User experience evaluation of human representation in collaborative virtual environments

Daphne Economou,Nektarios Georgalas,Ioannis Doumanis,Lemonia Argyriou

doi:10.1007/s00779-017-1075-4

Abstract

Human embodiment/representation in virtual environments (VEs) similarly to the human body in real life is endowed with multimodal input/output capabilities that convey multiform messages enabling communication, interaction and collaboration in VEs. This paper assesses how effectively different types of virtual human (VH) artefacts enable smooth communication and interaction in VEs. With special focus on the REal and Virtual Engagement In Realistic Immersive Environments (REVERIE) multi-modal immersive system prototype, a research project funded by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013), the paper evaluates the effectiveness of REVERIE VH representation on the foregoing issues based on two specifically designed use cases and through the lens of a set of design guidelines generated by previous extensive empirical user-centred research. The impact of REVERIE VH representations on the quality of user experience (UX) is evaluated through field trials. The output of the current study proposes directions for improving human representation in collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) as an extrapolation of lessons learned by the evaluation of REVERIE VH representation.

Highlights

Human embodiment/representation within collaborative virtual environments (CVEs), to which we will refer in the rest of the paper as virtual humans (VHs), is very important if one considers the role of the human body in real life
We review the effectiveness of VHs supported by REal and Virtual Engagement In Realistic Immersive Environments (REVERIE), a virtual reality (VR) system prototype developed under the European Community’s FP7 [10] in terms of addressing issues related to virtual presence, communication and interaction in CVEs
This section reviews how well REVERIE VH addresses the VH framework of design guidelines that warrant smooth social communication and interaction in CVEs and in essence support immersion. Those VH design guidelines derived from previous empirical research which is outlined in Section 5.1 below and are listed in columns 1–2 of Table 1

Summary

Introduction

Human embodiment/representation within collaborative virtual environments (CVEs), to which we will refer in the rest of the paper as virtual humans (VHs), is very important if one considers the role of the human body in real life. VHs in VEs play the same role as the human body does in real life, and they have been recognized as key elements for human interaction and communication in CVEs [7, 8]. Another important function of VHs is to help. Pers Ubiquit Comput (2017) 21:989–1001 humans immerse themselves in the mediated environment Immersion in this context refers to the degree the VHs help to create a sensation of being spatially located in the CVE facilitating the users feel as being “there” and participate in the virtual world. This feeling of spatial presence has been studied extensively in psychology with abound theories developed as a result [9]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion