Anwendungen unter Einsatz von Augmented Reality (AR)-Technologien gewinnen zuneh-mend an Relevanz in diversen industriellen Anwendungen, zum Beispiel für Produktpräsenta-tionen, Ausbildung und Lehre, Engineering, etc. Bei der Entwicklung solcher Anwendungen – im Speziellen von Bedien- und Beobachtungslösungen – müssen verschiedene Normen und Richtlinien beachtet werden, um zu gewährleisten, dass Anforderungen an die Betriebssi-cherheit in der jeweiligen Anlage eingehalten werden. In diesem Beitrag sollen einige Aspekte bezüglich der Anwendbarkeit solcher Richtlinien auf AR Anwendungen untersucht werden. Darüber hinaus werden weitere Aspekte betrachtet, die bei der Einführung von AR Anwen-dungen im großen Maßstab relevant sind, wie etwa die durchgängige Nutzbarkeit von CAD-Anlagenmodellen zur automatischen Erzeugung von AR-Lösungen. Schließlich stellen wir eine Fallstudie einer AR-Anwendung für eine prozesstechnische Kleinversuchsanlage vor.:1. Einleitung 2. Entwicklungsphasen von AR-Anwendungen 3. Betrachtung der UI-Gestaltungsrichtlinien 4. Fallstudie 4.1. Implementierung 4.2. Ergebnisse 5. Evaluation eines durchgängigen Entwurfsprozesses 6. Zusammenfassung und Ausblick 7. Danksagung / Augmented Reality (AR) applications gain more and more relevance in various industrial ap-plications lately, e. g. for product presentations, education, engineering, etc. In the industrial domain, especially in process supervision applications, a number of standards and guidelines have been established to ensure that the design of user interfaces meets the safety require-ments of plants or factories. Hence, we seek an evaluation if these guidelines can be applied to AR applications. Moreover, there are other aspects to consider in case AR solutions shall be applied on a larger scale in industrial applications. Thus, it is being discussed whether CAD plant models can be used to generate AR applications automatically. Finally, in this contribu-tion, we present the first preliminary results of a case study on the application of those stand-ards to a visual AR application for in-field inspection and servicing scenarios.:1. Einleitung 2. Entwicklungsphasen von AR-Anwendungen 3. Betrachtung der UI-Gestaltungsrichtlinien 4. Fallstudie 4.1. Implementierung 4.2. Ergebnisse 5. Evaluation eines durchgängigen Entwurfsprozesses 6. Zusammenfassung und Ausblick 7. Danksagung

This thesis explores current guidelines for the development of menu systems in virtual reality with the main focus aimed toward gaming environments. These guidelines were gathered with the help of a literature study and two expert interviews. A game environment was created as a platform to test the systems. A 2D menu system and a 3D menu system were implemented with the help of gathered guidelines. The prototype was tested with participants in an experiment and empirical data was gathered and analyzed. The measured data shows minor differences in inefficiency, error rate, and learnability but a greater difference in immersiveness thus resulting in a subjectively preferred system to be 3D based.

The human body has substantial kinetic and kinematic degrees-of-freedoms, so redundant solutions are available for the central nervous system (CNS) to perform a repetitive task. Due to these redundancies, inherent variations exist in human movement, called motor variability (MV). Current evidence suggests that MV can be beneficial, and that there is an inverse association between MV and risk of injury. To better understand how the CNS manipulates MV to reduce injury risks, we investigated the effects of individual differences, task-relevant aspects, and psychological factors as modifiers of MV. Earlier work found that experienced workers adapted more stable movements than novices in repetitive lifting tasks. To expand on this, we quantified how MV differs between experienced workers and novices in different lifting conditions (i.e., lifting asymmetry and fatigue). Three different measures (cycle-to-cycle SD, sample entropy, and the goal equivalent manifold) were used to quantify MV. In a symmetric lifting task, experienced workers had more constrained movement than novices, and experienced workers exhibited more consistent behavior in the asymmetric condition. Novices constrained their movements, and could not maintain the same level of variability in the asymmetric condition. We concluded that experienced workers adapt stable or flexible strategies depending on task difficulty. In a prolonged lifting task, both groups increased their MV to adapt to fatigue; they particularly increased variability in a direction that had no effects on their main task goal. Developing fatigue also makes it difficult for individuals maintain the main goal. Based on these results, we conclude that increasing variability is an adaptive strategy in response to fatigue. We also assessed variability in gait parameters to compare gait adaptability using a head-worn display (HWD) compared with head-down displays for visual information presentation. An effective strategy we observed for performing a cognitive task successfully during walking was to increase gait variability in the goal direction. In addition, we found that head-up walking had smaller effects on MV, suggesting that HWDs are a promising technology to reduce adverse events during gait (e.g., falls). In summary, these results suggest that MV can be a useful indicator for evaluating some occupational injury risks. / Ph. D.

