Advances in Seated Virtual Reality

A special issue of Computers (ISSN 2073-431X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 18546

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
HCI Group, University of Trier, 54296 Trier, Germany
Interests: seated VR; deskVR; cybersickness detection and prevention; locomotion; innovative 3D user interfaces; presence; immersive analytics; game design; simulation of biological behavior; visualization

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Interactive Arts & Technology (SIAT), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
Interests: spatial cognition; 3D user interfaces; spatial updating; virtual reality; vection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 1st International Workshop on Seated Virtual Reality was held in Atlanta, GA, USA, 22 March 2020 and the 2nd International Workshop on Seated Virtual Reality will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, one day of 27-28 March and 2-3 April 2021. The aim of this workshop was to present and discuss the recent advances in Seated Virtual Reality. For more information about the workshop, please use this link:

https://sites.google.com/view/seated-vr/home

Selected papers which presented at the workshop are invited to submit their extended versions to this Special Issue of the journal Computers after the conference. Submitted papers should be extended to the size of regular research or review articles, with at least 50% extension of new results. All submitted papers will undergo our standard peer-review procedure. Accepted papers will be published in open-access format in Computers and collected together in this Special Issue website. There are no page limitations for this journal.

We are also inviting original research work covering novel theories, innovative methods, and meaningful applications that can potentially lead to significant advances in Seated Virtual Reality. The main topics include, but are not limited to

  • Seated VR/AR;
  • Working environments;
  • Locomotion;
  • 3DUI design;
  • Perception, immersion, presence;
  • Cybersickness;
  • Gaming, entertainment;
  • Devices;
  • Lazy UIs.

