Projektbeskrivning
In this pilot project researchers at Malmö University and Georgia Tech conduct preliminary research, design, and tests to examine the role of virtual and mixed reality (VR/MR) conferencing and academic meetings within a hybrid virtual conferencing environment. In comparison with traditional video conferencing, VR/MR conferencing has a number of unique characteristics e.g. spatial presence and embodied interaction. The pilot project explores the strengths and limitations of virtual and mixed media platforms.
Research questions
The research questions we wish to pursue are:
- What are the benefits and limitations of VR conferencing? What kinds of communication are facilitated by this medium? How can the spatiality of VR exchanges facilitate scholarly exchange, including social and informal meetings?
- How can aesthetics and design facilitate fruitful and meaningful experiences in virtual spaces to support research exchange? What are the specific design issues that need to be addressed? What kinds of interactions among virtual participants are most important? What are the best architectures for such conference spaces?
- Early experiments indicate that VR should not be an exclusive channel for a conference but rather is part of a multiple media channel approach. How can VR spaces be most effectively integrated with streaming video and audio services, chat, etc.? This pilot project constructs and tests scenarios that allow us to explore these research questions and reach preliminary results that can then be expanded in a large-scale project.
Affiliates: Georgia Institute of Technology och Digital media