This thesis presents a Virtual Sculpting system, which addresses the problem of Free-Form Solid Modelling. The disparate elements of a Polygon-Mesh representation, a Directly Manipulated Free-Form Deformation sculpting tool, and a Virtual Environment are drawn into a cohesive whole under the mantle of a clay-sculpting metaphor. This enables a user to mould and manipulate a synthetic solid interactively as if it were composed of malleable clay. The focus of this study is on the interactivity, intuitivity and versatility of such a system. To this end, a range of improvements is investigated which significantly enhances the efficiency and correctness of Directly Manipulated Free-Form Deformation, both separately and as a seamless component of the Virtual Sculpting system.

The purpose of the study was to examine the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) to treat driving phobia using a multiple baseline across-subjects design. The sequence of events included a pre-treatment assessment, a baseline phase, 8 weekly VRET sessions using a standardized treatment protocol, a post-treatment assessment, and 1- and 3-month follow-up assessments. A sample of seven treatment seeking adults with a primary diagnosis of specific phobia (driving) was recruited. Five completed the treatment and follow-up phases. One individual withdrew after the pre-treatment assessment, and the other, after the first treatment session. It was hypothesized that VRET would reduce driving anxiety and avoidance symptoms between pre- and post-treatment assessments using several outcome measures. Visual and statistical analysis methods were used to assess treatment outcome. Three participants showed clear improvement in driving anxiety and avoidance symptoms between pre- and post-treatment assessments. There was a marginal improvement in these symptoms for one participant. The remaining participant showed very little improvement, and some outcome measures revealed slight deterioration in some of her symptoms. There was negligible change in actual driving frequency in any participant. Some gains were lost at the 1- and 3-month follow-up assessments, but symptoms remained far below pre-treatment results. Possibilities for future research and practice implications are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This thesis explores the production process of developing a virtual reality experience with an emphasis on digital humanities and the methods of adapting real-world events, narratives, and media coverage into an interactive, location based VR experience. The thesis contextualizes the production of an accompanying media project, which is informed by the history of U.S migration and the media’s impact on the opinion of Americans. Through the observation of production methods, this paper summarizes the process of creating a VR experience that expands the established production pipeline to more fluidly produce immersive interactive content. Using Homebound: The Interactive Immigrant Experience, a collaborative VR project as a prototype for these methods, we were able to integrate and develop a media production pipeline that uses off the shelf hardware in unison with Unreal Engine 4 to produce a prototype VR experience that follows the narrative on a Latin American Immigrant. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The problem of immigration has been around since the dawn of man because humans cannot just stay in one place, especially if that place is not suitable for their lives and their families. It is a reasonable expectation of the human condition to want to feel free and safe because we do not live in a utopian society. There are social injustices, wars, and atrocities that threaten the most basic of human needs and freedoms in many countries across the globe. Homebound, the virtual reality experience, which was developed in Unreal, aims to make sense of this crisis and shed light on the lives affected by this social ill. By using rich environments, virtual production and motion capture, to construct a place that captures the realism of the illegal immigration narrative, this manuscript will show how behavioral and gameplay psychology, when paired with environmental storytelling, can be utilized to craft impactful and empathetic, immersive stories and edutainment experiences for the player. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

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Virtual Stage is a project to use Virtual Reality (VR) technology as an audiovisual performance interface. The depth of control, modularity of design, and user immersion aim to solve some of the representational problems in interactive audiovisual art and the control problems in digital musical instruments. Creating feedback between interaction and perception, the VR environment references the viewer's behavioral intuition developed in the real world, facilitating clarity in the understanding of artistic representation. The critical essay discusses of interactive behavior, game mechanics, interface implementations, and technical developments to express the structures and performance possibilities. This discussion uses Virtual Stage as an example with specific aesthetic and technical solutions, but addresses archetypal concerns in interactive audiovisual art. The creative documentation lists the interactive functions present in Virtual Stage as well as code reproductions of selected technical solutions. The included code excerpts document novel approaches to virtual reality implementation and acoustic physical modeling of musical instruments.

This dissertation uses Heidegger’s critique of technology and its essence in an attempt to understand how Virtual Reality technology can change how we interact with the world and each other. The history of VR devices is unpacked to understand the motivation behind VR’s uses and development. Merleau-Ponty’s theories about embodied experiences are also used to understand how VR has an increased capacity to generate a sense of telepresence in the virtual environment for the user. Cases are investigated that specifically deals with how VR has influenced human interactions and rituals and made them more convenient to the users. The first cases focus on religion and how it changes when it is taken online. Specific focus is given to the Church of Fools online church and D.J. Soto’s VR church. The difference between how an online church operates is compared to the VR Church and how embodiment in the VE is experienced in each. This dissertation also explores cases where a user enters a ‘cross-dimensional’ relationship with the virtual. Two cases of people marrying virtual characters are examined. In these cases, the user entered a relationship with a character that was constructed by someone else. The other case examined, is that of Sgt.Hale (username) who created and then married a virtual character in a VE that he designed and based on a real-world location. In each of the relevant cases, how technology has influenced and, in a sense, encouraged them, is explored and unpacked. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Visual Arts / MA / Unrestricted

The subject of diploma project is constructional solution of haptics interface construction for virtual reality output device. Construction is oriented only for virtual contact with objects. Force feedback on the user and deformation of objects are not used. Used programs: Autodesk INVENTOR 10, ANSYS WORKBENCH.

In this project, a prototype for a virtual reality museum experience was developed. The virtual environment contains paintings and birds that the user can interact with to display information. A text panel or an image is displayed next to the object the user interacted with. The text or image displayed contains information about the object. A narration of the information can be played for some of the images and text panels. This enhances the experience of the museum compared to looking at an object in the real world. The virtual reality experience allows the museum to be more interactive and fun for the visitors. A few user tests were performed to test the usability of the experience. The tests found a few usability problems that have to be fixed before this experience could be part of a real museum. / I detta projekt utvecklades en prototyp för ett virtual reality museum. Den virtuella miljön innehåller tavlor och fåglar som användaren kan interagera med för att visa information. En textpanel eller en bild visas bredvid objektet som användaren interagerade med. Texten eller bilden som visas innehåller information om objektet. En inspelning av informationen kan spelas upp för några av bilderna och textpanelerna. Detta förbättrar museets upplevelse jämfört med att titta på ett objekt i den verkliga världen. Virtual reality-upplevelsen gör att museet kan vara mer interaktivt och roligt för besökarna. Några användartester genomfördes för att testa upplevelsens användbarhet. Testerna hittade några användbarhetsproblem som måste åtgärdas innan denna upplevelse kan vara en del av ett verkligt museum.

Recently, the advertising industry has implemented new methods to improve the relationship between brands and their consumers. To understand how to achieve this effect in a positive way, several studies have turned to the examination of advertising actions aimed at boosting brand experience. However, there are few studies that deepen the knowledge of the importance of creating brand experiences through innovative communication technologies such as virtual reality (VR). The present research explores how the use of VR in advertising helps in the generation of brand experiences. A qualitative methodology of phenomenological design was used with advertising professionals in the city of Lima. In addition, the exploratory scope of the analysis followed a descriptive coding process. It was evidenced that the properties of VR, such as immersion, presence, and its sensory capabilities are crucial to promote brand experiences with greater intensity. This category of virtual brand experiences influences brand image, affects purchase intentions and, above all, builds brand loyalty. / Revisión por pares