Immersiveness of ubiquitous computing environments prototypes: A case study

The development of ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) environments raises several challenges in terms of their evaluation. Ubicomp virtual reality prototyping tools enable users to experience the system to be developed and are of great help to face those challenges, as they support developers in assessing the consequences of a design decision in the early phases of development. Given the situated nature of ubicomp environments, a particular issue to consider is the level of realism provided by the prototypes. This work presents a case study where two ubicomp prototypes, featuring different levels of immersion (desktop-based versus CAVE-based), were developed and compared. The goal was to determine the cost/benefits relation of both solutions, which provided better user experience results, and whether or not simpler solutions provide the same user experience results as more elaborate one.

La formación de usuarios en una biblioteca virtual universitaria

En un context d'educació a distància i amb usuaris virtuals, la formació en l'ús dels serveis i recursos d'una biblioteca universitària requereix d'una adaptació de les formes tradicionalment ofertes des de les Biblioteques presencials al nou entorn amb mètodes nous i innovadors. En aquest sentit, la Biblioteca de l'UOC ha desenvolupat noves vies de comunicació i nous formats per poder difondre serveis i per formar els nostres usuaris en l'ús d'aquests. La característica comuna de la majoria d'ells, és la de ser 'formació a distància' que es du a terme a través d'un 'Campus virtual'. Les diferents opcions seran analitzades en la comunicació així com les problemàtiques i avantatges que presenten els diversos mètodes de formació duts a terme per les biblioteques universitàries en entorns virtuals.

Towards smart user models in open environments

Our work is concerned with user modelling in open environments. Our proposal then is the line of contributions to the advances on user modelling in open environments thanks so the Agent Technology, in what has been called Smart User Model. Our research contains a holistic study of User Modelling in several research areas related to users. We have developed a conceptualization of User Modelling by means of examples from a broad range of research areas with the aim of improving our understanding of user modelling and its role in the next generation of open and distributed service environments. This report is organized as follow: In chapter 1 we introduce our motivation and objectives. Then in chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 we provide the state-of-the-art on user modelling. In chapter 2, we give the main definitions of elements described in the report. In chapter 3, we present an historical perspective on user models. In chapter 4 we provide a review of user models from the perspective of different research areas, with special emphasis on the give-and-take relationship between Agent Technology and user modelling. In chapter 5, we describe the main challenges that, from our point of view, need to be tackled by researchers wanting to contribute to advances in user modelling. From the study of the state-of-the-art follows an exploratory work in chapter 6. We define a SUM and a methodology to deal with it. We also present some cases study in order to illustrate the methodology. Finally, we present the thesis proposal to continue the work, together with its corresponding work scheduling and temporalisation

Evaluation of Virtual Reality Snowplow Simulator Training: A Literature Review, September 2006

Each winter, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) maintenance operators are primarily responsible for plowing snow off federal and state roads. Drivers typically work long shifts under treacherous conditions. In addition to properly navigating the vehicle, drivers are required to operate several plowing mechanisms simultaneously, such as plow controls and salt sprayers. However, operators have few opportunities during the year to practice and refine their skills. An ideal training program would provide operators with the opportunity to practice these skills under realistic yet safe conditions, as well as provide basic training to novice or less-experienced operators. Recent technological advancements have made driving simulators a desirable training and research tool. This literature review discusses much of the recent research establishing simulator fidelity and espousing its applicability. Additionally, this report provides a summary of behavioral and eye tracking research involving driving simulators. Other research topics include comparisons between novice and expert drivers’ behavioral patterns, methods for avoiding cybersickness in virtual environments, and a synopsis of current personality measures with respect to job performance and driving performance. This literature review coincides with a study designed to examine the effectiveness of virtual reality snowplow simulator training for current maintenance operators, using the TranSim VS III truck and snowplow simulator recently purchased by the Iowa DOT.

