Lisa M. Castaneda;Samantha W. Bindman;Anna Cechony;Manrita Sidhu
Industry projections suggest the commercial usage of virtual reality (VR) headsets will increase steadily over the next five years, with more immersive, stand-alone headsets representing the bulk of purchases by consumers (Bolkan, 2018; Taylor, 2017; Lamkin, 2017; Orland, 2017). Whether individuals are watching 3608 videos on smartphone-based headsets or using standalone head-mounted displays (HMDs), virtual reality is becoming more widespread in healthcare, education, business, entertainment, and industry (CB Insights, 2017; Mujber, Szecsi, & Hashmi, 2004; Pantelidis, 2009; Psotka, 2013; Rizzo et al., 2013; Rizzo, Rizzo, Schultheis, Kerns, & Mateer, 2004). Increasingly, concerns have been brought up about the ethical usage of VR, both with vulnerable groups as well as the general population (Madary & Metzinger, 2016; Southgate, Smith, & Scevak, 2017). It is clear that the adolescent brain has unique features including heightened neuroplasticity, increased emotional intensity and reactivity, and increased ability to learn (Casey, Jones, & Hare, 2008; Jensen & Nutt, 2015; Southgate et al., 2017; Steinberg, 2014). Though age recommendations are given by all manufacturers of VR hardware, they vary from child-appropriate to those recommended for age 13 years or above due to concerns about effects on ocular development and maturity of content (Gent, 2016); yet at the same time, VR headsets are being marketed as educational tools for children. Often, users disregard the warnings and allow younger children to engage with content and hardware that may not be recommended for their age group. We believe there is a gap in understanding between the potential psychological, physiological, and emotional impact of virtual reality hardware on children and adolescents, and what research actually makes its way to developers, users, parents, and guardians. Through four years of applied research on learning and VR, VR focus groups with adolescents, and experimental work with adults, we have observed thousands of people using and interacting with commercial content in VR, often in everyday settings such as schools or clubs. In our work with virtual reality, particularly with adolescents, we have observed some interesting disconnects between the expected outcome of particular pieces of content versus the actual experience of the adolescent user in VR. VR presents a number of innovative elements that provide rich opportunities for the medium to be an effective learning tool including simulations, exposure to novel situations, and engagement with learners in ways not allowed for by traditional mediums (Castaneda, Cechony, Bautista, & Pacampara, 2017). At the same time, our data also suggest that research done in applied settings may usefully supplement laboratory findings by revealing validation of experimental findings, or inconsistencies which can recommend further areas for investigation in real-world environments.
{"title":"The Disconnect between Real and Virtually Real Worlds: The Challenges of Using VR with Adolescents","authors":"Lisa M. Castaneda;Samantha W. Bindman;Anna Cechony;Manrita Sidhu","doi":"10.1162/PRES_a_00310","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/PRES_a_00310","url":null,"abstract":"Industry projections suggest the commercial usage of virtual reality (VR) headsets will increase steadily over the next five years, with more immersive, stand-alone headsets representing the bulk of purchases by consumers (Bolkan, 2018; Taylor, 2017; Lamkin, 2017; Orland, 2017). Whether individuals are watching 3608 videos on smartphone-based headsets or using standalone head-mounted displays (HMDs), virtual reality is becoming more widespread in healthcare, education, business, entertainment, and industry (CB Insights, 2017; Mujber, Szecsi, & Hashmi, 2004; Pantelidis, 2009; Psotka, 2013; Rizzo et al., 2013; Rizzo, Rizzo, Schultheis, Kerns, & Mateer, 2004). Increasingly, concerns have been brought up about the ethical usage of VR, both with vulnerable groups as well as the general population (Madary & Metzinger, 2016; Southgate, Smith, & Scevak, 2017). It is clear that the adolescent brain has unique features including heightened neuroplasticity, increased emotional intensity and reactivity, and increased ability to learn (Casey, Jones, & Hare, 2008; Jensen & Nutt, 2015; Southgate et al., 2017; Steinberg, 2014). Though age recommendations are given by all manufacturers of VR hardware, they vary from child-appropriate to those recommended for age 13 years or above due to concerns about effects on ocular development and maturity of content (Gent, 2016); yet at the same time, VR headsets are being marketed as educational tools for children. Often, users disregard the warnings and allow younger children to engage with content and hardware that may not be recommended for their age group. We believe there is a gap in understanding between the potential psychological, physiological, and emotional impact of virtual reality hardware on children and adolescents, and what research actually makes its way to developers, users, parents, and guardians. Through four years of applied research on learning and VR, VR focus groups with adolescents, and experimental work with adults, we have observed thousands of people using and interacting with commercial content in VR, often in everyday settings such as schools or clubs. In our work with virtual reality, particularly with adolescents, we have observed some interesting disconnects between the expected outcome