HIT Lab NZ: Theses and Dissertations
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Open Access Enhancing Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) through personalised triggers in virtual reality.(2025) Ling, JiaxuanThis research investigates the effectiveness of personalised Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) triggers in enhancing users’ ASMR sensations within virtual reality (VR), addressing the central question: Do personalised triggers enhance ASMR sensations in VR? The study compares personalised and non-personalised triggers in a VR-based ASMR application across four dimensions: effectiveness, efficiency, duration, and subjective emotional responses. A mixed-methods approach with a primary focus on quantitative analysis was employed, supplemented by qualitative insights. Participants engaged with an immersive VR application featuring ASMR content and personalised elements. They completed an in-game task, followed by a self-report questionnaire to gather quantitative data, and participated in short semi-structured interviews to provide qualitative feedback. Quantitative results revealed that personalised triggers slightly improved ASMR tingling intensity, onset time, duration, and pleasantness, though enhancements were not necessarily significant. Qualitative results concurred with these findings, as participants preferred the personalised triggers due to its customised nature and calming properties. Distraction, absence of diversity in triggers, and minor design flaws were noted as well, pointing to areas for improvement. Other findings further revealed connections between emotional tendencies and ASMR responsiveness, i.e., the pre-experiment calmness level and the likelihood of musical frisson are positively correlated with ASMR tingling intensity. The study highlights the potential of personalisation in immersive ASMR applications through VR, demonstrating its tendency to enhance the overall ASMR experience while outlining a clear pathway for future optimisation.Item Open Access Exploring pedestrian movement through colour for everyone(2025) Harding, Nicholas R.With the rise of aging populations and urban densification, the need to communicate and analyse pedestrian crowd’ data is becoming increasingly important, particularly to researchers and professionals in fields such as Pedestrian Evacuation, Human Crowd Modelling, Urban Planning, Crowd Safety, Disaster Planning, Building Insurance Assessment, and Fire Safety Science, especially concerning Human Behaviour. A typical method for communicating and analysing crowd movement models involves data visualisations, commonly represented as heatmaps or animated 2D or 3D visualisations of simulated crowd model outputs. While these visualisations utilise widely accepted techniques and practices within the fields, they are not always accessible to all viewers. This research specifically addresses accessibility challenges related to Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD), a condition characterised by difficulty or inability to perceive certain wavelengths of the visible spectrum, typically red, green, or blue. CVD arises from abnormalities or absence of cones (long, medium, or short wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors) within the eye. Advancements in software and hardware increasingly support sophisticated 3D graphical representations of crowd simulations, providing greater clarity and context to users and audiences. Building upon this, the research proposes a novel 3D real-time visualisation technique incorporating height dynamics into traditional heatmaps. Furthermore, the research investigates potential environmental design guidelines to enhance accessibility for individuals with CVD. This thesis explores the effectiveness of a colour correction algorithm to determine if it can adequately replace traditional colour-dependent heatmap visualisations, highlighting areas for improvement in accessibility. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups to investigate visualisation challenges experienced by individuals with CVD: Non-Colour, Protanopia, Deuteranopia, and Tritanopia Deficient. Instead of recruiting participants with actual CVD, a validated simulation technique was employed to emulate colour vision deficiencies. Experiments utilised validated crowd modelling software ('Simulex') and building geometries created in Building Information Modelling (BIM) software ('Revit') to ensure realistic scenarios. Conducting experiments within Virtual Reality (VR) created an immersive experience, yielding unexpected insights and enhancing awareness regarding accessibility considerations. Participant responses and feedback were collected through questionnaires, surveys, and structured debrief interviews throughout the experimental process. Findings from this research offer preliminary design guidelines and highlight areas for further investigation to improve the accessibility of heatmaps, particularly in pedestrian crowd modelling contexts. Although the results presented in this thesis are indicative, they clearly demonstrate that the topic warrants continued research and development.Item Open Access A study on cybersickness and immersion in a VR game with 360-degree motion simulator.