Dr. Daniel Zielasko
Dr. Bernhard Riecke
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Computers is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 863 KiB  
Article
More Plausible Models of Body Ownership Could Benefit Virtual Reality Applications
by Moritz Schubert and Dominik Endres
Computers 2021, 10(9), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers10090108 - 26 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2453
Abstract
Embodiment of an avatar is important in many seated VR applications. We investigate a Bayesian Causal Inference model of body ownership. According to the model, when available sensory signals (e.g., tactile and visual signals) are attributed to a single object (e.g., a rubber [...] Read more.
Embodiment of an avatar is important in many seated VR applications. We investigate a Bayesian Causal Inference model of body ownership. According to the model, when available sensory signals (e.g., tactile and visual signals) are attributed to a single object (e.g., a rubber hand), the object is incorporated into the body. The model uses normal distributions with astronomically large standard deviations as priors for the sensory input. We criticize the model for its choice of parameter values and hold that a model trying to describe human cognition should employ parameter values that are psychologically plausible, i.e., in line with human expectations. By systematically varying the values of all relevant parameters we arrive at the conclusion that such quantitative modifications of the model cannot overcome the model’s dependence on implausibly large standard deviations. We posit that the model needs a qualitative revision through the inclusion of additional sensory modalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Seated Virtual Reality)
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28 pages, 2800 KiB  
Article
On the Effect of Standing and Seated Viewing of 360° Videos on Subjective Quality Assessment: A Pilot Study
by Yan Hu, Majed Elwardy and Hans-Jürgen Zepernick
Computers 2021, 10(6), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers10060080 - 12 Jun 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2496
Abstract
Due to the advances in head-mounted displays (HMDs), hardware and software technologies, and mobile connectivity, virtual reality (VR) applications such as viewing 360° videos on HMDs have seen an increased interest in a wide range of consumer and vertical markets. Quality assessment of [...] Read more.
Due to the advances in head-mounted displays (HMDs), hardware and software technologies, and mobile connectivity, virtual reality (VR) applications such as viewing 360° videos on HMDs have seen an increased interest in a wide range of consumer and vertical markets. Quality assessment of digital media systems and services related to immersive visual stimuli has been one of the challenging problems of multimedia signal processing. Specifically, subjective quality assessment of 360° videos presented on HMDs is needed to obtain a ground truth on the visual quality as perceived by humans. Standardized test methodologies to assess the subjective quality of 360° videos on HMDs are currently not as developed as for conventional videos and are subject to further study. In addition, subjective tests related to quality assessment of 360° videos are commonly conducted with participants seated on a chair but neglect other options of consumption such as standing viewing. In this paper, we compare the effect that standing and seated viewing of 360° videos on an HMD has on subjective quality assessment. A pilot study was conducted to obtain psychophysical and psychophysiological data that covers explicit and implicit responses of the participants to the shown 360° video stimuli with different quality levels. The statistical analysis of the data gathered in the pilot study is reported in terms of average rating times, mean opinion scores, standard deviation of opinion scores, head movements, pupil diameter, galvanic skin response (GSR), and simulator sickness scores. The results indicate that the average rating times consumed for 360° video quality assessment are similar for standing and seated viewing. Further, the participants showed higher resolving power among different 360° video quality levels and were more confident about the given opinion scores for seated viewing. On the other hand, a larger scene exploration of 360° videos was observed for standing viewing which appears to distract from the quality assessment task. A slightly higher pupil dilation was recorded for standing viewing which suggests a slightly more immersed experience compared to seated viewing. GSR data indicate a lower degree of emotional arousal in seated viewing which seems to allow the participants to better conduct the quality assessment task. Similarly, simulator sickness symptoms are kept significantly lower when seated. The pilot study also contributes to a holistic view of subjective quality assessment and provides indicative ground truth that can guide the design of large-scale subjective tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Seated Virtual Reality)
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20 pages, 1395 KiB  
Article
To Sit or Not to Sit in VR: Analyzing Influences and (Dis)Advantages of Posture and Embodied Interaction
by Daniel Zielasko and Bernhard E. Riecke
Computers 2021, 10(6), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers10060073 - 3 Jun 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3784
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) users typically either sit or stand/walk when using VR; however, the impact of this is little researched, and there is a lack of any broad or systematic analysis of how this difference in physical posture might affect user experience and [...] Read more.
Virtual Reality (VR) users typically either sit or stand/walk when using VR; however, the impact of this is little researched, and there is a lack of any broad or systematic analysis of how this difference in physical posture might affect user experience and behavior. To address this gap, we propose such a systematic analysis that was refined through discussions and iterations during a dedicated workshop with VR experts. This analysis was complemented by an online survey to integrate the perspectives of a larger and more diverse group of VR experts, including developers and power users. The result is a validated expert assessment of the impact of posture and degree of embodiment on the most relevant aspects of VR experience and behavior. In particular, we posit potential strong effects of posture on user comfort, safety, self-motion perception, engagement, and accessibility. We further argue that the degree of embodiment can strongly impact cybersickness, locomotion precision, safety, self-motion perception, engagement, technical complexity, and accessibility. We provide a compact visualization of key findings and discuss areas where posture and embodiment do or do not have a known influence, as well as highlight open questions that could guide future research and VR design efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Seated Virtual Reality)
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17 pages, 1726 KiB  
Article
Viewer’s Role and Viewer Interaction in Cinematic Virtual Reality
by Lingwei Tong, Robert W. Lindeman and Holger Regenbrecht
Computers 2021, 10(5), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers10050066 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4315
Abstract
Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) is a form of immersive storytelling widely used to create engaging and enjoyable experiences. However, issues related to the Narrative Paradox and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) can negatively affect the user experience. In this paper, we review the [...] Read more.
Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) is a form of immersive storytelling widely used to create engaging and enjoyable experiences. However, issues related to the Narrative Paradox and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) can negatively affect the user experience. In this paper, we review the literature about designing CVR content with the consideration of the viewer’s role in the story, the target scenario, and the level of viewer interaction, all aimed to resolve these issues. Based on our explorations, we propose a “Continuum of Interactivity” to explore appropriate spaces for creating CVR experiences to archive high levels of engagement and immersion. We also discuss two properties to consider when enabling interaction in CVR, the depth of impact and the visibility. We then propose the concept framework Adaptive Playback Control (APC), a machine-mediated narrative system with implicit user interaction and backstage authorial control. We focus on “swivel-chair” 360-degree video CVR with the aim of providing a framework of mediated CVR storytelling with interactivity. We target content creators who develop engaging CVR experiences for education, entertainment, and other applications without requiring professional knowledge in VR and immersive systems design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Seated Virtual Reality)
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17 pages, 5568 KiB  
Article
Colocation for SLAM-Tracked VR Headsets with Hand Tracking
by Dennis Reimer, Iana Podkosova, Daniel Scherzer and Hannes Kaufmann
Computers 2021, 10(5), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers10050058 - 27 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4245
Abstract
In colocated multi-user Virtual Reality applications, relative user positions in the virtual environment need to match their relative positions in the physical tracking space. A mismatch between virtual and real relative user positions might lead to harmful events such as physical user collisions. [...] Read more.
In colocated multi-user Virtual Reality applications, relative user positions in the virtual environment need to match their relative positions in the physical tracking space. A mismatch between virtual and real relative user positions might lead to harmful events such as physical user collisions. This paper examines three calibration methods that enable colocated Virtual Reality scenarios for SLAM-tracked head-mounted displays without the need for an external tracking system. Two of these methods—fixed-point calibration and marked-based calibration—have been described in previous research; the third method that uses hand tracking capabilities of head-mounted displays is novel. We evaluated the accuracy of these three methods in an experimental procedure with two colocated Oculus Quest devices. The results of the evaluation show that our novel hand tracking-based calibration method provides better accuracy and consistency while at the same time being easy to execute. The paper further discusses the potential of all evaluated calibration methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Seated Virtual Reality)
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