Using Virtual Reality for Interpreter-mediated Communication and Training

Three-dimensional (3D) virtual environments (VEs) are collaboration platforms where group members are represented as avatars and interact in a customizable simulated world. Research from cognitive psychology has shown that it is possible to manipulate nonconscious cognition and behavior through “priming,” a well-known phenomenon in which words and images are used to activate desired concepts in participants’ minds. Our goal in this was to investigate whether priming during the task execution (called contextual priming) using 3D objects in the VE can improve brainstorming performance. To investigate this, we conducted two studies. The first used priming objects specifically related to the task topic and the second used priming objects related to creativity, in general. Compared to VEs without 3D priming objects, our results show that when groups brainstormed in the VEs designed with 3D priming objects, they generated better quality ideas as well as a greater breadth and depth of ideas. Thus, the 3D priming stimuli incorporated in a VE enhances brainstorming, which indicates that the design of VE has a direct effect on team brainstorming performance. Our results also show that target concept activation and task absorption act as the underlying mechanisms, partially mediating the relationship between the design of the VE (i.e., the presence or absence of priming objects) and performance outcomes.

Purpose The metaverse represents an emerging service platform offering advanced assistive technologies, accessible settings and opportunities for inclusive participation. It has the potential to significantly enhance the participation, self-expression and engagement of people with disabilities (PWD) in digital service environments. This study aims to address a significant gap in services marketing literature by investigating how desired self-identity (DSI) expression influences PWD’s perceived usefulness of the metaverse platform and perceived advertising value within the service environment and how advertising value as a service touchpoint affects disability acceptance. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was used. Data were gathered through an online survey completed by 437 PWD users of metaverse service platforms in the UK. Findings The findings demonstrate that when PWD achieve DSI expression through brands in the metaverse, they perceive both the service platform as more useful and service-embedded advertising as more valuable. Perceived service usefulness also positively influences perceived advertising value, which, in turn, positively affects disability acceptance. Originality/value This study contributes to services marketing scholarship by extending self-congruity theory into immersive virtual service environments, demonstrating how self-brand congruence mechanisms operate within digital service platforms. By examining the relationships between DSI, perceived service usefulness, advertising value as a service touchpoint and acceptance of disability, it offers new insights into how inclusive service design in virtual environments can enhance well-being for vulnerable consumers. The study advances transformative service research by demonstrating how service experiences, including service-embedded advertising, influence the psychological well-being of PWD.

Trails, rails, and over-reliance: How navigation assistance affects route-finding and spatial learning in virtual environments

Extended-Reality Technologies: An Overview of Emerging Applications in Medical Education and Clinical Care.

Much of the current research in the design of virtual environments is centred on laboratory prototypes and emphasis is placed on supporting cooperation within the virtual world itself. By way of contrast, this paper places an emphasis upon the development of virtual enivronments that support cooperation within the real world. This external research focus situates virtual environments within the bricolage of material artefacts that people use in coordinating and accomplishing ordinary jobs of work. We elaborate the shift to the external environment of ordinary human jobs and users through an ethnographic study of searching for information in the library, and the design and evaluation of a prototype supporting the real world cooperation involved in getting the job of searching done.

BackgroundIt is crucial to use innovative tools to gain clinical reasoning skills through experiential learning in pharmacy education, and one of the most effective tools used in this is virtual reality. However, the lack of research that empirically demonstrates the instructional principles of virtual environment design, especially in the clinical setting, has resulted in a significant gap in the current literature.AimIn this study, it was aimed to determine the instructional design principles of a virtual environment for the clinical pharmacy.MethodThe study was conducted as a design‐based research. The data of the study related to three components of the developed virtual reality environment in pharmacy education (VRPE). These components, scenario development interface‐scenario development interface, virtual environment, and scenario, were collected through interviews, observation, document review, and a system usability scale. Instructional design principles for the VRPE were determined through analysis of the collected data.ResultsThe prominent instructional design principles of the VRPE were revealed as immersion, interaction, diversity, flow, aesthetics‐ergonomic‐universal design, informing, and retest availability. The significance of the study was the adoption of a holistic perspective in the design of a virtual reality environment for pharmacy education. In addition, one of the most critical features of the study was eliminating the expertise barrier in virtual environment design. Thus, it was concluded that the VRPE is an extraordinary tool that can be used for pharmacy education to promote experiential learning.

