scholarly journals Impact of View-Dependent Image-Based Effects on Perception of Visual Realism and Presence in Virtual Reality Environments Created Using Multi-Camera Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 6173
Author(s):  
Grégoire Dupont de Dinechin ◽  
Alexis Paljic ◽  
Jonathan Tanant
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
User Study ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Image Based Rendering ◽  
Camera Systems ◽  
3D Space ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Being There ◽  
Visual Realism ◽  
Specular Highlights

Several recent works have presented image-based methods for creating high-fidelity immersive virtual environments from photographs of real-world scenes. In this paper, we provide a user-centered evaluation of such methods by way of a user study investigating their impact on viewers’ perception of visual realism and sense of presence. In particular, we focus on two specific elements commonly introduced by image-based approaches. First, we investigate the extent to which using dedicated image-based rendering algorithms to render the scene with view-dependent effects (such as specular highlights) causes users to perceive it as being more realistic. Second, we study whether making the scene fade out beyond a fixed volume in 3D space significantly reduces participants’ feeling of being there, examining different sizes for this viewing volume. To provide details on the virtual environment used in the study, we also describe how we recreated a museum gallery for room-scale virtual reality using a custom-built multi-camera rig. The results of our study show that using image-based rendering to render view-dependent effects can effectively enhance the perception of visual realism and elicit a stronger sense of presence, even when it implies constraining the viewing volume to a small range of motion.

scholarly journals I walk, therefore I am: a multidimensional study on the influence of the locomotion method upon presence in virtual reality

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 577-590
Author(s):  
José L Soler-Domínguez ◽  
Carla de Juan ◽  
Manuel Contero ◽  
Mariano Alcañiz
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Objective Measure ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Head Bobbing ◽  
Controversial Topic ◽  
Being There ◽  
First Time

Abstract A defining virtual reality (VR) metric is the sense of presence, a complex, multidimensional psychophysical construct that represents how intense is the sensation of actually being there, inside the virtual environment (VE), forgetting how technology mediates the experience. Our paper explores how locomotion influences presence, studying two different ways of artificial movement along the VE: walking-in-place (through head bobbing detection) and indirect walking (through touchpad). To evaluate that influence, a narrative-neutral maze was created, from where 41 participants (N=41) had to escape. Measuring presence is a controversial topic since there is not a single, objective measure but a wide range of metrics depending on the different theoretical basis. For this reason, we have used for the first time, representative metrics from all three traditional dimensions of presence: subjective presence (SP) (self-reported through questionnaires), behavioral presence (BP) (obtained from unconscious reactions while inside the VE), and physiological presence (PP) [usually measured using heart rate or electrodermal activity (EDA)]. SP was measured with the ITC-SOPI questionnaire, BP by collecting the participants’ reactions, and PP by using a bracelet that registered EDA. The results show two main findings: (i) There is no correlation between the different presence metrics. This opens the door to a simpler way of measuring presence in an objective, reliable way. (ii) There is no significant difference between the two locomotion techniques for any of the three metrics, which shows that the authenticity of VR does not rely on how you move within the VE.

scholarly journals Immersive Virtual Reality Experience of Historical Events Using Haptics and Locomotion Simulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 11613
Author(s):  
Agapi Chrysanthakopoulou ◽  
Konstantinos Kalatzis ◽  
Konstantinos Moustakas
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
3D Modeling ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
3D Environment ◽  
Visual Realism ◽  
Initial Results

Virtual reality (VR) and 3D modeling technologies have become increasingly powerful tools for multiple fields, such as education, architecture, and cultural heritage. Museums are no longer places for only placing and exhibiting collections and artworks. They use such technologies to offer a new way of communicating art and history with their visitors. In this paper, we present the initial results of a proposed workflow towards highlighting and interpreting a historic event with the use of an immersive and interactive VR experience and the utilization of multiple senses of the user. Using a treadmill for navigating and haptic gloves for interacting with the environment, combined with the detailed 3D models, deepens the sense of immersion. The results of our study show that engaging multiple senses and visual manipulation in an immersive 3D environment can effectively enhance the perception of visual realism and evoke a stronger sense of presence, amplifying the educational and informative experience in a museum.

scholarly journals Method to Grasp a Feeling of Being There by Turning a Head Forcibly while Watching a Tourism Video using a VR Headset

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1470
Author(s):  
Naoya Isoyama ◽  
Tsutomu Terada ◽  
Masahiko Tsukamoto
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
The Other ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Perception Of Self ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Being There ◽  
Self Motion

In virtual reality (VR) tourism, when watching a video of a tourist location, the feeling of presence improves the experience. Furthermore, it is desirable to be able to give a feeling of having been there before to the users visiting the site afterward. In this study, we aimed to reveal the factors that provide these feelings. We hypothesized that one of the factors is the perception of self-motion. Therefore, we proposed a method wherein the users were induced to turn their heads to the left and right when watching the video of a tourist site via a VR head-mounted display. We conducted two experiments and found that the proposed method conveyed the greatest sense of presence. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in giving the feeling of having been there between the proposed method and watching the video of the site on a PC.

