There are many problem domains where users have to pay attention to a series of targets. In this article, we evaluated visual cues to support attention in dynamic situations in virtual environments. Three immersive visualizations (Emphasis, Deemphasis, Emphasis+Deemphasis) have been examined across four different attention types (sustained, alternating, divided, and selective attention) to support the user's attention on targets. Emphasis highlights targets of interest using outlines; Deemphasis removes details with masks, and Emphasis+Deemphasis combines both techniques. An experiment with 34 participants examined the cues through four scenarios that required different attention types in dynamic situations. Results indicated that while Emphasis supported significantly faster reactions in most attention types, the other two visual cues showed superiority across other measurements. Although evaluated in a virtual environment, the findings offer guidance for designing visual cues in other dynamic situations that involve different attention types.

We present a visualization design study of creating a collaborative virtual reality (VR) system for radiation treatment planning, with an emphasis on proton therapy. The goal is to support teams of dosimetrists, physicians, and medical physicists as they review and compare multiple possible patient-specific treatment plans, which requires analyzing complex 3D spatial relationships between a radiation dosage volume and anatomical structures. The approach is a novel combination and refinement of interactive visualization techniques including: networked multi-user immersive visualization, interactive volume rendering and slicing with 3D widgets and gestures, superimposed surface rendering with GPU-accelerated curvature-directed lines, smart cursors, teleporting, and avatars. These features are integrated within a workflow that supports three complementary modes of visual data comparison (juxtaposition, interchangeable, and explicit encoding). Results and feedback from multi-year iterative development with users and a summative field deployment in the form of a mock plan-review meeting reveal several advantages relative to current clinical practice and suggest directions for future work.

ABSTRACT While virtual reality (VR) technology promises enhanced decision support through immersive visualisation and rich interaction, empirical evidence remains limited. Through a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment with a control condition (N = 183), we examined whether 3D VR environments provide advantages over traditional 2D interfaces and how the core features of VR, immersion and embodiment, affect individuals’ decision-making experiences in a financial context. Specifically, we analyzed decision satisfaction (process-focused) and self-esteem and anxiety (outcome-focused, from both approach and avoidance perspectives). In addition, both internal and external locus of control were tested as moderators. Key findings reveal: (1) the 3D VR environments did not significantly enhance or impair decision-making experiences compared to the conventional (non-immersive) 2D environments; (2) regarding VR, high immersion marginally reduced decision satisfaction and self-esteem; (3) embodiment alone had no significant effects on any dimensions of decision-making experiences, while high embodiment reduced the negative effect of external locus of control on satisfaction. These findings advance our understanding of how VR features interact with individual differences to empower decision-making requiring sophisticated information processing, filling a research gap by focusing on the features of VR rather than treating VR as a monolithic technology.

Holographic displays are a transforming technology for immersive virtual and augmented reality systems. Exploring accurate yet efficient computer-generated holography (CGH) algorithms for three-dimensional (3D) content is a valuable research field. Recent advancements in layer-based CGH may exhibit limited capacity to convey comprehensive 3D information in accurately representing tilted angular spectrum and realizing realistic defocus blur. Alternative approaches based on point clouds and light fields may demand significant computational resources for preparing adequate target data for optimization. In addition, most existing CGH algorithms rely on heuristics to encode complex amplitudes into phase-only holograms for display, which can be highly ill-posed. Here we investigate an innovative CGH framework that overcomes these challenges using a unique combination of mesh-based representation, tilt-angle tailored wave propagation modeling, and complex-valued optimization, alongside a learning-empowered display calibration scheme using camera feedback. The resulting expanded hologram encoding capabilities enable the delivery of natural 3D depth cues, including smooth defocus blur and view-dependent effects. Experimental results conducted on our holographic near-eye display prototype demonstrate unprecedented full 3D visual quality, representing a significant advancement in creating immersive visualization experiences.

