3D Reconstruction, Digital Twinning, and Virtual Reality: Architectural Heritage Applications

Virtual Reality proposes different innovative solutions for the fruition of tangible, intangible, or no longer existing Cultural Heritage. The representation of architectural artifacts through virtual 3D models framed in immersive and interactive virtual environments allows building new paths of knowledge. This kind of narrative feeds the fruition, the understanding, and the involvement of the user. The article presents different examples of VR applied in the CH field, highlighting the VR capacities, foreshadowing possible future developments in the specific domain. The first case study describes the reconstructive digital modeling and the prototype application of VR aimed at rendering the interior space of the provisional hall of the First Italian Parliament, no longer existing, for the use of visitors to Palazzo Carignano in Turin. The second case study concerns the Charterhouse of Pisa in Calci and deals with two VR experiences realized for a new visit tour: 3D reconstruction of the illusory space depicted in a quadraturist frescoes and 3D representation of the layout of the cloister in its most important historical phases. The third case study deals with the reconstruction of the Cathedral of Carpi through a 3D interoperable BIM model and the new communication tool called “during time Digital Twin”, which uses a combination of VR and AR

Neuroaffirmative Approaches to Extended Reality: Empowering Individuals with Autism Spectrum Condition through Immersive Learning Environments

Traditional teaching and working environments often prioritize extroverted qualities, disadvantaging individuals with conditions that impact social engagement, such as autism spectrum condition (ASC). These individuals usually thrive in calmer, low-key learning environments but face challenges in lecture-style classes, and traditional office environments leading to marginalization in academic and professional settings. This study explores the neuroaffirming potential of extended reality (XR) in creating immersive learning and working environments tailored to the unique needs of individuals with ASC. By focusing on four key factors—indirect social engagement, digital communication preferences, sensory sensitivity, and avatar-based communication—XR technologies can provide a supportive and accommodating environment for those with sensory processing disorders (SPD). As the metaverse and virtual reality (VR) technology advances, education and industry can harness social VR to prepare students for a future of work defined by virtual collaboration. This research investigates the transformative role of XR and the metaverse in promoting a more inclusive educational and professional landscape by adapting environments to empower individuals with ASC, enabling them to reach their full potential in a neuroaffirmative manner

A comparison of immersive realities and interaction methods: cultural learning in virtual heritage

In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Virtuality (AV), and Mixed Reality (MxR) have become popular immersive reality technologies for cultural knowledge dissemination in Virtual Heritage (VH). These technologies have been utilized for enriching museums with a personalized visiting experience and digital content tailored to the historical and cultural context of the museums and heritage sites. Various interaction methods, such as sensor-based, device-based, tangible, collaborative, multimodal, and hybrid interaction methods, have also been employed by these immersive reality technologies to enable interaction with the virtual environments. However, the utilization of these technologies and interaction methods isn’t often supported by a guideline that can assist Cultural Heritage Professionals (CHP) to predetermine their relevance to attain the intended objectives of the VH applications. In this regard, our paper attempts to compare the existing immersive reality technologies and interaction methods against their potential to enhance cultural learning in VH applications. To objectify the comparison, three factors have been borrowed from existing scholarly arguments in the Cultural Heritage (CH) domain. These factors are the technology’s or the interaction method’s potential and/or demonstrated capability to: (1) establish a contextual relationship between users, virtual content, and cultural context, (2) allow collaboration between users, and (3) enable engagement with the cultural context in the virtual environments and the virtual environment itself. Following the comparison, we have also proposed a specific integration of collaborative and multimodal interaction methods into a Mixed Reality (MxR) scenario that can be applied to VH applications that aim at enhancing cultural learning in situ

Communication in Immersive Social Virtual Reality: A Systematic Review of 10 Years' Studies

As virtual reality (VR) technologies have improved in the past decade, more research has investigated how they could support more effective communication in various contexts to improve collaboration and social connectedness. However, there was no literature to summarize the uniqueness VR provided and put forward guidance for designing social VR applications for better communication. To understand how VR has been designed and used to facilitate communication in different contexts, we conducted a systematic review of the studies investigating communication in social VR in the past ten years by following the PRISMA guidelines. We highlight current practices and challenges and identify research opportunities to improve the design of social VR to better support communication and make social VR more accessible.Comment: Chinese CHI '22: The Tenth International Symposium of Chinese CHI (Chinese CHI 2022

On the Emergence of Symmetrical Reality

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized human cognitive abilities and facilitated the development of new AI entities capable of interacting with humans in both physical and virtual environments. Despite the existence of virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality for several years, integrating these technical fields remains a formidable challenge due to their disparate application directions. The advent of AI agents, capable of autonomous perception and action, further compounds this issue by exposing the limitations of traditional human-centered research approaches. It is imperative to establish a comprehensive framework that accommodates the dual perceptual centers of humans and AI agents in both physical and virtual worlds. In this paper, we introduce the symmetrical reality framework, which offers a unified representation encompassing various forms of physical-virtual amalgamations. This framework enables researchers to better comprehend how AI agents can collaborate with humans and how distinct technical pathways of physical-virtual integration can be consolidated from a broader perspective. We then delve into the coexistence of humans and AI, demonstrating a prototype system that exemplifies the operation of symmetrical reality systems for specific tasks, such as pouring water. Subsequently, we propose an instance of an AI-driven active assistance service that illustrates the potential applications of symmetrical reality. This paper aims to offer beneficial perspectives and guidance for researchers and practitioners in different fields, thus contributing to the ongoing research about human-AI coexistence in both physical and virtual environments.Comment: IEEE VR 202

VR Conferencing : a business opportunity underlying virtual reality participation

