Design Proposal: Augmented VR Immersive Solar System
Design concept This design proposal aims to introduce a future immersive learning place via Virtual Reality (VR) technology. The design intervention is to address the issue of how students’ learning process could be improved in the complicated contexts through an augmented immersive experience via new technologies.
Brief This design brief focuses the augmented experience of the solar system via VR technology. The target group is proposed to be teenagers who are able to spontaneously explore visualised nature and science’s contexts, such as laws of orbital motion or the chemical elements of the planet. The game world of the solar system is designed based on the relevant research from previous lab visits, such as data visualisation and VR experience combined with the wearable technology. In this game world, the play mode is divided into two parts: 1) single player mode, and 2) multiple player mode, in order to provide the efficient learning experience based on the different requirements.
The potential impact on the lab Imaging the design concept impacts on the lab might be that provides a future diverse and efficient learning space for the young to explore and interact with via new technologies. The potential impact on the lab is supposed to be valuable. The main stakeholders are as below: - Researchers might focus on the research of augmented VR innovation in relation to the information-processing, - Interaction designers might explore the collaborative user interactions via VR experience, - Students may have a new learning experience access to the content, and - Government might support the relevant research projects that drive the growth of creative economy.
Technology
1. Unity Game Engine
Image source comes from: http://immersivevreducation.com/technology.
Unity provides the powerful development platform for building virtual game world (Unity 2015). Unity game engine has been used to support the augmented game experience with VR technology (Immersive VR Education 2015). (More information see https://unity3d.com)
2. Oculus Rift VR headset
Image source comes from: www.slashgear.com.
The Rift is the head-mounted device for the user to experience virtual reality environment. Content for the Rift is developed using the Oculus PC SDK available for Microsoft Windows (Oculus 2015). (More information see
https://www.oculus.com/en-us/rift)
3. G-speak glove system
Photograph taken by Polson, 2015. Image source comes from: Blackboard unit materials.
G-speak is Oblong's core technology platform for providing augmented spatial experience (Oblong 2015). G-speak glove system is a wearable device for achieving the augmented experience of spatial/ virtual interface control via the user’s hand gestures. (More information see http://www.oblong.com/g-speak)
Hand gestures: G-speak glove system
The design visualisations section contains three aspects: 1) the description of hand gestures; 2) user engagement with visualised interface; and 3) the storyboard of single player mode and multiplayer mode.
User engagement in the single mode
In the single player mode, the user is able to interact with the interface of the solar system to change the vision by the gesture of pushing/ drawing back.
To zoom in and check the specific information of the planet by stretching right fingers.
To move both hands simultaneously can rotate the user’s vision so as to efficiently explore the interested area and contexts.
Once the user holds the left hand, the interface will show the augmented surface that allows the user to interact with the virtual object. The user is able to explore the planet’s particular context by clicking the specific hints/ contents.
Storyboard
The storyboard will display the low-fidelity user experience through two different types of augmented experience of solar system in the VR environment.
1) Single player mode
Description
The single player mode focuses on providing a new experience of learning science and nature via VR technology. It is proposed to help the students aged between 14 and 18 to actively explore and learn the context by interacting with the solar system and the planets. For example, the student is able to “travel” across the solar system (see Figure 1 & 2). By the augmented experience via using hand gestures, the user is able to explore the specific area of a planet (see Figure 3). In the context, the user is able to select maximum of three different aspects of a certain planet (see Figure 4) that he/ she would like to engage in to experience the immersive and interactive VR tour of a specific context.
2) Multiple player mode
Description
The multiple players mode emphasises the specific scenario of learning chemical elements through the collaborative augmented experience. This is because learning a particular content may provide the efficient collaborative user engagement, compared to the single player mode that the user is able to explore and learn various content that he/ she is interested in.
In this scenario, each user is able to choose a selected planet to settle in (see Figure 2), and exploit the elements on that planet to sustain their live (see Figure 3). Specifically, the context of learning process is designed as an augmented virtual experience which students are able to collaborate together as “neighbour” (see Figure 4). The students are able to save, share and mix-up the exploited chemical elements to the boxes (see Figure 4). Furthermore, they are able to check other planet’s demand, and support the “planet’s neighbour” by launching the chemical elements through using the launch tower.
References
Immersive VR Education. 2015. “Technology.” Accessed October 24, 2015. http://immersivevreducation.com/technology.
Oblong. 2015. “G-speak” Accessed October 24, 2015. http://www.oblong.com/g-speak.
Polson, Debra. 2015. “DXP403 Designing Interactions: Motion and Gesture Tracking.” Accessed October 28, 2015. https://blackboard.qut.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-5956285-dt-content-rid-4760918_1/courses/DXP403_15se2/QUT%20ViSER.pdf.
Rift. 2015. “Next-generation virtual reality.” Accessed October 24, 2015. https://www.oculus.com/en-us/rift.
SlashGear. 2015. Accessed October 24, 2015. www.slashgear.com.
Unity. 2015. “The best development platform for creating games.” Accessed October 27, 2015.
https://unity3d.com