This thesis explores the use of heart rate as a biofeedback game mechanic control in combination with physical movement in a Virtual reality (VR) environment using either teleportation, or a VR treadmill. A literature review, surveys, expert interviews, semi-structured interviews and a VR prototype were created. The prototype was iterated three times, and tested using the A-B method with 57 participants. The Polar H10 was used for the heart rate monitoring of the participants. The readings of the heart rate values were received via a script in Python in order to extract raw heart rate data from the participant in real time and sent to the prototype in Unity. It includes different interaction functionalities, a teleportation system, and a grabbing system from the SteamVR asset pack, a walk function using the Omnideck from Omnifinity, and includes assets from Unity for the graphics and sound. From the results and analysis of the data from the prototype, it can be interpreted that using some sort of movement in VR enhances the participants engagement and immersiveness in the environment. While heart rate biofeedback control enhances the VR experience, adding physical walking using treadmills improves it even more.

In this dissertation, I explore an unintended downside of Virtual Reality (VR) in marketing practice. I find that despite firms’ intention to use VR as a gateway experience to future consumption in reality, the same experience delivered in VR (vs. non-VR) mode lowers consumers’ subsequent desire for similar kinds of experiences because people satisfy their needs in VR that they otherwise would in reality. This effect is consistently observed among consumers with a strong (vs. weak) need to engage with the VR experiences, namely (1) high sensation seekers engaging with stimulating VR content and (2) highly mindful individuals engaging with calm and contemplative VR content. To document the underlying mechanism, I measure users’ physiological reactivity (i.e., Skin Conductance Response) to stimulating VR and find that high sensation seekers engage with stimulating VR content more intensely than low sensation seekers. As a result, high sensation seekers readily satisfy their need for sensation in stimulating VR, reducing their subsequent desire for stimulating consumption in reality. The negative effect is also observed among consumers with high dispositional mindfulness using calm museum VR. I further find evidence for consumers’ need satisfaction in VR by showing that the negative effect diminishes when the real-world consumption experience is dissimilar (vs. similar) to the previous VR experience. Two field studies in a South Korean VR “theme park” and the National Museum of Korea, and three controlled lab experiments consistently reveal VR’s negative effects on consumers’ cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses. I highlight implications of using VR as a substitute for reality and demonstrate how VR experiences can dissuade, rather than induce, corresponding consumption in reality among target consumers.

In dieser Abschlussarbeit geht es um die Untersuchung von etablierten Bewegungs- und Hilfsmethoden zur Flugsteuerung in der virtuellen Realität. Hierbei wird zum einen untersucht, welche Methoden als intuitiv wahrgenommen werden und zum anderen, welche Auswirkungen die Methode auf die Entwicklung von Cybersickness während der VR-Erfahrung hat. Zusätzlich wird untersucht, wie sich eine Veränderung in der Landschaft auf den Orientierungssinn auswirkt. Dafür werden eine veränderbare procedurale virtuelle Landschaft als Versuchsumgebung und die zu untersuchenden Bewegungsmethoden implementiert. Es folgt eine Studie, in der die Probanden die verschiedenen Bewegungsmethoden testen und in einem Fragebogen ihre Erfahrungen beschreiben. Abschließend werden die Testergebnisse der Probanden evaluiert und bewertet.:Kurzfassung Abkürzungsverzeichnis 1 Einleitung 1.1 Motivation 1.2 Ziel und Methodik der Arbeit 1.3 Aufbau der Arbeit 2 Virtual Reality 2.1 Theoretische Grundlagen 2.1.1 Die virtuelle Realität 2.1.2 Immersion bzw. Wahrnehmung 2.1.3 Geschichte der VR-Brille 2.1.4 Aktueller Technikstand 2.1.4.1 Trackingverfahren 2.1.5 Anwendungsgebiete 2.1.6 Herausforderungen/Probleme 2.2 Motion Sickness 2.2.1 Theorien zu Motion Sickness außerhalb von VR-Anwendungen 2.2.1.1 Die Vergiftungs-Erkennungs Theorie 2.2.1.2 Die Gleichgewichts-Herzkreislauf-Effekt Theorie 2.2.2 Theorien zu Motion Sickness in VR-Anwendungen 2.2.2.1 Die Sensor-Konflikt Theorie 2.2.2.2 Die Theorie der Lageinstabilität 2.2.3 Aspekte und Ausschlaggebende Faktoren für Motion Sickness in VRAnwendungen 2.2.4 Maßnahmen gegen Motion Sickness 2.2.4.1 Technische Mittel 2.2.4.2 Pharmazeutische Mittel 2.2.4.3 Individuelle Maßnahmen 2.3 Navigation in Virtuellen Welten 2.3.1 Point & Teleport 2.3.2 Reoriented World 2.3.3 Artificial Locomotion 2.3.4 Surrogate Vehicle 2.3.5 Motion Triggered 2.3.6 Redirected Walking 3 Fliegen in Computerspielen 4 Design und Implementierung 4.1 Grundstruktur 4.2 Implementierung der Bewegung und Hilfsmethoden 4.2.1 Artificial Locomotion (Künstliche Fortbewegung) + Surrogate Vehicle 4.2.2 Motion Triggered (Superman flying) 4.2.3 Point & Teleport 4.3 Proceduale Welt 4.3.1 Höhenkarte 4.3.2 Shader 4.4 Geometrische Strukturen 4.5 Pfad-Generierung 4.6 Start-Szene 4.7 Menü Interface 5 Studie 5.1 Fragestellung 5.2 Methodik 5.3 Beschreibung des Experiments 5.4 Ergebnisse 5.5 Diskussion und Auswertung 6 Fazit 7 Ausblick Abbildungsverzeichnis Tabellenverzeichnis Quelltextverzeichnis Literaturverzeichnis Anhang A.1 Tabellen A.2 Quelltexte A.3 Fragebogen

