Self-Overlapping Maze and Map Design for Asymmetric Collaboration in Room-Scale Virtual Reality for Public Spaces

Skantarova, Denisa ; Evers, Nicolaj ; Serubugo, Sule

4. term

Medialogy, Master

2017

2017-05-18

60 pages

This thesis addresses two problems of public virtual reality (VR) setups found in cultural places such as museums and libraries. These are the lack of walkable space due to the restricted room-scale tracking area, and the head-mounted-display (HMD) technology providing a single-user experience. We propose and demonstrate a design for constructing a naturally walkable self-overlapping maze and a map of the maze to facilitate asymmetric collaboration between the user wearing an HMD and the non-HMD participants close to the setup. Three experiments are conducted, where the first two evaluate the design based on the criteria that the expansive self-overlapping maze has to be walkable in a 2.5m x 2.5m physical space without people noticing changes to the environment. We evaluate the features added to the map so that it correctly represents the self-overlapping maze, and a system for discouraging people from trespassing through virtual walls. In the last experiment, three conditions are compared: a mirrored HMD view, the map, and a combination of the two, to evaluate which facilitates more collaboration and is more engaging for the non-HMD participants and spectators, as well as the HMD participants. Results from our findings can be used when designing self-overlapping architectures for limited physical spaces and when facilitating engaging asymmetric experiences for public VR setups.

Self-overlapping maze ; Virtual reality ; Asymmetric collaboration ; Room-scale virtual reality ; Impossible spaces ; Visualization ; Public spaces ; Computer graphics ; Master thesis ; Speciale

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