System control - the issuing of commands - is a critical, but largely unexplored task in 3D user ... more System control - the issuing of commands - is a critical, but largely unexplored task in 3D user interfaces (3DUIs) for immersive virtual environments (IVEs). System control techniques are normally encompassed by complex interfaces that define how these interaction techniques fit together, which we call system control interfaces (SCIs). Creating a testbed to evaluate these SCIs would be beneficial to researchers and would lead to guidelines for choosing a SCI for particular application scenarios. Unfortunately, a major problem in creating such a testbed is the lack of a standard task sequence - the order of operations in a system control task. In this research, we identify various task sequences, such as the Action-Object and Object- Action task sequences, and evaluate the effects that these sequences have on usability, in hopes of establishing a standard task sequence. Two studies were used to estimate the cognitive effort induced by task sequences and, hence, the effects that thes...
ABSTRACT MATLAB is a popular computational system and programming environment that is used in num... more ABSTRACT MATLAB is a popular computational system and programming environment that is used in numerous engineering and science programs in the United States. One feature of MATLAB is the capability to generate 3D visualizations, which can be used to visualize scientific data or even to simulate engineering models and processes. Unfortunately, MATLAB provides only limited interactivity for these visualizations. As a solution to this problem, we have developed a software system that easily integrates with MATLAB scripts to provide the capability to view visualizations and interact with them in virtual reality (VR) systems. We call this system “ML2VR” and expect it will introduce more users to VR by enabling a large population of MATLAB programmers to easily transition to immersive systems. We will describe the system architecture of ML2VR and report on a successful case study involving the use of ML2VR.
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2015
Virtual reality training systems are commonly used in a variety of domains, and it is important t... more Virtual reality training systems are commonly used in a variety of domains, and it is important to understand how the realism of a training simulation influences training effectiveness. We conducted a controlled experiment to test the effects of display and scenario properties on training effectiveness for a visual scanning task in a simulated urban environment. The experiment varied the levels of field of view and visual complexity during a training phase and then evaluated scanning performance with the simulator's highest levels of fidelity and scene complexity. To assess scanning performance, we measured target detection and adherence to a prescribed strategy. The results show that both field of view and visual complexity significantly affected target detection during training; higher field of view led to better performance and higher visual complexity worsened performance. Additionally, adherence to the prescribed visual scanning strategy during assessment was best when the level of visual complexity during training matched that of the assessment conditions, providing evidence that similar visual complexity was important for learning the technique. The results also demonstrate that task performance during training was not always a sufficient measure of mastery of an instructed technique. That is, if learning a prescribed strategy or skill is the goal of a training exercise, performance in a simulation may not be an appropriate indicator of effectiveness outside of training-evaluation in a more realistic setting may be necessary.
ABSTRACT: This project investigated technologies and intervention strategies for reducing injurie... more ABSTRACT: This project investigated technologies and intervention strategies for reducing injuries and fatalities from powered haulage equipment in the metal/non-metal mining industry through improved worker training using virtual environments (VEs). The investigation focused on two primary equipments: haul trucks and conveyor systems. The research team developed VE applications to improve worker training for each type of equipment. The effectiveness and cost-benefit ratio of these VE training tools were ...
Considerations for the use of commercial video games in controlled experiments ... Ryan P. McMaha... more Considerations for the use of commercial video games in controlled experiments ... Ryan P. McMahan * , Eric D. Ragan, Anamary Leal, Robert J. Beaton, Doug A. Bowman ... Center for Human–Computer Interaction and Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, 2202 Kraft Drive, KWII Building (0106), Blacksburg, VA 24061-0106, USA ... Article history: Received 10 October 2010 Revised 17 January 2011 Accepted 3 March 2011 Available online 15 March 2011 ... Keywords: Commercial video game Controlled experiment Ecological validity
Abstract: Because effective navigation in 3D virtual environments (VEs) depends on the specifics ... more Abstract: Because effective navigation in 3D virtual environments (VEs) depends on the specifics of the travel techniques and the display system, we compared two travel techniques (steering and target-based) and two display conditions-a high-fidelity setup (a four-wall display with stereo and head-tracking) and a lower-fidelity setup (a single wall display without stereo or head-tracking). In a controlled experiment, we measured performance on travel-intensive data analysis tasks in a complex underground cave ...
