While 3D degree video in recent times have been object of research, 2D flat frame videos in virtual environments (VE) seemingly have not received the same amount of attention. Specifically, 2D video playback in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) appears to lack exploration in both features and qualities of resolution, audio and interaction, which finally are contributors of presence. This paper reflects on the definitions of Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality, while extending known concepts of immersion and presence to 2D videos in VEs. Relevant attributes of presence that can applied to 2D videos were then investigated in the literature. The main problem was to find out the components and processes of the playback software in VR and MR with company request features and delimitations in consideration, and possibly, how to adjust those components to induce a greater presence within primarily the 2D video, and secondary the VE, although the mediums of visual information indeed are related and thus influence each other. The thesis work took place at Advrty, a company developing a brand advertising platform for VR and MR. The exploration and testing of the components, was done through the increment of a creating a basic standalone 2D video player, then through a second increment by implementing a video player into VR and MR. Comparisons with the proof-of-concept video players in VR and MR as well as the standalone video player were made. The results of the study show a feasible way of making a video player for VR and MR. In the discussion of the work, open source libraries in a commercial software; the technical limitations of the current VR and MR Head-mounted Displays (HMD); relevant presence inducing attributes as well as the choice of method were reflected upon. / Medan 360 graders video under senare tid varit föremål för studier, så verkar inte traditionella rektangulära 2D videos i virtuella miljöer ha fått samma uppmärksamhet. Mer specifikt, 2D videouppspelning i Virtual Reality (VR) och Mixed Reality (MR) verkar sakna utforskning i egenskaper som upplösning, ljud och interaktion, som slutligen bidrar till ”presence” i videon och den virtuella miljön. Det här pappret reflekterar över definitionerna VR och MR, samtidigt som den utökar de kända koncepten ”immersion” och ”presence” för 2D video i virtuella miljöer. Relevanta attribut till ”presence” som kan appliceras på 2D video utreddes sedan med hjälp av litteraturen. Det huvudsakliga problemet var att ta reda på komponenterna och processerna i den mjukvara som skall spela upp video i VR och MR med företagsönskemål och avgränsningar i åtanke, och möjligen, hur man kan justera dessa komponenter för att utöka närvaron i framförallt 2D video och sekundärt den virtuella miljön, även om dessa medium är relaterade och kan påverka varandra. Examensarbetet tog plats på Advrty, ett företag som utvecklar en annonseringsplattform för VR och MR. Utveckling och framtagande av komponenterna, var gjorda genom inkrementell utveckling där en enklare 2D videospelare skapades, sedan genom en andra inkrementell fas där videospelaren implementerades i VR och MR. Jämförelser med proof-of-concept-videospelaren i VR och MR samt den enklare videospelaren gjordes. I diskussionen om arbetet, gjordes reflektioner på användningen av open source-bibliotek i en kommersiell applikation, de tekniska begränsningarna i nuvarande VR och MR Head-mounted displays, relevanta ”presence” inducerande attribut samt val av metod för utvecklingen av videospelaren.

Placement of virtual objects in Augmented Reality is often done without regarding the artifacts in the physical environment. This thesis investigates how placement can be done with the artifacts included. It only considers placement of wall mounted objects. Through the development of two prototypes, using detected edges in RGB-images in combination with volumetric properties to identify the artifacts, arreas will be suggested for placement of virtual objects. The first prototype analyze each triangle in the model, which is an intensive and with low precision on the localization of the physical artifacts. The second prototype analyzed the detected RGB-edges in world space, which proved to detect the features with precise localization and a reduce calculation time. The second prototype manages this in a controlled setting. However, a more challenging environment would possibly pose other issues. In conclusion, placement in relation to volumetric and edge information from images in the environment is possible and could enhance the experience of being in a mixed reality, where physical and virtual objects coexist in the same world. / Placering av virtuella objekt i Augumented Reality görs ofta utan att ta hänsyn till objekt i den fysiska miljön. Den här studien utreder hur placering kan göras med hänsyn till den fysiska miljön och dess objekt. Den behandlar enbart placering av objekt på vertikala ytor. För undersökningen utvecklas två prototyper som använder sig av kantigenkänning i foton samt en volymmetrisk representation av den fysiska miljön. I denna miljö föreslår prototyperna var placering av objekt kan ske. Den första prototypen analyserar varje triangel i den volymmetriska representationen av rummet, vilket visade sig vara krävande och med låg precision av lokaliseringen av objekt i miljön. Den andra prototypen analyserar de detekterade kanterna i fotona och projicerar dem till deras positioner i miljön. Vilket var något som visade sig hitta objekt i rummet med god precision samt snabbare än den första prototypen. Den andra prototypen lyckas med detta i en kontrollerad miljö. I en mer komplex och utmanande miljö kan problem uppstå. Placering av objekt i Augumented Reality med hänsyn till både en volymmetrisk och texturerad representation av en miljö kan uppnås. Placeringen kan då ske på ett mer naturligt sätt och därmed förstärka upplevelsen av att virtuella och verkliga objekt befinner sig i samma värld.