(2025) Zhang, ZiyangVirtual Reality (VR) is an emerging technology that enables immersive simulated experiences. With improvements in hardware, development accessibility, and application availability, VR technology has become increasingly capable of realistically simulating both real and virtual environments (VE), thereby enhancing training and entertainment experiences. Nevertheless, cybersickness remains a significant challenge, triggering numerous physical discomfort symptoms in users. Moreover, most VR simulators have limitations in motion experience: they cannot perfectly simulate user movement in the virtual world. This limitation leads to reduced realism when attempting to simulate the physical world. This thesis aims to evaluate how different mapping methods in a 360-degree motion simulator (NOVA Ball) affect motion sickness and immersion, and to assess the advantages of various mapping methods in reducing motion sickness and enhancing user immersion. This study designed and tested hypotheses regarding immersion and motion sickness. The experiment utilized a simulated flight game where users flew through a VE. Three different motion mapping modes were applied: No Rotation, Rotation Only, and Motion Cueing. The experiment employed a between-groups design, with participants randomly assigned to three conditions. In total, 45 participants completed the experiment, during which heart rate and flight data were recorded. After the experiment, participants completed questionnaires relating to discomfort and presence. The results showed that the Rotation Only condition exhibited the lowest levels of simulator sickness, while the Motion Cueing condition reported the highest simulator sickness scores. However, there were no significant differences in presence across the three conditions. Interestingly, the heart rate of the Rotation Only group was higher than that of the other two groups, suggesting that physical exertion in the 360-degree motion simulator might have had a greater influence on heart rate than cybersickness.Item Open Access Augmented reality games for disaster risk reduction.(2025) Mirza, MishaThis research examines the potential of augmented reality (AR) games as tools to enhance natural disaster preparedness and risk awareness, structured in two phases. Phase one involves a review of existing literature on climate change communication, risk perception, and disaster preparedness, providing a theoretical foundation for the study. This is followed by a sentiment analysis of climate change discussions on Twitter, focusing on regional variations in perceptions and communication patterns, particularly between Pakistan and New Zealand. By combining insights from academic literature with social media data, this phase aims to understand how climate risks are perceived and discussed in different sociocultural contexts. Building on these findings, phase two consists of two user studies designed to assess the effectiveness of AR games in addressing the identified challenges and fostering disaster preparedness. The first study examines how time pressure and distracting elements—conditions reflective of real-world emergencies—influence participants’ willingness to act in simulated scenarios. This study draws on the insights from phase one, particularly regarding cognitive and situational barriers to action, to evaluate how AR games can replicate and mitigate these challenges to support preparedness training. The second study focuses on the role of perspective in AR gameplay, comparing first-person and third-person views during a simulated flash flood. It evaluates how these perspectives influence risk perception, situational awareness, and behavioral responses, providing insights into the design of AR games for educational and preparedness purposes. The findings suggest that AR games can enhance key aspects of disaster preparedness, including situational awareness, response efficacy, and perceived behavioral control, which are constructs derived from protection motivation theory. The thesis concludes by offering recommendations for designing AR games that support disaster risk reduction through effective simulation of emergency scenarios and the promotion of proactive behaviors.Item Open Access Developing interactive media through co-design : culturally appropriate interactive Māori tīpuna in virtual reality.(2024) Rajan, VijayThis research study was conducted in partnership with the ¯Atea project, Te Rau Aroha Marae stakeholders, and subject matter experts to investigate the creation of culturally appropriate interactive media. The emphasis is on collaboratively constructing a Virtual Marae and an interactive Māori tīpuna utilising photogrammetry and virtual reality technologies. The study considers Māori values, practices, and tikanga, integrating stakeholder involvement and an iterative design methodology to guarantee cultural relevance and appropriateness. The Tīpuna prototype tailors gestures and interactions according to the user’s persona and whakapapa, offering personalised experiences and enhanced engagement. This study demonstrates how co-design and immersive technology can respectfully and innovatively conserve and communicate Māori cultural history.Item Open Access Evaluating the feasibility of virtual reality technology to train New Zealand firefighters in rural firefighting.