Effect of Degrees of Freedom on the Sense of Presence Generated by Virtual Reality (VR) Head-Mounted Display Systems: A Case Study on the Use of VR in Early Design Studios

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilanka Chandrasekera ◽  
Kinkini Fernando ◽  
Luis Puig
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Early Design ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Simulated Environment ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Being There

The purpose of this research was to explore the use of virtual reality (VR) in early design studios. In this research project, two different types of Head-Mounted Display (HMD) systems were used. One type of HMD provided six degrees of freedom and the other HMD provided three degrees of freedom. The research findings provide comparison on the functionality of the different types of HMDs and the sense of presence in VR environments. Sense of presence is defined as the sense of “being there” in a computer-simulated environment. The outcomes of this research are (a) development of a new presence questionnaire that focuses on newer VR systems and (b) understanding student perception of using VR in design projects.

scholarly journals Listening, Corporeality, Place and Presence

2010 ◽  
pp. 113-127
Author(s):  
Susan Turner
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Film Studies ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Being There

This chapter considers the role of sound, and more specifically, listening, in creating a sense of presence (of “being there”) in “places” recreated by virtual reality technologies. We first briefly review the treatment of sound in place and presence research. Here we give particular attention to the role of sound in inducing a sense of presence in virtual environments that immerse their users in representations of particular places. We then consider the phenomenology of listening, the nature of different types of listening, and their application: listening is active, directed, intentional hearing, and is not merely egocentric, it is body-centric. A classification of modes of listening that draws on work in film studies, virtual reality, and audiology is then proposed as a means of supporting the design of place-centric virtual environments in providing an effective aural experience. Finally, we apply this to a case study of listening in real and simulated soundscapes, and suggest directions for further applications of this work

Virtual Reality

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Gutiérrez-Maldonado ◽  
Marta Ferrer-García ◽  
Antonios Dakanalis ◽  
Giuseppe Riva
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
The Body ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Food Craving ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Being There ◽  
The Individual

In the last twenty years researchers have embraced virtual reality (VR) in order to integrate and extend the assessment tools and treatments currently in use for eating disorders (EDs). Specifically the VR protocols for EDs try to exploit clinically the sense of “presence,” that is, the feeling of “being there” inside the virtual environment. The sense of presence offered by VR can be a powerful tool in therapy because it provides the individual with a world in which he/she can be placed and live a particular experience. This triggers emotional reactions in patients and allows a higher level of self-reflectiveness than that provided by memory and imagination, and greater control than that offered by direct “real” experience. In particular, VR protocols for EDs use technology to alter the experience of the body (embodiment) in real time and as a cue exposure tool for reducing food craving.

The sense of presence in virtual environments:

2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Coding Theory ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Spatial Presence ◽  
Component Structure ◽  
Sense Of Presence ◽  
Being There ◽  
Measure Sense

Abstract. The sense of presence is the feeling of being there in a virtual environment. A three-component self report scale to measure sense of presence is described, the components being sense of spatial presence, involvement, and realness. This three-component structure was developed in a survey study with players of 3D games (N = 246) and replicated in a second survey study (N = 296); studies using the scale for measuring the effects of interaction on presence provide evidence for validity. The findings are explained by the Potential Action Coding Theory of presence, which assumes that presence develops from mental model building and suppression of the real environment.

scholarly journals Comparative evaluation of WIMP and immersive natural finger interaction: a user study on CAD assembly modeling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Fechter ◽  
Benjamin Schleich ◽  
Sandro Wartzack
Keyword(s):  
User Interfaces ◽  
User Study ◽  
Spatial Location ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Natural Interaction ◽  
Assembly Modeling ◽  
3D Space ◽  
Computer Mouse ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Assembly Procedure

