Construction of Intelligent Virtual Worlds Using a Grammatical Framework

The potential of integrating multiagent systems and virtual environments has not been exploited to its whole extent. This paper proposes a model based on grammars, called Minerva, to construct complex virtual environments that integrate the features of agents. A virtual world is described as a set of dynamic and static elements. The static part is represented by a sequence of primitives and transformations and the dynamic elements by a series of agents. Agent activation and communication is achieved using events, created by the so-called event generators. The grammar defines a descriptive language with a simple syntax and a semantics, defined by functions. The semantics functions allow the scene to be displayed in a graphics device, and the description of the activities of the agents, including artificial intelligence algorithms and reactions to physical phenomena. To illustrate the use of Minerva, a practical example is presented: a simple robot simulator that considers the basic features of a typical robot. The result is a functional simple simulator. Minerva is a reusable, integral, and generic system, which can be easily scaled, adapted, and improved. The description of the virtual scene is independent from its representation and the elements that it interacts with.

Group presence in virtual worlds: Supporting collaborative e-learning

Even though e-learning endeavors have significantly proliferated in recent years, current e-learning technologies provide poor support for group-oriented learning. The now popular virtual world's technologies offer a possible solution. Virtual worlds provide the users with a 3D - computer generated shared space in which they can meet and interact through their virtual representations. Virtual worlds are very successful in developing high levels of engagement, presence and group presence in the users. These elements are also desired in educational settings since they are expected to enhance performance. The goal of this research is to test the hypothesis that a virtual world learning environment provides better support for group-oriented collaborative e-learning than other learning environments, because it facilitates the emergence of group presence. To achieve this, a quasi-experimental study was conducted and data was gathered through the use of various survey instruments and a set of collaborative tasks assigned to the participants. Data was gathered on the dependent variables: Engagement, Group Presence, Individual Presence, Perceived Individual Presence, Perceived Group Presence and Performance. The data was analyzed using the statistical procedures of Factor Analysis, Path Analysis, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The study provides support for the hypothesis. The results also show that virtual world learning environments are better than other learning environments in supporting the development of all the dependent variables. It also shows that while only Individual Presence has a significant direct effect on Performance; it is highly correlated with both Engagement and Group Presence. This suggests that these are also important in regards to performance. Developers of e-learning endeavors and educators should incorporate virtual world technologies in their efforts in order to take advantage of the benefit they provide for e-learning group collaboration.

Virtual Worlds for Learning

This chapter examines four papers that have been influential in the use of virtual worlds for learning, but also draws on a range of other research and literature in order to locate virtual world learning across the landscape of higher education. Whilst there is sometimes a misconception that research into learning in virtual worlds is very new, the field began to develop in the late 1990’s and has continued since then. Typical examples of the first iterations of virtual worlds include Second Life, Active Worlds, and Kaneva, which have been available for up to 20 years. The second generation is currently being developed, examples being High Fidelity and Project Sansar. The chapter reviews the literature in this field and suggests central themes that emerge are: Socialisation; Presence and immersion in virtual world learning; Learning collaboratively and Trajectories of participation

Pedagogies in Virtual Worlds

This chapter explores some of the central issues and dilemmas that have emerged from recent research into the pedagogical uses, impact and innovation in virtual worlds. It will begin by discussing the most popular pedagogical approaches employed within the popular virtual world Second Life, noting key trends and identifying areas of potential future growth. It will then consider the ways in which teaching, learning and assessment for Second Life are shaped by and embedded within spatial practices and proxemics, drawing partially on data from two studies undertaken by the authors. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the opportunity to do things differently when designing for disciplinary learning within these new environments, forces a reconsideration of how (virtual) learning spaces might be constituted and experienced by individual users.

Collaboration in 3D virtual worlds : a protocol for case study research

Three-dimensional virtual worlds have been growing fast in number of users, and are used for the most diverse purposes. In collaboration, they are used with good results due to features such as immersion, interaction capabilities, use of avatar embodiment, and physical space. In the particular cases of avatar embodiment and physical space, these features support nonverbal communication, but its impact on collaboration is not well known. In this work we present a protocol for case study research and its creation process, which aims to assert itself as a tool to collect data on how nonverbal communication influences collaboration in three-dimensional virtual worlds. We define the propositions and units of analysis, and a pilot case to validate them. Then, two cases are analysed under the created protocol. Most of the propositions found chains of evidences supporting them.

Requirements for the use of virtual worlds in corporate training : perspectives from the post-mortem of a corporate e-learning provider approach of Second Life and OpenSimulator

Between 2009 and 2011, a joint academia-industry effort took place to integrate Second Life and OpenSimulator platforms into a corporate elearning provider’s learning management platform. The process involved managers and lead developers at the provider and an academic engineering research team. We performed content analysis on the documents produced in this process, seeking data on the corporate perspective of requirements for virtual world platforms to be usable in everyday practice. In this paper, we present the requirements found in the documents, and detail how they emerged and evolved throughout the process.