It is challenging to communicate innovative infrastructure concepts, especially when conveying spatial and operational complexity to diverse stakeholders. Immersive visualizations offer new ways of addressing these challenges. This article presents a case study of the development and evaluation of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) demonstrators for communicating the MicroPorts concept: a modular inland port facility designed to optimize freight logistics by repurposing existing infrastructure. The two demonstrators were created, with each one emphasizing different visualization and interaction characteristics. A user study focused on experts assessed perceived usability, spatial comprehension, and communicative value. Due to differences in design scope and technical constraints, the results are interpreted as comparative feedback on the two demonstrator implementations. The findings emphasize the complementary strengths of AR for contextual integration and VR for immersive spatial understanding, providing Practical lessons for designing immersive visualization tools for infrastructure planning.

This study examines how Information Design principles improve learning outcomes in Augmented Reality (AR)-supported history education. Conducted at Bereng Kajang I State Elementary School with grades 2–4, the research developed and tested an ARapplication incorporating clarity, hierarchy, coherence, narrative sequencing, and accessibility. Sixty students and two teachers engaged in iterative design and classroom use. Quantitative results showed a 43.7% increase in historical comprehension and a System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 81.4, indicating strong usability. Qualitative data revealed that immersive visuals and emotional engagement boosted motivation and memory retention. These findings show that Information Design provides both cognitive structure and communication within AR, turning technology into effective pedagogy. The study advances theory in educational Information Design and offers practical guidance for inclusive, culturally relevant ARresources.

Pain catastrophizing, a psychological response to actual or anticipated pain, has been shown to negatively impact attention and is commonly observed in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and other musculoskeletal conditions. In sport settings, attentional changes associated with pain catastrophizing, combined with environmental distractions, may impair injury-related perceptual-motor skills, such as visuomotor reaction time (VMRT). Characterizing the association between pain catastrophizing and VMRT in an environment that simulates sport-related distractions may highlight the need to address psychological factors that impact attention post-ACLR. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between pain catastrophizing and lower-extremity VMRT among individuals with ACLR under conditions with and without sport-specific visual and auditory stimuli. Cross-sectional. Research laboratory. Twenty-three participants (age = 20.4 [3.0]y) postunilateral primary ACLR (time since ACLR = 28.6 [13.0]mo). Participants completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and a lower-extremity VMRT task in a 360° immersive visualization room under 2 conditions: (1)distraction (sport-specific visual and auditory stimuli playing) and (2)control (no sport-specific visual and auditory stimuli playing). Separate multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of PCS scores with ACLR and contralateral limb VMRT (milliseconds) in each condition. Time since ACLR was included as a covariate in each model. In the distraction condition, PCS scores were significantly associated with ACLR limb VMRT (P = .02, β = 2.71), but not contralateral limb VMRT (P = .14, β = 2.65). In the control condition, PCS scores were not significantly associated with lower-extremity VMRT (ACLR limb VMRT: P = .20, β = 2.31, contralateral limb VMRT: P = .45, β = 1.74). Individuals with ACLR who exhibited greater pain catastrophizing demonstrated slower ACLR limb VMRT when exposed to a simulated sport-related distraction. Evaluating pain catastrophizing in this population may help rehabilitation specialists identify individuals who could experience lower-extremity VMRT changes in environments with sport-related distractions.

Three-dimensional (3D) displays provide immersive visuals by delivering depth cues, making them valuable for applications such as interactive media1,2. To enhance practicality, 2D-3D switchable displays offer the flexibility to toggle between high-resolution 2D and immersive 3D modes in a single device3,4. Here we propose a full-colour 2D-3D switchable light-field display powered by a metasurface lenticular lens (MLL). The MLL switches its focal behaviour on the basis of the polarization of incident light, serving as the core mechanism for 2D-3D mode transition. The MLL is designed with a high numerical aperture, enabling a notably wider field of view of 100° while maintaining an ultrathin profile of just 1.2 mm. A large-area MLL with an active area of 25 cm2 is fabricated and seamlessly integrated as a dual-dimension switchable optics device, demonstrating the scalability of the approach for wide-area display applications. The fabricated device, when simply mounted onto an organic light-emitting diode display panel, successfully demonstrates clear 2D and 3D images, along with the active switching functionality enabled by applied voltage. These results highlight a promising solution for next-generation display technologies in both consumer electronics and commercial applications.