The goal of the proposed device and software architecture is to apply the functionality of mixed reality (MR) in order to make a virtual environment that is more accessible to the visually-impaired. We propose a glove-based system for MR that will use finger and hand movement tracking along with tactile feedback so that the visually-impaired can interact with and obtain a more detailed sense of virtual objects and potentially even virtual environments. The software architecture makes current MR frameworks more accessible by augmenting the existing software and extensive 3D model libraries with both the interfacing of the glove-based system and the audibly navigable user interface (UI) of a virtual environment we have developed. We implemented a circuit with finger flexion/extension tracking for all 5 fingers of a single hand and variable vibration intensities for the vibromotors on all 5 fingertips of a single hand. The virtual environment can be hosted on a Windows 10 application. The virtual hand and its fingers can be moved with the system's input and the virtual fingertips touching the virtual objects trigger vibration motors (vibromotors) to vibrate while the virtual objects are being touched. A rudimentary implementation of picking up and moving virtual objects inside the virtual environment is also implemented. In addition to the vibromotor responses, text to speech (TTS) is also implemented in the application for when virtual fingertips touch virtual objects and other relevant events in the virtual environment.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived effectiveness of mixed reality experiences on resident teachers who successfully completed an undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree and were enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program as part of RTP3 at a large research university in Orlando, Florida. The population for this study consisted of those selected to be in the RTP3, which included being in the Masters in the Art of Teaching (MAT) and becoming a middle or high school science, mathematics, or engineering teacher. The resident teachers experienced mixed reality as a method of practice on two occasions. The first was to introduce a lesson with avatar middle school students and a second time to conduct a parent conference with an avatar parent. This study was focused on the resident teachers' perceptions of (a) the effectiveness of mixed reality in the lesson experience and parent conference, (b) the coach's helpfulness after the lesson introduction experience and the parent conference experience, and (c) the extent to which the resident teachers believe that their confidence was increased and they were prepared for future classroom instruction and parent interactions through the use of mixed reality. Data were gathered with a feedback form with Likert-type items and open ended items completed immediately upon completion of each experience, as well as an additional open response document completed at a later time after reflection on the entire experience. The researcher analyzed the two qualitative data sources independently to determine trends and themes. Findings in this study were that the mixed-reality laboratory experience did have a positive effect on the perceptions of the resident teachers regarding their level of preparedness. They were more confident and comfortable teaching a lesson and conducting a parent conference after practicing both experiences with the avatars. Resident teachers overwhelmingly responded that the mixed reality experiences should remain a part of the MAT pedagogy and that they gained insight and confidence through the mixed reality practice. ?

Conventional head-mounted projection displays (HMPDs) contain of a pair of miniature projection lenses, beamsplitters, and miniature displays mounted on the helmet, as well as a retro-reflective screen placed strategically in the environment. We have extened the HMPD technology integrating the screen into a fully mobile embodiment. Some initial efforts of demonstrating this technology has been captured followed by an investigation of the diffraction effects versus image degradation caused by integrating the retro-reflective screen within the HMPD. The key contribution of this research is the conception and development of a mobileHMPD (M-HMPD). We have included an extensive analysis of macro- and microscopic properties that encompass the retro-reflective screen. Furthermore, an evaluation of the overall performance of the optics will be assessed in both object space for the optical designer and visual space for the possible users of this technology. This research effort will also be focused on conceiving a mobile M-HMPD aimed for dual indoor/outdoor applications. The M-HMPD shares the known advantage such as ultralightweight optics (i.e. 8g per eye), unperceptible distortion (i.e. ≤ 2.5%), and lightweight headset (i.e. ≤ 2.5 lbs) compared with eyepiece type head-mounted displays (HMDs) of equal eye relief and field of view. In addition, the M-HMPD also presents an advantage over the preexisting HMPD in that it does not require a retro-reflective screen placed strategically in the environment. This newly developed M-HMPD has the ability to project clear images at three different locations within near- or far-field observation depths without loss of image quality. This particular M-HMPD embodiment was targeted to mixed reality, augmented reality, and wearable display applications.