Advancements in digital technologies continuously prompt changes to both academic and business ecosystems. And by bringing opportunities for sustainable and economically feasible developments in parallel, the organizing capabilities of such technology have received an increasing amount of interest. Building on this momentum, this dissertation sought to investigate the viability of a business opportunity underlying the idea of virtual reality participation at events such as conferences. For the purpose of this research, data were collected through two online surveys. These surveys targeted those who would ultimately provide the participation option (event-organizers) and those who would drive its demand (eventparticipants). The results, through an expressed measure of interest among the respective samples of 31.6% and 51.5% accompanied by a fair demand and willingness to supply the option, seem to encourage the pursuit of an underlying business opportunity. The analysis further directs future effort by making distinctions in demographics and attitudes in terms of interest and finds thereof that the concept appears to show at least as, or even more, prominence amidst short educational programs. It also shows that the concept can be extended to serve other purposes, for instance, business meetings. Additionally, a business model configuration that could potentially exploit the opportunity is explored, and the model suggested by this work is presented as an intermediate platform. However, more research of which is required prior to the development of a defined business plan.Os avanços nas tecnologias digitais provocam alterações contínuas nos ecossistemas académicos e empresariais. Paralelamente, ao trazerem oportunidades de desenvolvimentos sustentáveis e economicamente viáveis, as capacidades de organização dessas tecnologias têm recebido um interesse crescente. Com base nesta dinâmica, esta dissertação procurou investigar a viabilidade de uma oportunidade de negócio subjacente à ideia de utilização da realidade virtual em eventos como conferências. Para efeitos desta investigação, os dados foram recolhidos através de dois inquéritos online. Estes inquéritos foram simultaneamente direcionados a indivíduos que proporcionariam a opção de participação (organizadores de eventos) e àqueles que impulsionariam a sua procura (participantes em eventos). Os resultados, obtidos através de uma medida de expressão de interesse entre as respetivas amostras de 31,6% e 51,5%, acompanhada por uma procura razoável e da disponibilidade para fornecer a opção, parecem incentivar a procura de uma oportunidade de negócio subjacente. A análise visa ainda um esforço futuro, fazendo distinções demográficas e de atitudes, em termos de interesse, e conclui que o conceito parece mostrar, tanta ou mais proeminência, no meio de programas educacionais curtos. Mostra também que o conceito pode ser alargado para servir outros propósitos, nomeadamente reuniões de negócios. Além disso, é explorada uma configuração do modelo de negócio que poderia potencialmente explorar esta oportunidade, sendo o modelo sugerido por este trabalho apresentado como uma plataforma intermediária. No entanto, é necessária uma investigação mais detalhada antes do desenvolvimento de um plano de negócios definido

Attention-Based Applications in Extended Reality to Support Autistic Users: A Systematic Review

With the rising prevalence of autism diagnoses, it is essential for research to understand how to leverage technology to support the diverse nature of autistic traits. While traditional interventions focused on technology for medical cure and rehabilitation, recent research aims to understand how technology can accommodate each unique situation in an efficient and engaging way. Extended reality (XR) technology has been shown to be effective in improving attention in autistic users given that it is more engaging and motivating than other traditional mediums. Here, we conducted a systematic review of 59 research articles that explored the role of attention in XR interventions for autistic users. We systematically analyzed demographics, study design and findings, including autism screening and attention measurement methods. Furthermore, given methodological inconsistencies in the literature, we systematically synthesize methods and protocols including screening tools, physiological and behavioral cues of autism and XR tasks. While there is substantial evidence for the effectiveness of using XR in attention-based interventions for autism to support autistic traits, we have identified three principal research gaps that provide promising research directions to examine how autistic populations interact with XR. First, our findings highlight the disproportionate geographic locations of autism studies and underrepresentation of autistic adults, evidence of gender disparity, and presence of individuals diagnosed with co-occurring conditions across studies. Second, many studies used an assortment of standardized and novel tasks and self-report assessments with limited tested reliability. Lastly, the research lacks evidence of performance maintenance and transferability.Comment: [Accepted version] K. Wang, S. J. Julier and Y. Cho, "Attention-Based Applications in Extended Reality to Support Autistic Users: A Systematic Review," in IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp. 15574-15593, 2022, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.314772

AUGMENTED REALITY AND MOBILE SYSTEMS FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS IN SURFACE MINING

U.S. federal laws mandate that mining companies ensure a safe workplace, implement approved training programs, and promptly report work-related injuries. The mining industry\u27s commitment to innovation reflects a history of adopting advancements to enhance environmental sustainability, workplace safety, and overall productivity, while simultaneously reducing operational costs. This thesis proposes the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) technology and digital applications to enhance the surface mining industry, presenting two innovative solutions: an AR Training System and an Operational Digital System. These business solutions have been developed and applied at a surface mine in the southwest of the US, having the potential to improve the mining industry by enhancing safety, training, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making, which comprehends a significant step toward a more sustainable, effective, and technologically driven mining sector, contributing to the industry\u27s evolution and growth. The AR Training System leverages Microsoft´s Power Platform and HoloLens 2 capacities to provide operators with immersive and step-by-step training guides in real working conditions for Dozers, Motor Graders, and End Dump trucks. These AR guides combine 3D models, videos, photos, and interactive elements overlapping mining equipment to enhance learning and safety. The system also offers an efficient approach to data collection during operator training, which has the potential to modify the training guides based on user performance. On the other hand, the Operational Digital System addresses the industry\u27s operational challenges. It streamlines the pre-operation inspection process, tracks equipment status, and accelerates defect identification, shift timing, delays, and loaded tonnage. The system offers a holistic approach to mining operation optimization, facilitating data sharing and management among different departments, enhancing collaboration, and expediting maintenance processes