Extended Reality Research Articles

The Effects of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality as Training Enhancement Methods: A Meta-Analysis.

The objective of this meta-analysis is to explore the presently available, empirical findings on transfer of training from virtual (VR), augmented (AR), and mixed reality (MR) and determine whether such extended reality (XR)-based training is as effective as traditional training methods. MR, VR, and AR have already been used as training tools in a variety of domains. However, the question of whether or not these manipulations are effective for training has not been quantitatively and conclusively answered. Evidence shows that, while extended realities can often be time-saving and cost-saving training mechanisms, their efficacy as training tools has been debated. The current body of literature was examined and all qualifying articles pertaining to transfer of training from MR, VR, and AR were included in the meta-analysis. Effect sizes were calculated to determine the effects that XR-based factors, trainee-based factors, and task-based factors had on performance measures after XR-based training. Results showed that training in XR does not express a different outcome than training in a nonsimulated, control environment. It is equally effective at enhancing performance. Across numerous studies in multiple fields, extended realities are as effective of a training mechanism as the commonly accepted methods. The value of XR then lies in providing training in circumstances, which exclude traditional methods, such as situations when danger or cost may make traditional training impossible.

Shifting modes: Spectatorship, theatrical virtual reality and motion capture through the experience of Fatherland XR

Abstract This article discusses a project using Extended Reality (XR) within theatre and its effect on audiences who are part of the testing and development of a theatrical production. The article develops knowledge surrounding agency/embodiment and multimodal story telling utilizing virtual reality (VR) and motion capture technologies. There is also contained within the article a demonstration of how a university and a theatre company can collaborate using XR technologies. This collaboration is presented based on three interviews with key members of the team. At the time of writing the production is still undergoing final developments. The discussion places the practice within the field of immersive performance and new technologies. Many of the claims made are based on practice-based experiences and the messy data provided by test audiences who are asked to freely respond after the showings. The multiplicity of reactions to this performance artwork are discussed in relation to the emergent, accidental and playful results of multimodal practices often presenting themselves as a set of performative frames instead of a synergistic whole.

Conveying spatial awareness cues in xR collaborations.

Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) systems can be suitably combined with other existing Extended Reality (xR) technologies to support collaboration. In existing strategies, users unencumbered by a viewing technology, such as a tablet interface or a head-mounted display, must rely on the transmission of their collaborators' positioning through interpreting a first-person camera view. This design creates a seam between a user's experience of the augmented physical environment in SAR, and their collaborators' experience inside the virtual environment. To assist in development and evaluation of spatial cues to support spatial awareness in SAR environments, an egocentric spatial-communication taxonomy is presented given two determining dimensions, a cue's attachment (physical/virtual) and animation (local/world). We developed four egocentric cues which characterize the four independent dimensions of the matrix: arrow, path, glow, and radial, and a single exocentric world in miniature visualization. Our study shows that virtual attachment cues are preferred, providing the highest accuracy, highest performance when collaborators are occluded, and produce the least mental effort when used with a single virtual collaborator. For multiple collaborators however, the virtual attached, world animated radial cue produces significant increases in mental load and reductions in preference, demonstrating the impact of visual augmentation clutter. The single exocentric visualization produced higher levels of head movement, and poorer accuracy, however the novelty of the visualization produced positive qualitative results.

Extended reality and informative models for the architectural heritage: from scan-to-BIM process to virtual and augmented reality

<p>The dissemination of the tangible and intangible values of heritage building represents one of the most important objectives in the field of Digital Cultural Heritage (DCH). In recent years, different studies and research applied to heritage monuments have shown how it is possible to improve the awareness of the architectural heritage through the integration of latest developments in the field of 3D survey, 3D modelling, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and eXtended Reality (XR). On the other hand, this digital workflow requires a huge amount of data sources and a holistic approach to reach a high level of information sharing coming from different disciplines and sectors such as restoration, geomatics, 3D virtual museums and serious gaming. In conjunction with entertainment software and gaming, this research shows the main results obtained during the generative process of digital environments oriented to improve the level of information and to enrich the contents coming from the informative models. The case study is represented by one of the most important Lombard monuments: the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan. This study, starting from the 3D survey and the data collection of the historical records of the church, improves the creation of an XR experience that reaches a new level of interactivity for different types of devices (desktop, mobile, VR headset) and users (experts, non-experts).</p><p><strong>Highlights:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Generative modelling requirements and novel grades of generations (GOG) and accuracy (GOA) are presented in order to improve the digitisation of built heritage from the 3D survey, reducing time and costs of the scan-to-BIM process.</p></li><li><p>The holistic value of generative modelling allows experts to create digital worlds able to faithfully and accurately represent the detected reality and improve new immersive environments for Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) projects.</p></li><li><p>Immersive environments are created with a mixture of the latest generation software and hardware, allowing users to discover the hidden historical values of built heritage with new levels of interactivity and information.</p></li></ul>