(2024) Wheeler, Steven G.Virtual Reality (VR) technology offers numerous potential benefits for firefighter training, including enhanced learning outcomes achieved through a realistic, safe and assessable environment. However, at present, VR’s effect on knowledge transfer is largely unknown, with previous research primarily focusing on procedural knowledge acquisition in urban environments. Moreover, technology acceptance factors, particularly relevant in the context of firefighting organisations, have not been thoroughly examined when considering the implementation of VR in firefighter training. This thesis investigates how VR can support learning, whether it could supplement or replace current routines and factors among firefighters that lead to the acceptance of VR technology. For this purpose, a VR learning environment (VRLE) and design framework, including an in-depth profile of the potential end-user, were developed and evaluated in two user studies. The first study compared the learning outcomes of the current official textbook material and the VRLE, finding that the VRLE is more motivating and interesting to users without confirming VRLE’s superior knowledge transfer over the textbook. The second study evaluated the VRLE with firefighters and identified important factors to consider in technology acceptance through validating constructs of the technology acceptance model. Qualitative data gathered feedback and perspectives on using VR in this context, identifying areas where VR could be the most suitable and effective. The thesis concludes with a SWOT analysis that synthesises the user studies’ results, providing a detailed account of the state of the technology and identifying strong avenues for further research and important factors to consider when introducing VR in this domain. This thesis contributes to the field by furthering the understanding of VR’s potential for learning and its applicability to firefighter concepts. The user profile, design framework, and interview data from firefighters provide a solid knowledge resource to aid future designs in better meeting the demands of the firefighting profession and considering important technology acceptance factors.Item Open Access How do we balance user privacy and user experience in VR mediated experiences?(2024) Kumarapeli, DilshaniVirtual Reality(VR) applications utilise many sensor-tracked user movements to interact with the immersive environment and drive the avatar movements. These innocently seaming movement data are capable of revealing and predicting user behaviours when combined with machine learning algorithms. Even though these findings could be beneficial in areas like education or healthcare, unwanted and unauthorised processing and utilisation of these data could pose significant user privacy risks. To address this issue, this research focuses on introducing and evaluating methodologies to balance user privacy without affecting the user experience in VR-mediated applications. To evaluate the proposed methodologies, we use the most researched usage of these behaviour data, user identity detection, by employing machine learning-based classification algorithms. We begin this PhD research by exploring the nature of machine learning classification models used for user identity detection, analysing their strengths and weaknesses. Based on this analysis, we identify the overall best-performing model and use it to propose and evaluate two types of behaviour filters, assessing their effectiveness in concealing user identity. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed filters, we proposed a new multi-faceted validation model and explored the best ways to evaluate human-based identity recognition in avatars. We then examine the impact of these filters on the overall VR experience. Finally, to gain insights into how actual VR users perceive and prefer to share their behaviour data, we conduct and analyse user interviews. Through these stages, we critically discuss the research implications, suggest future research directions, and provide guidelines for developing and evaluating VR privacy solutions. Overall, this research addresses the question, "How do We Balance User Privacy and User Experience in VR Mediated Experiences?" through a comprehensive research approach that yields promising insights into novel strategies for enhancing VR user privacy. We also identify and highlight several major misconceptions and mistakes common to many existing privacy solutions, offering practical suggestions to overcome these challenges. We hope that the results, observations, and implications presented in this thesis will contribute to the development of more robust, multi-faceted privacy solutions to address the complex behaviour privacy challenges in VR environments.Item Open Access Stress reduction therapy in immersive environments : does rotation mode have an effect on mental stress?(2024) Feng, YumingMental stress, exacerbated by various contemporary factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid technological advancements, and global crises, poses significant challenges. Immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) offer promising avenues for stress relief. This paper explores the efficacy of VR immersion, particularly the impact of rotational motion, in mitigating mental stress. Through heart rate monitoring, it investigates the intricate interplay between immersive VR environments and stress reduction. Integrating insights from VR therapy, meditation practices, and heart rate analysis, the study contributes to the burgeoning field of mental health technology. It proposes VR as a novel tool for stress management, providing multisensory meditation experiences. The study also explores the use of innovative hardware like the NOVA Ball to induce immersive meditative states. The experimental design seeks to understand VR’s therapeutic potential for stress reduction, bridging the gap between technological innovation and practical mental health solutions. Research Background and Purpose: This study systematically evaluates user experiences in a VR environment integrating physiological data, focusing on the influence of physical rotation elements. It uncovers correlations between heart rate variations, physical rotation, and user experiences, informing future VR design. By delving into the relationship between heart rate fluctuations and participants’ emotional and cognitive states under physical rotation conditions, the study deepens understanding of rotation actions’ mental health effects in VR. Additionally, it assesses VR’s potential as a mental health intervention, particularly in stress reduction, by merging subjective experience questionnaires with objective physiological heart rate data. This holistic approach enriches VR’s role in mental health and guides future developments in user experience design and VR therapy applications.Item Open Access Exploring indigenous knowledge in VR design: Incorporating kaupapa Māori to increase engagement when collaborating with a virtual agent.