The Effect of Experience-Based Tangible User Interface on Cognitive Load in Design Education

Inclusion of tangible user interfaces can facilitate learning through contextual experience, interaction with the provided information, and epistemic actions, resulting in effecting learning in design education. The goal of this study is to investigate how tangible user interface (TUI) affects design learning through the cognitive load. Extended reality-based TUI and traditional desktop-based GUI were utilized to deliver the same information to two groups of students. The NASA TLX tool was used to measure students' perceived cognitive load after receiving information through the two modalities. Contemporary design pedagogy, the potential use of XR, design cognition, today's design learners experience-oriented lifestyle were combined to provide a theoretical framework to understand how information delivery modalities affect design learning. The results reveal that the use of XR-based TUIs decreases cognitive load resulting in enhanced experience and effective learning in design studios.

A Preliminary Investigation Into the Effects of Gamified Virtual Reality on Exercise Adherence, Perceived Exertion, and Health

Exercise is widely used as a treatment and prevention method for many health conditions; however, adherence to exercise programmes is generally very low. Gamified VR is a promising solution for this. This study included 20 participants playing a total of 36 VR games over the course of an 18-week programme. Heart rate monitoring and questionnaires including rate of perceived exertion were used, and adherence was recorded. There was a dropout rate of 10% and an adherence rate of 90% – successful overall adherence according to the literature. Heart rate whilst in VR was compared to rate of perceived exertion, showing a significantly lower perceived exertion compared to actual exertion. Various health benefits were noted by participants. Overall, this study shows that gamified VR can increase adherence to exercise, lower perceived exertion, and indicates potential for improving health. Further research is required to support this.

A Review of Augmented Reality in K-12 Education Environments

Augmented reality (AR) continues to gain popularity within the classroom setting, lauded for the potential it brings to further engage students and contextualize instruction. AR offers an interactive experience where digital objects, seen through various mobile devices (e.g., iPad, mobile phone), are overlaid on the real world. This literature review of 38 research studies conducted in K-12 settings examined the defining characteristics of AR, the purpose and application of the AR intervention, and the outcomes associated with the current use of AR. The results of the review reveal that studies use varying defining characteristics of AR which leads to varying levels of applications for all students in instructional settings. With no common definition leading to a wide array of classroom usage, the authors examine AR usage for students with and without disabilities. This article also provides recommendations to establish a strong research base on specific characteristics and the impact AR has on education.

An Immersive Tractor Application for Sustainability

South Africa is currently addressing the issue of land reform. This research explores how immersive technology could serve as an intervention to avoid unintended consequences in the agricultural industry. This work used participatory design, a stage-based approach, and the SCRUM project management methodology to develop a novel tractor-based immersive technology mobile application. The tractor application developed serves to support novice farmers and learners alike, to learn about and test their skills on tractor components. Three-dimensional modelling software and EON reality software were used to develop the mobile application. Upon completion, the application was tested by experts in this domain of interest and compared to the objectives identified, resulting from land reform as set out by the Department of Agriculture. The tractor application shows promise in promoting Farming 4.0. Moreover, feedback from potential users and experts in this domain confirms the success of the application and interest in future immersive research.

Onsite Proactive Construction Defect Management Using Mixed Reality Integrated With 5D Building Information Modeling

Defect management in civil construction work is crucial. This work is aimed at analyzing the conventional method of construction defect management and to bring out a framework for integrating 5D building information modeling with mixed reality. This work is divided into three parts. The first part is the integration of 5D building information modeling with augmented reality that helps to understand the architectural concepts and visualize the workflow onsite. The second part of the work is to develop a user-defined target-based marker-less augmented reality to send screenshots of augmented models and exact progress of work from construction site to engineers working in other locations. The third part of the work is to integrate virtual reality to enable virtual tours of the real site that will be useful for the customers to visualize the building virtually and for the builders to promote sales.

Seeking Accessible Physiological Metrics to Detect Cybersickness in VR

Virtual reality is predicted to change the way we use technologies in education. However, currently restricting the lack of integration is high cost, unconvincing learning data, complexity of the technologies, and persistently, cybersickness. There are a number of theories as to the causes of cybersickness, but none are infallible. Moreover, many of the evaluation methods and empirical studies are highly specialized physiological analyses requiring sophisticated measuring equipment. Such studies can be difficult to prepare and present unnatural conditions for users engaged in a VR experience. In this research the Empatica E4 wearable device and its ecosystem were utilized to record physiological metrics of heart rate variability and electrodermal activity during customized computer-based and VR tasks to detect the onset of cybersickness. Although inconclusive, the metrics of NNMean, SDNN, RMSSD in HRV data, and SCR width and Peak EDA in EDA data are proposed for further analysis as potential indicators of cybersickness.

Gendered Experiences of Mobile Gaming and Augmented Reality

Gender differences in video gaming have been observed in gaming motivations, behaviors, and perceptions. Unlike traditional video games, Pokémon Go is a mobile, augmented reality game accessible on a smartphone, so it remains unclear whether previous findings about gender differences apply to this game. This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the playing habits and experiences of 452 college students. Differences in social media usage, domains and frequency in which the game interfered with, and activities during which the game was played were observed between genders. While students perceived similar risks associated with Pokémon Go, men were less likely to report bonding with others as a personal benefit of the game. Further study of mobile gaming experiences between genders is needed, particularly in relation to social and immersive motivations to play the game.

Primary Generators

This article explores how digital media tools in geometric modeling environments (GME) and parametric design environments (PDE) affect the creative process. Primary generators, which are identified as creativity sparks which enhance the design process, have been previously studied through the action of sketching. According to Goldschmidt, sketching generates reflection over the generated ideas moving forward the creative process. Nevertheless, sketching has been gradually replaced by digital media tools considered restrictive to the creative process due to the lack of attributes required for reflection. With the evolution of digital media tools, modeling environments have opened the possibility for attributes such as multiplicity and ambiguity within the design process. Using protocol analysis as an empirical research method, this study assessed the occurrence of primary generators in GME and PDE. Differences in creative processes between the two studied digital environments were highlighted.

Thinking in Virtual Spaces

Throughout the iterative design process, both students and professionals rely on spatial thinking to develop and simulate these design solutions, but—in most cases—students lack the experience necessary to accurately visualize and translate the real-world scale of interior space. This is primarily because the current tools of representation are noticeably limited to the two-dimensions of visual information viewable on a traditional computer monitor or sheet of paper. The use of virtual reality systems can also support instruction focused on spatial reasoning. An immersive cohabitation of multiple designers within a detailed and complex model – at full-scale, in three dimensions, supports and augments spatial thinking by allowing designers to both conceptualize and reason volumetrically. This article will explore the experiences of the students and faculty using the virtual reality platform, and the challenges and impacts of incorporating full-scale analysis into the student's design process as they relate to scale perception, error recognition, and communication.

An Exploratory Study Examining Group Dynamics in a Hackathon

Pairing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in a hackathon is beginning to receive attention. VR and AR tools have the potential to support different types of skill sets and help promote synergistic interconnections between team members. Since little is known about how a hackathon can contribute towards group dynamics, this exploratory study compared team dynamics that occurred in multidisciplinary groups during a weekend hackathon. Twenty-two multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate students, in addition to two campus professionals, participated in the event held on a mid-size university in the South-Central Midwest of the United States. The groups were deliberately created by the research team to support different skill sets and disciplines based upon the in-group bias framework. Observations and video recordings occurred throughout the 2-day hackathon event. The non-obtrusive-participant observations resulted in noticeable differences between group dynamics in collaboration, teamwork, work style, and group presentations.