DesignWorld : a tool for team collaboration in high band virtual environments

Current software tools for documenting and developing models of buildings focus on supporting a single user who is a specialist in the specific software used within their own discipline. Extensions to these tools for use by teams maintain the single discipline view and focus on version and file management. There is a perceived need in industry to have tools that specifically support collaboration among individuals from multiple disciplines with both a graphical representation of the design and a persistent data model. This project involves the development of a prototype of such a software tool. We have identified multi-user 3D virtual worlds as an appropriate software base for the development of a collaborative design tool. These worlds are inherently multi-user and therefore directly support collaboration through a sense of awareness of others in the virtual world, their location within the world, and provide various channels for direct and indirect communication. Such software platforms also provide a 3D building and modelling environment that can be adapted to the needs of the building and construction industry. DesignWorld is a prototype system for collaborative design developed by augmenting the Second Life (SL) commercial software platform1 with a collection web-based tools for communication and design. Agents manage communication between the 3D virtual world and the web-based tools. In addition, agents maintain a persistent external model of designs in the 3D world which can be augmented with data such as relationships, disciplines and versions not usually associated with 3D virtual worlds but required in design scenarios.

Studying collaborative design in high bandwidth virtual environments

In today’s global design world, architectural and other related design firms design across time zones and geographically distant locations. High bandwidth virtual environments have the potential to make a major impact on these global design teams. However, there is insufficient evidence about the way designers collaborate in their normal working environments using traditional and/or digital media. This paper presents a method to study the impact of communication and information technologies on collaborative design practice by comparing design tasks done in a normal working environment with design tasks done in a virtual environment. Before introducing high bandwidth collaboration technology to the work environment, a baseline study is conducted to observe and analyze the existing collaborative process. Designers currently rely on phone, fax, email, and image files for communication and collaboration. Describing the current context is important for comparison with the following phases. We developed the coding scheme that will be used in analyzing three stages of the collaborative design activity. The results will establish the basis for measures of collaborative design activity when a new technology is introduced later to the same work environment – for example, designers using electronic whiteboards, 3D virtual worlds, webcams, and internet phone. The results of this work will form the basis of guidelines for the introduction of technology into global design offices

On the (partially) inalienable rights of participants in virtual communities

As virtual communities become more central to the everyday activities of connected individuals, we face increasingly pressing questions about the proper allocation of power, rights and responsibilities. This paper argues that our current legal discourse is ill-equipped to provide answers that will safeguard the legitimate interests of participants and simultaneously refrain from limiting the future innovative development of these spaces. From social networking sites like Facebook to virtual worlds like World of Warcraft and Second Life, participants who are banned from these communities stand to lose their virtual property, their connections to their friends and family, and their personal expression. Because our legal system views the proprietor’s interests as absolute private property rights, however, participants who are arbitrarily, capriciously or maliciously ejected have little recourse under law. This paper argues that, rather than assuming that a private property and freedom of contract model will provide the most desirable outcomes, a more critical approach is warranted. By rejecting the false dichotomy between ‘public’ and ‘private’ spaces, and recognising some of the absolutist and necessitarian trends in the current property debate, we may be able to craft legal rules that respect the social bonds between participants while simultaneously protecting the interests of developers.

Virtual Environment Visualisation of Executable Business Process Models

Business Process Modelling is a fast growing field in business and information technology, which uses visual grammars to model and execute the processes within an organisation. However, many analysts present such models in a 2D static and iconic manner that is difficult to understand by many stakeholders. Difficulties in understanding such grammars can impede the improvement of processes within an enterprise due to communication problems. In this chapter we present a novel framework for intuitively visualising animated business process models in interactive Virtual Environments. We also show that virtual environment visualisations can be performed with present 2D business process modelling technology, thus providing a low barrier to entry for business process practitioners. Two case studies are presented from film production and healthcare domains that illustrate the ease with which these visualisations can be created. This approach can be generalised to other executable workflow systems, for any application domain being modelled.

Collaborative business process modeling using 3D virtual environments

Process modeling is a complex organizational task that requires many iterations and communication between the business analysts and the domain specialists involved in the process modeling. The challenge of process modeling is exacerbated, when the process of modeling has to be performed in a cross-organizational, distributed environment. Some systems have been developed to support collaborative process modeling, all of which use traditional 2D interfaces. We present an environment for collaborative process modeling, using 3D virtual environment technology. We make use of avatar instantiations of user ego centres, to allow for the spatial embodiment of the user with reference to the process model. We describe an innovative prototype collaborative process modeling approach, implemented as a modeling environment in Second Life. This approach leverages the use of virtual environments to provide user context for editing and collaborative exercises. We present a positive preliminary report on a case study, in which a test group modelled a business process using the system in Second Life.