(2024) McNeill, Hēmi AteremuThis thesis explores the integration of kaupapa Māori principles into Virtual Reality (VR) environments, focusing on collaboration with virtual agents within Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research. Kaupapa Māori, as an indigenous knowledge system, and kaupapa Māori research, as an indigenous methodology, offer a cultural lens through which the design and implementation of VR technologies can enhance user engagement, foster inclusive design, and address the grand challenges in HCI identified by Stephanidis et al. (2019). The research is motivated by a gap in existing literature regarding the effects of incorporating kaupapa Māori into the design of Virtual Reality (VR) environments with collaborative virtual agents. Through a qualitative user study, this thesis investigates how kaupapa Māori interventions influence engagement with a virtual agent, and assesses the implications for inclusive design from a kaupapa Māori perspective. The study was structured around three primary research aims: 1) to investigate kaupapa Māori interventions in VR, 2) to use these interventions to prime engagement when collaborating with a virtual agent, and 3) to contribute to inclusive design principles informed by kaupapa Māori. Key findings reveal that kaupapa Māori interventions, particularly those inspired by pōwhiri (the Māori welcoming ceremony) and whakapapa (genealogy), can impact users’ sense of welcome and connection, and encourage engagement within the virtual environment. While the interventions aimed at priming engagement presented subtle effects, they underscored the complexity of designing meaningful interaction in VR. Furthermore, the study highlights the critical role of cultural perspectives and practices, as provided through wānanga, in the development of culturally informed inclusive design. The research contributes to Human Computer Interaction (HCI) by demonstrating the potential of indigenous knowledge systems to enrich digital environments, providing novel insights into influencing user engagement and motivation, and expanding the discourse on culturally informed technology design. This thesis advocates for the inclusion of kaupapa Māori and other indigenous epistemologies in the broader field of HCI, suggesting that such integration not only addresses current challenges within the discipline but also paves the way for more accessible, equitable, and culturally resonant technological innovations.Item Open Access Investigate on how a simulated Cognitive Augmentation to detect deception, impact decision making confidence in negotiations(2024) Seneviratne, AmaliThis thesis explores the simulated integration of cognitive augmentation (CA) and augmented reality (AR) in deception detection within negotiation contexts. It assesses how AR visualizations of deception probabilities impact decision-making confidence and user acceptance. The study reveals that while visualization methods alone do not significantly alter confidence levels, a strong positive correlation exists between users' comfort with CA technologies and their decision-making confidence. This underscores the importance of user-centric design and familiarity with technology for effective CA implementations. The research also addresses public perceptions and ethical considerations, suggesting cautious optimism toward these technologies in high-stakes environments. Recommendations include enhancing algorithm accuracy, technical transparency, expanding interface designs, and developing ethical frameworks to support technology adoption.Item Open Access Utilizing augmented reality for attention guidance in outdoor cultural heritage storytelling.(2024) Ren, RenCultural heritage institutions have a tradition of storytelling. Storytelling is often conducted through audio guides that require visitors to pay attention to details that are essential for understanding the cultural and historical significance of cultural heritage. However, guiding attention to these details using solely audio can be challenging. While various modalities such as physical, auditory, tactile and social have been explored, they each present limitations, particularly in the complex environment of outdoor cultural heritage sites. This study explores an alternative method, specifically Augmented Reality (AR), to address these limitations. Through a user study conducted at the Kate Sheppard House involving 30 participants, and employing a within-subjects design, we compared two AR guidance techniques (Virtual Arrow and Green Laser) against the traditional Audio Only in terms of response time, knowledge retention and user preference. The study results indicate that, although there was no statistical difference in the objective data, trends suggest a potential advantage of AR in enhancing visitors’ attention. By integrating subjective feedback with observations, we offer implications for designers of outdoor cultural heritage sites and suggest directions for future research.Item Open Access A study on audience experience of diegetic portals as a scene transition device in cinematic virtual reality.