This dissertation provides empirical evidence for the effects of the fidelity of VR system components, and novel 3D interaction techniques for analyzing volume datasets. It provides domain-independent results based on an abstract task taxonomy for visual analysis of scientific datasets. Scientific data generated through various modalities e.g. computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc. are in 3D spatial or volumetric format. Scientists from various domains e.g., geophysics, medical biology, etc. use visualizations to analyze data. This dissertation seeks to improve effectiveness of scientific visualizations. Traditional volume data analysis is performed on desktop computers with mouse and keyboard interfaces. Previous research and anecdotal experiences indicate improvements in volume data analysis in systems with very high fidelity of display and interaction (e.g., CAVE) over desktop environments. However, prior results are not generalizable beyond specific hardware platforms, or specific scientific domains and do not look into the effectiveness of 3D interaction techniques. We ran three controlled experiments to study the effects of a few components of VR system fidelity (field of regard, stereo and head tracking) on volume data analysis. We used volume data from paleontology, medical biology and biomechanics. Our results indicate that different components of system fidelity have different effects on the analysis of volume visualizations. One of our experiments provides evidence for validating the concept of Mixed Reality (MR) simulation. Our approach of controlled experimentation with MR simulation provides a methodology to generalize the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR) beyond individual systems. To generalize our (and other researchers') findings across disparate domains, we developed and evaluated a taxonomy of visual analysis tasks with volume visualizations. We report our empirical results tied to this taxonomy. We developed the Volume Cracker (VC) technique for improving the effectiveness of volume visualizations. This is a free-hand gesture-based novel 3D interaction (3DI) technique. We describe the design decisions in the development of the Volume Cracker (with a list of usability criteria), and provide the results from an evaluation study. Based on the results, we further demonstrate the design of a bare-hand version of the VC with the Leap Motion controller device. Our evaluations of the VC show the benefits of using 3DI over standard 2DI techniques. This body of work provides the building blocks for a three-way many-many-many mapping between the sets of VR system fidelity components, interaction techniques and visual analysis tasks with volume visualizations. Such a comprehensive mapping can inform the design of next-generation VR systems to improve the effectiveness of scientific data analysis. / Ph. D.

Virtual reality (VR) är ett begrepp som blivit allt mer välkänt de senaste åren. VR kan beskrivas som en datorgenererad virtuell omvärld som användaren omsluts av. VR-miljön upplevs genom människans sinnen såsom syn, hörsel och känsel.Syftet med examensarbetet är att undersöka hur realistisk en kommersiellt tillgänglig VR-flygsimulator upplevs av piloter och undersöka om VR-teknik kan vara ett användbart läroverktyg för t.ex. flygskolor. VR-tekniken har under de senaste åren utvecklats väldigt mycket vilket gjort att många av de implementations svårigheter som VR-tekniken inneburit till stor del lösts. Nya helintegrerade head mounted displays (HMD) med inbyggd kompatibilitet gör att integreringsproblemen nästan helt försvunnit. Eftersom VR-tekniken nu är mer tillgänglig och lätthanterlig ligger det helt rätt i tiden att undersöka hur VR-teknik kan användas inom flygbranschen.Metoden för examensarbetet inleddes med informationsinsamling om VR-teknik och traditionella flygsimulatorer. Utifrån denna information skapades sedan en undersökning som bestod av två delar. Den första delen var ett experiment med en VR-flygsimulator och den andra delen var en intervju som utfördes direkt efter experimentet. Sju stridspiloter deltog i undersökningen.Resultaten av undersökningen visar att VR-flygsimulatorer upplevs som mer realistiska jämfört med traditionella flygsimulatorer. Undersökningen tyder också på att VR-teknik kan vara ett bra läroverktyg om de problem som identifierats lösts på ett tillfredsställande sätt. / Virtual reality (VR) is a rising phenomenon that has skyrocket in popularity the past year. VR is often referred to as a computer generated virtual environment the user gets immersed in. The VR environment is experienced through different types of sensory stimuli.The purpose of this thesis is to examine how realistic a commercially available VR flight simulator is being perceived by real pilots as well as examine if VR technology could be a viable educational tool for flight schools. The motivations of this thesis are the facts that the VR-technology has advanced in a quick phase. Many of the past difficulties with implementing VR technology have been addressed with new fully integrated head mounted displays therefor capability issues are no longer a big problem. Because of the simplicity of new VR-systems it’s a good time to investigate VR uses and how it compares to traditional flight simulator techniques.The method used for the thesis started with collecting information about VR technology and traditional flight simulators. With that information a survey consisting of two parts was created. The first part was an experiment with a VR flight simulator, and the second part was an interview conducted directly after the experiment. Seven jet fighter pilots participated in the survey.Our results show that a VR flight simulator is perceived as more realistic compared to a traditional flight simulator. It is also shown that VR technology could be a good educational tool if some of the issues that were found are resolved or improved upon.