According to the ASCA National Model, school counselors are expected to deliver classroom guidance lessons; yet, there has been little emphasis on graduate coursework targeting the development and implementation of guidance curriculum lessons in PSC training. A national study conducted by Perusse, Goodnough and Noel (2001) was conducted looking at how counselor educators were training “entry level school counseling students” in the skills needed for them to be successful as PSCs. They found that of the 189 school counseling programs surveyed only 3% offered a guidance curriculum course and 13.2% offered a foundations in education course. Inferring that many of programs surveyed did not have a course specific to classroom guidance and/or classroom management. A classroom guidance curriculum is a developmental, systematic method by which students receive structured lessons that address academic, career, and personal/social competencies (ASCA, 2005). Classroom guidance lessons provide a forum for school counselors to address such student needs as educational resources, postsecondary opportunities, school transitions, bullying, violence prevention, social-emotional development, and academic competence in a classroom environment (Akos & Levitt, 2002; Akos, Cockman & Strickland, 2007; Gerler & Anderson, 1986). Through classroom guidance, school counselors can interact with many of the students that they would normally not see on a day-to-day basis while providing information, building awareness and having discussions on topics that affect these student populations every day. The present study seeks to explore the use of an innovative method for training PSCs in classroom guidance and classroom management. This method iv involves the use of a mixed reality simulation that allows PSC students to learn and practice classroom guidance skills in a simulated environment.

The purpose of this study was to identify if a functional relationship exists between a treatment combination of interview practice in a mixed-reality learning modality (TLE TeachLivETM) and the use of individualized coaching sessions on the interview performance of young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Student participants took part in live preinterviews with the University of Central Florida (UCF) Office of Career Services measuring their current levels of employment interview performance. Student participants then engaged in interviews with avatars in the TLE TeachLivETM lab. After each treatment interview in the lab, student participants received individualized coaching sessions to assist them in improving their interview performance. Interview performance was rated in order to determine if the combination of interview practice and coaching increased student participant performance as measured on an interview rubric. Finally, student participants participated in live post-interviews with Office of Career Services to determine if the two-step instructional training intervention resulted in the improvement of interview performance in a natural, live setting. In addition, student participants, parents/primary caregivers, and an employee expert panel participated in a survey rating the goals, procedures, and outcomes of the study. Results indicated that the combination of interview practice in the TLE TeachLivETM setting and coaching was associated with immediate gains in the interview performance of student participants. Student participant performance also improved in live interview settings. Social validity data indicated that using this combination intervention was both valuable and appropriate in preparing individuals with ID for employment interviews.

