2022
Autores
Goncalves, G; Melo, M; Barbosa, L; Vasconcelos Raposo, J; Bessa, M;
Publicação
VIRTUAL REALITY
Abstract
The main goal of this paper is to investigate the effect of different types of self-representations through floating members (hands vs. hands + feet), virtual full body (hands + feet vs. full-body avatar), walking fidelity (static feet, simulated walking, real walking), and number of tracking points used (head + hands, head + hands + feet, head + hands + feet + hip) on the sense of presence and embodiment through questionnaires. The sample consisted of 98 participants divided into a total of six conditions in a between-subjects design. The HTC Vive headset, controllers, and trackers were used to perform the experiment. Users were tasked to find a series of hidden objects in a virtual environment and place them in a travel bag. We concluded that (1) the addition of feet to floating hands can impair the experienced realism (p = 0.039), (2) both floating members and full-body avatars can be used without affecting presence and embodiment (p > 0.05) as long as there is the same level of control over the self-representation, (3) simulated walking scores of presence and embodiment were similar when compared to static feet and real walking tracking data (p > 0.05), and (4) adding hip tracking overhead, hand and feet tracking (when using a full-body avatar) allows for a more realistic response to stimuli (p = 0.002) and a higher overall feeling of embodiment (p = 0.023).
2022
Autores
Machado, R; Rodrigues, R; Coelho, H; Melo, M; Barbosa, L; Bessa, M;
Publicação
2022 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GRAPHICS AND INTERACTION (ICGI)
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is still a field that is in constant development, and people are trying to use it to have a close representation of reality by creating immersive environments. However, despite the existence of some tools that have been adapted to work with VR, they require some experience to work with, and there is a considerable amount of resources that need to be spent to create and maintain the VR experiences, which prevents the adoption and use of all the benefits that VR can bring. This work proposes an architecture for an authoring tool that allows users to create their own virtual experiences without the need for an extensive understanding of it and use them to create a virtual training exercise. This paper uses a case study built upon a real training context scenario applied to the agroforestry field. To validate this proposal, a prototype was built and subject to usability and satisfaction tests that demonstrated the ease of understanding and learning of the interfaces and all the functionalities implemented.
2025
Autores
Magalhães, M; Melo, M; Coelho, A; Bessa, M;
Publicação
Comput. Graph.
Abstract
2025
Autores
Gonçalves, G; Peixoto, B; Miguel, M; Bessa, M;
Publicação
VIRTUAL REALITY
Abstract
Throughout the Virtual Reality (VR) literature, we find different terms to define the same concepts as well as the same terms addressing different concepts. This issue can easily cause misinterpretations and difficulty in the analysis of papers from different authors. This work addresses this terminology confusion through a detailed analysis of current key concepts, how they have been employed, comparing them to other concepts, and proposing adaptations to their definitions to reduce conceptual overlap while preserving the original terms. In this work, we reviewed widely used terms in VR: Fidelity, Realism, Immersion, Presence, and Coherence. We also identified and discussed derivative terms, such as Place Illusion, Plausibility Illusion, Sensorimotor Contingencies, Multisensory, Virtual Content, Objective and Subjective Realism, and Objective and Subjective Internal Coherence. We proposed how these distinct concepts can be separated, merged, and linked, providing a clearer terminology for future use and discussing the implications of this terminology.
2024
Autores
Barbosa, L; Moura, JP; Bessa, M; Melo, M;
Publicação
ICGI 2024 - 6th International Conference on Graphics and Interaction, Proceedings
Abstract
[No abstract available]
2025
Autores
Magalhaes, M; Melo, M; Coelho, A; Bessa, M;
Publicação
COMPUTERS & GRAPHICS-UK
Abstract
This paper aims to evaluate how different combinations of multisensory stimuli affect the vividness of users' mental imagery in the context of virtual tourism. To this end, a between-subjects experimental study was conducted with 94 participants, who were allocated to either a positive or a negative immersive virtual environment. The positive environment contained only pleasant multisensory stimuli, whereas the negative contained only unpleasant stimuli. For each of the virtual experiences, a multisensory treasure hunt was developed, where each object found corresponded to a planned combination of stimuli (positive or negative, accordingly). The results showed that positive stimuli involving a higher number of sensory modalities resulted in higher reported vividness. In contrast, when the same multisensory modalities were delivered with negative stimuli, vividness levels decreased - an effect we attribute to potential cognitive overload. Nevertheless, some reduced negative combinations (audiovisual with smell and audiovisual with haptics) remained effective, indicating that olfactory and haptic cues play an important role in shaping users' vividness of mental imagery, even in negative contexts.
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