Analysis domain model for shared virtual environments

The field of shared virtual environments, which also encompasses online games and social 3D environments, has a system landscape consisting of multiple solutions that share great functional overlap. However, there is little system interoperability between the different solutions. A shared virtual environment has an associated problem domain that is highly complex raising difficult challenges to the development process, starting with the architectural design of the underlying system. This paper has two main contributions. The first contribution is a broad domain analysis of shared virtual environments, which enables developers to have a better understanding of the whole rather than the part(s). The second contribution is a reference domain model for discussing and describing solutions - the Analysis Domain Model

A New Frontier for Visual Culture

A NEW FRONTIER FOR VISUAL CULTURE: THOUGHTS ON THE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF DIGITAL DEEP-SEA IMAGERY The following discussion is a response to the proliferation of digital deep-sea imagery that has been emerging since the mid-1990s. Here, digital imagery is understood in William J. Mitchell's (1994, 7) postmodern social and cultural terms as "a medium that privileges fragmentation, indeterminacy, and heterogeneity and that emphasizes process or performance", and an "opportunity to expose the aporias of photography's construction of the visual world". A stock of visual documentation (still and moving images) is growing each day - widely available on the internet, in books (both for adults and for children), and in movie theatres internationally. IntroductionMindful of this new entertaining and educational material, it strikes me as problematic that there is a paucity of critical inquiry into the curatorial and signifying practices associated with its dissemination, certainly in terms of..

The import of the sensation of the abyss

This research argues the significance of the concept of the abyss as a means to understanding key contemporary ideas such as the self, identity, reflexivity, indeterminacy, ideology, radical doubt, lack, and xenophobia. Proposing the analysis of interpretations of the abyss as informative in developing an understanding of ourselves in terms of our cultural, geographical and historical contexts, I draw on a range of visual images, explorations of language use, research into cultural constructs, religious practices and historical events. The reflections on the abyss contained in this thesis contribute to broader research by connecting the developing concept of the abyss to aspects of the material and cultural contexts of the historical periods examined. Self-reflexive creative production is the modus operandi for my critical engagement with the subject matter. The claim that research and creative practice inform one another dialogically is exemplified by a discussion of the role of research as a tool for contextualising my own visual art practice, as well as for acknowledging both my intellectual and my emotional negotiation of the theory

Revisiting the Scene-Graph-as-Bus Concept: Inter-networking Heterogeneous Applications Using glTF Fragments

While there are now many examples of successful collaborative mixed reality applications, each application uses its own custom networking framework and applications rarely inter-operate. To enable much larger-scale distributed systems, we will need inter-networking protocols that allow heterogeneous applications to exchange data. We demonstrate a proof of concept implementation that revisits the concept of using a scene-graph as a bus. That is, sharing low-level geometry and rendering information, rather than high-level semantic events. Our networking protocol uses glTF fragments and edits to express scene changes. We use the proof of concept to explore the potential to inter-network very different applications that are based on different underlying graphics engine technology

Developing an Accessibility Metric for VR Games Based on Motion Data Captured Under Game Conditions

Virtual Reality (VR) games are not as accessible as conventional video games because they heavily rely on the motion of the body as the main means of input. This causes large accessibility issues because it prevents some physically impaired players from using them. It also makes it more difficult to develop accessibility tools to address the issues. Given these challenges, it is of particular importance that an impaired player can determine whether they will be able to play a game before they buy it. We propose the first prototype of a metric that aims at visually presenting the important aspects of the body motion that a game requires. Instead of manual classification, the metric is based on data captured from able-bodied players that play the game as designed. In this work, we introduce the metric itself, demonstrate how it differentiates six popular VR games based on data we collected in a user study, and discuss limitations and routes for further development

Monte-Carlo Redirected Walking: Gain Selection Through Simulated Walks

We present Monte-Carlo Redirected Walking (MCRDW), a gain selection algorithm for redirected walking. MCRDW applies the Monte-Carlo method to redirected walking by simulating a large number of simple virtual walks, then inversely applying redirection to the virtual paths. Different gain levels and directions are applied, producing differing physical paths. Each physical path is scored and the results used to select the best gain level and direction. We provide a simple example implementation and a simulation-based study for validation. In our study, when compared with the next best technique, MCRDW reduced incidence of boundary collisions by over 50% while reducing total rotation and position gain

The Client-Consulting Relationship: A Case Study Of Critical Success Factors At MQ Telecommuniques

