Tools for user interaction in immersive environments

REVERIE -- REal and Virtual Engagement in Realistic Immersive Environments -- is a large scale collaborative project co-funded by the European Commission targeting novel research in the general domain of Networked Media and Search Systems. The project aims to bring about a revolution in 3D media and virtual reality by developing technologies for safe, collaborative, online environments that can enable realistic interpersonal communication and interaction in immersive environments. To date, project partners have been developing component technologies for a variety of functionalities related to the aims of REVERIE prior to integration into an end-to-end system. In this demo submission, we first introduce the project in general terms, outlining the high-level concept and vision before briefly describing the suite of demonstrations that we intend to present at MMM 2014

An Introduction to 3D User Interface Design

3D user interface design is a critical component of any virtual environment (VE) application. In this paper, we present a broad overview of three-dimensional (3D) interaction and user interfaces. We discuss the effect of common VE hardware devices on user interaction, as well as interaction techniques for generic 3D tasks and the use of traditional two-dimensional interaction styles in 3D environments. We divide most user interaction tasks into three categories: navigation, selection/manipulation, and system control. Throughout the paper, our focus is on presenting not only the available techniques, but also practical guidelines for 3D interaction design and widely held myths. Finally, we briefly discuss two approaches to 3D interaction design, and some example applications with complex 3D interaction requirements. We also present an annotated online bibliography as a reference companion to this article

Identifying immersive environments’ most relevant research topics: an instrument to query researchers and practitioners

This paper provides an instrument for ascertaining researchers’ perspectives on the relative relevance of technological challenges facing immersive environments in view of their adoption in learning contexts, along three dimensions: access, content production, and deployment. It described its theoretical grounding and expert-review process, from a set of previously-identified challenges and expert feedback cycles. The paper details the motivation, setup, and methods employed, as well as the issues detected in the cycles and how they were addressed while developing the instrument. As a research instrument, it aims to be employed across diverse communities of research and practice, helping direct research efforts and hence contribute to wider use of immersive environments in learning, and possibly contribute towards the development of news and more adequate systems.The work presented herein has been partially funded under the European H2020 program H2020-ICT-2015, BEACONING project, grant agreement nr. 687676.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A study of event traffic during the shared manipulation of objects within a collaborative virtual environment

Event management must balance consistency and responsiveness above the requirements of shared object interaction within a Collaborative Virtual Environment (CVE) system. An understanding of the event traffic during collaborative tasks helps in the design of all aspects of a CVE system. The application, user activity, the display interface, and the network resources, all play a part in determining the characteristics of event management. Linked cubic displays lend themselves well to supporting natural social human communication between remote users. To allow users to communicate naturally and subconsciously, continuous and detailed tracking is necessary. This, however, is hard to balance with the real-time consistency constraints of general shared object interaction. This paper aims to explain these issues through a detailed examination of event traffic produced by a typical CVE, using both immersive and desktop displays, while supporting a variety of collaborative activities. We analyze event traffic during a highly collaborative task requiring various forms of shared object manipulation, including the concurrent manipulation of a shared object. Event sources are categorized and the influence of the form of object sharing as well as the display device interface are detailed. With the presented findings the paper wishes to aid the design of future systems

Multiscalar Digital Twin. Step Representation towards Urban Multiverse

In this paper we describe the representation of the environment where the interaction between user and digital models in architectural and urban settings in the design, construction and subsequent maintenance phases. The purpose lies in establishing scenarios for an evolution of the concept of the space of user-model interaction in a fully virtual digital space containing both. The paper lists the main limitations of current tools related to the fruition of models in the field of construction or urban data reading, with a curious look at immersive reality environments, more developed towards gaming or other realities where it is the representation of the space that becomes the means for interaction with objects. To do this, the paper is divided into 3 parts in which concise graphic diagrams indicate quick summaries: analysis and schematization of the user/architectural model or user/urban model relationship with a brief repertoire of modalities and possible augmented technologies; analysis of the main interaction environments comprising users and objects where the representation of space plays a key role in the development of actions; opportunities in the field for the representation of new in-teraction spaces, limitations and levers for its growth, and methodologies necessary for its fulfillmen

Constructing a gazebo: supporting teamwork in a tightly coupled, distributed task in virtual reality

Many tasks require teamwork. Team members may work concurrently, but there must be some occasions of coming together. Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) allow distributed teams to come together across distance to share a task. Studies of CVE systems have tended to focus on the sense of presence or copresence with other people. They have avoided studying close interaction between us-ers, such as the shared manipulation of objects, because CVEs suffer from inherent network delays and often have cumbersome user interfaces. Little is known about the ef-fectiveness of collaboration in tasks requiring various forms of object sharing and, in particular, the concurrent manipu-lation of objects. This paper investigates the effectiveness of supporting teamwork among a geographically distributed group in a task that requires the shared manipulation of objects. To complete the task, users must share objects through con-current manipulation of both the same and distinct at-tributes. The effectiveness of teamwork is measured in terms of time taken to achieve each step, as well as the impression of users. The effect of interface is examined by comparing various combinations of walk-in cubic immersive projection technology (IPT) displays and desktop devices

A 3D immersive discrete event simulator for enabling prototyping of factory layouts

There is an increasing need to eliminate wasted time and money during factory layout design and subsequent construction. It is presently difficult for engineers to foresee if a certain layout is optimal for work and material flows. By exploiting modelling, simulation and visualisation techniques, this paper presents a tool concept called immersive WITNESS that combines the modelling strengths of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) with the 3D visualisation strengths of recent 3D low cost gaming technology to enable decision makers make informed design choices for future factories layouts. The tool enables engineers to receive immediate feedback on their design choices. Our results show that this tool has the potential to reduce rework as well as the associated costs of making physical prototypes

Flexible virtual environments: Gamifying immersive learning

© Springer International Publishing AG 2017. The availability of Virtual Reality (VR) and Virtual Environment (VE) equipment - with the launch of domestic technologies such as the Oculus Rift, Microsoft Hololens and Sony Playstation VR) - offer new ways to enable interactive immersive experiences [16]. The opportunities these create in learning and training applications are immense: but create new challenges . Meanwhile, current virtual learning environments are typically web or app based technologies, sometimes perceived as having little value added from a user perspective beyond improved User Interfaces to access some content [6]. The challenge is how the human computer interaction features of such VE platforms may be used in education in a way that adds value, especially for computer mediated instruction. This paper will outline some of the issues, and opportunities, as well as some of the open questions about how such technologies can be used effectively in a higher education context, along with a proposed framework for embedding a learning engine within a virtual reality or environment system. Three-dimensional technologies: from work-walls, through CAVES to the latest headsets offer new ways to immerse users in computer generated environments. Immersive learning [1] is increasingly common in training applications, and is beginning to make inroads into formal education. The recent rise in such off-the-shelf technologies means that Augmented Learning becomes a realistic mainstream tool [13]. Much of this use is built in game environments using game engines, where these serious games provide learning effects as an intended consequence of playing