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Computer Science))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Computer Science / unrestricted

The focus of this research was to examine how effectively augmented reality (AR) displays, generated with a wearable computer, could be used for aiding an operator performing a manufacturing assembly task. The research concentrated on comparing two technologies for generating augmented reality displays (opaque vs. see-through), with two current types of assembly instructions (a traditional assembly instruction manual vs. computer aided instruction). The study was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wearable based augmented reality compared to traditional instruction methods, and was also used to compare two types of AR displays in the context of an assembly task. For the experiment, 15 subjects were asked to assemble a computer motherboard using the four types of instruction: paper manual, computer aided, an opaque AR display, and a see-through AR display. The study was run as a within subjects design, where subjects were randomly assigned the order of instruction media. For the AR conditions, the augmented environments were generated with a wearable computer, and viewed through two types of monocular, head-mounted displays (HMD). The first type of HMD was a monocular opaque HMD, and the second was a monocular see-though HMD. Prior to the experiment, all subjects performed a brief training session teaching them how to insert the various components of the motherboard in their respective slots. The time of assembly and assembly errors were measured for each type of media, and a questionnaire was administered to each subject at the end of each condition, and at the end of the experiment to determine the usability of the four instructional media. The results of the experiment indicated that both augmented reality conditions were more effective instructional aids for the assembly task than either the paper instruction manual or the computer aided instruction. The see-through HMD resulted in the fastest assembly times followed by the opaque HMD, the computer aided instruction, and the paper instructions respectively. In addition, subjects made fewer errors using the AR conditions compared to the other two types of instructional media. However, while the two AR conditions were a more effective instructional media when time was the response measure, there were still some important usability issues associated with the AR technology that were not present in the non-AR conditions. Many of the subjects indicated that both types of HMDs were uncomfortable, and over half expressed concerns about poor image contrast with the see-through HMDs. Finally, this thesis discusses the results of this study as well as implications for the design and use of AR and wearable computers for manufacturing assembly tasks. / Master of Science

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The ability of virtual reality (VR) active games to elicit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has yet to be fully understood. Also, whether VR combined with physical activity could have a greater pain reducing effect compared to non-active VR distraction remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of commercial VR active games on physical activity intensity levels, enjoyment, and pain sensitivity in young health adults. Thirty-six (18 males, 18 females) participants completed four study sessions, with each devoted to playing one VR game for fifteen minutes. The games included Beat Saber, Holopoint, Hot Squat, and Relax Walk VR. Levels of physical activity reached during VR gameplay were measured with percentage of heart rate reserve (%HRR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and accelerometry. Enjoyment was measured with a visual analog scale and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale following each gaming session. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT’s) of the dominant forearm and ipsilateral thigh were conducted before and after VR gameplay. The primary outcome measures were analyzed with mixed model ANOVAs. The %HRR and RPE results showed that only Hot Squat consistently elicited moderate intensity activity. Accelerometry data showed that Hot Squat and Holopoint elicited higher whole body and lower body intensity levels than Beat Saber and Relax Walk VR. For enjoyment, Beat Saber and Holopoint were rated higher than Hot Squat and Relax Walk VR. Results for pressure pain thresholds (PPT’s) showed 1) an overall acute hypoalgesic effect on the forearm and thigh following all VR games, and 2) an enhanced hypoalgesic effect (combining MVPA and VR distraction) on the thigh following Hot Squat. Overall, results from this study suggest that active VR games can elicit varying degrees of physical activity intensity levels in young healthy adults, with Hot Squat eliciting moderate intensity activity. Thus, active VR games could be an alternative and enjoyable mode of obtaining physical activity. This study also showed that active VR games can elicit an acute hypoalgesic effect, with the effect potentially exacerbated with greater movement during gameplay.