Práticas de Apoio à Supervisão Pedagógica com Recurso a um Ambiente Virtual na Universidade de Cabo Verde

Neste artigo pretendemos relatar uma experiência de apoio à supervisão de estágio e de dinamização de duas disciplinas na licenciatura de Ciências da Educação – Percurso de Desenvolvimento Pessoal e Social na Universidade de Cabo Verde (Uni-CV), com recurso à Moodle. Esta experiência, em curso, enquadra-se num projeto de Investigação-Ação (IA) a decorrer e com o qual se pretende melhorar a prática de orientação/supervisão de estágios pedagógicos no contexto da Uni-CV. Este texto reporta-se a um dos momentos de desenvolvimento do projeto, relativo à caraterização das competências tecnológicas dos estagiários/estudantes, principais destinatários desta ação e das suas expectativas em relação ao trabalho com ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem. Os dados foram recolhidos com recurso a um inquérito por questionário e a partir da sua análise constatamos que os inquiridos têm alguma facilidade de navegação na Web, possuem também competências básicas para o trabalho em ambientes online, assim como vontade experienciar trabalhar em diferentes ambientes de aprendizagem. As principais dificuldades identificadas, prendem-se com a dificuldade de acesso a um computador e à Internet.

Reinforcement learning utilizes proxemics: an avatar learns to manipulate the position of people in immersive virtual reality

A reinforcement learning (RL) method was used to train a virtual character to move participants to a specified location. The virtual environment depicted an alleyway displayed through a wide field-of-view head-tracked stereo head-mounted display. Based on proxemics theory, we predicted that when the character approached within a personal or intimate distance to the participants, they would be inclined to move backwards out of the way. We carried out a between-groups experiment with 30 female participants, with 10 assigned arbitrarily to each of the following three groups: In the Intimate condition the character could approach within 0.38m and in the Social condition no nearer than 1.2m. In the Random condition the actions of the virtual character were chosen randomly from among the same set as in the RL method, and the virtual character could approach within 0.38m. The experiment continued in each case until the participant either reached the target or 7 minutes had elapsed. The distributions of the times taken to reach the target showed significant differences between the three groups, with 9 out of 10 in the Intimate condition reaching the target significantly faster than the 6 out of 10 who reached the target in the Social condition. Only 1 out of 10 in the Random condition reached the target. The experiment is an example of applied presence theory: we rely on the many findings that people tend to respond realistically in immersive virtual environments, and use this to get people to achieve a task of which they had been unaware. This method opens up the door for many such applications where the virtual environment adapts to the responses of the human participants with the aim of achieving particular goals.

Upward influence tactics in virtual work settings

The globalization of work within organizations has generated a greater need for all type of workers to exert interpersonal influence through technology-mediated communication tools. This paper contributes to the analysis of interpersonal relations in virtual environments from a specific perspective: the choice of upward influence tactics. We propose that virtualwork settings may impact the upward influence tactic selected, as well as thecommunication medium used to enact it. In particular, we study whether the types of upward influence strategies found in presence environments, are relevant in a virtual work context. This research also analyzes the link between communication media and influence tactics used. Preliminary results suggest that there is an influence tactic that is specific of virtual work relations, which may be called intermediation and consists of finding an intermediary that is well connected with the target and can help in defining the best approach by the agent.

Memòria justificativa de recerca de la convocatòria MQD: PRESENT@: sala de graus virtual multidisciplinar

Un treball final de carrera (TFC) és un dels últims passos de molts estudis, com per exemple els graus d'enginyeria. Els estudiants solen presentar els resultats del seu projecte final en una presentació pública, on un comitè avalua el seu treball. Els estudiants, en aquesta activitat, s'ocupen de competències com ara: fer presentacions orals efectives en entorns públics, en una situació estressant. Però, es pot assolir aquesta competència en un entorn virtual?A la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), una universitat 100% virtual, es proposa una solució basada en les presentacions en vídeo que es pugen en una eina, Present@, que els permet compartir les presentacions i permet fer preguntes i escriure les respostes en un entorn obert.Present@ ofereix una eina millorada per pujar vídeos, que simplifica el procés i fa que sigui apropiada per als estudiants de qualsevol àrea de coneixement. Però treballar amb vídeos va un pas més enllà i requereix també la tecnologia adequada per donar suport a aquest tipus d'arxius. Així, s'ha afegit al Present@ un servei d'"streaming", Kaltura. Amb aquest servei els estudiants poden pujar fàcilment gairebé qualsevol format de vídeo i és possible fer comentaris en vídeo.131 estudiants han estat usant el Present@ durant 4 semestres. Per avaluar l'eina, els estudiants han contestat un qüestionari i de les respostes rebudes es conclou que aquest enfocament permet als estudiants virtuals adquirir la major part de les competències relacionades amb el TFC i, en concret, amb la dissertació virtual en entorns virtuals. Potser l'única característica a què no s'enfronten és la tensió de les preguntes.És important assenyalar que, gràcies a les millores introduïdes, el Present@ està present, actualment en més de 100 aules a UOC i s'utilitza no només per al TFC, sinó també per explicar assignatures per ajudar els estudiants