of particular pieces of content versus the actual experience of the adolescent user in VR. VR presents a number of innovative elements that provide rich opportunities for the medium to be an effective learning tool including simulations, exposure to novel situations, and engagement with learners in ways not allowed for by traditional mediums (Castaneda, Cechony, Bautista, & Pacampara, 2017). At the same time, our data also suggest that research done in applied settings may usefully supplement laboratory findings by revealing validation of experimental findings, or inconsistencies which can recommend further areas for investigation in real-world environments.","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 4","pages":"453-453"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/PRES_a_00310","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Chen;C. R. Jung;S. R. Musse;M. Moneimne;C. Wang;R. Fruchter;V. Bazjanac;G. Chen;N. I. Badler
Crowd simulation addresses algorithmic approaches to steering, navigation, perception, and behavioral models. Significant progress has been achieved in modeling interactions between agents and the environment to avoid collisions, exploit empirical local decision data, and plan efficient paths to goals. We address a relatively unexplored dimension of virtual human behavior: thermal perception, comfort, and appropriate behavioral responses. Thermal comfort is associated with the ambient environment, agent density factors, and interpersonal thermal feedback. A key feature of our approach is the temporal integration of both thermal exposure and occupant density to directly influence agent movements and behaviors (e.g., clothing changes) to increase thermal comfort. Empirical thermal comfort models are incorporated as a validation basis. Simple heat transfer models are used to model environment, agent, and interpersonal heat exchange. Our model’s generality makes it applicable to any existing crowd steering algorithm as it adds additional integrative terms to any cost function. Examples illustrate distinctive emergent behaviors such as balancing agent density with thermal comfort, hysteresis in responding to localized or brief thermal events, and discomfort and likely injury produced by extreme packing densities.
{"title":"Crowd Simulation Incorporating Thermal Environments and Responsive Behaviors","authors":"L. Chen;C. R. Jung;S. R. Musse;M. Moneimne;C. Wang;R. Fruchter;V. Bazjanac;G. Chen;N. I. Badler","doi":"10.1162/PRES_a_00308","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/PRES_a_00308","url":null,"abstract":"<para>Crowd simulation addresses algorithmic approaches to steering, navigation, perception, and behavioral models. Significant progress has been achieved in modeling interactions between agents and the environment to avoid collisions, exploit empirical local decision data, and plan efficient paths to goals. We address a relatively unexplored dimension of virtual human behavior: thermal perception, comfort, and appropriate behavioral responses. Thermal comfort is associated with the ambient environment, agent density factors, and interpersonal thermal feedback. A key feature of our approach is the temporal integration of both thermal exposure and occupant density to directly influence agent movements and behaviors (e.g., clothing changes) to increase thermal comfort. Empirical thermal comfort models are incorporated as a validation basis. Simple heat transfer models are used to model environment, agent, and interpersonal heat exchange. Our model’s generality makes it applicable to any existing crowd steering algorithm as it adds additional integrative terms to any cost function. Examples illustrate distinctive emergent behaviors such as balancing agent density with thermal comfort, hysteresis in responding to localized or brief thermal events, and discomfort and likely injury produced by extreme packing densities.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 4","pages":"436-452"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/PRES_a_00308","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The guest editors’ introduction in the first part of this special issue (Presence 26-3) highlighted the transmutability of human culture. It also highlighted the apparent perpetuity of material culture, which will eventually decline and diminish either through time or through anthropogenic hazards and unfortunate environmental disasters. The introduction continued by emphasizing the need for the research community to progress beyond digital records by investigating, through research and applications, the utility of virtual access through virtual reality. Part I, therefore, focused on the observed shift of the use of 3D technology for documenting or reconstructing heritage sites and monuments toward the experience of past culture and heritage through immersive virtual environments. The previous volume gathered five thematic papers focusing on the virtual-reality experience of cultural heritage. Here in the second part, we continue the special issue with new methods and developments for substantiating concepts with further applications of virtual environments for cultural heritage. 2. The Scope of this Special Issue
