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Electronics
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Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human...
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Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Computer Science & Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 September 2023) | Viewed by 16377

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ádám B. Csapó

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University Research and Innovation Center, Óbuda University, Bécsi út 96/B, H-1034 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: virtual reality; cognitive info-communications; artificial intelligence
Dr. Mika Luimula

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ICT Unit, Faculty of Engineering and Business, Turku University of Applied Sciences, 20520 Turku, Finland
Interests: game development; gamification; virtual reality; augmented reality; serious games; health informatics; location-aware systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) spaces have been noted to support a radically new and highly stimulating way of working with digital content in a variety of application domains. Even more importantly, in a practical sense, a number of recent research works have demonstrated that, besides being visually and aesthetically appealing, VR and AR also have the potential to significantly alter the way that humans conceptualize, access, organize and interact with information, thus enabling more effective digital workflows at a lower cognitive load. Based on this, it can be argued that VR/AR can be seen as the next digital platform, which can both integrate and supersede earlier, text-based and GUI-based (2D) platforms. However, further research is necessary to understand the exact factors that determine whether a specific VR/AR solution can fulfill this potential in any given application domain. In addition, understanding whether and how a VR/AR platform is uniquely suited to modeling the intentions, or, more generally, the cognitive profile of its users can further help design more intuitive user interfaces.

The goal of this Special Issue is to present original research results that can shed light on such factors, and the constraints under which they operate most effectively, depending on the medium in question (e.g., immersive versus non-immersive VR, smartphone-based or wearable AR, visual-only versus multimodal environments) and other qualities of the application scenario (e.g., number of users, asynchronous versus synchronous collaboration, and others). Thus, topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • VR/AR solutions in academia, industry, healthcare, tourism, or other domains;
  • Synchronous or asynchronous collaborative VR/AR solutions;
  • Design and assessment of multimodal VR scenarios;
  • Modeling and assessment of user effectiveness in VR/AR, especially compared to non-VR/AR use;
  • Modeling and assessment of qualitative factors in VR/AR, especially compared to non-VR/AR use;
  • Modeling and assessment of cognitive aspects in VR/AR, especially compared to non-VR/AR use.

Dr. Ádám B. Csapó
Dr. Mika Luimula
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • immersive/desktop VR solutions
  • mobile/wearable AR solutions
  • VR/AR platforms
  • synchronous/asynchronous collaborative VR/AR
  • multimodal 3D interfaces
  • ergonomics and usability of VR/AR
  • cognitive aspects of VR/AR