Abstract Virtual Reality and computer graphics are essential tools that have made significant contributions to the development of digital systems within different fields, such as education, engineering, animation, and simulations. This paper is set to shed some light on five significant articles covering topics related to VR-based learning, image modeling, computer-assisted designs, and immersive visualizations. From the reviewed literature, it is clear that the integration of VR has made tremendous contributions to enhancing knowledge on different graphic concepts through immersive learning. Concepts relating to computer-assisted designs and automation offer a relatively faster means of creating 3D animations and scenes. Technologies related to image modeling are also significant in providing efficient simulation solutions. Survey articles have demonstrated the rapid evolution of VR and Augmented Reality technologies in the area of application. Even though challenges like hardware problems and high processing power remain an issue in immersive technologies, the combination of VR and computer graphics has shown great potential for the future. The papers indicate that immersive technology is revolutionizing both academia and industry. Keywords Virtual Reality, Computer Graphics, 3D Modelling, Rendering, Animation

Such projects as large-scale visual arts, such as installations in the city, murals, and online exhibitions, require coordination among multidisciplinary design teams as never before. Conventional collaborative operations experience a major challenge in the efforts of ensuring consistency of arts, handling real-time contributions by the distributed workforce, and scaling artistic operations. The presented paper presents a new collaborative AI model which is specifically aimed to assist design teams to create the large-scale visual artworks. The system suggested above combines a multi-layer architecture that includes the data acquisition layer, AI processing layer, collaboration management layer, and immersive visualization layers. We use the most up-to-date generative models such as diffusion transformers and multi-agent artificial intelligences to facilitate the creation of co-creativity between human artists and intelligent agents. The system has built-in high-level synchronization techniques, version control systems, and customized recommendation systems based on creative processes. Experimental analysis indicates that team productivity (42%) and artistic coherence (87% quality score) and workflow efficiency (35 reduction in iteration time) were highly improved over traditional and semi-automated ones. Precision, recall, and F1-score in content generation tasks are found to be 0.91, 0.89, and 0.90 respectively in the quantitative analysis. Scalability tests assure real-time performance of a team with up to 50 concurrent users with under 200ms latency. This study building blocks provides the ground work of human-AI joint creativity in scale-artistic production.

Advanced microarchitecture courses demand rich, hands-on exploration of pipelines, caches, and memory systems. Though traditional hardware labs are costly, location-bound, and difficult to scale for remote or hybrid delivery. This paper presents a cloud-hosted, multi-user virtual reality (VR) laboratory designed specifically for advanced microarchitecture education and remote teaching. The proposed platform delivers an experiment-rich environment where students collaboratively inspect, instrument, and modify microarchitectural components such as pipeline stages, cache hierarchies, and branch predictors in real time. Architecturally, the system combines a web-based cloud front-end for authentication and session management, a scalable VR services layer providing multi-user scenes and collaboration tools, and a backend to adapt microarchitecture simulators whose internal state is visualized in 3D. Pedagogically, define learning objectives around instruction-level parallelism, hazard analysis, and memory hierarchy behavior, and instantiate these through structured labs on pipeline hazards, cache performance, and branch prediction. A mixed-method evaluation in an advanced microarchitecture course contrasts a control group using traditional 2D tools with an experimental group using the VR lab over 4–6 weeks. According to quantitative findings, the VR group outperformed the control group by 24.5% in post-test scores, decisive the idea that immersive collaborative contact is a key factor in conceptual understanding. The cloud-based architecture may provide responsive multi-user experiences under practical bandwidth limits, as shown by system-level metrics like latency and frame rate. Future integration of hardware-in-the-loop and adaptive learning analytics will be informed by qualitative feedback from instructors and students that demonstrates how immersive visualization and collaborative interaction may demystify complicated microarchitectural behavior and ease remote teaching.