{"title":"Special Issue on VR for Culture and Heritage: The Experience of Cultural Heritage with Virtual Reality (Part II): Guest Editors’ Introduction","authors":"Eugene Ch’ng;Yiyu Cai;Harold Thwaites","doi":"10.1162/PRES_e_00311","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/PRES_e_00311","url":null,"abstract":"The guest editors’ introduction in the first part of this special issue (Presence 26-3) highlighted the transmutability of human culture. It also highlighted the apparent perpetuity of material culture, which will eventually decline and diminish either through time or through anthropogenic hazards and unfortunate environmental disasters. The introduction continued by emphasizing the need for the research community to progress beyond digital records by investigating, through research and applications, the utility of virtual access through virtual reality. Part I, therefore, focused on the observed shift of the use of 3D technology for documenting or reconstructing heritage sites and monuments toward the experience of past culture and heritage through immersive virtual environments. The previous volume gathered five thematic papers focusing on the virtual-reality experience of cultural heritage. Here in the second part, we continue the special issue with new methods and developments for substantiating concepts with further applications of virtual environments for cultural heritage. 2. The Scope of this Special Issue","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 4","pages":"iii-iv"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/PRES_e_00311","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ronald Zamora-Musa;Jeimy Vélez;Heyder Paez-Logreira
The implementation of 3D virtual reality (VR) environments to represent human culture and heritage has been growing during the last two decades as a result of information and communication technologies (ICT) development. Precisely, regarding virtual heritage development, some weaknesses have been detected such as “lifeless“ environments lacking interaction, and research still under development on learning assessment. In this article, a VR environment is presented, through users taking a virtual tour visiting some elements of cultural heritage of the island of San Andrés, Colombia. In the tour, users participate in a 3D VR environment, answering questions and learning about the cultural heritage of the island. Also, the usability of the VR environment is assessed through SUMI (Software Usability Measurement Inventory) standard ISO9241-11 evaluating aspects such as usefulness and learnability. The results demonstrate that with the implementation of a VR environment about heritage, the users achieved optimum performance with an 80% average of correct answers and a high correlation between learning and the usability of the 3D VR environment.
{"title":"Evaluating Learnability in a 3D Heritage Tour","authors":"Ronald Zamora-Musa;Jeimy Vélez;Heyder Paez-Logreira","doi":"10.1162/PRES_a_00305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/PRES_a_00305","url":null,"abstract":"<para>The implementation of 3D virtual reality (VR) environments to represent human culture and heritage has been growing during the last two decades as a result of information and communication technologies (ICT) development. Precisely, regarding virtual heritage development, some weaknesses have been detected such as “lifeless“ environments lacking interaction, and research still under development on learning assessment. In this article, a VR environment is presented, through users taking a virtual tour visiting some elements of cultural heritage of the island of San Andrés, Colombia. In the tour, users participate in a 3D VR environment, answering questions and learning about the cultural heritage of the island. Also, the usability of the VR environment is assessed through SUMI (Software Usability Measurement Inventory) standard ISO9241-11 evaluating aspects such as usefulness and learnability. The results demonstrate that with the implementation of a VR environment about heritage, the users achieved optimum performance with an 80% average of correct answers and a high correlation between learning and the usability of the 3D VR environment.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 4","pages":"366-377"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/PRES_a_00305","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alexander Kulik;André Kunert;Stephan Beck;Carl-Feofan Matthes;Andre Schollmeyer;Adrian Kreskowski;Bernd Fröhlich;Sue Cobb;Mirabelle D’Cruz
In this article, we present a novel, multi-user, virtual reality environment for the interactive, collaborative 3D analysis of large 3D scans and the technical advancements that were necessary to build it: a multi-view rendering system for large 3D point clouds, a suitable display infrastructure, and a suite of collaborative 3D interaction techniques. The cultural heritage site of Valcamonica in Italy with its large collection of prehistoric rock-art served as an exemplary use case for evaluation. The results show that our output-sensitive level-of-detail rendering system is capable of visualizing a 3D dataset with an aggregate size of more than 14 billion points at interactive frame rates. The system design in this exemplar application results from close exchange with a small group of potential users: archaeologists with expertise in rockart. The system allows them to explore the prehistoric art and its spatial context with highly realistic appearance. A set of dedicated interaction techniques was developed to facilitate collaborative visual analysis. A multi-display workspace supports the immediate comparison of geographically distributed artifacts. An expert review of the final demonstrator confirmed the potential for added value in rock-art research and the usability of our collaborative interaction techniques.
