The main goal of this course is to provide you with detailed understanding of design, use and system issues in Virtual Environments relevant to Human Factors, and prepare you to be able to manage the Human Factors evaluation of Virtual Environment (VE) systems.

The course has two objectives:

1. Provide a comprehensive knowledge related to the topics of our interest. You should become familiar with major issues in Human Factors relevant to Virtual Environments - this is the primary goal of this course. The approach that is favored in the course and which is integrated throughout the course activities, is to help you form your own opinion about the topics and become the true independent thinkers.

2. Build the academic skills. In order to help you come out as independent thinkers and have a well rounded set of academic skills necessary for your future careers, this course provides a set of different activities that build and nurture your ability to articulate and argue for your individual position, as well as comment, discuss and evaluate other people's work. Several types of classes have been framed in this light to support the materials and topics that we will study:
   • presentations,
   • paper reviews,
   • class discussions,
   • research paper on chosen topic,
   • panel/advocacy sessions,
   • exploratory lab sessions.

Topics to be Covered

1. Characteristics of VE,
2. Human Factor Issues in VE,
3. Perceptual Modalities,
4. Visual Modality and Visualization,
5. Aural Modality,
6. Vestibular and Kinesthetic Modality,
7. Haptics and Force Feedback Modality,
8. Multimodal, Hybrid and Augmented Reality Systems,
9. Representing People,
10. Interaction Techniques,
11. Navigation and Locomotion,
12. Spatial Awareness and Wayfinding,
13. Object Manipulation,
14. Latency,
15. Performance Efficiency and Evaluation of Human Behavior (real and modeled),
16. Usability and Virtual Environments,
17. Health and Safety Issues: Cybersickness (e.g. Simulator Sickness),
18. Immersion, Presence and Co-Presence,
19. Social Aspects in VEs and Gaming Systems,
20. Multiuser Environments and Collaboration in VEs,
21. Ethics in VE.

Themes

The area of Human Factors in VE is rapidly expanding, and some topics are still in a process of their more formal definition (like Ethics in Virtual Environments) - the breath and the range of the themes one could include in this domain is wide and therefore it is not possible to integrate all of them in a limited number of hours we have assigned for this course. The course therefore presents a selection of topics from this domain. The choice of topics and the way we present them is guided by the following criteria:

1. They provide a well rounded understanding of the domain, and raise the awareness about other topics not covered in detail in the course,
2. We make clear distinction between an ideal solutions (a vision of an ideal VE) and currently available solutions, and we discuss the research efforts needed to be invested to bridge the gap between the two,
3. This domain is characterized with very few absolute rules, and it is not so rare that one will find even contradictory opinions on some issue. Our class activities and individual assignments will help you organize and structure the material, and be able to deal with different issues that at first sight may seem to be less important or simple, but in overall VE context they are quite complex, interconnected and perhaps even counterintuitive,
4. Wherever possible, we will cover the topics that support the your theses and research interests, and make the connections with the professional expertise and interests you have.

In order to reflect the ever expanding nature of the research in this domain, the materials presented in the course are revised each year and some new topics get introduced in the set.

Course Requirements

The basic requirements for this course are as follows:

1. Class discussions: This course does not have quizzes. Instead we opt for more interactive form of student knowledge assessment. Several discussion classes have been designed around selected topics where each time one theme we learned more about in most recent presentation - that theme will be explored and debated in the class. There are two goals that need to be accomplished: firstly these classes are the opportunities for the students to make a connection between the material in the paper they reviewed and the material presented for the same topics that far, and secondly to add the supplementary material that any student found while researching the topic him/herself. The students are responsible to provide the material they see relevant for the class, and the instructor will coordinate everyone's input and the debate. Note: Recommendations on how to provide best contribution for class discussion are provided.
2. Panel/advocacy contribution: Each student will take a part in one panel discussion as a presenter/arguer; in all other sessions of this kind he/she will be a member of the audience that will pose the questions to the presenters. The themes will be given in advance and you will be able to choose the session in which you will be one of the presenters (mutual agreement on who is going to present particular session has to be reached within the group itself). The time allotted for each panelist is 10 minutes, and the remaining class time will be reserved for the discussion with the audience.
3. Paper reviews: For some presentation days, whether they are led by the instructor or by your colleague, you will be responsible to prepare a short paper review. The paper review will be your personal commentary about the topic, the issues and the content of that paper. This is designed for you to familiarize yourself with the theme that will be presented on the day, and to have more than a very basic level of understanding about the topic.
4. Individual presentation: The course with start with a set of overview discussions and lectures given by the instructor. This segment will be followed with the presentations prepared by the students, and the course will be concluded with another set of presentations prepared by the instructor.
5. Research paper: You will:
   • Write a research paper on a topic of your choice (topic should be related to Human Factors in Virtual Environments), or
   • Conduct or participate in an experiment related to human factors issues in virtual environments, and write research paper about that study.
   You will have time to decide which of these two choices you prefer doing for the course. All students are allowed and encouraged to do something related to their thesis research if that work is applicable to this course.
6. Laboratory work: You will work as a member of a team of 2-3. The description of your team project will be given to you at the beginning of the course. Each group will present its results at the end of the course (each tem member will present his/her contribution in their team project).

Laboratory Sessions

Laboratory Sessions are scheduled for this course. As an integral part of the laboratory sessions we plan to have a hands-on experience with a range of input and output devices and VE systems used at the MOVES for different research activities.

Topics:

1. Virtual Environment Technology: Definition and History
2. Virtual Environments Architecture and Applications
3. Input and Output Devices
4. Software Platforms and 3D Models
5. Introduction to Delta3D Stage and WalkAbout Viewer
6. Human Factor Issues in Virtual Environments
7. Augmented, Mixed, Blended, LVC, Dual Reality

Course Format and Requirements:

• Attendance: Attendance for this class is mandatory due to the highly interactive nature of the content. Class discussions take large portion of the program and you need to be present to take part in them.
• Class presentations: Presentations on all topics will be delivered by course instructor. Before each class you will be expected to either read a short text or watch a video illustration about the system, tool, device or some other issue related to the topic of the day (this material will be selected by the instructor). The material will be commented and briefly discussed in the class, and you are expected to come prepared.
• Team course project: You will work as a member of a self-selected team; each team will be made of 2-3 members. As a team you will build a simple 3D environment using Delta3D application called Stage and test a set of input devices and visual displays made available to you as a part of MOVES Gadgets Den and MOVES Display Hub (all located in WA-212B). Your goal is to select a specific aspect of virtual environments technology and demonstrate how your combination of 3D models, input device(s) and visual display(s) could be used to test it. Each team will present the result of its joint work at the end of the course - you will demonstrate your virtual environment using WalkAbout viewer and discuss what aspect of VE technology could potentially be tested with your solution.

MV4924: CURRENT TOPICS IN MODELING, VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS AND SIMULATION

Course Description: The course is designed to provide breadth in MOVES not normally provided by other classroom material, as well as focus in major areas of MOVES. Faculty and research staff attend class sessions, providing the opportunity to interact with a broad group once a week, and with a focused group of the student's choosing once a week. Course is expected to be repeated and is required of all MOVES students every quarter starting with their fourth quarter in the curriculum. Includes student presentations and readings. Graded Pass/Fail basis only.

Focus Groups:

1. Agents focus group
2. Human Factors and Training Systems focus group

The primary learning activity of the course is a human-computer interface design project that will take you through an entire interactive design process, from problem statement and requirements definition through system design, development and evaluation.

NOTE: Although the course, strictly speaking, is not a programming course, students will be requested to develop a prototype system demonstration using HTML, or other software development tool. Students with coding skills may choose to apply Java script and/or C++ components to their prototype demonstration.