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Now showing 1 - 10 of 30
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    A Virtual Character Posing System based on Reconfigurable Tangible User Interfaces and Immersive Virtual Reality
    (The Eurographics Association, 2018) Cannavò, A.; Lamberti, F.; Livesu, Marco and Pintore, Gianni and Signoroni, Alberto
    Computer animation and, particularly, virtual character animation, are very time consuming and skill-intensive tasks, which require animators to work with sophisticated user interfaces. Tangible user interfaces (TUIs) already proved to be capable of making character animation more intuitive, and possibly more efficient, by leveraging the affordances provided by physical props that mimic the structure of virtual counterparts. The main downside of existing TUI-based animation solutions is the reduced accuracy, which is due partly to the use of mechanical parts, partly to the fact that, despite the adoption of a 3D input, users still have to work with a 2D output (usually represented by one or more views displayed on a screen). However, output methods that are natively 3D, e.g., based on virtual reality (VR), have been already exploited in different ways within computer animation scenarios. By moving from the above considerations and by building upon an existing work, this paper proposes a VR-based character animation system that combines the advantages of TUIs with the improved spatial awareness, enhanced visualization and better control on the observation point in the virtual space ensured by immersive VR. Results of a user study with both skilled and unskilled users showed a marked preference for the devised system, which was judged as more intuitive than that in the reference work, and allowed users to pose a virtual character in a lower time and with a higher accuracy.
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    Immersive WebXR Data Visualisation Tool
    (The Eurographics Association, 2023) Ogbonda, Ebube Glory; Vangorp, Peter; Hunter, David
    This paper presents a study of a WebXR data visualisation tool designed for the immersive exploration of complex datasets in a 3D environment. The application developed using AFrame, D3.js, and JavaScript enables an interactive, device-agnostic platform compatible with various devices and systems. A user study is proposed to assess the tool's usability, user experience, and mental workload using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA TLX). The evaluation is planned to employ questionnaires, task completion times, and open-ended questions to gather feedback and insights. The anticipated results aim to provide insights into the effectiveness of the application in supporting users in understanding and extracting insights from complex data while delivering an engaging and intuitive experience. Future work will refine and expand the tool's capabilities by exploring interaction guidance, visualisation layout optimisation, and long-term user experience assessment. This research contributes to the growing field of immersive data visualisation and informs future tool design.
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    Medical Ultrasound Training in Virtual Reality
    (The Eurographics Association, 2020) Elliman, James P.; Bethapudi, Sarath; Koulieris, George Alex; Ritsos, Panagiotis D. and Xu, Kai
    In this work we propose a novel training solution for learning and practising the core psychomotor skills required in Diagnostic Ultrasound examinations with a computer-based simulator. This is in response to the long-standing challenges faced by educators in providing regular training opportunities as a shortage of equipment, staff unavailability and cost, hamper the current training model. We propose an alternative, VR-based model with a highly realistic 3D environment. To further realism of the experience, 3D printed props that work in conjunction with the simulation software will be designed. Our approach further extends previous work in generative model-based US simulation by developing a ray-tracing algorithm for use with the recently released NVidia RTX technology.
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    Projectional Radiography Simulator: an Interactive Teaching Tool
    (The Eurographics Association, 2019) Sujar, Aaron; Kelly, Graham; García, Marcos; Vidal, Franck; Vidal, Franck P. and Tam, Gary K. L. and Roberts, Jonathan C.
    Radiographers need to know a broad range of knowledge about X-ray radiography, which can be specific to each part of the body. Due to the harmfulness of the ionising radiation used, teaching and training using real patients is not ethical. Students have limited access to real X-ray rooms and anatomic phantoms during their studies. Books, and now web apps, containing a set of static pictures are then often used to illustrate clinical cases. In this study, we have built an Interactive X-ray Projectional Simulator using a deformation algorithm with a real-time X-ray image simulator. Users can load various anatomic models and the tool enables virtual model positioning in order to set a specific position and see the corresponding X-ray image. It allows teachers to simulate any particular X-ray projection in a lecturing environment without using real patients and avoiding any kind of radiation risk. This tool also allows the students to reproduce the important parameters of a real X-ray machine in a safe environment. We have performed a face and content validation in which our tool proves to be realistic (72% of the participants agreed that the simulations are visually realistic), useful (67%) and suitable (78%) for teaching X-ray radiography.
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    Virtual Reality: A Literature Review and Metrics-based Classification
    (The Eurographics Association, 2018) Ankomah, Peter; Vangorp, Peter; {Tam, Gary K. L. and Vidal, Franck
    This paper presents a multi-disciplinary overview of research evaluating virtual reality (VR). The main aim is to review and classify VR research based on several metrics: presence and immersion, navigation and interaction, knowledge improvement, performance and usability. With the continuous development and consumerisation of VR, several application domains have studied the impact of VR as an enhanced alternative environment for performing tasks. However, VR experiment results often cannot be generalised but require specific datasets and tasks suited to each domain. This review and classification of VR metrics presents an alternative metrics-based view of VR experiments and research.
