μGraph: Haptic Exploration and Editing of 3D Chemical Diagrams

People with visual impairments or blindness (VIB) encounter diffculties in exploring graphical representations that are widely used for the study of STEM subjects. In particular, graphs are used to represent many different scientifc notations: fowcharts, automata, cognitive maps, and more. Among these, structural chemical formulae are characterized by a complex, often 3-dimensional structure, which makes them hard to access and author with traditional assistive tools. We propose \ub5Graph, a multimodal system that combines haptic and speech feedback to enable people with VIB to explore and edit structural chemical formulae. Two main contributions are presented: (i) a novel, non-visual interaction paradigm for exploring graphs and its implementation in the \ub5Graph system, and (ii) an extensive evaluation of the proposed system with 10 participants with VIB showing that \ub5Graph is thoroughly accessible and that the haptic feedback enhances understanding of the geometric properties of a graph

Haptics Rendering and Applications

There has been significant progress in haptic technologies but the incorporation of haptics into virtual environments is still in its infancy. A wide range of the new society's human activities including communication, education, art, entertainment, commerce and science would forever change if we learned how to capture, manipulate and reproduce haptic sensory stimuli that are nearly indistinguishable from reality. For the field to move forward, many commercial and technological barriers need to be overcome. By rendering how objects feel through haptic technology, we communicate information that might reflect a desire to speak a physically- based language that has never been explored before. Due to constant improvement in haptics technology and increasing levels of research into and development of haptics-related algorithms, protocols and devices, there is a belief that haptics technology has a promising future

Assistance à l'interaction homme-molécule in virtuo (application au chromosome)

L'une des finalités de la Biologie Moléculaire est l'étude de l'architecture spatiale des molécules. Les expérimentations in silico permettant la modélisation 3D utilisent le plus souvent des approches automatiques. Or, ces approches présentent certains inconvénients: temps de traitement important, modélisation souvent partielle, modèle 3D généralement figé, etc.L'apport des connaissances des experts, de manière interactive, pendant le processus de modélisation automatique peut pallier certains défauts des méthodes calculatoires usuelles. Il s'agit de placer le biologiste au centre des essais virtuels plutôt qu'en observateur de résultats de simulations. C'est ce que nous appelons l'approche hybride, qui associe les avantages des expérimentations in silico (capacité de calcul) à ceux des Interactions Homme-Machine et de la Réalité Virtuelle: commande naturelle, immersion dans l'environnement virtuel (EV), multimodalité, etc. Le résultat de cette approche est la création d'analyses in virtuo, qui comportent trois phases fondamentales: la modélisation 3D, la visualisation et l'interaction 3D (I3D). Cependant, des domaines complexes tels que la Biologie sont régis par un ensemble de contraintes qui peuvent être locales (liées aux objets 3D ou aux tâches d'I3D) et globales (liées à l'espace des objets 3D ou au système d'I3D). Par conséquent, l'intervention des experts ne peut pas être réalisée efficacement par des techniques d'I3D classiques, indépendantes de la complexité et des contraintes du domaine. Plus généralement, nous sommes confrontés au problème innovant de l I3D sous contraintes qui intègre les règles de comportement imposées par l'EV. Pour y répondre, nous formalisons un modèle d'assistance qui associe les contraintes, les tâches d'interaction et des outils d'assistance que sont les guides virtuels. Nous avons appliqué ces deux concepts, d'approche hybride et d'assistance à l'I3D sous contraintes, au problème de la modélisation 3D du chromosome. Les contraintes identifiées sont ici architecturales (données physico-chimiques) et fonctionnelles (modèles biologiques). Ces contraintes issues des lois de la Biologie imposent l'ordonnancement spatial du chromosome. Le système d'interaction Hommme-Molécule in virtuo proposé peut être considéré plus crédible puisqu'il respecte les contraintes environnementales, tant au niveau de la structure 3D qu'au niveau de l'I3D.One of the aims of Molecular Biology (MB) is the study of the molecules' 3D structure. In silico experiments (ie. computing simulations) for 3D modeling usually use automatic approaches. However, these approaches have limits: important computing time, local modeling, 3D model generally fixed, etc. The contribution of expert knowledge, interactively during the automatic modeling process, can overcome some limits of the usual computational methods. It involves placing the biologist in the center of virtual experiments, rather than an observer of automatic simulation results. This is what we call hybrid approach, that combines the advantages of in silico experiments and those of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Virtual Reality (VR): natural interaction, immersion in the virtual environment (VE), multimodality, etc. The result of this approach is the creation of in virtuo experiments which has three components: the 3D modeling, the visualization and the 3D interaction (3DI). However, complex domains such as MB are governed by several constraints that may be local (linked to 3D objects or 3DI techniques) or global (linked to virtual environment or to the 3DI system). Therefore, experts intervention can not be efficiently realized by conventional 3DI techniques, without taking into account the domain complexity (ie. constraints). More generally, we are confronted to the problem of constrained 3DI which includes behavior rules imposed by the VE.The solution we propose is an assistance model that associates constraints, interaction task and assistance tools. The assistance tools are Virtual Fixtures. We applied these two concepts, hybrid approach and assistance model, to the chromosome 3D modeling. The identified constraints are architectural (ie. physico-chemical data) and functional (ie. biological models). These biological constraints dictate the chromosome spatial organization. The in virtuo Human-Molecule interaction system can be considered more credible because it respects the environment constraints, both in the 3D structure and at the level of 3DI.EVRY-Bib. électronique (912289901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Augmented Reality in Chemistry Higher Education

