This dissertation examines early adopters of mass-marketed Virtual Reality (VR), as well as other immersive technologies, and the playful processes by which they incorporate the devices into their lives within New York City. Starting in 2016, relatively inexpensive head-mounted displays (HMDs) began to be manufactured and distributed by leaders in the game and information technology industries. However, even before these releases, developers and content creators were testing the devices through “development kits.” These de facto early adopters, who are distinctly commercially-oriented, acted as a launching point for the dissertation to scrutinize how, why and in what ways digital technologies spread to the wider public. Taking a multimethod approach that combines semi-structured interviews, two years of participant observation, media discourse analysis and autoethnography, the dissertation details a moment in the diffusion of an innovation and how publicity, social forces and industry influence adoption. This includes studying the media ecosystem which promotes and sustains VR, the role of New York City in framing opportunities and barriers for new users, and a description of meetups as important communities where devotees congregate. With Game Studies as a backdrop for analysis, the dissertation posits that the blurry relationship between labor and play held by most enthusiasts sustains the process of VR adoption. Their “playbor” colors not only the rhetoric and the focus of meetups, but also the activities, designs, and, most importantly, the financial and personal expenditures they put forth. Ultimately, play shapes the system of production by which adopters of commercial VR are introduced to the technology and, eventually, weave it into their lives. Situating play at the center of this system highlights that the assimilation of digital media is in part an embodied and irrational experience. It also suggests new models by which future innovations will spread to the public.

abstract: This study was undertaken to ascertain to what degree, if any, virtual reality training was superior to monitor based training. By analyzing the results in a 2x3 ANOVA it was found that little difference in training resulted from using virtual reality or monitor interaction to facilitate training. The data did suggest that training involving rich textured environments might be more beneficial under virtual reality conditions, however nothing significant was found in the analysis. It might be possible that significance could be obtained by comparing a virtual reality set-up with higher fidelity to a monitor trial. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Engineering 2019

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2006. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 244-252).

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.

Driving is a cognitively complex task, yet the areas of the brain involved in driving are not well understood. This thesis investigates the neural correlates of driving using functional magnetic resonance imaging and driving simulations with custom built driving hardware (steering wheel and foot pedals). The feasibility of driving in fMRI is first investigated, and a methodology is described to minimize head motions. Next, the functional neuroanatomical correlates of driving tasks of varying complexity are explored. Simple tasks such as straight driving activate areas of the brain related to motion, spatial navigation and coordination. Complex tasks are found to recruit additional areas of the brain, including areas of higher cognitive function such as the prefrontal cortex. Developing a better understanding of the areas involved in different driving tasks is an important first step in understanding the neural basis of driving skill and safe driving.

Driving is a cognitively complex task, yet the areas of the brain involved in driving are not well understood. This thesis investigates the neural correlates of driving using functional magnetic resonance imaging and driving simulations with custom built driving hardware (steering wheel and foot pedals). The feasibility of driving in fMRI is first investigated, and a methodology is described to minimize head motions. Next, the functional neuroanatomical correlates of driving tasks of varying complexity are explored. Simple tasks such as straight driving activate areas of the brain related to motion, spatial navigation and coordination. Complex tasks are found to recruit additional areas of the brain, including areas of higher cognitive function such as the prefrontal cortex. Developing a better understanding of the areas involved in different driving tasks is an important first step in understanding the neural basis of driving skill and safe driving.

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Vortrag UNIX-Stammtisch 10/97

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-147).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 605-626). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.