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 8960 KiB  
Article
Exploring User Experience and Usability in a Metaverse Learning Environment for Students: A Usability Study of the Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and Society (AIIS)
by Aung Pyae, Werner Ravyse, Mika Luimula, Emiliana Pizarro-Lucas, Pedro L. Sanchez, Ignacio P. Dorado-Diaz and Aung Khant Thaw
Electronics 2023, 12(20), 4283; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12204283 - 16 Oct 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 8235
Abstract
The metaverse, a rapidly evolving research area, is a virtual, interconnected universe that seamlessly integrates digital and physical realms, facilitating immersive experiences, social interaction, and economic activities across various fields, including computer science, business, and education. Despite its potential to transform current pedagogies [...] Read more.
The metaverse, a rapidly evolving research area, is a virtual, interconnected universe that seamlessly integrates digital and physical realms, facilitating immersive experiences, social interaction, and economic activities across various fields, including computer science, business, and education. Despite its potential to transform current pedagogies and learning experiences through engaging, interactive, and fascinating educational techniques, research is limited in exploring its application, usability, and user experience, particularly for Thai undergraduate students in learning computer engineering courses. In response, we designed and developed an innovative metaverse-based learning system called the AIIS collaborative learning interface, tailored to European undergraduate students. While the original intent of AIIS was to cater to medical students, in this study, our objective was to assess its usability and applicability for computer science and engineering students, specifically focusing on the Asian demographic. After an initial pilot with European students in their local context, the research was extended to Thailand, where 21 Thai undergraduate students evaluated the platform’s usability. The observations from this study indicate that AIIS provides a dynamic, user-friendly learning environment. Nevertheless, the evaluation process unveiled some usability flaws that offer informative directions for future enhancements. Drawing from our observations, we formulated usability guidelines to guide designers and developers toward crafting more efficient metaverse systems, particularly those intended for educational use. Our results also underline the considerable promise that metaverse technologies hold for advancing higher education globally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities)
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18 pages, 2976 KiB  
Article
Web-Based 3D Virtual Environments Utilization in Primary and Secondary Education of Children with Multiple Impairments
by Branislav Sobota, Štefan Korečko and Miriama Mattová
Electronics 2023, 12(13), 2792; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12132792 - 24 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1433
Abstract
The technological advances we are witnessing today have stimulated the creation of many 3D virtual environments for various purposes, from entertainment to industry to education. While the majority of these environments are perfectly suited for the healthy population, we should not forget about [...] Read more.
The technological advances we are witnessing today have stimulated the creation of many 3D virtual environments for various purposes, from entertainment to industry to education. While the majority of these environments are perfectly suited for the healthy population, we should not forget about impaired people living among us. Regarding children’s education, one may wonder how impaired children handle them. Do they find them usable and attractive? How well do they handle basic activities in 3D environments, including orientation and interaction with objects? The experiment presented in this article provides answers to these questions within a specific setup. The experiment used a custom web application with several 3D virtual environments in a desktop virtual reality setting. The participants were 12 children, aged 8–14, with multiple impairments, predominantly hearing impairment, borderline and mild degree of mental retardation, and inferior communication skills. The answers can be regarded as positive and are based on results gathered in the form of completion times and the System Usability Scale questionnaire scores. The article also reports on a significant relation found between completion times and questionnaire scores. Future research directions, including those related to the Metaverse concept, are discussed, too. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities)
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24 pages, 8265 KiB  
Article
Analyzing Accurate Egocentric Distance Estimates of University Students in Virtual Environments with a Desktop Display and Gear VR Display
by Tibor Guzsvinecz, Erika Perge and Judit Szűcs
Electronics 2023, 12(10), 2253; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12102253 - 15 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1465
Abstract
The perception of distances is crucial in both the real world and virtual environments. However, distances can be incorrectly estimated in the latter one, and they can be affected by technological and human factors. We created a virtual environment to take a step [...] Read more.
The perception of distances is crucial in both the real world and virtual environments. However, distances can be incorrectly estimated in the latter one, and they can be affected by technological and human factors. We created a virtual environment to take a step toward understanding this phenomenon. We assessed the egocentric distance estimation skills of 239 university students at 10 various distances between 25 cm and 160 cm at 15 cm intervals. A desktop display was used by 157 students, while the Gear VR display was used by 72 students. The effects of the following factors were analyzed: gender, height, dominant arm, previous VR experience, gaming hours per week, whether the participants wore glasses, their field of study, and display device. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess their influences on the probabilities of accurate distance estimates, while linear regression analysis was conducted to examine their effects on estimation times. The results show that except for the factors of whether the participants wore glasses and their field of study, the probabilities of accurate distance estimates can be affected along with estimation times themselves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities)
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20 pages, 329 KiB  
Article
Aspects of Dynamics in Dialogue Collaboration
by Carl Vogel, Maria Koutsombogera and Justine Reverdy
Electronics 2023, 12(10), 2210; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12102210 - 12 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1280
Abstract
Collaborative dialogue is an important category of human interaction and is widely studied in the literature, especially in fields that attempt to develop new technologies that enable wider varieties of collaborative dialogues. The ingredients of collaboration in dialogue are less thoroughly addressed. We [...] Read more.
Collaborative dialogue is an important category of human interaction and is widely studied in the literature, especially in fields that attempt to develop new technologies that enable wider varieties of collaborative dialogues. The ingredients of collaboration in dialogue are less thoroughly addressed. We describe the theoretical framework within which we are working and our approach to the construction of a theory of what may make dialogue collaborative. We study a multimodal dialogue corpus (MULTISIMO) testing for positive and negative correlations between dialogue content features and interaction features that one might reasonably imagine are related to assessments of degrees of collaboration. The duration before the second speaker’s first turn and degree of imbalance in the number of words produced by speakers negatively correlate with collaboration assessments (that is, imbalances of content and a delay in the first speaker yielding the floor lead to diminished perceptions of collaboration), while a monotonically increasing duration of focus in successive dialogue sections (rather than overall dialogue duration) correlates positively (that is, when participants are deemed to be extending the duration of the task rather than increasing speed with experience, this is perceived as collaborative). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities)
19 pages, 8455 KiB  
Article
Elicitation of Content Layout Preferences in Virtual 3D Spaces Based on a Free Layout Creation Task
by Anna Sudár and Ádám B. Csapó
Electronics 2023, 12(9), 2078; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12092078 - 30 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1926
Abstract
Three-dimensional virtual reality (VR) environments, whether operating on desktop platforms or immersive screens, have been recognized for enabling novel and extremely engaging methods of interacting with digital content across various fields of application. Studies conducted over the past several years have also consistently [...] Read more.
Three-dimensional virtual reality (VR) environments, whether operating on desktop platforms or immersive screens, have been recognized for enabling novel and extremely engaging methods of interacting with digital content across various fields of application. Studies conducted over the past several years have also consistently suggested that utilizing 3D in contrast to 2D interfaces can lead to enhancements in multiple performance dimensions. These enhancements encompass better understanding and retention of information, increased capacity for inventive and efficient collaboration, and the ability to execute workflows that integrate numerous information sources more quickly. At the same time, how digital content such as documents, audio–visual content and web browsers are integrated into 3D spaces is often decided by the creators of the spaces based on either aesthetic considerations, or on a case-by-case basis depending on the workflow. In this paper, we present the results of an experiment we conducted to better understand how users prefer to arrange digital content in their 3D environments, depending on the subject matter, the format of the content (e.g., text-based, image, or audio–visual) and the 3D objects within the space. The results of the experiment presented in the paper can help inform future 3D VR design methodologies and may also provide support for automated content arrangement solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities)
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19 pages, 1736 KiB  
Article
Motivations and Tools Relevant to Personalized Workspaces in VR Environments
by Ildikó Horváth and Ádám B. Csapó
Electronics 2023, 12(9), 2059; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12092059 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1278
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a new virtual reality (VR) concept referred to as ‘context control’, which we use to describe VR workspaces that are dynamically reconfigurable based on the task at hand and the user’s individual learning and working style. To demonstrate [...] Read more.
In this paper, we propose a new virtual reality (VR) concept referred to as ‘context control’, which we use to describe VR workspaces that are dynamically reconfigurable based on the task at hand and the user’s individual learning and working style. To demonstrate the viability of the concept as well as how it could be applied in practical applications, we present an implementation framework that, at its foundations, relies on Kolb’s learning styles taxonomy, consisting of Assimilators, Accommodators, Convergers and Divergers. We propose a layout schema for each of these categories of learning style, and validate them based on an experiment involving 52 university students, showing that the test subjects preferred content layouts that represent cognitive profiles matching their own to a greater extent. We also propose a hierarchical schema template language with which the schemas can be formalized and made amenable to further dynamic customization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse for Enhanced Human Cognitive Capabilities)
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