Alternate realities have fascinated mankind since early prehistory and with the advent of the computer and the smartphone we have seen the rise of many different categories of alternate reality that seek to augment, diminish, mix with or ultimately replace our familiar real world in order to expand our capabilities and our understanding. This thesis presents parallel reality as a new category of alternate reality which further addresses the vacancy problem that manifests in many previous alternate reality experiences. Parallel reality describes systems comprising two environments that the user may freely switch between, one real and the other virtual, both complete unto themselves. Parallel reality is framed within the larger ecosystem of previously explored alternate realities through a thorough review of existing categorisation techniques and taxonomies, leading to the introduction of the combined Milgram/Waterworth model and an extended definition of the vacancy problem for better visualising experience in alternate reality systems. Investigation into whether an existing state of the art alternate reality modality (Situated Simulations) could allow for parallel reality investigation via the Virtual Time Windows project was followed by the development of a bespoke parallel reality platform called Mirrorshades, which combined the modern virtual reality hardware of the Oculus Rift with the novel indoor positioning system of IndoorAtlas. Users were thereby granted the ability to walk through their real environment and to at any point switch their view to the equivalent vantage point within an immersive virtual environment. The benefits that such a system provides by granting users the ability to mitigate the effects of the extended vacancy problem and explore parallel real and virtual environments in tandem was experimentally shown through application to a use case within the realm of cultural heritage at a 15th century chapel. Evaluation of these user studies lead to the establishment of a number of best practice recommendations for future parallel reality endeavours.

Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB är intresserade av att digitalisera deras arbetsprocesser. Således är syftet med denna studie att undersöka om AR presterar bättre än papper som en instruktionsmetod för operatorer på Siemens i Trollhättan. För att kunna svara på frågan "Hur väl presterar Augmented Reality (AR) teknik som instruktionsmetod till skillnad från papper för operatorer i en produktionsmiljö?", har två kvalitativa metoder tillämpats. Datainsamling skedde med hjälp av observationer och semi-strukturerade intervjuer för analys tillstudien. Vårt val av teoretiskt ramverk tillämpades inte endast för att undersöka prestanda, det användes även för undersökning av operatörernas vilja att införa AR som en instruktionsmetod. Resultaten från denna studie visar att AR presterade bättre som en instruktionsmetod och att operatörerna hade en positiv inställning vid användning av AR. Däremot, är det fortfarande oklart hur väl denna teknologi kommer att accepteras. Detta beror huvudsakligen på faktum att framtida förbättringar behöver utföras när det kommer till hårdvara och avsaknaden av skräddarsydda applikationer för operatörernas behov. / Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB is interested in digitizing their current work processes. Therefore, the reason for this study is to examine if AR performs better than paper as an instruction method for operators at Siemens in Trollhättan. In order to answer the question "How well does Augmented Reality (AR) technology perform compared to physical papers as an instruction method for operators in a production environment?", two qualitative methods have been applied. Data was collected by using observations and semi-structured interviews for the analysis of this study. Our choice of theoretical framework was not only applied for evaluating the performance, but also the operators' willingness to adopt AR as a form of instruction method. The findings from the results show that AR performs better as an instruction method and that the operators had a positive attitude when using AR. However, it is still unclear how well this technology will be accepted. This is mainly due to the fact that future improvements still need to be made to the hardware and the lack of customized applications for the operators' needs.