(2024) Adams, EleanorThis thesis seeks to explore the use of portals applied in cinematic virtual reality (CVR) as a scene transition method, and to outline some key characteristics of a portal in this context. A 15 minute CVR prototype experience featuring portal transitions, triggered through interactions with a portkey object was developed in the Unity game engine. A user study was conducted with this prototype with the aim to qualitatively uncover dominant subjective perspectives of the portal transition in the CVR context. Two dominant social perspectives, that were termed Voyagers and Observers emerged from this sample. The two perspectives are distinct collective viewpoints, and each participant was sorted into one of these groups depending on the answers they gave in the user study. There was distinguishing opinions between the two collective groups, but also some opinions that were similar between both groups. The interpreted results provide a flexible best practice guideline, with four design principles for portal transitions in CVR narratives. This may be utilised by future directors and content producers of CVR experiences, as well as providing insight for researchers in the field of interactive digital narratives, and cinematic virtual reality.Item Open Access The sense of copresence in a job interview environment supported by an augmented reality device.(2024) Figueroa , FelipeWithin an organization, personnel recruitment is a critical activity in the human resources strategy. Job interviews are considered one of the most widely used recruitment methods; however, the evolution that this type of method has undergone over time, especially with the use of new technology, has drawn the attention of researchers in the field of human interface technology. One of the disadvantages of e-recruitment, as the new technological tools of the recruitment process are known, is the negative reactions that the use of technological tools generates in the interviewees. Augmented reality (AR) has stood out for its use in the industrial and health fields thanks to the display of virtual information in the real world. If we think that the use of this tool could be massified to other work contexts, such as personnel selection, and on the other hand, we take into account the adverse responses that this technology could have on the interviewees, the study of these responses is then relevant. In order to know these responses, exploratory and experimental research has been conducted, grouping the participants in two contexts: one under conditions of interaction with AR technology and the other without such support. The results of this research show the ability of participants to perceptually isolate a possibly new stimulus (the AR headset) and focus their attention on the interview questions. On the other hand, the importance of the quality of the sustained rapport between interviewer and interviewee is also evidenced as an element that eliminates the theoretical barrier that the use of an augmented reality device could mean.Item Open Access Teaching dance with mixed reality mirrors : comparing virtual instructors to other forms of visual feedback.(2024) Treffer, AnnaThis research aimed to assess whether a virtual instructor and visual feedback combination displayed on a Mixed Reality (MR) mirror can be used to teach a beginner a simple dance routine, replacing the traditional instructor and mirror methods. A prototype was developed using a camera and projector that displayed a digital mirror image of the participant as they learned dances, with the system able to overlay computer graphics onto the image. The camera used to capture the image and motion of the participants was a Microsoft Azure Kinect camera. Three visual feedback types were developed and used as randomized conditions in the user study based on input from expert interviews and an online survey. These were Spheres, Rubber Bands, and Arrows. Three simple dance routines were developed, motion captured, and presented in random order in the user study. During the user study participants learned the dances by following a virtual instructor in the MR mirror (present for each condition), with the MR mirror providing a different form of visual feedback for each dance. After practicing a dance three times with the feedback, participants then performed the dance in front of the MR mirror following the virtual instructor without any feedback, and the system measured the accuracy of their performance by comparing the amount of time that the user’s joints, such as shoulders and elbows, were within desired bounds for each pose. Participants filled out an AttrakDiff Questionnaire describing their experience for each form of feedback, and gave comparative opinions of the different forms of visual feedback in a final interview. The results showed that participants performed best with the Arrows feedback variant which were a directional feedback showing their depth difference, however they ranked this variant the lowest based on their own preference. The most preferred form of feedback was Spheres, which were the simplest feedback, not providing any guidance into the correct pose, but participants performed poorest with them.Item Open Access Entering the realm of the wetlands: design and evaluation of engagement for a mobile augmented reality game(2024) Yin, WenliangThis thesis explores the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in enhancing environmental edu- cation, with a focus on the conservation of New Zealand’s wetlands. Through the development and evaluation of a mobile AR game titled “NZ Wetlands Invasion,” this research investigates how different perspectives in the game impact player engagement and learning outcomes. Em- ploying a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative data from pre-test and post-test quizzes with qualitative feedback from participants to assess the effectiveness of AR in fostering environmental awareness and knowledge. Findings from this study reveal that the first-person view (FPV) in the AR game significantly enhances player engagement by providing a more immersive experience compared to the bird’s eye view (BEV). However, contrary to initial hypotheses, there was no significant difference in learning outcomes between FPV and BEV perspectives. This suggests that while FPV may offer a more engaging and immersive experience, both perspectives are equally effective in facilitating learning about wetland conservation. The research results also highlight the influence of environmental factors and physical comfort on the AR learning experience, underscoring the need for careful consideration of the physical and environmental context in which AR games are deployed. Additionally, the study addresses the concept of response shift bias, illustrating the complexity of measuring learning outcomes. In conclusion, this thesis contributes valuable insights into the design and implementation of AR in environmental education, offering recommendations for future AR game development aimed at engaging and educating users about environmental conservation. The findings suggest broader applications of AR in enhancing learning experiences across various domains, encouraging for the integration of immersive technologies in Game-Based Learning Environments(GBLEs) to boost a deeper understanding and appreciation of environmental issues.Item Open Access Trust and trustworthiness while exchanging virtual items in shared augmented reality.(2024) Ritter, MarkoIf the Metaverse is the visionary space that is poised to greatly expand human activity, building of interpersonal trust within the Metaverse must be possible. Trust has been described as a "lubricative" for business, innovation, resilience, and even general enjoyment. In its most basic dyadic form, peer-to-peer trading of virtual items with the means of shared augmented reality should be possible in a trustworthy manner. Here, we investigate how specific design choices to facilitate such a trade impact trust. A user study with 36 participants showed that the entailment of a mutual confirmation of an item exchange improves both trust towards the software system, as well as interpersonal trust. We further found that perceived closeness towards the trade peer remains a much greater influence on trust than any other effect. We also found strong correlations between user experience and trust. In summary, our research shows that shared augmented reality can provide a great environment for trade and bartering among physically co-located peers, because potentially defrauding behaviours can be impeded by explicitly displaying item ownership and safeguarding the transfer of ownership.Item Open Access Daddy long legs : a scale and speed up virtual reality locomotion technique for medium-scale scenarios.(2024) Zhao, YueThis study investigates the effectiveness of a novel natural walking-based locomotion technique, "Daddy Long Legs," for navigating medium-scale virtual scenarios. While real walking remains ideal for such scenarios, prolonged use can become physically demanding and inefficient. Conversely, artificial locomotion methods often induce disorientation or fatigue that comes from abrupt viewpoint changes or repeated gestures. Drawing inspiration from previous research on Seven-League Boots and Ground-Level Scaling, both with documented advantages and limitations, this study proposes a combined approach. We believed that their strengths and weaknesses could be effectively balanced through careful design, but there has been a lack of comprehensive study in this area. A user study involving 24 participants was conducted, in which they were required to perform a series of walking tasks within a medium-scale virtual garden. Furthermore, they did a Pre-Experiment Questionnaire and Post-Experiment Questionnaires, along with a brief one-on-one interview that specifically addressed their feelings and preferences regarding all the methods. Results indicate that Daddy Long Legs outperformed Seven-League Boots in all aspects. Notably, Ground-Level Scaling yielded the most natural walking behaviour, received the most positive feedback, and emerged as the preferred method.Item Open Access Immersive virtual reality for children in formal education.