AbstractVirtual and augmented reality allows the utilization of natural user interfaces, such as realistic finger interaction, even for purposes that were previously dominated by the WIMP paradigm. This new form of interaction is particularly suitable for applications involving manipulation tasks in 3D space, such as CAD assembly modeling. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the suitability of natural interaction for CAD assembly modeling in virtual reality. An advantage of the natural interaction compared to the conventional operation by computer mouse would indicate development potential for user interfaces of current CAD applications. Our approach bases on two main elements. Firstly, a novel natural user interface for realistic finger interaction enables the user to interact with virtual objects similar to physical ones. Secondly, an algorithm automatically detects constraints between CAD components based solely on their geometry and spatial location. In order to prove the usability of the natural CAD assembly modeling approach in comparison with the assembly procedure in current WIMP operated CAD software, we present a comparative user study. Results show that the VR method including natural finger interaction significantly outperforms the desktop-based CAD application in terms of efficiency and ease of use.

scholarly journals Back to reality: transition techniques from short HMD-based virtual experiences to the physical world

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Horst ◽  
Ramtin Naraghi-Taghi-Off ◽  
Linda Rau ◽  
Ralf Dörner
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
User Study ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Direct Communication ◽  
Common Presentation ◽  
Presentation Media ◽  
Virtual Experiences ◽  
Short Times

AbstractEvery Virtual Reality (VR) experience has to end at some point. While there already exist concepts to design transitions for users to enter a virtual world, their return from the physical world should be considered, as well, as it is a part of the overall VR experience. We call the latter outro-transitions. In contrast to offboarding of VR experiences, that takes place after taking off VR hardware (e.g., HMDs), outro-transitions are still part of the immersive experience. Such transitions occur more frequently when VR is experienced periodically and for only short times. One example where transition techniques are necessary is in an auditorium where the audience has individual VR headsets available, for example, in a presentation using PowerPoint slides together with brief VR experiences sprinkled between the slides. The audience must put on and take off HMDs frequently every time they switch from common presentation media to VR and back. In a such a one-to-many VR scenario, it is challenging for presenters to explore the process of multiple people coming back from the virtual to the physical world at once. Direct communication may be constrained while VR users are wearing an HMD. Presenters need a tool to indicate them to stop the VR session and switch back to the slide presentation. Virtual visual cues can help presenters or other external entities (e.g., automated/scripted events) to request VR users to end a VR session. Such transitions become part of the overall experience of the audience and thus must be considered. This paper explores visual cues as outro-transitions from a virtual world back to the physical world and their utility to enable presenters to request VR users to end a VR session. We propose and investigate eight transition techniques. We focus on their usage in short consecutive VR experiences and include both established and novel techniques. The transition techniques are evaluated within a user study to draw conclusions on the effects of outro-transitions on the overall experience and presence of participants. We also take into account how long an outro-transition may take and how comfortable our participants perceived the proposed techniques. The study points out that they preferred non-interactive outro-transitions over interactive ones, except for a transition that allowed VR users to communicate with presenters. Furthermore, we explore the presenter-VR user relation within a presentation scenario that uses short VR experiences. The study indicates involving presenters that can stop a VR session was not only negligible but preferred by our participants.

scholarly journals Towards estimating affective states in Virtual Reality based on behavioral data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentin Holzwarth ◽  
Johannes Schneider ◽  
Joshua Handali ◽  
Joy Gisler ◽  
Christian Hirt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
User Study ◽  
Affective State ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Physical Demand ◽  
Perceived Performance ◽  
Sequential Administration ◽  
Better Than

AbstractInferring users’ perceptions of Virtual Environments (VEs) is essential for Virtual Reality (VR) research. Traditionally, this is achieved through assessing users’ affective states before and after being exposed to a VE, based on standardized, self-assessment questionnaires. The main disadvantage of questionnaires is their sequential administration, i.e., a user’s affective state is measured asynchronously to its generation within the VE. A synchronous measurement of users’ affective states would be highly favorable, e.g., in the context of adaptive systems. Drawing from nonverbal behavior research, we argue that behavioral measures could be a powerful approach to assess users’ affective states in VR. In this paper, we contribute by providing methods and measures evaluated in a user study involving 42 participants to assess a users’ affective states by measuring head movements during VR exposure. We show that head yaw significantly correlates with presence, mental and physical demand, perceived performance, and system usability. We also exploit the identified relationships for two practical tasks that are based on head yaw: (1) predicting a user’s affective state, and (2) detecting manipulated questionnaire answers, i.e., answers that are possibly non-truthful. We found that affective states can be predicted significantly better than a naive estimate for mental demand, physical demand, perceived performance, and usability. Further, manipulated or non-truthful answers can also be estimated significantly better than by a naive approach. These findings mark an initial step in the development of novel methods to assess user perception of VEs.

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