Towards the 3D Web with Open Simulator

Continuing advances and reduced costs in computational power, graphics processors and network bandwidth have led to 3D immersive multi-user virtual worlds becoming increasingly accessible while offering an improved and engaging Quality of Experience. At the same time the functionality of the World Wide Web continues to expand alongside the computing infrastructure it runs on and pages can now routinely accommodate many forms of interactive multimedia components as standard features - streaming video for example. Inevitably there is an emerging expectation that the Web will expand further to incorporate immersive 3D environments. This is exciting because humans are well adapted to operating in 3D environments and it is challenging because existing software and skill sets are focused around competencies in 2D Web applications. Open Simulator (OpenSim) is a freely available open source tool-kit that empowers users to create and deploy their own 3D environments in the same way that anyone can create and deploy a Web site. Its characteristics can be seen as a set of references as to how the 3D Web could be instantiated. This paper describes experiments carried out with OpenSim to better understand network and system issues, and presents experience in using OpenSim to develop and deliver applications for education and cultural heritage. Evaluation is based upon observations of these applications in use and measurements of systems both in the lab and in the wild.Postprin

A Literature Review On Privacy and Security in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

As technologies become more advanced and powerful each day, the progression towards embracing virtual reality environments in our daily activities become more real, and subsequently, the boundaries between virtual and physical worlds more in question. However, several issues continue to persist as the world around us changes – privacy and security. In this paper we are going to analyze in detail, the newer virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications, the privacy risks associated with these environments, current solutions – their benefits and challenges as well as potential newer solutions which can be implemented to increase privacy protection. There is a great need for privacy and security literature review in virtual reality and augmented reality, not only because it is the present and certainly a future of almost all digital connection, but also there is a huge literature information gap between different recent case studies, journals, and much scientific research. The intention of this paper is to generate comprehensive literature review work which will make so much easier for anyone trying to study or analyze the progress of this topic in one single paper. In addition to that, to protect not only properly and effectively the safety of the virtual reality (VR) users’ private information, but also improve the overall measures used to control privacy – security in these virtual environments will be also analyzed and evaluated based on the current existing literature reviews and concepts

Education in Virtual Environment

Students are our most precious resource, and as such should be cultivated with the utmost care in well-designed educational environments. If our goal is to assist the learner in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to join society as a functioning member, we should be oriented towards the future creating successful learning systems. Virtual environment potentially provides such a interesting, instructive, interactive environment also for students in Croatia, but there are some possible detrimental educational consequences. Anyone who is engaged in education must be aware that many of the necessary skills people learn through direct interaction with others even without technological intermediaries. This paper will give a general overlook on the characteristics of education in virtual worlds, give insight in pilot study on implementing virtual world in university classes and discuss both positive and negative sides of education in virtual environment

Virtual knowledge spaces: A call for research

Davis (1989) authored the widely acclaimed book titled “Future Perfect” prescribing that, in a “future perfect, anyone in an anytime – anyplace mode would be able to communicate to anyone else in the world.” The year 2020 provided clear affirmation that the knowledge workforce of the future is poised to not only communicate anytime – anyplace, but to create workplace environments that thrive across time zones and unlimited virtual locations. Knowledge management (KM) is “a systematic and integrative process of coordinating organization-wide activities of acquiring, creating, storing, sharing, diffusing, and deploying knowledge by individuals and groups, in pursuit of major organizational goals” (Rastogi, 2000, p. 40). Information scientists and knowledge management scholars must reexamine models of organizational learning, competency development and organizational culture to harness the collective capability of not only a virtual workforce, but a virtual organization. The researchers’ “work in progress” poster presents a preliminary systematic literature review and offers guiding questions to scholars and scholar practitioners exploring this rich area of KM research in a virtual organization. The three primary research areas are organizational learning, knowledge archiving, and knowledge system modeling. The final systematic literature review will define the topic and will utilize scholarly research methodologies (e.g., Torocco, 2016) to critically analyze and synthesize existing knowledge management literature and present virtual workforce implications that give direction for future research. In this growing research area, this poster poses the questions: (1) What are the obstacles of storing and deploying knowledge in a virtual organization? (2) How does the virtual organization impact the social nature of knowledge (namely sharing and creation)? (3) How must knowledge systems evolve to accommodate a virtual workforce? Davis, S. (1989). Future Perfect. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley. Rastogi, P. (2000) Knowledge management and intellectual capital — the new virtuous reality of competitiveness. Human Systems Management 19(1), 39 – 49. Torocco, R. (2016). Writing Integrative Reviews of Literature: Methods and Purposes. International Journal of Adult Vocational Education and Technology, 7(1), 62 – 70. doi: 10.4018/IJAVET.201607010

Collaboration and teamwork: immersion and presence in an online learning environment

