Experimental investigations and thorough analyses are undertaken on real-world and synthetic cross-modality datasets. Substantial improvements in both accuracy and robustness are demonstrated by our method, as validated by qualitative and quantitative evaluations, exceeding state-of-the-art approaches. Our CrossModReg project's code is openly accessible at the GitHub repository: https://github.com/zikai1/CrossModReg.
Examining two advanced text input methods, this article contrasts their performance in non-stationary virtual reality (VR) and video see-through augmented reality (VST AR) scenarios, both of which constitute XR display configurations. The innovative mid-air virtual tap and wordgesture (swipe) keyboard, built with contact-based technology, incorporates established functionality for text correction, word suggestion, capitalization, and punctuation. Results from a user study with 64 participants indicated that XR displays and input techniques substantially impacted text entry performance, whereas subjective measures were only impacted by the input methodologies employed. In both VR and VST AR settings, tap keyboards exhibited considerably greater usability and user experience scores than swipe keyboards. DNA-based medicine Tap keyboards, in comparison, carried a reduced task load. The input techniques displayed a markedly superior performance speed in virtual reality environments in contrast to those in VST augmented reality. Subsequently, the tap keyboard in VR environments yielded significantly superior speed compared to the swipe keyboard. Typing only ten sentences per condition resulted in a substantial learning effect for the participants. Our findings align with prior research in virtual reality (VR) and optical see-through (OST) augmented reality (AR), but offer new understandings of usability and performance for text input methods within visual-space augmented reality (VST AR). Significant differences between subjective and objective measures necessitate specific evaluations for every input method and XR display combination, in order to yield reusable, reliable, and top-tier text input solutions. The work we produce provides a foundation for future XR research and workspaces. Future XR workspace development can benefit from the public availability of our reference implementation, supporting both replicability and reuse.
Powerful illusions of alternate locations and embodied experiences are crafted by immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies, and the theories of presence and embodiment serve as valuable guides to designers of VR applications that leverage these illusions to relocate users. Nonetheless, VR designers are increasingly targeting heightened awareness of the inner workings of their own bodies (interoception); however, a clear roadmap of design principles and evaluation procedures remains underdeveloped. Our methodology, including a reusable codebook, is designed to adapt the five dimensions of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) framework for exploring interoceptive awareness in VR experiences using qualitative interviews. In a first-stage exploratory study involving 21 participants, we examined user interoceptive experiences within a virtual reality environment using this method. In the environment, a guided body scan exercise involves a motion-tracked avatar that appears in a virtual mirror, along with an interactive visualization of a biometric signal detected through a heartbeat sensor. The findings offer fresh perspectives on enhancing this example VR experience to bolster interoceptive awareness, and on further refining the methodology for deciphering other inward-focused VR experiences.
Various applications in photo editing and augmented reality rely on the process of placing virtual 3D objects within real-world photographic contexts. To portray a realistic composite scene, the shadows created by both virtual and real objects must be consistent. The synthesis of realistic shadows for virtual and real objects proves difficult, specifically when shadows of real objects appear on virtual objects, without a clear geometric description of the real scene or manual intervention. Confronting this difficulty, we unveil, to the best of our knowledge, the first fully automatic solution for the projection of real shadows onto virtual objects within outdoor scenes. A new shadow representation, the Shifted Shadow Map, is presented in our method. It details the binary mask of real shadows, shifted after virtual objects are inserted into an image. Given a shifted shadow map, we propose ShadowMover, a CNN-based shadow generation model. This model first predicts the shifted shadow map from an input image, and subsequently creates realistic shadows for any inserted virtual object. A large-scale dataset is assembled for the purpose of training the model. The ShadowMover's strength lies in its adaptability to different scenes, completely bypassing the necessity of geometric scene data and eliminating the need for human intervention. Thorough testing affirms the efficacy of our approach.
Microscopic-level, rapid, and dynamic shape changes characterize the development of the embryonic human heart, thereby posing a visual challenge. Still, a precise understanding of the spatial dimensions of these procedures is essential for students and aspiring cardiologists in accurately diagnosing and effectively treating congenital heart disorders. With a user-centered philosophy, the key embryological stages were meticulously chosen and integrated into a virtual reality learning environment (VRLE). Advanced interactions within this VRLE allow for an understanding of the morphological transformations across these stages. Considering the variations in learning styles, different functionalities were incorporated, and their impact was analyzed through a user study, evaluating factors including usability, perceived workload, and the sense of being present. Our evaluation included assessments of spatial awareness and knowledge acquisition, and we finished by gaining feedback from the field's experts. The application received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both students and professionals. In order to reduce distractions caused by interactive learning content, virtual reality learning environments should feature differentiated learning options, enabling a gradual adjustment period, and ensuring a suitable level of playful stimulus. This study previews the use of VR in a cardiac embryology education program design.
The human capacity to discern shifts within a visual scene is often deficient, a phenomenon frequently referred to as change blindness. Though the specific reasons are still under investigation, it is generally accepted that this phenomenon is connected to the limited capacity of our attention and memory. Previous attempts to understand this phenomenon have been largely confined to two-dimensional representations; however, significant discrepancies in attention and memory mechanisms arise between 2D images and the viewing conditions encountered in everyday life. Employing immersive 3D environments, this work conducts a thorough investigation into change blindness, providing a viewing experience more akin to our everyday visual encounters. Two experiments are conceived, with the initial one concentrating on the effects of altering change properties—type, distance, complexity, and field of view—on the susceptibility to change blindness. Next, we extend our exploration into the relationship between this and visual working memory capacity through a second experiment, examining the effect of the number of changes introduced. Our exploration of the change blindness effect unveils the potential for impactful applications within virtual reality, encompassing virtual walking experiences, interactive gaming, and research on saliency and visual attention.
The information regarding light rays' intensity and directionality is effectively harnessed by light field imaging. Naturally, the user's engagement in virtual reality is deepened by the six-degrees-of-freedom viewing experience. British ex-Armed Forces Light field image quality assessment (LFIQA), in comparison to 2D image assessment, requires taking into account not just the spatial image quality but also the uniformity of quality across the angular spectrum. Unfortunately, quantifying the angular uniformity, and consequently the angular excellence, within a light field image (LFI) lacks effective metrics. The existing LFIQA metrics are hampered by high computational expenses, directly linked to the excessive data volume inherent in LFIs. AR-42 This paper introduces a novel angular attention concept, leveraging a multi-headed self-attention mechanism within the angular domain of an LFI. The LFI quality is better represented by this mechanism. Specifically, we introduce three novel attentional kernels: angle-based self-attention, angle-based grid attention, and angle-based central attention. These attention kernels facilitate the realization of angular self-attention, enabling the extraction of multiangled features globally or selectively, contributing to a reduced computational cost for feature extraction. Employing the recommended kernels, we present our light field attentional convolutional neural network (LFACon) as a method for determining light field image quality (LFIQA). We found, through our experiments, that the proposed LFACon metric significantly exceeds the performance of the cutting-edge LFIQA metrics. LFACon's performance stands out in handling the majority of distortion types, characterized by reduced complexity and minimal computation.
Multi-user redirected walking (RDW) finds widespread application in extensive virtual scenes, enabling simultaneous movement of numerous users in the combined virtual and physical spaces. To guarantee the unrestricted exploration of virtual realms, applicable in diverse scenarios, certain redirected algorithms have been assigned to non-progressive actions, including vertical traversal and leaping. Current techniques for rendering in virtual environments primarily emphasize forward motion, leaving out equally important and frequent sideward and backward movements that are essential components of a truly immersive virtual reality.