{"title":"Virtual Valcamonica: Collaborative Exploration of Prehistoric Petroglyphs and Their Surrounding Environment in Multi-User Virtual Reality","authors":"Alexander Kulik;André Kunert;Stephan Beck;Carl-Feofan Matthes;Andre Schollmeyer;Adrian Kreskowski;Bernd Fröhlich;Sue Cobb;Mirabelle D’Cruz","doi":"10.1162/pres_a_00297","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00297","url":null,"abstract":"<para>In this article, we present a novel, multi-user, virtual reality environment for the interactive, collaborative 3D analysis of large 3D scans and the technical advancements that were necessary to build it: a multi-view rendering system for large 3D point clouds, a suitable display infrastructure, and a suite of collaborative 3D interaction techniques. The cultural heritage site of Valcamonica in Italy with its large collection of prehistoric rock-art served as an exemplary use case for evaluation. The results show that our output-sensitive level-of-detail rendering system is capable of visualizing a 3D dataset with an aggregate size of more than 14 billion points at interactive frame rates. The system design in this exemplar application results from close exchange with a small group of potential users: archaeologists with expertise in rockart. The system allows them to explore the prehistoric art and its spatial context with highly realistic appearance. A set of dedicated interaction techniques was developed to facilitate collaborative visual analysis. A multi-display workspace supports the immediate comparison of geographically distributed artifacts. An expert review of the final demonstrator confirmed the potential for added value in rock-art research and the usability of our collaborative interaction techniques.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 03","pages":"297-321"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/pres_a_00297","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The EvoluSon project proposes an immersive experience where the spectator explores an interactive visual and musical representation of the main periods of the history of Western music. The musical content is constituted of original musical compositions based on the theme of Bach’s Art of Fugue to illustrate the eight main musical eras from Antiquity to the contemporary epoch. The EvoluSon project contributes at the same time to the usage of VR for intangible culture representation and to interactive digital art that puts the user at the center of the experience. The EvoluSon project focuses on music through a presentation of the history of Western music, and uses virtual reality to valorize the different pieces through the ages. The user is immersed in a coherent visual and sound environment and can interact with both modalities. This project is the result of collaboration between a computer science research laboratory and a research laboratory on art and music. It was first presented to a public event on science and music organized by the computer science research laboratory.