In the world of OTIS, an online Internet School for occupational therapists, students from four European countries were encouraged to work collaboratively through problem-based learning by interacting with each other in a virtual semi-immersive environment. This paper describes, often in their own words, the experience of European occupational therapy students working together across national and cultural boundaries. Collaboration and teamwork were facilitated exclusively through an online environment, since the students never met each other physically during the OTIS pilot course. The aim of the paper is to explore the observations that here was little interaction between students from different tutorial groups and virtual teamwork developed in each of the cross-cultural tutorial groups. Synchronous data from the students was captured during tutorial sessions and peer-booked meetings and analysed using the qualitative constructs of ‘immersion’, ‘presence’ and ‘reflection in learning’. The findings indicate that ‘immersion’ was experienced only to a certain extent. However, both ‘presence’ and shared presence were found by the students, within their tutorial groups, to help collaboration and teamwork. Other evidence suggests that communities of interest were established. Further study is proposed to support group work in an online learning environment. It is possible to conclude that collaborative systems can be designed, which encourage students to build trust and teamwork in a cross cultural online learning environment.</p

Community building and virtual teamwork in an online learning environment

In the world of OTIS, an online Internet School for occupational therapists, students from four European countries were encouraged to work collaboratively through problem based learning by interacting with each other in a virtual semi-immersive environment. This paper aims to explore the issues that there was little interaction between students from different tutorial groups and virtual teamwork developed in each of the cross cultural tutorial groups. Synchronous data from European students was captured during tutorial sessions and peer booked meetings and evidence suggests that communities of interest were established. It is possible to conclude that collaborative systems can be designed, which encourage students to build trust and teamwork in a cross cultural online learning environment. </p

The Sen-nedjem Project: Archaeology, Virtual Reality and Education

Virtual reality, interactive computer generated sites and scenarios, theoretically creates great opportunities for archaeology, history, and education. Immersive computer driven environments impart information regarding space and human experience that would not be possible using traditional means of representation. Places and structures too remote, dangerous or deteriorated to visit can be experienced, and virtual models can provide the context in which to understand other complex issues surrounding an environment. In the past the technology required to produce such virtual 'worlds' has been expensive and complex, but Internet developments in the last few years have provided the means to generate three-­‐dimensional interactive worlds cheaply and quickly. VRML, Vi rtual Reality Modelling Language, allows anyone to easily build 3D computer models of objects and places without specialised equipment, and more and more virtual archaeological models are becoming available on the Internet. However, few of these models have been evaluated to assess their educational or archaeological worth. The Sen-­‐nedjem Project, undertaken at the Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute, University of Glasgow, Scotland, between May and October 1998, investigated the success of an archaeological virtual reality model for use in a museum context by building an interactive computer model of an Egyptian tomb based on pre-­published archaeological evidence and testing this model with a view to installing it in the Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow. The project illustrates that although it is technically possible to create an archaeologically sound virtual reality display there is a lack of meaning and purpose intrinsic to virtual models which complicate their educational value, an issue that needs to be resolved before virtual archaeological reconstructions become commonly used for pedagogical purposes

Visualisation of semantic architectural information within a game engine environment

Because of the importance of graphics and information within the domain of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), an appropriate combination of visualisation technology and information management technology is of utter importance in the development of appropriately supporting design and construction applications. We therefore started an investigation of two of the newest developments in these domains, namely game engine technology and semantic web technology. This paper documents part of this research, containing a review and comparison of the most prominent game engines and documenting our architectural semantic web. A short test-case illustrates how both can be combined to enhance information visualisation for architectural design and construction

Virtual Environments for Training: From Individual Learning to Collaboration with Humanoids

The next generation of virtual environments for training is oriented towards collaborative aspects. Therefore, we have decided to enhance our platform for virtual training environments, adding collaboration opportunities and integrating humanoids. In this paper we put forward a model of humanoid that suits both virtual humans and representations of real users, according to collaborative training activities. We suggest adaptations to the scenario model of our platform making it possible to write collaborative procedures. We introduce a mechanism of action selection made up of a global repartition and an individual choice. These models are currently being integrated and validated in GVT, a virtual training tool for maintenance of military equipments, developed in collaboration with the French company NEXTER-Group

Civic Identities, Online Technologies: From Designing Civics Curriculum to Supporting Civic Experiences

Part of the Volume on Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth.Youth today are often criticized for their lack of civic participation and involvement in political life. Technology has been blamed, amongst many other causes, for fostering social isolation and youth's retreat into a private world disconnected from their communities. However, current research is beginning to indicate that these might be inaccurate perceptions. The Internet has provided new opportunities to create communities that extend beyond geographic boundaries, to engage in civic and volunteering activities across local and national frontiers, to learn about political life, and to experience the challenges of democratic participation. How do we leverage youth's interest in new technologies by developing technology-based educational programs to promote civic engagement? This chapter explores this question by proposing socio-technical design elements to be considered when developing technology-rich experiences. It presents a typology to guide the design of Internet-based interventions, taking into account both the affordances of the technology and the educational approach to the use of the technology. It also presents a pilot experience in a northeastern university that offered a pre-orientation program in which incoming freshman designed a three-dimensional virtual campus of the future and developed new policies and programs to strengthen the relationship between college campus and neighbor communities