Les dispositifs permettant d'agrandir les images représentent les formes les plus courantes d'aides en réadaptation visuelle. Grâce à un essor technologique considérable, les lunettes électroniques, qui fonctionnent comme des aides grossissantes électroniques (fournissant un agrandissement variable, amélioration du contraste, utilisables les mains libres), sont devenues d'avantage disponibles, efficaces et utilisées par les personnes malvoyantes. Cependant, il existe un manque de données probantes et de connaissances au regard des taux d'abandon des lunettes électroniques, des facteurs prédictifs de leur utilisation, ainsi que sur les interventions efficaces qui pourraient optimiser leur utilisation.Afin de mieux comprendre l'utilisation des lunettes électroniques au sein de la population malvoyante, une étude en trois phases a été menée à travers l’exemple des lunettes eSight dans le but de : 1) examiner et synthétiser les facteurs qui influencent l'utilisation d'aides visuelles grossissantes à l'aide d'un examen de la portée afin de guider les études ultérieures; 2) déterminer à travers une étude transversale quelles sont les variables qui prédisent un changement d’utilisation des lunettes électroniques chez leur usager; et 3) élaborer des recommandations fondées sur des données probantes concernant la faisabilité d'une intervention de téléréadaptation auprès des utilisateurs de lunettes électroniques et étudier l'impact de cette modalité sur l’utilisation de leur dispositif et leur qualité de vie.Les travaux de cette thèse contribuent à soutenir l’idée que le choix d’utiliser des aides visuelles grossissantes dépend de causes multifactorielles. Les facteurs personnels et surtout la motivation représentent des prédicteurs importants. Les difficultés de transport et le manque d’entrainement ont été identifiés comme des obstacles importants à l’utilisation des aides visuelles. D’autre part, l’amélioration de la qualité de vie favorise le maintien de l’utilisation des lunettes électroniques. Compte tenu de ces résultats, un programme de formation personnalisée par téléréadaptation a été mis au point pour répondre aux besoins spécifiques des utilisateurs, offrant une attention individualisée pour optimiser l'utilisation des lunettes électroniques. Cette thèse fournit des preuves sur la faisabilité d'administrer plusieurs sessions d’entrainement en réadaptation de basse vision via la téléréadaptation chez des utilisateurs de lunettes électroniques. Les lunettes électronique eSight améliorent la qualité de vie et la vision fonctionnelle des utilisateurs, qu’elle soit associée à la téléréadaptation ou au programme d’autoformation du fabricant. Cela indique que les instructions fournies par la téléréadaptation ou par l'autoformation proposée dans un contexte commercial sont tout aussi efficaces pour améliorer la qualité de vie et les capacités visuelles et que la téléréadaptation pourrait être offerte comme une modalité de formation allternative. Afin d’orienter les recommandations de pratiques fondées sur des données probantes en matière de téléréadaptation, et de répondre au mieux aux besoins des personnes avec une basse vision, d'autres études examinant les effets de la pratique et de l’entrainement sont nécessaires. / Magnification devices are among the most common forms of aids in low vision rehabilitation. They are intended to increase the level of independence and function during activities of daily living. Novel head-mounted display magnification devices for low vision that operate as electronic vision enhancements (providing variable magnification, contrast enhancement, hands-free use) have become more and more available, efficient and are increasingly being utilized, thanks to considerable technological development. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding abandonment rates, factors predicting abandonment of such devices, and efficient intervention characteristics that optimize their use.To better understand the use of head-mounted displays throughout the low vision population, a three-phase study has been conducted using eSight Eyewear as an example device in order to: 1) investigate and synthesize barriers and facilitators influencing the use of magnifying visual aids, using a scoping review to guide the subsequent cross-sectional and prospective studies; 2) identify which variables best predict a change in device use among current head-mounted display users, using a cross-sectional design; and 3) develop evidence-based recommendations regarding the feasibility of a telerehabilitation intervention on head-mounted display users and study the impact of this modality on their device use and quality of life.This thesis provides supporting evidence for the multifactorial decision-making process around the use of magnifying visual aids. Device users’ low motivation, transportation to rehabilitation services and insufficient training have been identified as important barriers to magnifying low vision aid use. Improving users’ quality of life helps to maintain the use of head-mounted displays. Considering these findings, a personalized training regime via telerehabilitation was developed to meet specific users’ needs, providing individualizing attention to optimize the use of head-mounted displays. This thesis provides evidence about feasibility of administering several low vision rehabilitation training sessions via telerehabilitation with head-mounted display users. eSight Eyewear, either with telerehabilitation or with the manufacturer self-training standard, improves quality of life and functional vision outcomes.This indicates that instructions provided by telerehabilitation or though the eSight self-training standard are equally successful in improving quality of life and visual abilities outcomes and that telerehabilitation could be provided as an alternative training modality. To help guide evidence-based practice recommendations for low vision telerehabilitation implementation that meet the unique needs of individuals with low vision, further studies examining benefits of practice and training are needed.