The primary intent of this study then, is to examine recent projects involving external management consultants at MQ TeleCommuniques, from the employees’ point of view, to measure the extent to which the aforementioned “critical success factors” were perceived as being evident. A secondary purpose was to examine which, if any, of these factors differ between more or less successful consulting projects with a view to building a model to predict employees’ perceptions of the level of the projects’ success. A third objective was to gather employee opinions on other factors that might contribute to the success of consulting projects. A fourth, and final, objective was to gather general employee opinions on the use of management consultancy at MQ TeleCommuniques. A total of 102 employees responded to a questionnaire consisting of 59 questions. A model including six independent variables was able to predict overall rating of project success, with an adjusted R2 =0.68, F=27.81 (p<.0001).  The significant variables, in order of importance, were: 1.                   the solution took into account our internal state of readiness;2.                   the project included prototyping new solutions;3.                   the project deliverables were clear;4.                   the consultant partnered with the project team throughout;5.                   the consultant was professional; and 6.                   the consultant understood our sense of urgency.  There were substantial differences seen on most measures between projects judged “successful” and projects judged “not successful”. Nevertheless, it is encouraging that many of the success factors suggested in the literature, and proposed under “an ideal client-consultant engagement”, were judged as present in management consulting projects at MQ TeleCommuniques, to one degree or another.  General opinions of management consultants were mixed and somewhat negative. Employees at MQ TeleCommuniques certainly do not agree with the traditional benefits of management consultants promoted by the industry.  Finally, the results of this study certainly support the anecdotal and theoretical models in particular those emphasizing the importance of process issues, the client-consulting relationship and their impact on project outcome

mHealth: providing a mindfulness app for women with chronic pelvic pain in gynaecology outpatient clinics: qualitative data analysis of user experience and lessons learnt

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a pre-existing smartphone app to teach mindfulness meditation is acceptable to women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and can be integrated into clinical practice within the National Health Service (NHS) CPP pathways, and to inform the design of a potential randomised clinical trial. DESIGN: A prestudy patient and public involvement (PPI) group to collect feedback on the acceptability of the existing app and study design was followed by a three-arm randomised feasibility trial. In addition, we undertook interviews and focus groups with patients and staff to explore app usability and acceptability. We also obtained participant comments on the research process, such as acceptability of the study questionnaires. SETTING: Two gynaecology clinics within Barts Health NHS, London, UK. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with CPP lasting ≥6 months with access to smartphone or personal computer and understanding of basic English. INTERVENTION: The intervention was mindfulness meditation content plus additional pain module delivered by a smartphone app. Active controls received muscle relaxation content from the same app. Passive (waiting list) controls received usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Themes on user feedback, app usability and integration, and reasons for using/not using the app. RESULTS: The use of the app was low in both active groups. Patients in the prestudy PPI group, all volunteers, were enthusiastic about the app (convenience, content, portability, flexibility, ease of use). Women contributing to the interview or focus group data (n=14), from a 'real world' clinic (some not regular app users), were less positive, citing as barriers lack of opportunities/motivation to use the app and lack of familiarity and capabilities with technology. Staff (n=7) were concerned about the potential need for extra support for them and for the patients, and considered the app needed organisational backing and peer acceptance. CONCLUSION: The opinions of prestudy PPI volunteers meeting in their private time may not represent those of patients recruited at a routine clinic appointment. It may be more successful to codesign/codevelop an app with typical users than to adapt existing apps for use in real-world clinical populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN10925965

Privacy-certification standards for extended-reality devices and services

In this position paper, we discuss the need for, and potential requirements for privacy certification standards for extended-reality devices and related services. We begin by presenting motivations, before discussing related efforts. We then review the issue of certification as a research problem and identify key requirements. Finally, we out-line key recommendations for how these might feed into a grander roadmap for privacy and security research

Plasma composition in a sigmoidal anemone active region

Using spectra obtained by the EIS instrument onboard Hinode, we present a detailed spatially resolved abundance map of an active region (AR)-coronal hole (CH) complex that covers an area of 359 arcsec x 485 arcsec. The abundance map provides first ionization potential (FIP) bias levels in various coronal structures within the large EIS field of view. Overall, FIP bias in the small, relatively young AR is 2-3. This modest FIP bias is a consequence of the AR age, its weak heating, and its partial reconnection with the surrounding CH. Plasma with a coronal composition is concentrated at AR loop footpoints, close to where fractionation is believed to take place in the chromosphere. In the AR, we found a moderate positive correlation of FIP bias with nonthermal velocity and magnetic flux density, both of which are also strongest at the AR loop footpoints. Pathways of slightly enhanced FIP bias are traced along some of the loops connecting opposite polarities within the AR. We interpret the traces of enhanced FIP bias along these loops to be the beginning of fractionated plasma mixing in the loops. Low FIP bias in a sigmoidal channel above the AR's main polarity inversion line where ongoing flux cancellation is taking place, provides new evidence of a bald patch magnetic topology of a sigmoid/flux rope configfiuration.Comment: For on-line animation, see http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/~db2/fip_intensity.gif. Accepted by Ap