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    Optimising Underwater Environments for Mobile VR
    (The Eurographics Association, 2019) Cenydd, Llyr ap; Headleand, Christopher; Vidal, Franck P. and Tam, Gary K. L. and Roberts, Jonathan C.
    Mobile Virtual Reality (VR) has advanced considerably in the last few years, driven by advances in smartphone technology. There are now a number of commercial offerings available, from smartphone powered headsets to standalone units with full positional tracking. Similarly best practices in VR have matured quickly, facilitating comfortable and immersive VR experiences. There remains however many optimisation challenges when working with these devices, as while the need to render at high frame rates is universal, the hardware is limited by both computational power and battery capacity. There is also often a requirement that apps run smoothly across a wide variety of headsets. In this paper, we describe lessons learned in rendering and optimising underwater environments for mobile VR, based on our experience developing the popular aquatic safari application 'Ocean Rift'. We start by analyzing essential best practices for mobile app development, before describing low-cost techniques for creating immersive underwater environments. While some techniques discussed are universal to modern mobile VR development, we also consider issues that are unique to underwater applications.
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    A Gesture Recognition Model for Virtual Reality Motion Controllers
    (The Eurographics Association, 2020) Headleand, Chris; Williams, Benjamin; Holopainen, Jussi; Gilliam, Marlon; Ritsos, Panagiotis D. and Xu, Kai
    In this paper we discuss gesture recognition in the domain of Virtual Reality (VR) video games. We begin by presenting a detailed review of the literature. Furthermore, we discuss some of the specific opportunities and challenges that are specific to the VR domain. Most commercial VR devices come with tracked motion controllers as a default interface which facilitates the possibility of gesture control. However, video games specifically require a high degree of accuracy to prevent non-gesture actions being evaluated. To tackle this challenge we present a novel modification to the Hidden Markov Model gesture recognition approach. We expand on previous work with gestures in with the implementation of an adaptive database system allowing users to quickly engage with an application without significant training. Our results on a benchmark problem shows that the approach can produce impressive accuracy rates. The results from our benchmarking shows promise for the usability of gesture based interaction systems for VR devices in the future. Our system achieves high levels of recognition accuracy competitive with the best performing existing system whilst requiring minimal user independent training.
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    A Prototype of Virtual Reality System for the Visualization, Exploration and Modeling of Huge Point Clouds
    (The Eurographics Association, 2018) Ortega-Donaire, José; Segura-Sánchez, Rafael Jesús; Ogáyar-Anguita, Carlos-Javier; Rueda-Ruiz, Antonio Jesús; García-Fernández, Ignacio and Ureña, Carlos
    The use of specific techniques for the management and visualization of huge point clouds is necessary to solve the drawbacks of inefficiency derived from the size of the dataset and the techniques used to visualize it. This work presents a prototype of VR system for the visualization and management of extensive point clouds in 3D with the ability to edit specific points. For this, the tool incorporates multiresolution techniques, which improve the performance and efficiency of the system. The prototype also incorporates the management of the point cloud stored in an unstructured database; so the prototype can request parts of the dataset from the required fractions generated by an octree. This allows the progressive processing of 3D point clouds, which is very useful to control and visualize a large data set in real time.
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    Rendering and Interacting With Volume Models in Immersive Environments
    (The Eurographics Association, 2018) Fons, Joan; Monclús, Eva; Vázquez, Pere-Pau; Navazo, Isabel; García-Fernández, Ignacio and Ureña, Carlos
    The recent advances in VR headsets, such as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, at affordable prices offering a high resolution display, has empowered the development of immersive VR applications. data. In this paper we propose an immersive VR system that uses some well-known acceleration algorithms to achieve real-time rendering of volumetric datasets in an immersive VR system. Moreover, we have incorporated different basic interaction techniques to facilitate the inspection of the volume dataset. The interaction has been designed to be as natural as possible in order to achieve the most comfortable, user-friendly virtual experience. We have conducted an informal user study to evaluate the user preferences. Our evaluation shows that our application is perceived usable, easy of learn and very effective in terms of the high level of immersion achieved.
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    NeodiagVR: Virtual Reality Apgar test environment
    (The Eurographics Association, 2022) Ferry, Lucas; Gimeno, Jesús; Estañ, Francisco Javier; Núñez, Francisco; Balaguer, Evelin; Fernández, Marcos; Portalés, Cristina; Posada, Jorge; Serrano, Ana
    Owing to the lack of accessibility of postpartum rooms nowadays, which are needed to teach the correct assessment of newborn health status to medical students, virtual reality and simulation are increasingly used for teaching and assessing visual perception tests that evaluate the condition of the newborn. This paper aims to explain the operation of the Apgar test evaluation simulator in a virtual reality environment. This virtual environment can be manipulated externally from a web browser to visualize and control the course of the simulation in real-time. In addition, an offline version would allow initialization and visualization of the Apgar test parameters without the need for synchronization with the virtual environment.