Self-Overlapping Maze and Map Design for Asymmetric Collaboration in Room-Scale Virtual Reality for Public Spaces
Authors
Skantarova, Denisa ; Evers, Nicolaj ; Serubugo, Sule
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-05-22
Pages
60
Abstract
Offentlige VR-installationer i museer og biblioteker har to praktiske udfordringer: Der er kun lidt gulvplads at gå på, fordi sporingsområdet er begrænset, og VR-headsets (HMD’er) er typisk designet til én bruger ad gangen. Denne afhandling præsenterer et design for en naturligt gåbar, selvoverlappende labyrint i VR, som lader brugeren opleve et stort virtuelt område, mens vedkommende fysisk bliver i et lille felt på 2,5 m x 2,5 m. ”Selvoverlappende” betyder, at den virtuelle rute genbruger den samme fysiske plads på en måde, som føles sammenhængende for brugeren. Vi introducerer også et kort over labyrinten, så personer uden headset i nærheden kan følge med og hjælpe — en form for asymmetrisk samarbejde, hvor headset-brugeren udforsker, og andre guider eller observerer. Vi gennemfører tre eksperimenter. I de første to tester vi, om den selvoverlappende labyrint kan gås naturligt i det lille område uden, at folk bemærker ændringer i omgivelserne; vi evaluerer desuden kortets funktioner, så det korrekt afspejler overlap i labyrinten, samt et system der modvirker, at brugere går gennem virtuelle vægge. I det tredje eksperiment sammenligner vi tre måder at inddrage andre på: en spejlet HMD-visning på en skærm, kortet og en kombination af de to. Vi vurderer, hvad der bedst understøtter samarbejde og engagement for både headset-brugere, medspillere uden headset og tilskuere. Resultaterne kan bruges til at designe selvoverlappende VR-arkitekturer til små fysiske rum og til at skabe engagerende, asymmetriske oplevelser i offentlige VR-opsætninger.
Public VR setups in museums and libraries face two practical challenges: limited walkable space due to small tracking areas, and head-mounted displays (HMDs) that are usually built for a single user. This thesis presents a design for a naturally walkable, self-overlapping maze in VR that lets a visitor experience a large virtual area while staying inside a 2.5 m × 2.5 m physical space. “Self-overlapping” means the virtual path reuses the same physical area in a way that still feels continuous to the user. We also introduce a map of the maze so nearby people without headsets can follow along and assist—an asymmetric collaboration where the HMD wearer explores and others guide or observe. We conduct three experiments. The first two test whether the self-overlapping maze can be walked naturally within the small area without people noticing changes to the environment; they also evaluate map features that correctly represent overlaps in the maze, and a method that discourages walking through virtual walls. In the third experiment, we compare three ways to involve others: a mirrored HMD view on a screen, the map, and a combination of both. We assess which option better supports collaboration and engagement for headset users, nearby participants without headsets, and spectators. The findings can inform how to build self-overlapping VR architectures for limited physical spaces and how to create engaging, asymmetric experiences in public VR setups.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
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