{"title":"EvoluSon: Walking through an Interactive History of Music","authors":"Ronan Gaugne;Florian Nouviale;Octavia Rioual;Arnaud Chirat;Kevin Gohon;Vincent Goupil;Martin Toutirais;Bruno Bossis;Valérie Gouranton","doi":"10.1162/pres_a_00298","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00298","url":null,"abstract":"<para>The EvoluSon project proposes an immersive experience where the spectator explores an interactive visual and musical representation of the main periods of the history of Western music. The musical content is constituted of original musical compositions based on the theme of Bach’s Art of Fugue to illustrate the eight main musical eras from Antiquity to the contemporary epoch. The EvoluSon project contributes at the same time to the usage of VR for intangible culture representation and to interactive digital art that puts the user at the center of the experience. The EvoluSon project focuses on music through a presentation of the history of Western music, and uses virtual reality to valorize the different pieces through the ages. The user is immersed in a coherent visual and sound environment and can interact with both modalities. This project is the result of collaboration between a computer science research laboratory and a research laboratory on art and music. It was first presented to a public event on science and music organized by the computer science research laboratory.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 03","pages":"281-296"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/pres_a_00298","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Patrick Karjala;Dean Lodes;Kari Noe;Anna Sikkink;Jason Leigh
In this article, we present our development of a virtual reality simulation of sailing on the Hōkūle‘a, a Polynesian double-hulled sailing canoe built in Hawai‘i in 1974, which completed its worldwide journey in 2017. The construction and sailing of this vessel is of significant importance to the Hawaiian cultural renaissance of the 1970s and 1980s; of particular relevance is Hawaiian wayfinding, the cultural practice of navigating across the open ocean to a destination without the use of maps or modern navigation instruments. By developing the simulation, we aimed to assist in the cultural preservation of the star navigation portion of Hawaiian wayfinding techniques, and to help to educate future generations of non-instrument navigators. The first implementation of Kilo Hōkū as a cultural heritage project in virtual reality was to test its viability as a tool for Modern Hawaiian wayfinders to use in classroom instruction, and its realism as an accurate reproduction of the Hōkūle‘a’s sailing experience. The reaction to the simulation from current practicing Modern Hawaiian wayfinders was positive, and indicates that further study is warranted in testing the efficacy of the simulation for teaching Hawaiian wayfinding to future navigators, as well as preserving and spreading knowledge of Hōkūle‘a and of Modern Hawaiian wayfinding beyond Hawai‘i.
{"title":"Kilo Hōkū—Experiencing Hawaiian, Non-Instrument Open Ocean Navigation through Virtual Reality","authors":"Patrick Karjala;Dean Lodes;Kari Noe;Anna Sikkink;Jason Leigh","doi":"10.1162/pres_a_00301","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00301","url":null,"abstract":"<para>In this article, we present our development of a virtual reality simulation of sailing on the Hōkūle‘a, a Polynesian double-hulled sailing canoe built in Hawai‘i in 1974, which completed its worldwide journey in 2017. The construction and sailing of this vessel is of significant importance to the Hawaiian cultural renaissance of the 1970s and 1980s; of particular relevance is Hawaiian wayfinding, the cultural practice of navigating across the open ocean to a destination without the use of maps or modern navigation instruments. By developing the simulation, we aimed to assist in the cultural preservation of the star navigation portion of Hawaiian wayfinding techniques, and to help to educate future generations of non-instrument navigators. The first implementation of Kilo Hōkū as a cultural heritage project in virtual reality was to test its viability as a tool for Modern Hawaiian wayfinders to use in classroom instruction, and its realism as an accurate reproduction of the Hōkūle‘a’s sailing experience. The reaction to the simulation from current practicing Modern Hawaiian wayfinders was positive, and indicates that further study is warranted in testing the efficacy of the simulation for teaching Hawaiian wayfinding to future navigators, as well as preserving and spreading knowledge of Hōkūle‘a and of Modern Hawaiian wayfinding beyond Hawai‘i.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 03","pages":"264-280"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/pres_a_00301","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shared between Human-Computer Interaction and Cultural Heritage, the concept of Cultural Presence may provide an encompassing theoretical and methodological framework for Virtual Archaeology. The factors underlying presence have been extensively investigated, by means of both particular analyses as well as general statistical approaches. Yet, Cultural Presence has mostly been defined theoretically, and there are no global empirical examinations of it. The goal of this study is to verify the validity of the concept and to understand its underlying factors in the field of Virtual Archaeology. To that end we established an operational definition of Cultural Presence, we built a virtual reconstruction of an archaeological site based on it, and we evaluated the environment by means of self-reports and exploratory factor analysis. The general conclusion is that the concept of Cultural Presence is sound and composed of three main factors (cultural representation and engagement, social presence, and communicational aspects of technology); yet, it is not universal, but influenced by purpose and demographic variables.
