Design and evaluation of team work in distributed collaborative virtual environments

Abstract

We present a framework for the design and evaluation of distributed, collaborative 3D interaction focussing on projection based systems. We discuss the issues of collaborative 3D interaction using audio/video for face-to-face communication and the differences in using rear projection based Virtual Environments. Further, we explore how the use of video/audio, input device representations and other disturbance factors typical of projection-based virtual environments affect co-presence, coworking and co-knowledge in distributed CVEs. We present results from co-presence and co-working evaluation sessions of about 60 users of various profiles. An extensive statistical, group and variation group analysis of the results is carried out. The findings and the resulting design guidelines are presented in this paper in respect to the above factors.

Mixing virtual and physical participation: The future of conference attendance?

“…During our early test trials, voice was found to be important for the immersion between people, which is consistent with earlier findings [3], [5]. So voice communication between the physical and virtual participants was supported by hooking the conference room's microphone and speaker system to the NVE operator's laptop.…”

“…The tool, however, is experimental and not used for real venues. Later systems have reported collaborative applications in NVEs, called Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) [3], [4]. CVEs, however, focus more on the co-creation, co-manipulation, or collaborative achievement aspects of online interactions, as opposed to high fidelity information exchange in conferencing.…”

A Case Study on the Implementation of the 3C Collaboration Model in Virtual Environments

“…A collaborative virtual environment's objective (CVE), according to Goebbels et al [7], is to provide a common virtual space between distributed teams where they can meet each other as if in a "face to face" situation, coexisting and cooperating with each other as they share and manipulate data in real time.…”

Educational technology for collaborative virtual environments

“…Collaborative Virtual Environments are a special case of Virtual Reality Environments, where the emphasis is to provide distributed teams with a common virtual space where they can meet as if face-to-face, coexist and collaborate while sharing and manipulating, in real-time, the virtual artifacts of interest [9]. They can be seen as the result of a convergence of research interests within the Virtual Reality (VR) and CSCW communities.…”