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Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that integrates 3D virtual objects into the physical world in real-time, while virtual reality (VR) is a technology that immerses users in an interactive 3D virtual environment. The fast development of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies has reshaped how people interact with the physical world. This presentation will outline the results from two unique AR and one Web-based VR coastal engineering projects, motivating the next stage in the development of the augmented reality package for coastal students, engineers, and planners.
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Use of Scaling to Improve Reach in Virtual Reality for People with Parkinson’s Disease
This research investigates the effect of scaling in virtual reality to improve the reach of users with Parkinson’s disease (PD). People with PD have limited reach, often due to impaired postural stability. We investigated how virtual reality (VR) can improve reach during and after VR exposure. Participants played a VR game where they smashed water balloons thrown at them by crossing their midsection. The distance the balloons were thrown at increased and decreased based on success or failure. Their perception of the distance and their hand were scaled in three counterbalanced conditions: under-scaled (scale = 0:83), not-scaled (scale = 1), and over-scaled (scale = 1:2), where the scale value is the ratio between the virtual reach that they perceive in the virtual environment (VE) and their actual reach. In each study condition, six data were measured - 1. Real World Reach (pre-exposure), 2. Virtual Reality Baseline Reach, 3. Virtual Reality Not-Scaled Reach, 4. Under-Scaled Reach, 5. Over-Scaled Reach, and 6. Real World Reach (post-exposure). Our results show that scaling a person’s movement in virtual reality can help improve reach. Therefore, we recommend including a scaling factor in VR games for people with Parkinson’s disease.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2104819
- PAR ID:
- 10358482
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- IEEE International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health
- ISSN:
- 2330-5649
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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