In some circumstances, immersion in virtual environments with the aid of virtual reality (VR) equipment can create feelings of anxiety in users and be experienced as something “frightening”, “oppressive”, “alienating”, “dehumanizing”, or “dystopian”. Sometimes (e.g., in exposure therapy or VR gaming), a virtual environment is intended to have such psychological impacts on users; however, such effects can also arise unintentionally due to the environment’s poor architectural design. Designers of virtual environments may employ user-centered design (UCD) to incrementally improve a design and generate a user experience more closely resembling the type desired; however, UCD can yield suboptimal results if an initial design relied on an inappropriate architectural approach. This study developed a framework that can facilitate the purposeful selection of the most appropriate architectural approach by drawing on Norberg-Schulz’s established phenomenological account of real-world architectural modes. By considering the unique possibilities for structuring and experiencing space within virtual environments and reinterpreting Norberg-Schulz’s schemas in the context of virtual environment design, a novel framework was formulated that explicates six fundamental “architectural paradigms” available to designers of virtual environments. It was shown that the application of this framework could easily be incorporated as an additional step within the UCD process.

The future of educational technology has been envisioned to have increasing focus on simulations, game based learning, virtual learning environments and virtual worlds. The technologies aim to provide authentic learning and enable deeper, more complex and contextual understanding for students. To study the impact of virtual learning environments for natural sciences and engineering education, we have designed and implemented a virtual laboratory, LabLife3D, in Second Life. To date we have designed six virtual laboratory exercises in the biological sciences and chemistry and additionally created a system to gather behavioristic data during laboratory simulations for the purpose of learning analytics. This paper presents the design process of laboratory exercises and discusses the content-specific learning goals and outcomes. Additionally, this paper discusses the use of heuristic usability review used to improve the virtual learning environment. Lastly, the results from student and teacher interviews are presented, together with results of the learning analytics study. The discussion also includes student identified affordances and barriers for learning. We conclude that authentic and deep learning is possible within virtual worlds. Furthermore, the results of this study are not only limited to virtual worlds, but could also apply to other areas of digital educational technology.

There is growing interest in adopting three-dimensional virtual environments within spatial design courses to use digital modelling techniques to support students' learning. One pedagogical issue that has received little attention so far is the question of how 3D virtual environments can be used to implement assessment techniques that support students' learning of spatial design expertise. This chapter seeks to assist spatial design educators who are considering digital modelling by presenting two case studies that highlight assessment practices within spatial design courses using virtual environments. Rubrics and student work samples are included. These courses both involve students creating architectural designs within virtual environments, yet contrast in several ways: learning outcomes, 3D modelling technologies, and student cohorts. The cases examine how the affordances of virtual environments for iterative, immersive, and collaborative design can enable formative and summative assessment, with both design process and the final artefact playing important roles.

The possibilities offered by digital tools for visualization, distribution, and storage of educational resources, as well as for interaction and communication between professors and students, are broadly acknowledged. However, the role of graphical user interface design in digital educational environments has still not been sufficiently valued. In this paper, we support the idea that the arrangement, distribution, and visual attributes of graphic elements (i.e., what in the field of art is called composition) in the design of the graphic interface of educational environments is not only a matter of aesthetics. It also results in better understanding of the educational message and in a significant reduction of cognitive overload in the learning process. The relationship between visual stimuli and cognitive processes that favour learning is highlighted.

