In recent years, the rapid development of new head-mounted display technology (HMDs) for gaming provides usage opportunities for the mass market. A kickstarter project initiated by a well-known HMD developer Oculus Rift inspired our study. The main purpose of this study was to find out how a HMD will affect user’s expressed level of enjoyment. The method utilized in this study was a quantitative research method based on a research experiment. The thesis reports on a comparative study, in which the same game is played both with and without a HMD. Based on the analysis of our collected data, the results showed that playing games with a HMD does really give a boost in user’s enjoyment level. This may seem as a reasonable conclusion because the HMDs can provide the user with a more realistic and completely immersive in-game environment. Unfortunately there were some limitations in our study, one of the most crucial one was that the hardware was outdated, which significantly affected the reliability of the test results. For future prospects, it is recommended to use a more modern setup to acquire more reliable results, as well as optimizing the experience for the users.

Although virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMD) have been in use since the mid-1960s, the surge in public awareness and access to VR had spurred an increased interest in all industries to investigate the potential of VR as an interaction modality associated with high subjective presence. Many challenges need to be addressed through the disciplined application of research methods, especially combating VR sickness, if this potential is to be realised. This Engineering Doctorate thesis reports a series of investigations within the context of real-world development with a partner company (BMT Defence Service, a naval engineering consultant). The primary interest of the thesis is in the potential of VR for developing cases and uses for this technology in training. The target modality of training was a portable set-up, i.e. sitting down with a laptop, HMD and a game controller. This set up would prove beneficial for providing axillary training to personnel who are not always able to receive regular on-board training. It would also prepare people for situations which are difficult to simulate in real-world conditions. Example cases included familiarisation, line of sight tests, hazard recognition and evacuation procedures. An initial study of VR HMD experience in training scenario highlighted VR sickness as a key limiting factor for usability thus focusing the research on identifying and reducing the factors which induce VR sickness. Prior research suggest that static field of view restrictions could help but only at the cost of loss of presence. There were no reported studies of the effects of restricting the field of view dynamically thus this thesis presents two investigations of dynamic Field of View (FOV) constriction triggered by movement in a virtual space. It was hypothesised that a reduction in FOV reduced the induction of VR sickness. The problem with doing so however was that it may negatively influence presence as the change in FOV could distract the user. This thesis reports the development of a method for adjusting FOV to reduce simulator VR without loss of presence. Two dynamic FOV constriction studies are reported. The first failed to demonstrate a clear effect but subjective user reports suggested methodological and experiential issues in its design. Meanwhile, research into a similar method was published at the 3DUI Symposium at IEEE VR 2016. Fernandes \& Feiner (2016) \cite{DynamicFOV_Feiner16}, who demonstrated that dynamic FOV constriction can reduce VR sickness without compromising presence. However, their work used interaction scenarios with normal walking in an unchallenging virtual environment. Users were not subject to the types of motion which literature suggests are most likely to induce sickness. Consequently, the second DFOV constriction study tested VR sickness reduction in more discomforting situations via involuntary movements and animations on the virtual character and camera. Many of these animations and movements are typical in first-person applications and yet are absent from VR applications. These include for example head-bobbing, falling animations, stumbling, and forward rolls. The aim was to test whether DFOV constriction could allow VR developers to include such facets in future development. It showed that extreme movements still generate VR sickness, despite the use of DFOV constriction, but subjective reports suggest some users appear to benefit. Further research is recommended on introducing user control to the extent of DFOV manipulation. The thesis concludes with an evaluation of the state-of-the-art in DFOV constriction as a general approach to immersive VR interactions, including how the human vestibular system may limit DFOV effectiveness as a means of controlling VR sickness.

Denna undersökning faller under två olika teoretiska fält, Sommerseth (2007), som använder sig av fenomenologins teorier för att förklara realism inom dataspel, och Freeman m.fl. (2000) som har en psykologisk utgångspunkt. Tillsammans används dessa teorier för att undersöka hur spelare uppfattar animationer i förhållande till Oculus Rift. Denna undersökning genomfördes genom åtta kvalitativa intervjuer, där deltagarna fick testa två olika versioner av ett spel, med olika animationer. Deltagarna filmades för att kunna observeras i efterhand. Data visar att spelare påverkas av tidigare erfarenheter och av spelkaraktärens fackla. Detta påverkade vilka animationer deltagarna uppfattade som realistiska. Data visade också på att Freemans m.fl. teori inte gick att applicera eftersom deltagarens spelvana tog över den kognitiva responsen. Vidare forskning kan göras på Freemans m.fl. metod för att se hur spelvanan hindrades, och även se hur spelare påverkas av ett annat objekt än en fackla.

