A Student-Dominant View of the Readiness to use Metaverse in Education: The TRI-F Framework

This paper reports on students' readiness for using Metaverse for education in a university in a developing country facing infrastructure and poverty challenges. Covid-19 forced many universities to adopt a hybrid approach to teaching and supervision. While online meeting technologies have become commonplace, there is a lack of the connectedness of face-to-face meetings, for which Metaverse is promoted as a solution. We pose the question as to the level of readiness of students to use Metaverse technologies. Thematic analysis of students' self-reflections on their experience of supervision in a 2D virtual world revealed the usefulness of the technology readiness index model, from which an extension to the model was proposed to include facilitators for the application of the technology that may mediate the motivators and inhibitors when assessing readiness to use Metaverse in education settings

To immerse or not? Experimenting with two virtual retail environments

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine the determinants of users’ simulated experience in a virtual store and to show the subsequent impact of that experience on engagement. The outcome of that engagement is examined in relation to enjoyment, satisfaction and purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach: The method comprised an experiment comparing users’ perceptions of a standard 2D online clothing store with an enhanced, immersive one that aimed to provide shopping value approaching that of a traditional store by using a 3D experience where participants wore special glasses and a data glove. Findings: Results demonstrate the major role of telepresence components in simulated experience and the critical role of that experience, along with hedonic and utilitarian values, in engagement. Purchase intention is influenced by satisfaction, which is in turn influenced by enjoyment and engagement. Engagement in turn is influenced by utilitarian and hedonic value and the experience of product simulation or telepresence, which is composed of control, colour and graphics vividness, and 3D authenticity. In the immersive, 3D environment experience is more associated with engagement and enjoyment, leading to greater purchase intention. The immersive, 3D environment thus has the potential to rival traditional shopping in terms of experience, resulting in higher sales for retailers and satisfaction for consumers. Originality: This work has evaluated a robust model of purchase intention and demonstrated it to hold not only in a 3D environment on a conventional computer platform, but also in an immersive one, where participants wear special glasses and a data glove

Haptic Interaction in 3D Stereoscopic User Interfaces

Haptic feedback is an area of technology that utilizes the sense of touch, by providing tactile interaction. It has been integrated into gaming consoles and mobile devices, and has been researched for its potential in programs that range from medical training simulations to collaborative workspaces. 3D stereo display is another growing facet of technology that is reexamining the possibilities of the user experience. The zSpace system is a computing hardware platform that simulates realistic, holographic, 3D stereoscopic vision. Using this system, this research project aimed to study how haptic feedback can enhance the user interface and understanding of 3D virtual space, by applying and exploring the effects of different types of haptic interaction in two zSpace applications. User experience in haptic and non-haptic versions of these programs was evaluated through a comparative analysis of various measures including observation, performance, presence, and workload