Abstract Construction remains one of the most hazardous global industries, with worker fatalities occurring approximately every 99 minutes. In response, a growing body of research has explored the use of advanced technologies, such as machine learning, robotics, wearable, and immersive visualization, to synergies safety improvements with sustainable building practices. In this paper, we systematically review 165 peer-reviewed articles in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) that capture how technologies have evolved to address the dual imperatives of safety and sustainability in response to technology driven transformation. To analyze this inflection, the paper develops a four domain taxonomy spanning AI, Visualization, Surveillance, Robotics & Navigation, and Wearable Technology each mapped against earlier and recent research studies. Crucially, we highlight emerging dual-utility applications, such as the use of ‘Green Digital Twins’ for real-time lighting optimization and UAVs for building envelope energy auditing. By mapping this transition, the article provides a grounded perspective on current capabilities, identifies research practice gaps, and supports informed decision making for the implementation of future integrated safety and sustainability technologies. Our review identifies recurring themes in the recent studies, including the integration of real time sensing, multimodal data fusion, and user centered system design. By offering this structured analysis, the review aims to contribute a domain wise benchmark of progress, capturing the recent technological inflection in construction safety and sustainability, and outlining future opportunities to support researchers, technology developers, and industry professionals.

Contributions collected in this Topic reflect both the technological breadth of contemporary XR research and a shared concern with human-centred design, usability, and real-world impact. Together, they illustrate how immersive systems are moving beyond laboratory demonstrations toward operational contexts such as space exploration, robotic teleoperation, education, and industrial maintenance.A central theme emerging from this collection is the enhancement of remote perception and action. Goriachev et al. present the development and user evaluation of an immersive light field system designed for space exploration scenarios. Their work demonstrates how light field rendering in VR can support six degrees-of-freedom viewing, offering photorealistic representations of points of interest captured via a robotically controlled camera. Through usability testing with prospective end users at the European Astronaut Centre, the study provides valuable empirical insight into the comparative benefits of light fields versus alternative representations such as 360° imagery and point clouds. Beyond its technical contribution, this paper highlights the importance of authoring pipelines, rendering performance, and experiential fidelity when designing XR systems intended for high-stakes domains.Complementing this perspective on immersive visualization, Luo et al. address a persistent challenge in VR-mediated teleoperation: enabling operators to reliably perceive obstacles and spatial structure under difficult lighting and environmental conditions. Their work introduces a visual augmentation approach based on customised edge enhancement, inspired by principles used in night vision systems. Through two controlled user studies involving unmanned ground vehicle teleoperation, the authors show that their method can improve task performance, reduce workload, and mitigate simulator sickness in both daylight and dark environments. This contribution underscores how relatively lightweight image-processing techniques, carefully integrated into VR interfaces, can substantially improve operational effectiveness without requiring expensive sensing or reconstruction pipelines. Amoroso et al. shift attention to educational contexts by exploring physical education teachers' perspectives on adopting VR in classrooms across four European countries. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, the authors reveal cautious optimism among teachers, alongside practical concerns related to infrastructure, training, and technical support. Their findings emphasise that successful XR integration depends not only on hardware availability but also on pedagogical alignment, professional development, and institutional readiness. This study broadens the scope of the Topic by highlighting the socio-technical dimensions of XR adoption and the critical role of educators as mediators of immersive learning experiences. Khanna et al. provide a systematic review of human-system interaction challenges associated with integrating metaverse technologies into industrial maintenance . Drawing on thematic analysis of recent literature, the authors develop a taxonomy spanning usability, data management, accessibility, user experience, technological performance, environmental awareness, and trust. Their work positions user experience as a central determinant of adoption and proposes an interpretive framework linking usability with levels of technological integration. This contribution offers a valuable conceptual foundation for researchers and practitioners seeking to design humancentred industrial metaverse systems that balance technical sophistication with operational practicality.Taken together, the contributing papers exemplify the Research Topic's core objectives: advancing immersive interfaces for exploration and intervention, enhancing telepresence and teleoperation, and foregrounding human factors in XR system design. They also reveal common challenges that cut across application domains, including perceptual fidelity, cognitive workload, usability, and organisational readiness. Importantly, several contributions demonstrate that impactful innovation does not always require maximal technical complexity; instead, thoughtful integration of visual augmentation, immersive rendering, and user-centred evaluation can yield meaningful gains in performance and experience.Looking ahead, this collection points to several promising directions for future research. These include tighter integration of XR with AI-driven perception and control, scalable authoring pipelines for immersive content, and longitudinal studies of XR deployment in operational settings. Equally critical is continued attention to human-system interaction, ensuring that emerging platforms remain transparent, trustworthy, and accessible to diverse user groups.We hope this Research Topic stimulates further interdisciplinary collaboration among XR researchers, AI specialists, designers, and domain experts. By bridging technological innovation with empirical insight and human-centred perspectives, the community can continue to push the boundaries of how immersive systems support exploration, monitoring, and intervention in an increasingly complex world.

