Project Exodus: A Comparative Study of Immersive Tendency and Differential Presence in Next-Gen Virtual Reality
Project Type
group
Authors' Class Standing
Tyler Mullis, Senior Nathan Sonnenfeld, Senior Matthew Meyers, Senior Freddy Rincon, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Tyler Mullis
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Christina Frederick; Dr. Jason Kring
Abstract
Advancement in Virtual Reality (VR) interface technology in recent years has grown exponentially, resulting in the design and modification of a great number of devices to bring the experience of virtual environments (VE) to the user in ways only barely conceivable just two decades ago, for a variety of applications ranging from gaming to education to simulation-based training (SBT). Our study examines how the experience of being in one environment when one is physically situated in another (known as presence) is measured in current virtual reality interfaces against standard interface systems, both available as a conglomerate of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices.
Statistical analyses will be conducted to determine the quality of the relationship between reported scores of immersive tendency – the affinity of an individual to become absorbed by a fictitious environment – and reported presence in the virtual environment. Individual immersive tendency will be measured with the Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire (ITQ) developed by Witmer & Singer (1998) and presence by the Temple Presence Inventory (TPI) developed by Lombard, Ditton, & Weinstein (2009). Results of this experiment will answer the following two research questions: “Is an individual’s presence in a virtual environment significantly increased via the use of the virtual reality interface as compared to a standard interface?” and, if a significant difference is found, “What is the quality of the relationship between one’s immersive tendency and the difference in presence scores between the interfaces?”
Project Exodus: A Comparative Study of Immersive Tendency and Differential Presence in Next-Gen Virtual Reality
Advancement in Virtual Reality (VR) interface technology in recent years has grown exponentially, resulting in the design and modification of a great number of devices to bring the experience of virtual environments (VE) to the user in ways only barely conceivable just two decades ago, for a variety of applications ranging from gaming to education to simulation-based training (SBT). Our study examines how the experience of being in one environment when one is physically situated in another (known as presence) is measured in current virtual reality interfaces against standard interface systems, both available as a conglomerate of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices.
Statistical analyses will be conducted to determine the quality of the relationship between reported scores of immersive tendency – the affinity of an individual to become absorbed by a fictitious environment – and reported presence in the virtual environment. Individual immersive tendency will be measured with the Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire (ITQ) developed by Witmer & Singer (1998) and presence by the Temple Presence Inventory (TPI) developed by Lombard, Ditton, & Weinstein (2009). Results of this experiment will answer the following two research questions: “Is an individual’s presence in a virtual environment significantly increased via the use of the virtual reality interface as compared to a standard interface?” and, if a significant difference is found, “What is the quality of the relationship between one’s immersive tendency and the difference in presence scores between the interfaces?”