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.

No / This paper analyses different definitions of mobile learning which have been proposed by various researchers. The most distinctive features of mobile learning are extracted to propose a new definition for Mobile Educational Mixed Reality Games (MEMRG). A questionnaire and a quantifying scale are designed to assist the game developers in designing MEMRG. A new psycho-pedagogical approach to teaching is proposed for MEMRG. This methodology is based on the theme of "conversation" between different actors of the learning community with the objective of building the architectural framework for MEMRG.

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.

Industry 4.0 is a new phase of industrial growth that has been ushered in by the quick development of digital technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and robots. Collaborative robotic products have appeared in this changing environment, enabling robots to collaborate with people in open workspaces. The paradigm changes away from autonomous robotics and toward collaborative human-robot interaction (HRI) has made it necessary to look at novel ways to improve output, effectiveness, and security. Many benefits, including more autonomy and flexibility, have been made possible by the introduction of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and later Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for material handling. However, this incorporation of robots into communal workspaces also brings up safety issues that must be taken into account. This thesis aims to address potential threats arising from the increasing automation in shopfloors and shared workplaces between AMRs and human operators by exploring the capabilities of Mixed Reality (MR) technologies. By harnessing MR's capabilities, the aim is to mitigate safety concerns and optimize the effectiveness of collaborative environments. To achieve this the research is structured around the following sub-objectives: the development of a communication network enabling interaction among all devices in the shared workspace and the creation of a MR user interface promoting accessibility for human operators. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to analyse existing proposals aimed at improving HRI through various techniques and approaches. The objective was to leverage MR technologies to enhance collaboration and address safety concerns, thereby ensuring the smooth integration of AMRs into shared workspaces. While the literature review revealed limited research utilizing MR for data visualization in this specific domain, the goal of this thesis was to go beyond existing solutions by developing a comprehensive approach that prioritizes safety and facilitates operator adaptation. The research findings highlight the superiority of MR in displaying critical information regarding robot intentions and identifying safe zones with reduced AMR activity. The utilization of HoloLens 2 devices, known for their ergonomic design, ensures operator comfort during extended use while enhancing the accuracy of tracking positions and intentions in highly automated environments. The presented information is designed to be concise, customizable, and easily comprehensible, preventing information overload for operators.  The implementation of MR technologies within shared workspaces necessitates ethical considerations, including transparent data collection and user consent. Building trust is essential to establish MR as a reliable tool that enhances operator working conditions and safety. Importantly, the integration of MR technologies does not pose a threat to job displacement but rather facilitates the smooth adaptation of new operators to collaborative environments. The implemented features augment existing safety protocols without compromising efficacy, resulting in an overall improvement in safety within the collaborative workspace. In conclusion, this research showcases the effectiveness of MR technologies in bolstering HRI, addressing safety concerns, and enhancing operator working conditions within collaborative shopfloor environments. Despite encountering limitations in terms of time, complexity, and available information, the developed solution showcases the potential for further improvements. The chosen methodology and philosophical paradigm have successfully attained the research objectives, and crucial ethical considerations have been addressed. Ultimately, this thesis proposes and provides a comprehensive explanation for potential future implementations, aiming to expand the actual capabilities of the solution.