Dieser Beitrag stellt die Mixed-Reality-in-the-Loop Simulation (MRiLS) zur Schulung technischer Fachkräfte im Maschinen- und Anlagenbau vor. Die MRiLS koppelt die aus dem Engineering bereits vorhandenen Modelle der Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation (HiLS) mit Visualisierungs- und Interaktionsmethoden der Mixed Reality (MR) und integriert dadurch den Nutzenden und dessen Verhalten sowie die reale Umgebung vollständig in den Simulationskreislauf. Der Beitrag thematisiert neben der notwendigen Middleware zur Kopplung der HiLS mit der MR-Umgebung auch die Steuerungsbelastung durch Multiuser-Zugriffe. Die Funktionsfähigkeit des vorgestellten Konzepts wird anhand eines ausgewählten beispielhaften Automatisierungssystems belegt. Für das Automatisierungssystem wird der Aufbau der MRiLS sowie das Konzept für den Ablauf einer Schulung mittels MRiLS vorgestellt.

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Mobile virtual reality has the potential to improve learning experiences by making them more immersive and engaging for students. This type of virtual reality also aims to be more cost effective by using a smartphone to drive the virtual reality experience. One issue with mobile virtual reality is that the screen (i.e. main interface) of the smartphone is occluded by the virtual reality headset. To investigate solutions to this issue, this project details the development and testing of a computer vision based controller that aims to have a cheaper per unit cost when compared to a conventional electronic controller by making use of 3D printing and the built-in camera of a smartphone. Reducing the cost per unit is useful for educational contexts as solutions would need to scale to classrooms sizes. The research question for this project is thus, “can a computer vision based virtual reality controller provide comparable immersion to a conventional electronic controller”. It was found that a computer vision based controller can provide comparable immersion, though it is more challenging to use. This challenge was found to contribute more towards engagement as it did not diminish the performance of users in terms of question scores.

Flight simulators are a central training method for pilots and with the advances of human-computer interaction, new cutting-edge technology introduces a new type of simulator using extended reality (XR). XR is an umbrella term for many representative forms of realities, where physical reality (PR) and virtual reality (VR) are the endpoints of this spectrum, and any reality in between can be seen as mixed reality (MR). The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the applicabilities of XR and how they can be compared with each other in terms of usability, immersion, presence, and simulator sickness for flight simulators, respectively. To answer these questions, a MR and a VR version was implemented in Unity using the Varjo XR-3 head-mounted display based on the Framework for Immersive Virtual Environments (FIVE). To evaluate these aspects, a user study (N = 11) was conducted, focusing on quantitative and qualitative experimental research methods. Interaction with physical interfaces is a core procedure for pilots; thus, three reaction tests were conducted with the goal of pressing a random button that is lit green for a 3 x 3 Latin square layout for a given time to measure the efficiency of interaction for both versions. Reaction tests were conducted in different complexities: Simple (no flight), moderate (easy flight), and advanced (difficult flight). Participants experienced the MR and VR versions, and completed complementary questionnaires on immersion, presence, and simulator sickness while remaining in the simulation. The user study showed that the usability in MR is considerably higher, and more immersive than VR when incorporating interaction. However, excluding the interaction aspects showed that VR was more immersive. Overall, this work demonstrates how to achieve high levels of immersion, and a high elicitation of sense of presence, simultaneously while having minuscule levels of simulator sickness with a relatively realistic experience. / Flygsimulatorer är en central träningsmetod för piloter, och med framsteg inom människa-datorinteraktion introduceras ny, toppmodernt teknik som använder utökad verklighet (XR) för en ny typ av simulator. XR är ett samlingsbeteckning för många olika former av verkligheter, där den fysiska verkligheten (PR) och den virtuell verklighet (VR) är ändpunkterna på detta spektrum, och alla verkligheter däremellan kan ses som blandad verklighet (MR). Syftet med denna avhandling var att undersöka tillämpbarheten av XR och hur de kan jämföras med varandra när det gäller användbarhet, immersion, närvaro och simulatorsjuka för flygsimulatorer. För att besvara dessa frågor implementerades en MR- och en VR-version i Unity med hjälp av Varjo XR-3 huvudmonterad display baserat på ramverket för immersiva virtuella miljöer FIVE. För att utvärdera dessa aspekter genomfördes en användarstudie (N = 11), med fokus på kvantitativa och kvalitativa experimentella forskningsmetoder. Interaktion med fysiska gränssnitt är en kärnprocedur för piloter; Därför genomfördes tre reaktionstester med målet att trycka på en slumpmässig knapp som lyser grönt för en 3 x 3 latinsk kvadrat under en given tid för att mäta interaktionens användbarhet för båda versionerna. Reaktionstesterna genomfördes under olika komplexiteter: Enkel (utan flygning), måttlig (enkel flygning) och avancerad (svår flygning). Deltagarna upplevde MR- och VR-versionerna och fyllde i kompletterande enkäter om immersion, närvaro och simulatorsjuka medan de var kvar i simuleringen. Användarstudien visade att användbarheten i MR är betydligt högre och mer immersiv än i VR när man inkluderar interaktion. Exkluderar man interaktionsaspekter visade det sig att VR var mer immersiv. Sammantaget visar detta arbete hur man kan uppnå höga nivåer av immersion och hög framkallning av sinnesnärvaro samtidigt som man har minimala nivåer av simulatorsjuka med en relativt realistisk upplevelse.