Centralt inom Virtual Reality är upplevelsen att det digitala uppfattas som verkligt. Men varför känns just den här upplevelsen verklig? Genom att undersöka flera olika perspektiv på Virtual Reality, verklighet och nedbrytningar av begrepp inom tidigare Virtual Reality-forskning sökte vi att se hur denna verklighetskänsla uppstod, och kunde användas, inom Virtual Reality-spel. Genom ett gestaltningsarbete som fokuserade på olika typer av scener och kontrollsystem strävade vi mot att föra en diskussion om de olika teoriernas praktiska applikation. / Central to Virtual Reality is the experience of the digital as the real. But from where does this experience stem? By investigating several different perspectives on Virtual Reality, reality and deconstructions of concepts in previous Virtual Reality-science we’ve looked into the creation of this sensation of reality in Virtual Reality-games. Through a practical project, focusing on different types of scenes and control schemes, we then sought to create a discussion focusing on the practical application of the differing theories.

At present, augmented reality (AR) isn’t used to any significant degree in Sweden. However, the technology is considered as the next step in digitizing the constructionprocess. The development of AR has come a long way over the years but has not until recently begun to take shape as a tool to rely on. The purpose of the study has been to investigate today's AR technology and then identify its uses in the construction industry. The focus has been on investigating the possibilities of an application to prevent construction errors and coordination flaws, but also to see if the technology is useful in other ways in the construction process. The method used was based on a summary of technical reports of AR technology in a literature study. Applications and future possibilities with the technology have been described while the tracking systems and devices behind the applications have been studied. Interviews were conducted with staff at different positions at the workplace, working closely with the design and production. Based on these interviews, uses, advantages, shortcomings and development opportunities with AR to reduce construction errors have been established. The report points out that there are sufficiently good positioning systems currently available for AR to be applied to a construction site and that these are constantlybeing developed. However, further development of AR applications is required to enable them to meet the functions needed to overcome construction errors and coordination flaws. Even the devices that are most advantageous for the construction industry need more work to increase performance and eliminate possible health risks such as dizziness and nausea in constant use. At present, AR can be applied for simpler tasks such as illustrating models during meetings or for sale. / I dagsläget används inte förstärkt verklighet (AR) i någon markant utsträckning i Sverige. Teknologin anses dock som nästa steg i digitaliseringen av byggprocessen. Utvecklingen av AR har kommit långt under åren men har inte förrän nyligen börjat ta form som ett verktyg att förlita sig på. Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka dagens AR teknologi för att sedan identifiera dess användningsmöjligheter inom byggbranschen. Fokuset har legat på att undersöka möjligheterna med en applicering för att förhindra att byggfel och samordningsbrister uppstår men även för att se om teknologin är användbar på andra sätt i byggprocessen. Metoden som användes utgick ifrån en samlad information från tekniska rapporter om tekniken bakom AR i en litteraturstudie. Användningsområden och framtida möjligheter med tekniken har beskrivits samtidigt som de spårningssystem och enheter bakom applikationerna har studerats. Intervjuer utfördes med personal på olika positioner på arbetsplatsen som arbetar nära projekteringen och produktionen. Utifrån dessa intervjuer har användningsområden, fördelar, brister och utvecklingsmöjligheter med AR för att minska byggfel fastställts.Rapporten pekar på att det finns tillräckligt bra positioneringssystem i dagsläget för att AR ska kunna tillämpas på en byggarbetsplats och att dessa kontinuerligt utvecklas. Det krävs emellertid ytterligare utveckling av AR-applikationer för att dessa ska kunna uppfylla de funktioner som behövs för att avstyra byggfel och samordningsbrister. Även de enheter som är mest fördelaktiga att använda för byggbranschen behöver mer arbete för att öka prestandan och avstyra eventuella hälsorisker som yrsel och illamående vid ett konstant användande. I dagsläget kan AR appliceras för simplare uppgifter som att illustrera modeller under möten eller för försäljning.

