Article
Neurosciences
Jan Drewes, Sascha Feder, Wolfgang Einhaeuser
Summary: The study shows that terrain types significantly affect gaze behavior in both real-world and virtual reality settings, with some correlation with world factors. Importantly, the overall dwell time on navigational markers does not differ significantly between the two worlds.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Yangming Shi, John Kang, Pengxiang Xia, Oshin Tyagi, Ranjana K. Mehta, Jing Du
Summary: Firefighters often need to process complex spatial information quickly for search and rescue missions. Previous studies have shown that route and survey spatial information are more efficient in helping firefighters memorize layouts and improve wayfinding performance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shlomi Haar, Guhan Sundar, A. Aldo Faisal
Summary: The study introduces a billiards paradigm to real-world settings, demonstrating successful short-term motor learning in an embodied virtual reality environment.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Yongjae Lee, Byounghyun Yoo
Summary: This paper proposes a web-based extended reality (XR) collaboration system to address limitations in existing remote collaboration systems and improve cooperation efficiency and reproducibility. The system consists of interaction device webization, unified XR representation, and unified coordinate creation. Through this system, users can intuitively instruct and observe in virtual reality and augmented reality, enhancing the remote collaboration experience.
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Fabio Richlan, Moritz Weiss, Patrick Kastner, Jeremias Braid
Summary: This article presents a narrative review of intervention studies using Virtual Reality (VR) in sports contexts. The review summarizes the main characteristics and findings of 12 studies, which showed that VR training has the potential to enhance sports performance by improving motor and psychological skills in athletes. The article discusses the neurocognitive mechanisms, methodological aspects, and issues of real-world transfer and generalizability related to these improvements.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Anna M. Rzepka, Kieran J. Hussey, Margaret V. Maltz, Karsten Babin, Laurie M. Wilcox, Jody C. Culham
Summary: The promise of virtual reality as a tool for perceptual and cognitive research assumes that perception in virtual environments generalizes to the real world. However, two experiments comparing size and distance perception between VR and physical reality suggest that there are significant differences in the use of binocular cues and familiar size between the two realities. These findings highlight the need for a deeper understanding of perceptual differences before generalizing research outcomes from VR to the real world.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
Jayant Thatte, Bernd Girod
Summary: The paper presents an end-to-end framework for VR with head-motion parallax for real-world scenes to address the visual-vestibular conflict that degrades presence in virtual environments. Two promising intermediate representations-Stacked OmniStereo and Layered Depth Panoramas-are compared and evaluated in terms of image quality metrics and disocclusion holes in synthesized novel views.
IEEE COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Stefan Pastel, Chien-Hsi Chen, Luca Martin, Mats Naujoks, Katharina Petri, Kerstin Witte
Summary: This study compared gaze accuracy and precision between real-world (R) and virtual reality (VR) using eye-tracking devices. The results showed that there were no significant differences in gaze accuracy between R and VR when looking at static targets at different distances, but significant differences were observed in tracking a moving target. In terms of gaze precision, VR performed significantly worse compared to R in all tasks with static gaze targets.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Saeed Rokooei, Alireza Shojaei, Amin Alvanchi, Reza Azad, Nasim Didehvar
Summary: Safety is a major concern in the construction industry, and despite advancements, accidents rates have not significantly improved. Therefore, the use of virtual reality in safety training has become increasingly important.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Jongkyu Shin, Kyogu Lee
Summary: This study investigates an alternative input method for virtual reality by incorporating a real-world object with augmented virtuality. A mobile phone is used as the real-world object and imported into the virtual environment to evaluate its potential as an input device. By overlaying the real texture of the phone and the user's hand onto a virtual scene in real-time using external cameras, the study aims to provide VR users with more flexibility in input methods and reduce the physical barrier between the reality and virtual environment.