Tourism 4.0 integrates Industry 4.0 technologies into tourism services to enhance visitor experiences and improve destination management. This study presents the design, implementation, and pilot validation of an integrated IoT–Augmented Reality (IoT–AR) cyber-physical urban node developed for smart tourism infrastructure in Baños de Agua Santa, Ecuador. The system combines distributed environmental sensing, LoRa-based communication, edge-level preprocessing, cloud data management via RESTful services, and immersive visualization through a cross-platform augmented reality mobile interface. The development followed the TDDM4IoTS methodology, adapted into five phases covering requirements analysis, technological design, modeling, validation, and deployment. The architecture supports contextual real-time information delivery while maintaining low power consumption and robustness under heterogeneous connectivity conditions. Field tests confirmed stable communication between sensor nodes and the gateway, as well as reliable AR marker recognition under varying light and distance conditions. Usability evaluation using the System Usability Scale (SUS) yielded a mean score of 84.38, classified as excellent, with high internal consistency (α ≈ 0.89). The results demonstrate technical feasibility and strong user acceptance, providing a scalable and replicable model for interactive IoT–AR urban systems in smart tourism environments.

Perceived photorealism in architectural 3D rendering is not determined solely by physical accuracy or rendering complexity but also by a limited set of visual cues that observers rely on when judging realism. This literature review synthesizes findings from 41 peer-reviewed studies spanning perception science, computer graphics, and immersive visualization, with the aim of identifying the cues that most strongly contribute to perceived photorealism in rendered scenes. Convergent evidence from psychophysical experiments, user studies in virtual and augmented reality, and rendering-oriented analyses indicate that six cue categories consistently dominate realism judgments. Across the reviewed literature, realism judgments depend less on scene complexity or the number of visual elements and more on the consistency and plausibility of these cues for supporting inferences about shape, material, and spatial layout. These findings suggest that photorealism emerges from the alignment of the rendered image structure with perceptual expectations learned from real-world visual experience. The implications for architectural visualization workflows and directions for future research on cue interactions and perceptual thresholds are discussed.

This study presents a systematic bibliometric evaluation of artificial intelligence methodologies applied to the preservation and interpretation of Asia Minor’s cultural heritage. Publication trends demonstrate notable continuity, with foundational works sustaining their citation impact over a span of twenty-five years, thereby underscoring enduring scholarly engagement. Network analyses of keyword co-occurrence delineate a conceptual core organized around immersive visualization, exemplified by terms such as cultural heritages, virtual reality, and photogrammetry, while temporal mappings reveal the recent integration of machine learning and deep learning paradigms. Collectively, these findings chart an intellectual landscape in which three-dimensional reconstruction constitutes the foundational axis of research, now progressively enriched by data-driven algorithmic approaches. This synthesis offers a concise yet comprehensive portrait of evolving methodological trajectories and emerging computational frontiers in AI-driven heritage scholarship.