Artificial Intelligence and Crime

This review of the rapidly growing literature on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on crime and crime prevention outlines some of the likely limits and potential of AI applications as a crime enabler or crime fighter. In short, our focus is on the criminogenic potential as well as preventative role of AI. Investment and interest in developing machine learning (ML) technologies that underpin AI capabilities across industry, civil and military applications have grown exponentially in the past decade. This investment in AI research and development has boosted innovation and productivity as well as intensifying competition between states in the race to gain technological advantage. The scale of data acquisition and aggregation essential for the ‘training’ of effective AI via ML processes also poses broader associated risks to privacy and fairness as such technology shifts from a niche to general purpose technology. The potential weaponization of AI applications such as computational marketing, ‘deep’ fake images or news and enhanced surveillance, however, are pressing challenges to democracies and human rights. Poorly implemented ethical, accountability and regulatory measures will also provide opportunities for criminal activity as well as the potential of accidents, unreliability and other unintended consequences. AI is generally described as weak, medium or strong and it is widely understood that the AI currently in use can be classified as weak. This is because the underlying ML iterative processes are based on domain specific or limited ‘training’ particular to the problem or activity addressed and thus offer only narrow or highly focused AI applications. Five major functional areas have stimulated the civil development of AI and these are: ● Voice and Speech Recognition ● Computer Vision ● Extended Reality (XR) ● Game Playing ● Natural Language Processing (NLP) We explore some of the concerns about AI as currently realised and argues that automated decision-making technology should not be relied upon as a sole decision-making tool. Scepticism is currently necessary when evaluating an AI’s performance. The United States White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy has warned of the potential threat that AI poses to privacy, civil rights, and individual freedoms through the “Potential of encoding discrimination in automated decisions” (Executive Office of the US President, 2016, p. 45). The various ways in which AI can be used as a defensive or an offensive tool in respect to cybercrime are described and evaluate some of the opportunities and risks that arise when AI is employed either to defend and detect attacks against computer systems or to attack computer systems. A summary of the legal and regulatory dimensions of AI and discusses the extent to which existing laws are sufficiently technologically neutral or ‘future proof’ to incorporate the use and potential ‘misconduct’ or misuse of AI in decision-making. AI applications will also be used to enhance many existing surveillance systems incorporating and aggregating data from different sources including fusing individual biometric data with expenditure and activity transaction records to create ‘whole of life’ behavioural classifiers. PR China’s newly piloted social responsibility system is such a system that ‘scores’ an individual citizen’s conduct (e.g. by rating the ‘social worthiness’ of consumption and activities) so as to prioritise access to state-controlled activities or services (e.g. state offices/jobs, travel, educational or medical services). The ubiquitous melding of data to classify conduct and rate individuals driven by AI algorithms may emerge as the key method of the new surveillance state or corporation. In this sense, AI may also evolve as a self-preserving autonomous system. These new forms of total surveillance will also be a key target for manipulation by criminal actors and others.

5G Sets Sail Around the Globe [Mobile Radio

The third annual Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit was held on Maui, Hawaii, on 4-6 December 2018. This event featured several industry milestones related to 5G mobile communication systems and the Snapdragon mobile platforms. During the second day of the technology summit, Qualcomm Technologies unveiled the Snapdragon 855 chipset, the company?s newest generation in the Snapdragon 8 Series Mobile Platform. This is the world's first commercial mobile platform supporting, collectively, multigigabit 5G, industry-leading artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive extended reality, ushering in a new decade of revolutionary mobile devices. Using new chip architectures built on leading 7-nm process technology, the Snapdragon 855 will offer users long-lasting battery life and enhanced experiences in such areas as imaging, audio, gaming, and extended reality.

A CONTENT-BASED IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF BASILICA OF SANT'AMBROGIO IN MILAN: FROM 3D SURVEY TO VIRTUAL REALITY

Abstract. One of the challenges of the Digital Cultural Heritage (DCH) field is the creation of coherent HBIMs and the dissemination of the collected historical data. The latest development of new technologies has the great potential to realise virtual content-based immersive experiences that are easily available by both experts and non-expert users. On the other hand, they require specific skills and a holistic approach to the study of the building that involves different disciplines.The research that has been carried out for the last five years on one of the greatest monuments in Milan, the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, adopted this comprehensive methodology. Although the church is a very well-known building, its turbulent history remains in a certain aspect hidden to the large public. This paper shows the workflow that has been developed for the Basilica, starting from the 3D survey to the historical data acquisition and the study on the church itself, based on a ‘virtual subtraction process’, till the creation of a Virtual Reality experience. This one is the first step of a wider project on eXtended reality (Virtual/Mixed/Augmented Reality) that intends to make the gathered knowledge of the Basilica available to the public.