Interacting with a Virtual Environment (VE) generally requires the user to correctly perceive the relative position and orientation of virtual objects. For applications requiring interaction in personal space, the user may also need to accurately judge the position of the virtual object relative to that of a real object, for example, a virtual button and the user's real hand. This is difficult since VEs generally only provide a subset of the cues experienced in the real world. Complicating matters further, VEs presented by currently available visual displays may be inaccurate or distorted due to technological limitations. Fundamental physiological and psychological aspects of vision as they pertain to the task of object manipulation were thoroughly reviewed. Other sensory modalities--proprioception, haptics, and audition--and their cross-interactions with each other and with vision are briefly discussed. Visual display technologies, the primary component of any VE, were canvassed and compared. Current applications and research were gathered and categorized by different VE types and object interaction techniques. While object interaction research abounds in the literature, pockets of research gaps remain. Direct, dexterous, manual interaction with virtual objects in Mixed Reality (MR), where the real, seen hand accurately and effectively interacts with virtual objects, has not yet been fully quantified. An experimental test bed was designed to provide the highest accuracy attainable for salient visual cues in personal space. Optical alignment and user calibration were carefully performed. The test bed accommodated the full continuum of VE types and sensory modalities for comprehensive comparison studies. Experimental designs included two sets, each measuring depth perception and object interaction. The first set addressed the extreme end points of the Reality-Virtuality (R-V) continuum--Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) and Reality Environment (RE). This validated, linked, and extended several previous research findings, using one common test bed and participant pool. The results provided a proven method and solid reference points for further research. The second set of experiments leveraged the first to explore the full R-V spectrum and included additional, relevant sensory modalities. It consisted of two full-factorial experiments providing for rich data and key insights into the effect of each type of environment and each modality on accuracy and timeliness of virtual object interaction. The empirical results clearly showed that mean depth perception error in personal space was less than four millimeters whether the stimuli presented were real, virtual, or mixed. Likewise, mean error for the simple task of pushing a button was less than four millimeters whether the button was real or virtual. Mean task completion time was less than one second. Key to the high accuracy and quick task performance time observed was the correct presentation of the visual cues, including occlusion, stereoscopy, accommodation, and convergence. With performance results already near optimal level with accurate visual cues presented, adding proprioception, audio, and haptic cues did not significantly improve performance. Recommendations for future research include enhancement of the visual display and further experiments with more complex tasks and additional control variables.

Chronic pain (CP) significantly affects participation in meaningful occupations. It is a public health problem that comes with substantial social and economic costs (Dagenais et al., 2008; Dahlhamer et al., 2018; Geurts et al., 2018; Treede et al., 2015; Willems et al., 2018). Creating a successful intervention for CP is challenging due to the subjectivity of the pain experience and the complexity of factors associated with pain behavior (Newton et al., 2013; Polacek et al., 2020; Van Huet et al., 2012). This doctoral project details the development of the Sustained-pain Treatment through Augmented Reality Occupation-based Protocol (STAR-OP), a novel treatment protocol that offers practical solutions for an outpatient occupation-based CP intervention. The STAR-OP addresses critical issues for the CP population, including expectation management, home assignments adherence, and the generalization process from clinical practice to the client's home environment. The STAR-OP program uses Augmented Reality technology to facilitate a gradual generalization process, Motivational Interviewing techniques to enhance the therapeutic relationship's effectiveness, and the educational content of the Lifestyle Redesign® protocols presented through an occupational perspective (A. Simon & Collins 2017). The STAR-OP program evaluation examines the effectiveness of the STAR-OP, via a multiple-baseline, single-subject design, institutional review board (IRB)-approved study to be conducted at Lowenstein Rehabilitation Center in Israel.

In recent years, the extended reality (XR) industry has witnessed remarkable growth, revolutionizing various sectors. The potential of XR to reshape industries and create new business opportunities has captured the attention of entrepreneurs and investors alike, leading to the emergence of numerous early stage businesses venturing into this exciting field. Despite the promising prospects, the XR industry remains in a dynamic and evolving state, presenting both opportunities and challenges for early stage businesses seeking to establish themselves within this competitive landscape. This master thesis aims to explore the experiences of early stage businesses within the extended reality (XR) industry, with the goal of understanding the opportunities and challenges they encounter in the current period of study, spring 2023. The study takes a qualitative research approach, employing observations of early stage XR businesses and semi-structured interviews with professionals within the industry and academia of XR. The analysis is based on thematic analysis applying Disruptive Innovation theory and Adoption Curve Theory combined with Gartner’s Hype Cycle. Together with existing literature the analysis creates a picture of the current opportunities and challenges that exists in the XR field, visualized in a prototype of a 3D mind map. These range from areas such as recruitment, financing and technology development to user adoption, ethics and inclusion. They reflect what businesses are facing in early stages of a relatively new industry as well as some of the political, economical and sociocultural factors. Some of the opportunities are high potential to transform and disrupt industries and markets, creating new ways of interacting in virtual worlds as well as new revenue streams. Some of the challenges are low adoption, funding issues and competition with leading players. Ultimately, the research provides valuable insights of the XR industry which could be used when making strategic decisions for professionals and stakeholders.