MULTIMEDIA TOOLS AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jieyu Chen, Nan Li, Yangming Shi, Jing Du
Summary: Effective wayfinding is crucial for firefighters during building fire emergencies. This study investigates the impact of cultural backgrounds on firefighters' acquisition and utilization of spatial knowledge during wayfinding tasks. The results show that spatial information type, culture, and their interaction significantly affect firefighters' wayfinding performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Sara Arlati, Noel Keijsers, Gabriele Paolini, Giancarlo Ferrigno, Marco Sacco
Summary: Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising technology for upper limb rehabilitation post-stroke. This study compared kinematics of reach-to-grasp and transport movements in VR and the real world, finding that while movements took longer in VR, joint angles and hand trajectories were comparable between the two environments. Further research is needed to determine the level of kinematic similarity required for functional gains in VR-based upper limb rehabilitation.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lisa Delbes, Nicolas Mascret, Cedric Goulon, Gilles Montagne
Summary: Falls in the elderly is a major societal issue, and virtual reality is seen as a relevant tool for proposing gait training programs to prevent falls. Methodological precautions need to be taken before designing these programs, such as assessing the similarity of adaptive behavior in the real world and virtual reality, as well as the acceptance of the virtual reality device by older adults. Research showed that participants exhibited the same gait adaptability behavior regardless of the environment (real vs. virtual), and older adults demonstrated acceptance of the virtual reality device. Therefore, training programs in virtual reality can now be designed to prevent falls in the elderly.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Stefan Carlo Michalski, Nicholas Charles Gallomarino, Ancret Szpak, Kieran William May, Gun Lee, Caroline Ellison, Tobias Loetscher
Summary: Virtual reality (VR) shows promise as a tool for training life skills in individuals with intellectual disabilities. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the implementation and effectiveness of VR training for this population. This study found that most participants were able to meet the learning target and demonstrate real-world transfer and skill generalisation through VR training.
Article
Biology
Jarrod Gott, Leonore Bovy, Emma Peters, Sofia Tzioridou, Stefano Meo, Cagatay Demirel, Mahdad Jafarzadeh Esfahani, Pedro Reis Oliveira, Thomas Houweling, Alessandro Orticoni, Anke Rademaker, Diede Booltink, Rathiga Varatheeswaran, Carmen van Hooijdonk, Mahmoud Chaabou, Anastasia Mangiaruga, Erik van den Berge, Frederik D. Weber, Simone Ritter, Martin Dresler
Summary: Lucid dreaming is a rare phenomenon where one reflects on their current mental state in dreams, and can be facilitated through cognitive training. Research shows that lucid dreaming training conducted in virtual reality scenarios can significantly increase the occurrence of lucid dreams.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Guilherme Goncalves, Hugo Coelho, Pedro Monteiro, Miguel Melo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: This paper examines the impact of realism on user experience in immersive virtual experiences (IVEs) and analyzes the comparisons of different levels of realism and the terminology used by authors. The findings show that higher realism has a positive impact on user experience.
ACM COMPUTING SURVEYS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nuno Sousa, Filipa Jorge, Mario Sergio Teixeira, Nieves Losada, Miguel Melo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: During the COVID-19 crisis, virtual reality (VR) was proven to be useful for the tourism industry, enabling it to continue operating despite restrictions. It is uncertain if this crisis has influenced managers' intention to adopt VR in the post-pandemic period. Through qualitative research, it was found that factors such as willingness to invest, perception of VR as a business strategy, and the impact of the pandemic regulate companies' intention to adopt VR. Prior experience with VR and technical support are also important for adoption. Therefore, VR can be a valuable strategy for tourism companies to address pandemic challenges, but its adoption depends on financial availability, business strategy, and technical support.
Review
Education & Educational Research
Aliane Loureiro Krassmann, Miguel Melo, Darque Pinto, Bruno Peixoto, Maximino Bessa, Magda Bercht
Summary: The potential association between sense of presence and learning outcomes in virtual reality experiences has been increasingly researched in educational contexts. A systematic literature review analyzed 140 primary studies from five worldwide databases, providing an overview of 24 years of research and identifying areas, factors, and methodological approaches of investigation. The review concludes with a research agenda and highlights current and emerging challenges.
INTERACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
Article
Imaging Science & Photographic Technology
Anabela Marto, Alexandrino Goncalves, Miguel Melo, Maximino Bessa, Rui Silva
Summary: This paper proposes a new acceptance model, the Augmented Reality Acceptance Model (ARAM), which aims to determine people's intention to use augmented reality technology in cultural heritage sites. ARAM incorporates the constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT), such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, along with new constructs such as trust expectancy, technological innovation, computer anxiety, and hedonic motivation. Validated with data from 528 participants, the results confirm ARAM as a reliable tool for determining the acceptance of augmented reality technology in cultural heritage sites.
JOURNAL OF IMAGING
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Software Engineering
David Narciso, Miguel Melo, Susana Rodrigues, Joao Paulo Cunha, Jose Vasconcelos-Raposo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: This study compares the effectiveness of virtual environment (VE) and real environment (RE) in training firefighters. The results indicate that participants in the VE experienced less physiological stress, had better knowledge transfer, but the overall effectiveness was lower than the RE.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Mariana Magalhaes, Antonio Coelho, Miguel Melo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: Virtual reality and emotions have become inseparable concepts, supported by increasing research. However, these studies often lack justification and only focus on audiovisual stimuli. This paper reviews the methods and instruments used in emotion analysis in virtual reality and discusses the limitations. The paper provides insights into the impact of different sensory elements on specific emotions and the association between research areas and methods used.
MULTIMEDIA TOOLS AND APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guilherme Goncalves, Galvao Meirinhos, Miguel Melo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: E-commerce has revolutionized the way consumers purchase products, but the inability to physically test products before buying compromises trust in online shopping. Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to enhance the user experience by allowing consumers to test products beforehand. This study examined how immersive VR could address these limitations and found that memory of product characteristics was positively correlated with recent VR experiences, while a negative correlation between purchase intention and memory was found in males. The findings suggest that immersive VR applications can benefit both consumers and online shops in e-commerce, but gender differences should be further explored.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Miguel Melo, Guilherme Goncalves, Filipa Jorge, Nieves Losada, Luis Barbosa, Mario Sergio Teixeira, Maximino Bessa
Summary: This paper explores the impact of different virtual reality (VR) set-ups on tourism promotion, specifically in terms of destination image, place attachment, and behavioral intention. The study finds that multisensory immersive VR is the preferred content type for destination promotion. Female participants give higher scores on all variables compared to male participants, and males report higher scores on video set-up for destination image and place attachment. In terms of behavioral intention, video receives higher values compared to immersive VR for both sexes.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Pedro Monteiro, Guilherme Goncalves, Bruno Peixoto, Miguel Melo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: Currently, handheld controllers are commonly used for interaction in virtual reality (VR), but it is important to provide hands-free alternatives as VR interactions become more natural with hand tracking. This study evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of different hands-free interfaces for selection and system control tasks. Eye gaze with a 500 ms dwell time was found to be the most effective hands-free method, matching the performance of handheld controllers and being preferred by users. The study also showed that a multimodal approach with voice commands decreased performance but improved effectiveness.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Miguel Melo, Guilherme Goncalves, Jose Vasconcelos-Raposo, Maximino Bessa
Summary: This paper proposes a qualitative grading system to interpret raw Presence scores for VR experiences by analyzing a dataset of 1909 responses to the IPQ. The grading system includes the acceptability dimension and adopts academic grading scales from A to F, along with adjectives ranging from Excellent to Unacceptable. It also encompasses Presence and its subscales defined by the IPQ. By using this grading system and a robust dataset, practitioners can evaluate and interpret individual IPQ scores, gaining insights into the effectiveness of evaluated applications.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Bruno Peixoto, Luciana Cabral P. Bessa, Guilherme Goncalves, Maximino Bessa, Miguel Melo
Summary: This paper investigates the impact of different immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) technological approaches in teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The study shows that users exhibit significant satisfaction and preference for using iVR technology in language learning, indicating enjoyment and motivation. However, no significant differences were found between traditional listening exercises and the virtual system. The study concludes that using iVR-based learning tools can have a positive impact and greater motivation in language learning.
