Time-scaled interactive object-driven multi-party VR

Object-driven interactions have various applications, especially in team activities and sports like volleyball, football, tennis, etc. We define a multi-party virtual world as an environment which includes multiple avatars and computer agents. Latency is one of the primary issues while building a multi-party setup. Delays due to latency cause inconsistencies and unnecessary halts resulting in unrealistic experience in VR. For interactions using objects, it becomes vital to handle the latencies. We present a time scaling algorithm for latency management and synchronization between multiple avatars, while they interact using objects in the VR environment. We propose two time scaling schemes—source and target based. Both these methodologies are dependent on which user’s virtual view (source or target) needs to be uniform. Incorporating the presented time scaling schemes, we develop a comprehensive multi-party virtual reality platform to simulate applications which involves interactions between agents and avatars using objects. We adopt a client–server architecture for building our multiuser VR platform which induces flexibility of adding multiple avatars and/or agents to the application. The modular nature of our proposed system enables extension to different VR applications that encompass communication using objects. We exemplify our framework by developing a multi-player VR volleyball game which employs the features of our proposed scheme. We demonstrate the significance of time scaling in the object-driven interactive multi-party VR framework through a comparative user study. We also evaluate the immersion experience in our multi-player volleyball game by a user survey.National Research Foundation (NRF)This research is supported by the program titled Realistic Immersion with Virtual Humans, a collaboration between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore and Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISCAS) in Beijing, China. The program is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore, under its NRF-NSFC Joint Research Grant Call (Data Science)

Desenvolvimento de metodologia para criação de metaverso imersivo com foco em treinamentos industriais

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Márcio Fontana CatapanCoorientador: Prof. Dr. Pablo Deivid ValleDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Manufatura. Defesa : Curitiba, 08/12/2022Inclui referências: p. 75-82Resumo: Nos últimos anos, o metaverso tem atraído enorme atenção de todo o mundo com o desenvolvimento de tecnologias relacionadas, como a realidade virtual (RV). Aplicações de metaverso em realidade virtual imersiva, proporcionam experiências partilhadas onde os usuários podem comunicar e interagir no mesmo espaço virtual. Entretanto, o crescimento do metaverso ainda está começando, com grande potencial de melhoria. Quanto a isso, a indústria já chegou avançar a discussão, acompanhada de investimento febril, mas há poucas discussões sobre este assunto no meio acadêmico para orientar cientificamente seu desenvolvimento, principalmente quando se trata na aplicação de treinamentos na indústria. Desta maneira, esta pesquisa propõe uma metodologia de desenvolvimento de metaverso em realidade virtual imersiva com foco em treinamentos industriais. Através da metodologia desenvolvida, foi elaborado um metaverso multiplataforma com o intuito de simular um treinamento industrial, validando a metodologia proposta. Foi criado um questionário para validar com outros desenvolvedores se a metodologia que foi desenvolvida nesta pesquisa está compreensível. A metodologia foi enviada junto com o questionário desenvolvido para 7 voluntários que trabalham utilizando motores de jogos. Como resultado, foi possível analisar que até os desenvolvedores com baixa experiência compreenderam o que foi passado na metodologia, demonstrando que com apenas 6 meses de contato com a ferramenta Unreal Engine já é possível desenvolver metaversos imersivos com foco em treinamentos industriais.Abstract: In recent years, the metaverse has attracted enormous attention from around the world with the development of related technologies such as virtual reality (VR). Metaverse applications in immersive virtual reality, provide shared experiences where users can communicate and interact in the same virtual space. However, the growth of the metaverse is just beginning, with enormous potential for improvement. As for this, the industry has already advanced the discussion, accompanied by feverish investment, but there are few discussions on this subject in academia to scientifically guide its development, especially when it comes to the application of training in the industry. Thus, this research proposes a methodology for developing a metaverse in immersive virtual reality with a focus on industrial training. Through the methodology developed, a multiplatform metaverse was elaborated with the purpose of simulating an industrial training, validating the proposed methodology. A questionnaire was created to validate with other developers if the methodology that was developed in this research is understandable. The methodology was sent along with the developed questionnaire to seven volunteers who work using game engines. As a result, it was possible to analyze that even developers with little experience understood what was passed in the methodology, demonstrating that with only 6 months of contact with the Unreal Engine tool it is already possible to develop immersive metaverses focused on industrial training