(in English) This diploma thesis is examining the ways of using immersive virtual reality with senior citizens aged 65 plus with health problems. Those chosen individuals who live in a retirement home were examined and questioned after trying out a virtual reality headset with a specific travel experience using the Google Earth VR app. The main focus was to study their emotional state and its shifts. The author used a combination of quantitative and qualitative research to finalise the analysis. The theoretical part offers an insight on the use of immersive virtual reality in the lives of senior citizens such as how they spend free time in the Retirement homes. The analytical part of this dissertation shows a summary of existing studies and commercial projects using virtual reality with the aim to facilitate seniors. The qualitative research has helped to a better understanding of the Czech market. It also helped executing a scientific investigation centred on a particular group of seniors. Data was gathered via half structured interviews, observation and standardised questionnaires PANAS and Flow Short Scale.

With a lineage originating in the days of silent films, visual music, in its current incarnation, is a relatively recent phenomenon when compared to an historically broad field of creative expression. Today it is a time-based audio/visual territory explored and mined by a handful of visual and musical artists. However, an extensive examination of the literature indicates that few of these composers have delved into the associable areas of merging virtual holography and holophony toward visual music composition. It is posited here that such an approach is extremely rich with novel expressive potential and simultaneously with numerous novel challenges. The goal of this study is, through praxis, to instantiate and document an initial exploration into the implementation of holochory toward the creation of visual music compositions. Obviously, engaging holochoric visual music as a means of artistic expression requires an interdisciplinary pipeline. Certainly, this is demonstrated in merging music and visual art into a cohesive form, which is the basis of visual music composition. However, in this study is revealed another form of interdisciplinarity. A major challenge resides with the development of the means to efficiently render the high-resolution stereoscopic images intrinsic to the animation of virtual holograms. Though rendering is a challenge consistent with creating digital animations in general, here the challenge is further exacerbated by the extensive use of multiple reflections and refractions to create complexity from relatively simple geometric objects. This reveals that, with the level of computational technology currently available, the implementation of high-performance computing is the optimal approach. Unifying such diverse areas as music, visual art, and computer science toward a common artistic medium necessitates a methodological approach in which the interdependency between each facet is recognized and engaged. Ultimately, a quadrilateral reciprocative feedback loop, involving the composer's sensibilities in addition to each of the other facets of the compositional process, must be realized in order to facilitate a cohesive methodology leading toward viability. This dissertation provides documentation of methodologies and ideologies undertaken in an initial foray into creating holochoric visual music compositions. Interlaced matrices of contextualization are intended to disseminate the processes involved in deference to composers who will inevitably follow in the wake of this research. Accomplishing such a goal is a quintessential aspect of practice-based research, through which new knowledge is gained during the act of creating. Rather than formulating theoretical perspectives, it is through the praxis of composing holochoric visual music that the constantly arising challenges are recognized, analyzed, and subsequently addressed and resolved in order to ensure progression in the compositional process. Though measuring the success of the resultant compositions is indeed a subjective endeavor, as is the case with all art, the means by which they are achieved is not. The development of such pipelines and processes, and their implementation in practice, are the basic building blocks of further exploration, discovery, and artistic expression. This is the impetus for this document and for my constantly evolving and progressing trajectory as a scholar, artist, composer, and computer scientist. / Doctor of Philosophy / In this paper the author explores the idea that, owing to their shared three-dimensional nature, holophons and holograms are well suited as mediums for visual music composition. This union is ripe with creative opportunity and fraught with challenges in the areas of aesthetics and technical implementation. Squarely situated upon the bleeding edge of phenomenological research and creative practice, this novel medium is nonetheless within reach. Here, one methodological pipeline is delineated that employs the convergence of holography, holophony, and super-computing toward the creation of visual music compositions intended for head mounted displays or large scale 3D/360 projection screens and high-density loudspeaker arrays.