Document Type
Event
Start Date
23-4-2023 5:00 PM
Description
As virtual reality technology evolves, researchers have found that the characteristics of virtual avatars including appearance, representation, and proximity, can significantly influence the immersive experience of the user. This project investigates the impact of the number of avatars and their behavioral influence on the user in a simulated learning environment. We developed a virtual reality classroom system with Unity designed to elicit, track, and record the user’s behavioral changes including eye gaze, head, and hand movement using HTC VIVE Pro Eye and physiological signals including Heart Rate (HR) and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), while the user delivers presentations to classrooms full of varying numbers of avatars. During the presentation, a fixed percentage of randomly chosen avatars perform an abnormal behavior, either a change in eye gaze or head movement. We hypothesized that the influence of this abnormal behavior on the user will be exponentially greater when the total number of avatars is larger, even though the percentage of avatars performing the abnormal behavior relative to the total number of avatars is held constant. In our research, we explore this phenomenon and use the results to design guidelines for the social VR experience.
GR-358 Impact of Avatar's Behavioral Change with Quantity on Human Perception in Immersive Experiences
As virtual reality technology evolves, researchers have found that the characteristics of virtual avatars including appearance, representation, and proximity, can significantly influence the immersive experience of the user. This project investigates the impact of the number of avatars and their behavioral influence on the user in a simulated learning environment. We developed a virtual reality classroom system with Unity designed to elicit, track, and record the user’s behavioral changes including eye gaze, head, and hand movement using HTC VIVE Pro Eye and physiological signals including Heart Rate (HR) and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), while the user delivers presentations to classrooms full of varying numbers of avatars. During the presentation, a fixed percentage of randomly chosen avatars perform an abnormal behavior, either a change in eye gaze or head movement. We hypothesized that the influence of this abnormal behavior on the user will be exponentially greater when the total number of avatars is larger, even though the percentage of avatars performing the abnormal behavior relative to the total number of avatars is held constant. In our research, we explore this phenomenon and use the results to design guidelines for the social VR experience.