Page 20 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report

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uncertain, although work has begun on experimental prototypes [ProcIEEE] that create an increasingly realistic sensation of the scenes displayed.
Fig 3. Non-immersive driving simulator [CSU]
The volume of devices capable of creating sensations for the user has grown significantly in recent years along with mobile phones equipped with inertia sensors accurate enough to detect small variations in the movement and position of the device.
The volume of devices capable of creating sensations for the user has grown significantly in recent years.
Besides being able to interact with objects, the user can also use “avatars,” defined as a graphical representation of other humans. They are also artificially generated with a computer and
can move and perform activities in the virtual universe. The ability to interact with avatars will depend on the sensory elements made available to the user. The more real the simulated environ- ment, the greater the user’s sense of “presence” will be in the virtual world. This includes the generated visual and auditory field, as well as the objects and avatars that are included [Heeter] [Ijsselsteijn] [Schuemie].
Technological Trends in Immersivity
Today, diverse models and technologies with
the ability to offer different applications with different levels of interaction and involvement by the user coexist in immersive environments, and their ultimate aim is always to provide the con- sumer with a stunning audiovisual experience.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) is a type of interactive virtual environment that includes computer-gen- erated visual and audio content, texts and effects, in addition to a virtual screen laid over the real images and the environment to enrich and improve the user experience.
Fig 4. Augmented reality application for occupational safety [Inverse]
Both the hardware (HW) and software (SW) necessary to offer AR are costly. It requires spe- cial equipment such as glasses or head-mounted displays, various types of motion sensors, positioning systems, etc. Tracking systems and real-time processing are essential, because the real and virtual worlds must be synchronized
at the shortest possible intervals, facilitating smooth transitions and avoiding delay, which is the biggest complaint of users.
IMMERSIVE CREATIVITY, CREATIVE IMMERSIVITY · JOSÉ MANUEL MENÉNDEZ AND DAVID JIMÉNEZ BERMEJO
Digital Trends in Culture