{"title":"Cultural Presence in Virtual Archaeology: An Exploratory Analysis of Factors","authors":"Laia Pujol-Tost","doi":"10.1162/pres_a_00296","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00296","url":null,"abstract":"<para>Shared between Human-Computer Interaction and Cultural Heritage, the concept of Cultural Presence may provide an encompassing theoretical and methodological framework for Virtual Archaeology. The factors underlying presence have been extensively investigated, by means of both particular analyses as well as general statistical approaches. Yet, Cultural Presence has mostly been defined theoretically, and there are no global empirical examinations of it. The goal of this study is to verify the validity of the concept and to understand its underlying factors in the field of Virtual Archaeology. To that end we established an operational definition of Cultural Presence, we built a virtual reconstruction of an archaeological site based on it, and we evaluated the environment by means of self-reports and exploratory factor analysis. The general conclusion is that the concept of Cultural Presence is sound and composed of three main factors (cultural representation and engagement, social presence, and communicational aspects of technology); yet, it is not universal, but influenced by purpose and demographic variables.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 03","pages":"247-263"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/pres_a_00296","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Human culture is profound and is always changing and evolving. Heritage, on the other hand, remains perpetually frozen in time, molded or engraved in material culture as a testament to the past. Yet some intangible heritage lives on, sewn into the intermingled fabric of present cultures, evolving, being influenced by and conforming to a highly connected modern society brought about by digital technologies. Others are at risk of diminishing as newer generations, enticed by disparate modern cultures, shun the traditions that were handed down to them. What cultural heritage contributes to our present society is that it validates our memories and provides us a physical means to connect us to past cultures. Tangible heritage may appear to be unchanging, perhaps because of the fraction of our existence within the arrow of time, yet entropy occurs and the physicality of any material will inevitably decline, eroded by the passage of time and any unfortunate disasters, including threats from deliberate destruction of monuments (CuriousTravellers, 2016). This is why digital preservation is important (Webb, 2003). Any virtual records of cultural heritage are considered good contributions, for digitized information can potentially preserve and generate more value than its physical counterpart in the longer term (Ch’ng, 2013). However, the simple record of information will not add any more value to culture and heritage than what the present existence of it already does. What are needed are accessibility and a means to contextualize and communicate digital information in a way which can bring to life past cultures, and enhance the learning of it (Ch’ng, 2012). We believe that virtual reality exists for this reason and more. The ability to simulate complete interactive virtual environments can provide a more concrete means to the experience of past cultures. How well virtual reality and Augmented Reality are doing in terms of allowing participants to truly experience past cultures remains a question. Here, we are focused not on the museum experiments (Bowen et al., 2008) in general, but on the experience of past cultures, the phenomenology (Tilley, 1994) of it, which we believe virtual reality can provide. As such, this special issue aims to gather researchers working on all aspects of culture and heritage that use virtual environments or aspects of the mixed-reality continuum to conserve, analyze and communicate contents from the past and the present. It therefore encompasses contemporary public-facing work in GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) and the backdrop of in-depth investigations to bring to light the contents and contexts of culture and heritage via virtual environments. The series of articles presented within this two-part issue is a continuation of the previous special issue on ‘‘Virtual Heritage: Cultural Agents, Environments, and Objects’’ (Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 24-3), which highlighted the need for a cl
{"title":"Special Issue on VR for Culture and Heritage: The Experience of Cultural Heritage with Virtual Reality: Guest Editors’ Introduction","authors":"Eugene Ch’ng;Yiyu Cai;Harold Thwaites","doi":"10.1162/pres_e_00302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_e_00302","url":null,"abstract":"Human culture is profound and is always changing and evolving. Heritage, on the other hand, remains perpetually frozen in time, molded or engraved in material culture as a testament to the past. Yet some intangible heritage lives on, sewn into the intermingled fabric of present cultures, evolving, being influenced by and conforming to a highly connected modern society brought about by digital technologies. Others are at risk of diminishing as newer generations, enticed by disparate modern cultures, shun the traditions that were handed down to them. What cultural heritage contributes to our present society is that it validates our memories and provides us a physical means to connect us to past cultures. Tangible heritage may appear to be unchanging, perhaps because of the fraction of our existence within the arrow of time, yet entropy occurs and the physicality