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   https://doi.org/10.1109/SoutheastCon45413.2021.9401941  

   Ogunrinde, Isaac; Bernadin, Shonda (March 2021, SoutheastCon 2021)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract—Virtual Reality (VR) has become one of the emerging technologies over the past decade for improving the quality of life in human experiences. It has exciting and popular applications in entertainment, sports, education, and even digital documentation of notable or historical sites, allowing users to immerse themselves in an alternate reality. By combining the principles of software development and immersive VR, real-life VR experiences seek to transport users to an interactive environment where they can view, observe, and experience historical events and artifacts in a new way. There are several steps involved in VR development of cultural and historical sites that require a solid understanding for adaptable and scalable design. This paper is a review of the VR development process for notable historic preservation VR projects. This process can be used to create immersive VR experiences for other cultural sites. 

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2. Generalized Structure for Adaptable Immersive Learning Environments

   https://doi.org/10.1109/IRI51335.2021.00047  

   Coltey, Erik; Tao, Yudong; Wang, Tianyi; Vassigh, Shahin; Chen, Shu-Ching; Shyu, Mei-Ling (August 2021, IEEE 22nd International Conference on Information Reuse and Integration for Data Science (IRI))

   Immersive Learning Environments (ILEs) developed in Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) are a novel pro- fessional training platform. An ILE can facilitate an Adaptive Learning System (ALS), which has proven beneficial to the learning process. However, there is no existing AI-ready ILE that facilitates collecting multimedia multimodal data from the environment and users for training AI models, nor allows for the learning contents and complex learning process to be dynamically adapted by an ALS. This paper proposes a novel multimedia system in VR/AR to dynamically build ILEs for a wide range of use-cases, based on a description language for the generalizable ILE structure. It will detail users’ paths and conditions for completing learning activities, and a content adaptation algorithm to update the ILE at runtime. Human and AI systems can customize the environment based on user learning metrics. Results show that this framework is efficient and low- overhead, suggesting a path to simplifying and democratizing the ILE development without introducing bloat. Index Terms—virtual reality, augmented reality, content generation, immersive learning, 3D environments 

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   Kraj, Victoria J.; Maranzatto, Thomas; Geigel, Joe; Bailey, Reynold; Ovesdotter Alm, Cecillia (January 2020, Frameless Labs Symposium)

   In this paper, we describe a methodology for determining audience engagement designed specifically for stage performances in a virtual space. We use a combination of galvanic skin response data (GSR), self-reported emotional feedback using the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS), and a think aloud methodology to assess user reaction to the virtual reality experience. We describe a case study that uses the process to explore the role of immersive viewing of a performance by comparing users’ engagement while watching a virtual dance performances on a monitor vs. using an immersive head mounted display (HMD). Results from the study indicate significant differences between the viewing experiences. The process can serve as a potential tool in the development of a VR storytelling experience. 

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4. Opto-diversity and Eye Tracking: Assumptions about ocular alignment in virtual reality eye tracking exclude users with strabismus and amblyopia

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3736413  

   Murphy, Shaina; Sampath, Shakthi; Wilson, Ethan; LaRubbio, Karina; Smith, Ethan; Kapadia, Apu; Jain, Eakta (May 2025, ACM Transactions on Applied Perception)

   Immersive, interactive virtual reality (VR) experiences rely on eye tracking data for a variety of applications. However, eye trackers assume that the user's eyes move in a coordinated way. We investigate how the violation of this assumption impacts the performance and subjective experience of users with strabismus and amblyopia. Our investigation follows a case study approach by analyzing in depth the qualitative and quantitative data collected during an interactive VR game by a small number of users with these visual impairments. Our findings reveal the ways in which assumptions about the default functioning of the eye can discourage or even exclude otherwise enthusiastic users from immersive VR. This study thus opens a new frontier for eye tracking research and practice. 

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5. Using Virtual Reality in Sea Level Rise Planning and Community Engagement—An Overview

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   Calil, Juliano; Fauville, Geraldine; Queiroz, Anna; Leo, Kelly; Mann, Alyssa; Wise-West, Tiffany; Salvatore, Paulo; Bailenson, Jeremy (May 2021, Water)

   null (Ed.)

   As coastal communities around the globe contend with the impacts of climate change including coastal hazards such as sea level rise and more frequent coastal storms, educating stakeholders and the general public has become essential in order to adapt to and mitigate these risks. Communicating SLR and other coastal risks is not a simple task. First, SLR is a phenomenon that is abstract as it is physically distant from many people; second, the rise of the sea is a slow and temporally distant process which makes this issue psychologically distant from our everyday life. Virtual reality (VR) simulations may offer a way to overcome some of these challenges, enabling users to learn key principles related to climate change and coastal risks in an immersive, interactive, and safe learning environment. This article first presents the literature on environmental issues communication and engagement; second, it introduces VR technology evolution and expands the discussion on VR application for environmental literacy. We then provide an account of how three coastal communities have used VR experiences developed by multidisciplinary teams—including residents—to support communication and community outreach focused on SLR and discuss their implications. 

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