(2023) Belter, MeikeThis PhD thesis explored the integration of virtual reality (VR) technology into formal education, specifically targeting school-aged children. While VR has gained traction primarily for entertainment, this study sought to harness its immersive potential for educational purposes within, for example, schools. Games have long been recognized as valuable tools for enhancing learning experiences. In recent years, schools have increasingly adopted them, particularly in subjects such as math. Not all learning methods and tools are inclusive to all learners. Common challenges for children in a school context are inattention and hyperactivity. VR, with its ability to create immersive and customizable environments, presents an intriguing avenue for addressing these challenges. To address this, a VR math game was developed for this research, drawing from established educational frameworks and insights garnered from subject matter experts. Through qualitative interviews and thorough requirement analysis, the game’s design was refined. Subsequently, two user studies were conducted within real-world school environments. The initial study focused on assessing usability and refining the prototype based on user feedback. Encouraging outcomes paved the way for a more extensive second study. This followup delved into the influence of a reward system and virtual agent on the user experience, and comparing the VR game against a non-VR counterpart. The findings demonstrated that the VR game not only cultivated positive user experiences but also heightened motivation and engagement. Despite these promising results, further exploration is necessary to determine the role of ‘peerpresence’ in VR learning, and the game’s suitability for children with clinically diagnosed attention and hyperactivity issues. This research adds valuable insights into the process of creating inclusive and effective VR learning experiences. Through a comprehensive research approach, including design, usability testing, and user studies, the thesis underscored the potential of VR to enhance user engagement and experiences within educational contexts.Item Open Access Feeling moved in VR concerts.(2023) Aguilar, David J.This research explores the user experience design elements necessary to evoke the emotion called kama muta, most commonly known as” being moved” or “being touched”, in a virtual reality concert. Previous research has been able to mediate this emotion using video, nevertheless, to the best of my knowledge, no work has been done related to evoking kama muta in Virtual Reality. Accordingly, a VR experience prototype was created to simulate the performance of a fictional pop singer called X-ABC, who would have been dealing with grief as a consequence of his brother being missing and decides to share his feelings with the audience. Twenty participants took part in a between subjects’ study, in which they reported their emotional state using the KAMMUS Two, and Bailenson’s social presence questionnaires. Ultimately, participants’ answers were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Overall, the findings suggest that it is possible to elicit kama muta in a simulation by featuring a narrative that increases the intensity of communal sharing relationships, such as loss, reunion, or memories of loved ones. It was also found that the user-experience design elements that contributed the most to the emotional response were a set of floating screens with portraits of the siblings when they were children, a believable voice acting and a character with emotional facial animations which were also lip-synced with the acted voice.Item Open Access Redirected hands for reducing arm fatigue during mid-air interactions in virtual reality.(2023) Hobson, AlexMuscle fatigue is a major impediment to the long-term usage and acceptance of Virtual Reality (VR). Users must routinely manipulate objects, perform repeated teleportations, and interact with user interface elements using prolonged arm and hand gestures. One leading strategy for reducing arm fatigue is ray-casting, which gives the user a laser pointer metaphor, allowing them to select objects with a comfortable position of the arms, but limits the fidelity of interactions by deviating from how hands are used in the real world. In this thesis a lesser-explored strategy to address arm fatigue is explored: hand redirection. “Hand redirection” is a technique made possible with VR, where the user can be fooled into believing their hand is in a different location to where it is in the real world, since people are visually dominant and VR completely immerses a person’s vision. Existing hand redirection literature mainly relates to being able to redirect the hand to a sparse haptic proxy, allowing the user to feel objects in VR, however its impact on arm fatigue is lesser explored. In this thesis, hand redirection is explored as a practical mitigation strategy addressing arm fatigue in VR, which still supports natural hand interactions (unlike ray-casting). A system was built that provides hand tracking and a physical surface at different heights, such that the user can touch the lower or tilted surface, and still see themselves touching an upright surface at eye level in VR. A between-subjects study was then conducted with 48 participants across six conditions, using a 2×3 mixed-factorial design, with two levels of redirection (Tilted, Redirected) and a control (No Redirection), with (Present) and without (Not Present) a physical surface on which to tap. The findings show that hand redirection is a valid way to reduce arm fatigue in VR, since arm fatigue was dramatically reduced without a significant impact on task performance. This behaviour differs when looking at results when the surface was present versus when it was not, suggesting that the way in which users behave in the presence of hand redirection is different when there is a physical surface to touch. Finally, the Tilted condition (where the board was rotated but not moved vertically) did not reduce arm fatigue, suggesting that the main way to reduce arm fatigue is to introduce a vertical offset rather than changing the angle that the hand interacts with the virtual content.