of any material will inevitably decline, eroded by the passage of time and any unfortunate disasters, including threats from deliberate destruction of monuments (CuriousTravellers, 2016). This is why digital preservation is important (Webb, 2003). Any virtual records of cultural heritage are considered good contributions, for digitized information can potentially preserve and generate more value than its physical counterpart in the longer term (Ch’ng, 2013). However, the simple record of information will not add any more value to culture and heritage than what the present existence of it already does. What are needed are accessibility and a means to contextualize and communicate digital information in a way which can bring to life past cultures, and enhance the learning of it (Ch’ng, 2012). We believe that virtual reality exists for this reason and more. The ability to simulate complete interactive virtual environments can provide a more concrete means to the experience of past cultures. How well virtual reality and Augmented Reality are doing in terms of allowing participants to truly experience past cultures remains a question. Here, we are focused not on the museum experiments (Bowen et al., 2008) in general, but on the experience of past cultures, the phenomenology (Tilley, 1994) of it, which we believe virtual reality can provide. As such, this special issue aims to gather researchers working on all aspects of culture and heritage that use virtual environments or aspects of the mixed-reality continuum to conserve, analyze and communicate contents from the past and the present. It therefore encompasses contemporary public-facing work in GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) and the backdrop of in-depth investigations to bring to light the contents and contexts of culture and heritage via virtual environments. The series of articles presented within this two-part issue is a continuation of the previous special issue on ‘‘Virtual Heritage: Cultural Agents, Environments, and Objects’’ (Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 24-3), which highlighted the need for a cl","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 03","pages":"iii-vi"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/pres_e_00302","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article presents a roaming system of Han Chang’an City, with both virtual reality (VR) technology and information recommendation technology. Nowadays, some new research issues in the cultural heritage domain can be achieved with the rapid development of VR technology. The ancient site of Han Chang’an City, as one of the most valuable and significant cultural heritages in China, attracts more and more attention around the world. To let more people understand Han Chang’an City and reproduce its beauty, in this article, we propose a virtual roaming system combined with information recommendation technology. First, Unity3D is selected as the three-dimensional platform to design the scenario model of Han Chang’ an City, and the virtual scene is reconstructed with VR technology, according to real historical data; then, the dynamic information recommendation module is designed to recommend hot topic information and personalized information. The former is obtained through web crawlers, including the latest released news related to Han Chang’an City for users. The latter is generated by the proposed hybrid recommendation algorithm, which combines explicit and implicit feedback. The performance of the proposed algorithm is validated on two datasets. Finally, we show some results of our system test. Our proposed system is released online now, and users can wander in the scene any time.
{"title":"Recommending Multimedia Information in a Virtual Han Chang’an City Roaming System","authors":"Junmei Feng;Xiaoyi Feng;Liming Deng;Jinye Peng","doi":"10.1162/pres_a_00299","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00299","url":null,"abstract":"<para>This article presents a roaming system of Han Chang’an City, with both virtual reality (VR) technology and information recommendation technology. Nowadays, some new research issues in the cultural heritage domain can be achieved with the rapid development of VR technology. The ancient site of Han Chang’an City, as one of the most valuable and significant cultural heritages in China, attracts more and more attention around the world. To let more people understand Han Chang’an City and reproduce its beauty, in this article, we propose a virtual roaming system combined with information recommendation technology. First, Unity3D is selected as the three-dimensional platform to design the scenario model of Han Chang’ an City, and the virtual scene is reconstructed with VR technology, according to real historical data; then, the dynamic information recommendation module is designed to recommend hot topic information and personalized information. The former is obtained through web crawlers, including the latest released news related to Han Chang’an City for users. The latter is generated by the proposed hybrid recommendation algorithm, which combines explicit and implicit feedback. The performance of the proposed algorithm is validated on two datasets. Finally, we show some results of our system test. Our proposed system is released online now, and users can wander in the scene any time.</para>","PeriodicalId":101038,"journal":{"name":"Presence","volume":"26 03","pages":"322-336"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1162/pres_a_00299","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50325282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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