Take-over control paradigms in collaborative virtual environments for training

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to study and formalize the TakeOver Control in Collaborative Virtual Environments for Training (CVET). The TakeOver Control represents the transfer (the take over) of the interaction control of an object between two or more users. This paradigm is particularly useful for training scenarios, in which the interaction control could be continuously exchanged between the trainee and the trainer, e.g. the latter guiding and correcting the trainee's actions. The paper presents the formalization of the TakeOver Control followed by an illustration focusing in a use-case of collaborative maritime navigation. In the presented use-case, the trainee has to avoid an underwater obstacle with the help of a trainer who has additional information about the obstacle. The use-case allows to highlight the different elements a TakeOver Control situation should enforce, such as user's awareness. Different TakeOver Control techniques were provided and evaluated focusing on the transfer exchange mechanism and the visual feedback. The results show that participants preferred the TakeOver Control technique which maximized the user awareness.

Collaboration in Virtual Reality: Survey and Perspectives

“…The trainee had the control of the boat but the trainer could assume control at any time if the boat was about to collide with an obstacle. The study showed that the users preferred smooth transition over the sudden one by the trainer and experienced an increased level of awareness and informativeness when the visual feedback was present of the obstacles [36].…”

“…• Collaboration/Interactivity: The complicated concept of having two or more users of the same VRE interacting with each other and with objects of the environment raising issues like co-location collision, take-over control, gestural interactions, and locomotion [35,36]. • Visual and audio fidelity: An umbrella term used to address technical issues such as synchronization of animation and sound, visual info and communication, inventory, user experience visual fidelity synchrony, and more [37].…”

“…It is the concept of having two or more users of a VRE interacting over the same object(s) and, potentially, changing its status, i.e., position, form, etc. Moulec et al (2016) attempted to describe in detail the main elements of take-over control and their relationship through a maritime navigation system, tested by 8 participants in pairs, within-subjects, in which a trainee was tasked to avoid an under-water obstacle with the help of a trainer. The obstacles could be in the form of rocks or coral and not visible.…”

Virtual titration laboratory experiment with differentiated instruction

“…Gaze‐based techniques and attention guiding techniques are alternatives for selecting and targeting items, or even interacting with a VR keypad . The willingness of users can be strengthened through practice in VR, such as spider phobia treatment, studying Japanese language and culture, collaborative training, and interaction with patients . Differentiated instruction provides differing teaching and learning materials .…”