3D User Interfaces and Virtual Reality—2nd Edition

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Computing and Informatics, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70503, USA
Interests: human–computer Interaction (HCI); 3D user interfaces; 3D interfaces for video games; virtual reality
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores methods, technologies, and studies of 3D user interfaces (3DUIs) and virtual reality (VR) in the broad area of human–computer interaction (HCI). HCI is a multidisciplinary field in which researchers study the interface between people and computers, including studies of how people interact with computers, how people interact with each other using computer-mediated communication, and to what extent an interface promotes a successful interaction based on users’ needs. Modern 3D user interfaces can involve motion tracked input devices, 3D interactions, and other interfaces in which a 3D input or environment is a characteristic. Like HCI, 3DUI and VR/AR research lies in the intersection between computer science, behavioral science, design, media studies, and several other fields of study. This Special Issue invites contributions on the technological, creative, perceptual, cognitive, social, and health-related aspects of 3DUI and VR.

We encourage authors to submit original research articles, novel case studies, insightful reviews, theoretical and critical perspectives, and well-argued viewpoint articles on 3D user interfaces and virtual reality, including, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • 3D input and sensing technologies;
  • 3D interaction and metaphors;
  • 3D computer-mediated communication;
  • 3D gestural input;
  • 3D interaction techniques;
  • Empirical studies of 3DUIs;
  • Novel software architectures for 3DUI;
  • Interfaces for VR, AR, or other 3D computer environments;
  • Evaluation methods for 3DUIs;
  • Human perception of 3D interaction;
  • Novel applications of 3DUIs: games, entertainment, CAD, education, etc.;
  • Mobile and desktop 3DUIs;
  • Multimodal 3D interfaces;
  • Hybrid 3DUIs;
  • VR navigation;
  • AR/VR selection and manipulation.

Of particular interest are articles that critically explore 3D user interface methods in contexts such as games, education, and virtual/augmented/mixed reality.

Dr. Arun K. Kulshreshth
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • 3D user interfaces (3DUI)
  • interfaces
  • 3D interactions
  • spatial user interaction
  • virtual reality (VR)
  • augmented reality (AR)
  • mixed reality (MR)
  • human–computer interaction (HCI)
  • user studies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 7203 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Realism on the Sense of Presence in Virtual Reality: Neurophysiological Insights Using EEG
by Saeed Safikhani, Vinzenz Gattringer, Michael Schmied, Johanna Pirker and Selina Christin Wriessnegger
Multimodal Technol. Interact. 2024, 8(11), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/mti8110104 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 340
Abstract
One of the most crucial aspects of the user experience in virtual reality (VR) is the sense of presence. To evaluate this, both subjective and objective methods can be employed. While subjective methods are easy to implement and interpret, they may not fully [...] Read more.
One of the most crucial aspects of the user experience in virtual reality (VR) is the sense of presence. To evaluate this, both subjective and objective methods can be employed. While subjective methods are easy to implement and interpret, they may not fully capture user feedback, and the results can sometimes lack consistency. In contrast, using objective methods, such as electroencephalography (EEG), can provide more reliable insights. To investigate the influence of realism on the sense of presence, we conducted an EEG study with 21 participants who experienced two VR environments—one realistic and one non-realistic. During the study, we continuously measured their brain activity using an EEG device. Our findings showed that alteration in the level of realism in an environment can be detected through changes in brain activity. Notably, we observed that users take longer to adapt to a non-realistic environment when transitioning from a realistic scene, compared to the reverse. Although our study has limitations, such as the total number of participants, we gained valuable initial insights into how realism may influence brain activity. These findings suggest that higher realism may lead to reduced cognitive load, increased attention, improved decision-making, and suppression of irrelevant information. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D User Interfaces and Virtual Reality—2nd Edition)
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11 pages, 2943 KiB  
Article
A Virtual Reality Direct-Manipulation Tool for Posing and Animation of Digital Human Bodies: An Evaluation of Creativity Support
by Youssef Benbelkheir, Alvaro Lerga and Oscar Ardaiz
Multimodal Technol. Interact. 2024, 8(7), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/mti8070060 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1251
Abstract
Creating body poses and animations is a critical task for digital content creators, movement artists, and sports professionals. Traditional desktop-based tools for generating 3D poses and animations often lack intuitiveness and are challenging to master. Virtual reality (VR) offers a solution through more [...] Read more.
Creating body poses and animations is a critical task for digital content creators, movement artists, and sports professionals. Traditional desktop-based tools for generating 3D poses and animations often lack intuitiveness and are challenging to master. Virtual reality (VR) offers a solution through more intuitive direct-manipulation capabilities. We designed and implemented a VR tool that enables direct manipulation of virtual body parts with inverse kinematics. This tool allows users to pose and animate virtual bodies with one- or two-handed manipulations, while also moving, including bending, jumping, or walking. Our user study demonstrated that participants could produce creative poses and animations using this tool, which we evaluated for creativity support across six factors. Additionally, we discuss further opportunities to enhance creativity support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D User Interfaces and Virtual Reality—2nd Edition)
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Review

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24 pages, 2386 KiB  
Review
User Experience in Immersive Virtual Reality-Induced Hypoalgesia in Adults and Children Suffering from Pain Conditions
by Javier Guerra-Armas, Mar Flores-Cortes, Guillermo Ceniza-Bordallo and Marta Matamala-Gomez
Multimodal Technol. Interact. 2024, 8(8), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/mti8080066 - 1 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1143
Abstract
Pain is the most common reason for medical consultation and use of health care resources. The high socio-economic burden of pain justifies seeking an appropriate therapeutic strategy. Immersive virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a first-line non-pharmacological option for pain management. However, the [...] Read more.
Pain is the most common reason for medical consultation and use of health care resources. The high socio-economic burden of pain justifies seeking an appropriate therapeutic strategy. Immersive virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a first-line non-pharmacological option for pain management. However, the growing literature has not been accompanied by substantial progress in understanding how VR could reduce the pain experience, with some user experience factors being associated with the hypoalgesic effects of immersive VR. The aim of this review is (i) to summarize the state of the art on the effects of VR on adults and children suffering from pain conditions; (ii) to identify and summarize how mechanisms across immersive VR user experience influence hypoalgesic effects in patients with acute and chronic pain among adults and children. A critical narrative review based on PICOT criteria (P = Patient or Population and Problem; I = Intervention or Indicator; C = O = Outcome; T = Type) was conducted that includes experimental studies or systematic reviews involving studies in experimentally induced pain, acute pain, or chronic pain in adults and children. The results suggest an association between immersive VR-induced hypoalgesia and user experience such as distraction, presence, interactivity, gamification, and virtual embodiment. These findings suggest that hierarchical relationships might exist between user experience-related factors and greater hypoalgesic effects following an immersive VR intervention. This relationship needs to be considered in the design and development of VR-based strategies for pain management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D User Interfaces and Virtual Reality—2nd Edition)
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