A shared realities workflow for interactive design using virtual reality and three-dimensional depth sensing

Abstract

This article presents the ongoing development and testing of a "shared realities" computational workflow to support iterative user-centered design with an interactive system. The broader aim is to address the challenges associated with observing and recording user interactions within the context of use for improving the performance of an interactive system. A museum installation is used as an initial test bed to validate the following hypothesis: by integrating threedimensional depth sensing and virtual reality for interaction design and user behavior observations, the shared realities workflow provides an iterative feedback loop that allows for remote observations and recordings for faster and effective decision-making. The methods presented focus on the software development for gestural interaction and user point cloud observations, as well as the integration of virtual reality tools for iterative design of the interface and system performance assessment. Experimental testing demonstrates viability of the shared realities workflow for observing and recording user interaction behaviors and evaluating system performance. Contributions to computational design, technical challenges, and ethical considerations are discussed, as well as directions for future work.

Virtual reality rendering methods for training deep learning, analysing landscapes, and preventing virtual reality sickness

“…VR can replace the physical world with a computer-generated one by using devices such as an HMD, a multiple-screen projection system, and data gloves. The output is very useful for purposes such as visualisation and simulation, and so many applications of VR have been proposed in CAAD, such as simulation, 28,29 collaboration, 30,31 urban design, 32,33 education 34,35 and digital heritage. 36 –39 The usefulness of VR in large-scale architectural and urban design processes has been demonstrated for various purposes, such as walk-through, comparison of design alternatives, and dynamic real-time simulation.…”