Traditional Malay houses represent the cultural identity, social values, and ecological adaptation of coastal communities in eastern Sumatra. However, preservation efforts face significant challenges due to modernization, material degradation, and declining engagement among younger generations. Previous studies have tended to be fragmented, focusing separately on technological, material, or social aspects. This study formulates three main hypotheses: (1) Building Information Modeling (BIM) and AR/VR technologies can accelerate documentation processes and provide more immersive tools for education and public engagement; (2) the use of adaptive materials, such as engineered wood and laminated bamboo, can enhance structural resilience without compromising architectural character; and (3) community participation strengthens the acceptance of conservation strategies grounded in cultural values. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, incorporating physical observations, interviews, BIM modeling, AR/VR integration, and community surveys analyzed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results indicate that immersive technologies (VR and immersive visualization) hold the highest priority weight in conservation efforts (91%), while general digital technologies and the adaptation of spatial patterns and materials serve as supporting factors, based on a high level of expert consensus (87%). In contrast, the authenticity of traditional materials ranks as a lower priority due to material scarcity and high maintenance costs. BIM and AR/VR technologies are proven to enhance documentation accuracy, restoration visualization, and youth engagement, while innovative materials offer more durable alternatives for structural reinforcement. The findings also confirm that conservation success is strongly influenced by community participation and local wisdom. This study concludes that the synergy between digital technologies, material adaptation, and community engagement forms a strategic adaptive framework for the sustainable preservation of Traditional Malay Houses in the digital era. This framework has the potential to serve as a foundation for conservation policy development, heritage digitalization, and the application of adaptive materials in other cultural heritage areas.

From Hype to Implementation: RRA Perspective on Strategies for Adapting Radiology Departments to Emerging Technologies.

ABSTRACT The study of materials science concepts, such as crystallographic structures, poses well‐known pedagogical challenges due to the spatial visualization demands imposed by traditional two‐dimensional representations. To address these challenges, this paper presents CeldApp , a low‐cost mobile system that integrates interactive visualization and augmented reality to support the learning of core materials science topics. The system provides a set of modular 3D learning environments covering crystallization processes, crystal structures, and phase diagram analysis, enabling students to actively explore abstract concepts through direct manipulation and immediate visual feedback. The educational impact of the proposed system was investigated through a controlled pilot study employing a pretest–posttest design with parallel groups in an undergraduate materials science course. Learning gain, task completion time, and user experience were considered as evaluation measures. While between‐group differences in learning gain did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance, the experimental group exhibited a consistent positive trend with a moderate effect size. Notably, participants using the system demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in task completion time, suggesting improved efficiency in knowledge retrieval and problem‐solving. Qualitative feedback further indicated high perceived usability and strong educational value of the augmented reality components. Taken together, these findings suggest that accessible, low‐cost immersive visualization tools hold promise for mitigating spatial visualization challenges in materials science education and motivate further large‐scale investigation.

• Pharmacology is difficult to teach; VR may support students’ understanding. • VR pharmacology simulations showed high student satisfaction and self-confidence. • Structured sequencing and usability design support implementation. Pharmacology remains challenging in preregistration nursing education. Virtual reality (VR) may support learning by visualizing medication mechanisms within patient scenarios. This study evaluated preregistration nursing students’ satisfaction and self-confidence when learning pharmacology through 3 patient-based VR simulations. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was conducted at a university in the United Kingdom. Phase 1 explored usability and learning experience through focus groups to inform iterative refinements to the simulations. Phase 2 evaluated student satisfaction and self-confidence using the National League for Nursing Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, and quantitative data were descriptively summarized. Phase 1 identified themes of presence, flow, usability, learning consequences, and technology adoption. Phase 2 demonstrated high levels of student satisfaction and self-confidence. Patient-based VR pharmacology simulations were associated with high levels of student satisfaction and self-confidence. Immersive visualization embedded within a structured learning sequence may support pharmacology education in preregistration nursing programs. Future research should examine knowledge retention, clinical performance, and transfer to practice.