Reinforcement learning utilizes proxemics: an avatar learns to manipulate the position of people in immersive virtual reality

A reinforcement learning (RL) method was used to train a virtual character to move participants to a specified location. The virtual environment depicted an alleyway displayed through a wide field-of-view head-tracked stereo head-mounted display. Based on proxemics theory, we predicted that when the character approached within a personal or intimate distance to the participants, they would be inclined to move backwards out of the way. We carried out a between-groups experiment with 30 female participants, with 10 assigned arbitrarily to each of the following three groups: In the Intimate condition the character could approach within 0.38m and in the Social condition no nearer than 1.2m. In the Random condition the actions of the virtual character were chosen randomly from among the same set as in the RL method, and the virtual character could approach within 0.38m. The experiment continued in each case until the participant either reached the target or 7 minutes had elapsed. The distributions of the times taken to reach the target showed significant differences between the three groups, with 9 out of 10 in the Intimate condition reaching the target significantly faster than the 6 out of 10 who reached the target in the Social condition. Only 1 out of 10 in the Random condition reached the target. The experiment is an example of applied presence theory: we rely on the many findings that people tend to respond realistically in immersive virtual environments, and use this to get people to achieve a task of which they had been unaware. This method opens up the door for many such applications where the virtual environment adapts to the responses of the human participants with the aim of achieving particular goals.

An Analysis of Eye Scanpath Entropy in a Progressively Forming Virtual Environment

A sign of presence in virtual environments is that people respond to situations and events as if they were real, where response may be considered at many different levels, ranging from unconscious physiological responses through to overt behavior,emotions, and thoughts. In this paper we consider two responses that gave different indications of the onset of presence in a gradually forming environment. Two aspects of the response of people to an immersive virtual environment were recorded: their eye scanpath, and their skin conductance response (SCR). The scenario was formed over a period of 2 min, by introducing an increasing number of its polygons in random order in a head-tracked head-mounted display. For one group of experimental participants (n 8) the environment formed into one in which they found themselves standing on top of a 3 m high column. For a second group of participants (n 6) the environment was otherwise the same except that the column was only 1 cm high, so that they would be standing at normal ground level. For a third group of participants (n 14) the polygons never formed into a meaningful environment. The participants who stood on top of the tall column exhibited a significant decrease in entropy of the eye scanpath and an increase in the number of SCR by 99 s into the scenario, at a time when only 65% of the polygons had been displayed. The ground level participants exhibited a similar decrease in scanpath entropy, but not the increase in SCR. The random scenario grouping did not exhibit this decrease in eye scanpath entropy. A drop in scanpath entropy indicates that the environment had cohered into a meaningful perception. An increase in the rate of SCR indicates the perception of an aversive stimulus. These results suggest that on these two dimensions (scanpath entropy and rate of SCR) participants were responding realistically to the scenario shown in the virtual environment. In addition, the response occurred well before the entire scenario had been displayed, suggesting that once a set of minimal cues exists within a scenario,it is enough to form a meaningful perception. Moreover, at the level of the sympathetic nervous system, the participants who were standing on top of the column exhibited arousal as if their experience might be real. This is an important practical aspect of the concept of presence.

