Åsa Abelin

Collaborating in networked immersive spaces: as good as being there together?

Abstract In this paper we present the results of a trial in which two participants collaborated on a puzzle-solving task in networked virtual environments. The task was a Rubiks cube type puzzle, and this meant that the two participants had to interact with the space and with each other very intensively—and they did this successfully despite the limitation of the networked situation. We compare collaboration in networked immersive projection technology (IPTs) systems with previous results concerning collaboration in an IPT system linked with a desktop computer, and also with collaboration on the same task in the real world. Our findings show that the task performance in networked IPTs and in the real scenario are very similar to each other—whereas IPT-to-desktop performance is much poorer. Results about participants’ experience of ‘presence’, ‘co-presence’ and collaboration shed further light on these findings.

Anyone Speak Spanish?: Language Encounters in Multi-User Virtual Environments and the Influence of Technology

In this study we investigated how people using different languages interact and communicate in an internet-based virtual environment, Active Worlds. The focus was on situations where a new language is introduced in a conversation held in another language. With this we wanted to establish an understanding of: (1) the intentions of introducing a new language; (2) the response to this language introduction; (3) the consequences of language introduction; and (4) the factors influencing rejection or acceptance of language introduction. We found that the response to language introduction depends mainly on: (1) type of language; (2) character of the setting; and (3) perceived intention of language introducers. We found that non-English speakers and regular English-speaking users in less public, ‘themed’ settings are most tolerant to other languages. Apart from national languages, we also studied encounters between users familiar with ‘insider’ jargon - as against users not familiar with it.