This study examines the critical importance of audio design in crafting immersive experiences within the metaverse. The analysis focuses on key technologies driving this field, with particular emphasis on spatial audio techniques such as Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTF) and Ambisonics, which enable precise three-dimensional sound positioning. The research investigates adaptive audio rendering, highlighting tools such as Microsoft's Spatial Audio Unity Plugin, which facilitates dynamic soundscape adjustments based on user interactions. Furthermore, the application of artificial intelligence in audio design is explored, with a discussion on the potential of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) for synthetic sound production and personalized audio experiences. The study presents two significant case studies: the partnership between TCG World, STYNGR, and Downtown for interactive sonic environments, and research on Audio Augmented Reality (AAR) in art galleries. Ethical considerations, including privacy, accessibility, and the psychological impact of immersive audio, are critically examined. The research concludes by exploring future directions, such as cross-modal integration and emotional AI systems in metaverse audio design, emphasizing the necessity for responsible development practices. Through this comprehensive analysis, the study aims to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by audio design in virtual environments, contributing to the evolving landscape of metaverse technology.

3D multi-user virtual environments (MUVE) bring new opportunities to foreign language teaching and learning as a platform for teaching practices. Due to immersive and interactive nature of 3D MUVE, these tools have gained popularity in the field of foreign language learning and teaching. The power of virtual learning environments lies in creating immersive 3-D spaces that give users a sense of learning by doing. Moreover, the environment is interactive and is much the same as real world interaction. MUVE provides strong support for synchronous collaborations, interactions, and immersive environments for experiential and constructivist learning settings. Some key features of the virtual worlds comprise the ability to construct 3D environments that simulate real world situations, as well as the ability to have a virtual identity to create a cross-cultural self and the ability to have participants from around the world acting virtually in designated roles that convey new types of learning within this environment.

Supporting learning in synchronous collaborative game design in virtual worlds: A synergy between technological and pedagogical considerations

The design of virtual environments (VEs) can strongly influence users’ emotions. These VEs are also an important aspect of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) exergames – training system that can inspire athletes to train in a highly motivated way and achieve a higher training intensity. VR-based training and rehabilitation systems can increase a user’s motivation to train and to repeat physical exercises. The surrounding VE can potentially predominantly influence users’ motivation and hence potentially even physical performance. Besides providing potentially motivating environments, physical training can be enhanced by gamification. However, it is unclear whether the surrounding VE of a VR-based physical training system influences the effectiveness of gamification. We investigate whether an emotional positive or emotional negative design influences the sport performance and interacts with the positive effects of gamification. In a user study, we immerse participants in VEs following either an emotional positive, neutral, or negative design and measure the duration the participants can hold a static strength-endurance exercise. The study targeted the investigation of the effects of (1) emotional VE design as well as the (2) presence and absence of gamification. We did not observe significant differences in the performance of the participants independent of the conditions of VE design or gamification. Gamification caused a dominating effect on emotion and motivation over the emotional design of the VEs, thus indicating an overall positive impact. The emotional design influenced the participants’ intrinsic motivation but caused mixed results with respect to emotion. Overall, our results indicate the importance of using gamification and support the commonly used emotional positive VEs for physical training. They further indicate that the design space could also include other emotional directions of VE design.

In this paper the authors review the design of a self-build general-purpose Virtual Reality environment, which presents all relevant features of a full-size CAVE-like system, yet at a fraction of the financial and space requirements. Further, the application of this system to the development of a virtual museum is presented. The objects in the museum are models, reconstructed via photogrammetry from a set of pictures. For this process cost-free software is used. The presentation of the 3D models in the Virtual Environment is done using BlenderCAVE, a multi-screen extension of the Blender game engine. The main contributions of this paper are the discussion of the design choices for a small and low-budget but feature-rich virtual reality environment and the application of the system for cultural heritage. In this area tools for creation of 3D models and their presentation in a VR environment are presented.KeywordsVirtual RealityCAVE-like systemCultural Heritage