Augmented reality (AR) has the capacity to afford virtual experiences that obviate the reliance on using two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional phenomena for teaching chemistry higher education, in addition to positioning students as the protagonists of the learning experience. Thus, the subsequent blending of constructivist pedagogical approaches and AR technology is logical, with this paradigm having enormous methodological potential. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative instruments, this research project explored the cognitive and affective impacts of engagement with four developed educational interventions, supported using ChemFord, a developed AR application. Firstly, an AR-supported educational escape activity, based on topics of inorganic stereochemistry was constructed. Reported measures of competency were seen as a positive predictor of intrinsic motivation. However, this was not observed to be a positive predictor of academic performance. Next, a Game-Based Learning activity was developed, based on topics of the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory. This activity was facilitated both synchronously and asynchronously, exploring the relationships between students’ attitudes, perceived cognitive load, spatial ability, and academic performance. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in spatial ability over the study period. In addition, a moderate correlation was found between spatial ability and VSEPR conceptual understanding. The third educational intervention, constructed within a framework of Cognitive Load Theory, illustrates how AR-supported worked examples may enhance learning of electrophilic aromatic substitution. The achievement motivation of learners was also explored, and how this may be impacted by the provision of AR technology and worked examples. Measures of challenge and interest were found to correlate positively with reported germane load, whereas reported extraneous load negatively correlated with measures of challenge and interest for students displaying higher prior relevant chemistry experience. Lastly, a peer instruction session, focusing on topics of coordination chemistry was facilitated. Students’ self-efficacy, response switching, and discussions were analysed, in addition to their interactions with the ChemFord application. Students with a lower assessment of their problem solving and science communication abilities were significantly more likely to switch their responses from right-to-wrong than students with a high assessment of those abilities

Language learning in virtual worlds

Language Learning has utilized technology for decades, and while world-wide social dynamics place more demands for language learning, there has not been a widespread use of a specific technology as the dominant medium for language learning. In the meanwhile, Virtual Worlds technology emerged during the last two decades as an immersive technology that offers an online representation of reality, allowing user interaction with the surrounding environment including objects and other users through Internet-enabled desktop personal computers. Since their introduction, Virtual Worlds have grown in popularity, and are now utilized by a large online community as social and gaming environments. Over two decades of research have shown the potential of Virtual Worlds for learning in various fields, but very few empirical studies have been dedicated to explore Virtual Worlds for language learning. The focus of this PhD research project is to explore the potential of the Virtual World Second Life in enabling effective language learning. The research question is as follows: ‘Could Virtual Worlds offer a suitable language learning environment, similar or better than that offered by traditional media of language learning?’ Towards answering that question, a pilot and two studies were conducted in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. Arabic language classes were delivered to groups of language learners in the UK using different media of language learning: a face-to-face (f-to-f) classroom, a videoconferencing (VC) classroom, and a Virtual World (VW) classroom. The language learning quality outcomes along with student attitudes were assessed through a comparative analysis between the three media, involving attitude surveys, interviews, assessments of learning outcomes, and the critical incident method applied to video recordings. Due to several limitations, the effectiveness of the VW medium in enhancing the quality of the language learning experience was found lacking in the light of data collected and analyzed. A set of conditions and recommendations is therefore described to better utilize VWs for language learning