it still needs to be validated and improved based on tests with developers, designers and researchers in the field.

Creating Cultural and Historical Imaginaries in Physical Space: Worldbuilding in Chinese Theme Parks

Theme parks are fascinating texts built on spatial narratives and detailed storyworlds. Worldbuilding and subcreation are literal in these spaces, but they likewise contain symbolic experiences that represent cultural and historical imaginaries. China is one of the largest markets in the global theme park industry. The design ethos in many parks is to represent fantasy versions of reality or depict cultural beliefs. This article offers analysis of examples in Chinese parks that signify simulated place or culture (for example, Splendid China’s parks), a romanticized historical time (the Songcheng parks), local stories (Sunac Land parks), and national cultural stories (the Fantawild Oriental Heritage model). Each of these spaces presents narratives and immersive environments that have the power to engage visitors on physical, sensual, conceptual, and emotional levels. They are second worlds to play in, imagine in, and to consume fantasy in while also providing a shifting model of theme park experience.