Abstract
Extended reality (XR) technology is increasingly often considered in practical applications related to urban planning and smart city management. It offers many advantages as a new visualization technique that gives its users access to places that are not available in material space and a unique perspective on existing objects. It can provide immersive multi-sensory experience that can induce emotional response in participatory planning. However, standard mode of implementation that relies on mobile phone applications and VR headsets has a disadvantage when it comes to availability and accessibility. Here we test the WebXR solution that can mitigate those problems. We have created six AR and VR environments that resembled common urban planning scenarios and conducted usability tests with people having planning and GIS background. Results indicate that WebXR can provide useful solution in urban planning when the interface and environment resemble common practices and situations encountered in real life. Environments that have introduced new digital affordances like AR measurements or semi-transparent walkable scale models were rated lower. Users evaluated presented environment as having high usability and expressed their positive attitude toward using XR in their professional practice mainly as a participatory and visualization tool.
Highlights
Extended reality (XR) technology is increasingly often considered in practical applications related to urban planning and smart city management
In this paper we take a look at the WebXR as a relatively new addition to the spectrum of extended reality (XR) technologies, one that could be used in urban planning, especially in the context of public participation in the smart city
WebXR possesses certain characteristics that make it a promising tool for engagement with the public in such circumstances. It provides the environment for a wide range of interactive spatial visualizations, the possibility of creating Virtual Geographic Environments (VGE) [15], the engagement factor resulting from its newness and specific set of affordances that allows for immersive experience, and —the unrivaled accessibility
Summary
Extended reality (XR) technology is increasingly often considered in practical applications related to urban planning and smart city management It offers many advantages as a new visualization technique that gives its users access to places that are not available in material space and a unique perspective on existing objects. WebXR possesses certain characteristics that make it a promising tool for engagement with the public in such circumstances It provides the environment for a wide range of interactive spatial visualizations, the possibility of creating Virtual Geographic Environments (VGE) [15], the engagement factor resulting from its newness and specific set of affordances that allows for immersive experience, and —the unrivaled accessibility.
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