HOLISTIC HERITAGE BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING (HHBIM): FROM NODES TO HUB NETWORKING, VOCABULARIES AND REPOSITORIES

Abstract. HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modelling) can be nowadays considered as part of the digitization process of Cultural Heritage, with the particular characteristics that being born to manage Models and Data within a unique environment they can be inherited to adopt a synergic approach to the cultural Heritage ‘as a whole system’. To this aim they need to overcome gaps and barriers undertaking an holistic approach in many directions. The paper intends to introduce an overview on the meaning of Holistic Heritage Information Building. The attribute holistic is here used with the meaning to empower instruments and methods capable to interconnect single HBIM nodes within networks where to find the information collected in a cross sectorial space: vocabularies, libraries of object and semantics, derived from such ‘Informative Models’ - with the support of Virtual Hub technologies - can boost nodes-networking empowering the capabilities of BIM Informative Modelling together with web accessible Geographic Informative System. Such richness once interconnected can be accessed from space-temporal queries, semantic searches, and harvested with other networks in order to enhance the cross correlation of the information and allowing the sharing of different case studies and HBIM within a space-temporal framework. This will allow the comparison of masonry texture, history of material finishing and skilled workers across space and time. HHBIM HUBS will be a gate toward the eXtended Reality potentials attracting and distributing data coming from different sources.

Burmese python target reflectivity compared to natural Florida foliage background reflectivity.

The Florida Everglades is infested with Burmese pythons caused by the release of exotic pets in the 1980s. The current estimates are between 30,000 and 300,000 pythons, where the result is a severe decline in Everglade mammals: 90% reductions in raccoon, opossum, bobcats, and foxes. The marsh rabbits are completely gone. The population of the pythons is rapidly increasing exponentially with 20-50 eggs per snake with a life span of up to 20 years. Pythons have been captured in the Everglades with lengths of nearly 6m. Researchers in the state of Florida are concerned that these pythons are (1)permanently damaging the Everglades, (2)migrating further north into populated areas of Florida, and (3)endangering wildlife, pets, and eventually, people. There have been a number of sensing efforts attempted in the large-area detection of pythons, where limited success has been achieved. For example, infrared sensors have been applied to the problem, but the pythons are cold-blooded, so the infrared bands do not work well. Imec has leveraged its expertise and infrastructure in semiconductor processing to produce highly compact, higher performance, and relatively cheaper hyperspectral image sensors and camera systems. In this work, Imec teamed with the University of Florida and Extended Reality Systems to obtain hyperspectral reflectivity measurements of Burmese pythons along with natural Florida background foliage to determine bands or band combinations that may be exploited in the large-area detection of pythons. The bands investigated are the visible-near infrared (or VisNIR) and the shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands. The results show that there are enough differences in the data collection such that a single band, inexpensive VisNIR band camera may provide reasonable results and a two-band, VisNIR/SWIR combination may provide higher performance results. In this paper, we provide the VisNIR results.

Why and Who Will Adopt Extended Reality Technology? Literature Review, Synthesis, and Future Research Agenda

The advent of extended reality is revamping the way people experience the physical and the virtual environments, from observation to immersion. XR is an umbrella term that encompasses both augmented reality and virtual reality. Microsoft HoloLens is one example of AR smart glass that superimposes digital information onto a user’s field of view, while Oculus Rift is a type of virtual reality headset that allows users to experience and interact with a 3D world that does not actually exist. Despite the promising outlook, this nascent technology has been shrouded by uncertain possibilities, making the adoption of XR technology much slower than expected. Moreover, the interdisciplinary applications of XR technology have led to scattered scholarly works and fragmentary insights to be translated into practice. Thus, there is a pressing need for a critical review and synthesis of prior XR research in order to strengthen this emerging field in IS. To accomplish this, the current study identifies and analyzes a total of 45 articles through an extensive literature search. As a result, this study identifies the major antecedents and factors significant to XR adoption, classifies and map them onto the reference models. A review of relevant literature also uncovers those areas where research is lacking – and subsequently details future research directions with specific agenda to fill these gaps.

Testing and validating Extended Reality (xR) technologies in manufacturing

xR technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are increasing at shop-floors but are still in need for validation in order to make good strategic decisions regarding implementation. The areas where most industries apply AR is within remote guidance and complex tasks such as maintenance. VR is mostly used for layout planning and more and more for virtual training. This paper aims to present results from six case studies with over two hundred responders from academy and industry about usage and strategies on where and when to implement what xR technology..