In VR, users are placed into a computer-generated 3D world that can be viewed and navigated in re... more In VR, users are placed into a computer-generated 3D world that can be viewed and navigated in real time [1]. With high-end VR displays, such as CAVEs and headmounted displays, virtual objects can appear to exist in real 3D space, and the virtual world can appear to surround the user physically. In AR, virtual objects and information are overlaid onto the user's view of the real world [2], and in the most advanced AR systems (eg, see-through head-worn displays), these augmentations can appear to become part of the real ...
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2012
In recent years, consumers have witnessed a technological revolution that has delivered more-real... more In recent years, consumers have witnessed a technological revolution that has delivered more-realistic experiences in their own homes through high-definition, stereoscopic televisions and natural, gesture-based video game consoles. Although these experiences are more realistic, offering higher levels of fidelity, it is not clear how the increased display and interaction aspects of fidelity impact the user experience. Since immersive virtual reality (VR) allows us to achieve very high levels of fidelity, we designed and conducted a study that used a six-sided CAVE to evaluate display fidelity and interaction fidelity independently, at extremely high and low levels, for a VR first-person shooter (FPS) game. Our goal was to gain a better understanding of the effects of fidelity on the user in a complex, performance-intensive context. The results of our study indicate that both display and interaction fidelity significantly affect strategy and performance, as well as subjective judgments of presence, engagement, and usability. In particular, performance results were strongly in favor of two conditions: low-display, low-interaction fidelity (representative of traditional FPS games) and high-display, high-interaction fidelity (similar to the real world).
Despite the gaming industry's recent trend for using ¿natural¿ interaction techniques, which mi... more Despite the gaming industry's recent trend for using ¿natural¿ interaction techniques, which mimic real world actions with a high level of fidelity, it is not clear how natural interaction techniques affect the player experience. In order to obtain a better understanding, we designed and conducted a study using Mario Kart Wii, a commercial racing game for the Nintendo Wii. We chose this platform due to its seemingly balanced design of both natural and non-natural interaction techniques. Our empirical study of these techniques found that the non-natural interaction techniques significantly outperform their more natural counterparts. We offer three hypotheses to explain our finding and suggest them as important interaction design considerations.
System control - the issuing of commands - is a critical, but largely unexplored task in 3D user ... more System control - the issuing of commands - is a critical, but largely unexplored task in 3D user interfaces (3DUIs) for immersive virtual environments (IVEs). System control techniques are normally encompassed by complex interfaces that define how these interaction techniques fit together, which we call system control interfaces (SCIs). Creating a testbed to evaluate these SCIs would be beneficial to researchers and would lead to guidelines for choosing a SCI for particular application scenarios. Unfortunately, a major problem in creating such a testbed is the lack of a standard task sequence - the order of operations in a system control task. In this research, we identify various task sequences, such as the Action-Object and Object- Action task sequences, and evaluate the effects that these sequences have on usability, in hopes of establishing a standard task sequence. Two studies were used to estimate the cognitive effort induced by task sequences and, hence, the effects that thes...
ABSTRACT MATLAB is a popular computational system and programming environment that is used in num... more ABSTRACT MATLAB is a popular computational system and programming environment that is used in numerous engineering and science programs in the United States. One feature of MATLAB is the capability to generate 3D visualizations, which can be used to visualize scientific data or even to simulate engineering models and processes. Unfortunately, MATLAB provides only limited interactivity for these visualizations. As a solution to this problem, we have developed a software system that easily integrates with MATLAB scripts to provide the capability to view visualizations and interact with them in virtual reality (VR) systems. We call this system “ML2VR” and expect it will introduce more users to VR by enabling a large population of MATLAB programmers to easily transition to immersive systems. We will describe the system architecture of ML2VR and report on a successful case study involving the use of ML2VR.
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2015
Virtual reality training systems are commonly used in a variety of domains, and it is important t... more Virtual reality training systems are commonly used in a variety of domains, and it is important to understand how the realism of a training simulation influences training effectiveness. We conducted a controlled experiment to test the effects of display and scenario properties on training effectiveness for a visual scanning task in a simulated urban environment. The experiment varied the levels of field of view and visual complexity during a training phase and then evaluated scanning performance with the simulator's highest levels of fidelity and scene complexity. To assess scanning performance, we measured target detection and adherence to a prescribed strategy. The results show that both field of view and visual complexity significantly affected target detection during training; higher field of view led to better performance and higher visual complexity worsened performance. Additionally, adherence to the prescribed visual scanning strategy during assessment was best when the level of visual complexity during training matched that of the assessment conditions, providing evidence that similar visual complexity was important for learning the technique. The results also demonstrate that task performance during training was not always a sufficient measure of mastery of an instructed technique. That is, if learning a prescribed strategy or skill is the goal of a training exercise, performance in a simulation may not be an appropriate indicator of effectiveness outside of training-evaluation in a more realistic setting may be necessary.
ABSTRACT: This project investigated technologies and intervention strategies for reducing injurie... more ABSTRACT: This project investigated technologies and intervention strategies for reducing injuries and fatalities from powered haulage equipment in the metal/non-metal mining industry through improved worker training using virtual environments (VEs). The investigation focused on two primary equipments: haul trucks and conveyor systems. The research team developed VE applications to improve worker training for each type of equipment. The effectiveness and cost-benefit ratio of these VE training tools were ...
Considerations for the use of commercial video games in controlled experiments ... Ryan P. McMaha... more Considerations for the use of commercial video games in controlled experiments ... Ryan P. McMahan * , Eric D. Ragan, Anamary Leal, Robert J. Beaton, Doug A. Bowman ... Center for Human–Computer Interaction and Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, 2202 Kraft Drive, KWII Building (0106), Blacksburg, VA 24061-0106, USA ... Article history: Received 10 October 2010 Revised 17 January 2011 Accepted 3 March 2011 Available online 15 March 2011 ... Keywords: Commercial video game Controlled experiment Ecological validity
Abstract: Because effective navigation in 3D virtual environments (VEs) depends on the specifics ... more Abstract: Because effective navigation in 3D virtual environments (VEs) depends on the specifics of the travel techniques and the display system, we compared two travel techniques (steering and target-based) and two display conditions-a high-fidelity setup (a four-wall display with stereo and head-tracking) and a lower-fidelity setup (a single wall display without stereo or head-tracking). In a controlled experiment, we measured performance on travel-intensive data analysis tasks in a complex underground cave ...
In VR, users are placed into a computer-generated 3D world that can be viewed and navigated in re... more In VR, users are placed into a computer-generated 3D world that can be viewed and navigated in real time [1]. With high-end VR displays, such as CAVEs and headmounted displays, virtual objects can appear to exist in real 3D space, and the virtual world can appear to surround the user physically. In AR, virtual objects and information are overlaid onto the user's view of the real world [2], and in the most advanced AR systems (eg, see-through head-worn displays), these augmentations can appear to become part of the real ...
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2012
In recent years, consumers have witnessed a technological revolution that has delivered more-real... more In recent years, consumers have witnessed a technological revolution that has delivered more-realistic experiences in their own homes through high-definition, stereoscopic televisions and natural, gesture-based video game consoles. Although these experiences are more realistic, offering higher levels of fidelity, it is not clear how the increased display and interaction aspects of fidelity impact the user experience. Since immersive virtual reality (VR) allows us to achieve very high levels of fidelity, we designed and conducted a study that used a six-sided CAVE to evaluate display fidelity and interaction fidelity independently, at extremely high and low levels, for a VR first-person shooter (FPS) game. Our goal was to gain a better understanding of the effects of fidelity on the user in a complex, performance-intensive context. The results of our study indicate that both display and interaction fidelity significantly affect strategy and performance, as well as subjective judgments of presence, engagement, and usability. In particular, performance results were strongly in favor of two conditions: low-display, low-interaction fidelity (representative of traditional FPS games) and high-display, high-interaction fidelity (similar to the real world).
Despite the gaming industry's recent trend for using ¿natural¿ interaction techniques, which mi... more Despite the gaming industry's recent trend for using ¿natural¿ interaction techniques, which mimic real world actions with a high level of fidelity, it is not clear how natural interaction techniques affect the player experience. In order to obtain a better understanding, we designed and conducted a study using Mario Kart Wii, a commercial racing game for the Nintendo Wii. We chose this platform due to its seemingly balanced design of both natural and non-natural interaction techniques. Our empirical study of these techniques found that the non-natural interaction techniques significantly outperform their more natural counterparts. We offer three hypotheses to explain our finding and suggest them as important interaction design considerations.
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