The Impact of a Character Posture Model on the Communication of Affect in an Immersive Virtual Environment

This paper presents the quantitative and qualitative findings from an experiment designed to evaluate a developing model of affective postures for full-body virtual characters in immersive virtual environments (IVEs). Forty-nine participants were each requested to explore a virtual environment by asking two virtual characters for instructions. The participants used a CAVE-like system to explore the environment. Participant responses and their impression of the virtual characters were evaluated through a wide variety of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Combining a controlled experimental approach with various data-collection methods provided a number of advantages such as providing a reason to the quantitative results. The quantitative results indicate that posture plays an important role in the communication of affect by virtual characters. The qualitative findings indicated that participants attribute a variety of psychological states to the behavioral cues displayed by virtual characters. In addition, participants tended to interpret the social context portrayed by the virtual characters in a holistic manner. This suggests that one aspect of the virtual scene colors the perception of the whole social context portrayed by the virtual characters. We conclude by discussing the importance of designing holistically congruent virtual characters especially in immersive settings.

The effect on lower spine muscle activation of walking on a narrow beam in virtual reality

To what extent do people behave in immersive virtual environments as they would in similar situations in a physical environment? There are many ways to address this question, ranging from questionnaires, behavioral studies, and the use of physiological measures. Here, we compare the onsets of muscle activity using surface electromyography (EMG) while participants were walking under three different conditions: on a normal floor surface, on a narrow ribbon along the floor, and on a narrow platform raised off the floor. The same situation was rendered in an immersive virtual environment (IVE) Cave-like system, and 12 participants did the three types of walking in a counter-balanced within-groups design. The mean number of EMG activity onsets per unit time followed the same pattern in the virtual environment as in the physical environment-significantly higher for walking on the platform compared to walking on the floor. Even though participants knew that they were in fact really walking at floor level in the virtual environment condition, the visual illusion of walking on a raised platform was sufficient to influence their behavior in a measurable way. This opens up the door for this technique to be used in gait and posture related scenarios including rehabilitation.

Communication challenges in virtual teams – a case study of implementing computer-mediated communication technologies in inter-organisational virtual teams

This thesis seeks to answer, if communication challenges in virtual teams can be overcome with the help of computer-mediated communication. Virtual teams are becoming more common work method in many global companies. In order for virtual teams to reach their maximum potential, effective asynchronous and synchronous methods for communication are needed. The thesis covers communication in virtual teams, as well as leadership and trust building in virtual environments with the help of CMC. First, the communication challenges in virtual teams are identified by using a framework of knowledge sharing barriers in virtual teams by Rosen et al. (2007) Secondly, the leadership and trust in virtual teams are defined in the context of CMC. The performance of virtual teams is evaluated in the case study by exploiting these three dimensions. With the help of a case study of two virtual teams, the practical issues related to selecting and implementing communication technologies as well as overcoming knowledge sharing barriers is being discussed. The case studies involve a complex inter-organisational setting, where four companies are working together in order to maintain a new IT system. The communication difficulties are related to inadequate communication technologies, lack of trust and the undefined relationships of the stakeholders and the team members. As a result, it is suggested that communication technologies are needed in order to improve the virtual team performance, but are not however solely capable of solving the communication challenges in virtual teams. In addition, suitable leadership and trust between team members are required in order to improve the knowledge sharing and communication in virtual teams.

University teacher competences in a virtual teaching/learning environment : analysis of a teacher training experience

This paper attempts to shed light on the competencies a teacher must have inorder to teach in online university environments. We will relate a teacher trainingexperience, which was designed taking into account the methodological criteriaestablished in line with previous theoretical principles. The main objective of ouranalysis is to identify the achievements and difficulties of a specific formativeexperience, with the ultimate goal of assessing the suitability of this conceptualmethodologicalframework for the design of formative proposals aiming to contribute tothe development of teacher competencies for virtual environments.

User Centered Desing in E-Learning Environments : from Usability to Learner Experience

The advent of the Internet had a great impact on distance education and rapidly e-learning has become a killer application. Education institutions worldwide are taking advantage of the available technology in order to facilitate education to a growing audience. Everyday, more and more people use e-learning systems, environments and contents for both training and learning. E-learning promotes educationamong people that due to different reasons could not have access to education: people who could nottravel, people with very little free time, or withdisabilities, etc. As e-learning systems grow and more people are accessing them, it is necessary to consider when designing virtual environments the diverse needs and characteristics that different users have. This allows building systems that people can use easily, efficiently and effectively, where the learning process leads to a good user experience and becomes a good learning experience.