Aryabrata Basu

Immersive 3DUI on one dollar a day

A convergence between consumer electronics and virtual reality is occurring. We present an immersive head-mounted-display-based, wearable 3D user interface that is inexpensive (less than

Mixed Reality Virtual Pets to Reduce Childhood Obesity

900 USD), robust (sourceless tracking), and portable (lightweight and untethered). While the current display has known deficiencies, the user tracking quality is within the constraints of many existing applications, while the portability and cost offers opportunities for innovative applications that are not currently feasible.

Using Virtual Pets to Promote Physical Activity in Children: An Application of the Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model

Novel approaches are needed to reduce the high rates of childhood obesity in the developed world. While multifactorial in cause, a major factor is an increasingly sedentary lifestyle of children. Our research shows that a mixed reality system that is of interest to children can be a powerful motivator of healthy activity. We designed and constructed a mixed reality system that allowed children to exercise, play with, and train a virtual pet using their own physical activity as input. The health, happiness, and intelligence of each virtual pet grew as its associated child owner exercised more, reached goals, and interacted with their pet. We report results of a research study involving 61 children from a local summer camp that shows a large increase in recorded and observed activity, alongside observational evidence that the virtual pet was responsible for that change. These results, and the ease at which the system integrated into the camp environment, demonstrate the practical potential to impact the exercise behaviors of children with mixed reality.

Ubiquitous collaborative activity virtual environments

A virtual pet was developed based on the framework of the youth physical activity promotion model and tested as a vehicle for promoting physical activity in children. Children in the treatment group interacted with the virtual pet for three days, setting physical activity goals and teaching tricks to the virtual pet when their goals were met. The virtual pet became more fit and learned more sophisticated tricks as the children achieved activity goals. Children in the control group interacted with a computer system presenting equivalent features but without the virtual pet. Physical activity and goal attainment were evaluated using activity monitors. Results indicated that children in the treatment group engaged in 1.09 more hours of daily physical activity (156% more) than did those in the control group. Physical activity self-efficacy and beliefs served as mediators driving this increase in activity. Children that interacted with the virtual pet also expressed higher intentions than children in the control group to continue physical activity in the future. Theoretical and practical potentials of using a virtual pet to systematically promote physical activity in children are discussed.

PerPlot & PerScan: tools for analysis of DNA curvature-related periodicity in genomic nucleotide sequences

We introduce a new paradigm of collaborative computing called the Ubiquitous Collaborative Activity Virtual Environment (UCAVE). UCAVEs are portable immersive virtual environments that leverage mobile communication platforms, motion trackers and displays to facilitate ad-hoc virtual collaboration. We discuss design criteria and research challenges for UCAVEs, as well as a prototype hardware configuration that enables UCAVE interactions using modern smart phones and head mounted displays.

Ubiquitous virtual reality ‘To-Go’

BackgroundPeriodic spacing of short adenine or thymine runs phased with DNA helical period of ~10.5 bp is associated with intrinsic DNA curvature and deformability, which play important roles in DNA-protein interactions and in the organization of chromosomes in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Local differences in DNA sequence periodicity have been linked to differences in gene expression in some organisms. Despite the significance of these periodic patterns, there are virtually no publicly accessible tools for their analysis.ResultsWe present novel tools suitable for assessments of DNA curvature-related sequence periodicity in nucleotide sequences at the genome scale. Utility of the present software is demonstrated on a comparison of sequence periodicities in the genomes of Haemophilus influenzae, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Arabidopsis thaliana. The software can be accessed through a web interface and the programs are also available for download.ConclusionsThe present software is suitable for comparing DNA curvature-related sequence periodicity among different genomes as well as for analysis of intrachromosomal heterogeneity of the sequence periodicity. It provides a quick and convenient way to detect anomalous regions of chromosomes that could have unusual structural and functional properties and/or distinct evolutionary history.

Immersive virtual reality on-the-go

We propose to demonstrate a ubiquitous immersive virtual reality system that is highly scalable and accessible to a larger audience. With the advent of handheld and wearable devices, we have seen it gain considerable popularity among the common masses. We present a practical design of such a system that offers the core affordances of immersive virtual reality in a portable and untethered configuration. In addition, we have developed an extensive immersive virtual experience that involves engaging users visually and aurally. This is an effort towards integrating VR into the space and time of user workflows.

Effects of user physical fitness on performance in virtual reality

We propose to demonstrate a ubiquitous immersive virtual reality system that is highly scalable and accessible to a larger audience. Latest trends in mobile communications as well as the entertainment industry seem to validate that, accessibility and scalability play an important role in democratizing technology. We present a practical design of such a system that offers the core affordances of immersive virtual reality in a portable and untethered configuration. In addition, we have developed an extensive immersive virtual experience that involves engaging users visually and aurally. This is an effort towards integrating VR into the space and time of user workflows.

Poster: Evolution and usability of ubiquitous immersive 3D interfaces

A persons level of physical fitness can affect their health and many other factors in their lives. However, little is known about the effect of physical fitness on factors relevant to virtual environments. Towards addressing this knowledge gap, we performed a research study examining the relationship of several physical fitness measures with performance, presence, and simulator sickness during use of an HMD-based maze-type virtual environment. We recorded the trajectory of each participant through the maze. Following the virtual environment, participants reported simulator sickness, presence, and provided written and verbal feedback. Our analysis of the data shows a positive correlation between self-reported physical fitness and user performance. Further research is necessary to establish a causal relationship, and methods to make use of this new information in the design of virtual environments.

Navigating a maze differently - a user study.

Immersive virtual reality applications have historically been associated with cumbersome technical components that require substantial infrastructure and support. Recent developments have pointed towards a far more accessible and exponentially less expensive generation of immersive virtual reality systems through creative repurposing of the products of the entertainment and mobile communications industry. We present a practical design of such a system; which provides the core interaction affordances of immersive virtual reality, but in a portable, lightweight, untethered configuration. In addition, an immersive virtual experience was developed for the system as an experimental test-bed. User feedback and performance data obtained from a pilot study with this experience is reported that provides insight into the acceptability of the system and experience design under ad-hoc deployment situations.