The United States Air Force (USAF) trains C-130H Loadmaster students at Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB) through a civilian contract. The Aircrew Training System (ATS) contractor utilizes a Fuselage Trainer (FuT) to provide scenarios for the Loadmaster students to practice loading and unloading a simulated aircraft. The problem was the USAF does not have enough training devices and these devices are not at a high enough fidelity to accomplish many of the aircraft functions to meet the training objectives before flying on the actual aircraft. The ATS has moved the pilot's initial training into the Weapon System Trainer (WST). The WST has nearly eliminated all the aircraft flights for pilot initial instrument training because the simulator is life-like enough to accomplish the training tasks to qualify the students in the device. The Loadmaster student flights are scheduled based upon the pilot's flight training, thus forcing the Loadmaster students to utilize some other type of simulator device for their initial training. The goal was to investigate an efficient and effective AR training system to instruct Loadmaster skills before they train on the aircraft. The investigation examined the use of a prototype Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) AR device attached to the Loadmaster's helmet. Three scenarios provided a basis to evaluate the different aspects of hardware and software needed to utilize an HMD as a Loadmaster training tool. The scenarios tested how the AR device may improve the C-130H Loadmaster training capabilities to learn normal and emergency procedures to students in the FuT. The results show a way to save the government thousands of dollars in fuel cost savings and open the eyes of the training contractor to a new way of training students using AR.

<p>Organic Light Emitting Displays (OLEDs) are a new type of thin emissive displays predicted to possess superior properties to existing techniques e.g. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The main advantages are low power consumption and a thin display structure. This report contains an explanation of the emissive OLED technology, its functionality and the physics of the organic layer structure in an OLED. The technology is described with respect to the two classes of organic materials used in displays, small molecules and conjugated polymers. </p><p>The information is derived from a study of literature and from different measurements performed on a full-colour OLED microdisplay, based on colour filters. The evaluation of the OLED revealed the main disadvantage of an unsatisfactory lifetime of approximately only one week. The results of the measurements and study are furthermore compared to the traditional LCD technology. </p><p>A conclusion with the advantages and drawbacks with the OLED technology summarises the report together with a short analysis of the future for OLEDs, partly achieved through a written enquiry sent to approximately 20 possible OLED manufactures.</p>

This project starts with the idea to develop a game to train people in evacuation drills. The game has to allow people to learn evacuation plans. To do it, the core aspect to be considered is the transfer of spatial knowledge from a virtual environment. Hence in this study, the transfer of spatial knowledge has been evaluated. In particular, the acquisition from a virtual environment has been compared between head mounted display and desktop display. 26 subjects have participated in the experiment. They have been divided in two groups: the first group played the game with a desktop display, the second group played with a head mounted display. The collected data and feedback underline that it is possible to acquire spatial knowledge from a virtual environment, and that participants who used a desktop display obtain more nformation than participants who used head mounted display.

This thesis studies the acquisition of spatial knowledge, through the use of virtual reality, and the role that audio can have in this type of learning. Two versions of a simulator were developed, one with the presence of audio and the other one without. 26 participants, divided into two groups (one group per version), were tested the simulator. The goal is to understand if the version with audio would lead to greater learning than the other. The results show that there was no difference between the groups and that they have learned in the same way. Both groups have subjects who suffered nausea or dizziness, with a greater presence in the group with the audio. Future work could consider trying to reduce the problem of these symptoms to have a clearer analysis.

abstract: The medical field is constantly looking for technological solutions to reduce user-error and improve procedures. As a potential solution for healthcare environments, Augmented Reality (AR) has received increasing attention in the past few decades due to advances in computing capabilities, lower cost, and better displays (Sauer, Khamene, Bascle, Vogt, & Rubino, 2002). Augmented Reality, as defined in Ronald Azuma’s initial survey of AR, combines virtual and real-world environments in three dimensions and in real-time (Azuma, 1997). Because visualization displays used in AR are related to human physiologic and cognitive constraints, any new system must improve on previous methods and be consistently aligned with human abilities in mind (Drascic & Milgram, 1996; Kruijff, Swan, & Feiner, 2010; Ziv, Wolpe, Small, & Glick, 2006). Based on promising findings from aviation and driving (Liu & Wen, 2004; Sojourner & Antin, 1990; Ververs & Wickens, 1998), this study identifies whether the spatial proximity affordance provided by a head-mounted display or alternative heads up display might benefit to attentional performance in a simulated routine medical task. Additionally, the present study explores how tasks of varying relatedness may relate to attentional performance differences when these tasks are presented at different spatial distances. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Engineering 2017