Bimal Balakrishnan

Where Am I? How Can I Get There? Impact of Navigability and Narrative Transportation on Spatial Presence

From video games to virtual worlds on the World Wide Web, modern media are becoming increasingly spatial, with users traversing artificial spaces and experiencing a kind of immersion known as “spatial presence.” But how do these media induce spatial presence? Are the affordances for movement provided by these technologies responsible for this illusion? Or do narratives that accompany them persuade us to suspend disbelief and transport ourselves into a virtual space? We explore these theoretical questions by pitting the navigability affordances of a video game against narrative transportation and examining their relative contributions to the formation of spatial presence in a virtual reality context. Results from a large experiment (N = 240) reveal that the narrative actually detracts from spatial presence while traversibility (in the form of greater degrees of steering motion) enhances it even without invoking a mental model of the portrayed environment. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Design Visualization:A Media Effects Approach

This paper proposes an integrative approach in the evaluative phase of the design process, incorporating concepts, methodologies and measurement strategies that are well established in media psychology. The paper suggests a variable-centered approach for conceptualizing visualization technologies and to evaluate their potential to simulate architectural experience. Psychophysiological measures are introduced to capture the affective component of the architectural experience facilitated by visualization tools such as virtual reality. These are important in order to empirically evaluate the experiential aspects of an architectural space through visualization. Ideas are illustrated with examples drawn from prior and ongoing research collaboration between an architectural visualization lab and a media effects research lab.

A Cyber-Enabled Collaborative Design Studio

The research project investigates the use of a network-enabled platform involving a combination of technologies. As a preliminary report on a proof-of-concept design studio conducted in 2007 between Carleton University and Pennsylvania State University, the paper first describes the implementation of this network-centric collaborative design platform. The report articulates the “staging” of the conditions of possibility for a dynamic interplay between technological mediation and the reality of making, then compares the use of high bandwidth technology with customized symmetrical toolsets in the telecollaborative environment, versus commercial toolsets deployed over moderate bandwidth connections. In each setting, the collaborative environment is assessed according to issues encountered by students and design outcomes. The effectiveness of the digitally mediated collaborative studio is also gauged in terms of student reaction to the learning process via feedback surveys and questionnaires.

Driving Simulator Study of J-Turn Acceleration–Deceleration Lane and U-Turn Spacing Configurations

The J-turn, also known as the restricted crossing U-turn and Superstreet, is an innovative geometric design that can improve intersection safety. Although this design has been in use in several states for many years, there is very little research-based guidance for several design parameters. A driving simulator study was conducted to analyze the parameters of lane configuration, U-turn spacing, and signage. Two lane configurations were examined: (a) an acceleration–deceleration configuration, in which acceleration and deceleration lanes are provided, and (b) a deceleration-only configuration, in which only deceleration lanes are provided. Lane configuration was found to be the most important parameter affecting J-turn safety according to speed differentials. The only significant interaction effect among parameters was between lane configuration and U-turn spacing. The acceleration–deceleration configuration performed better than the deceleration-only configuration, having 66.3% fewer safety critical events. Vehicle trajectories and average lane change locations showed that U-turn spacing significantly affected the acceleration–deceleration configuration (e.g., average merge locations changed by 96% to .0101%) but not the deceleration-only configuration. No strong preference was demonstrated for either the directional or the diagrammatic signage style. This paper presents one of the first human-factors studies of the J-turn to focus on developing design guidance. This human-factors approach complements traditional approaches such as crash analysis and microsimulation.

Visualizing Human-Environment Interactions: Integrating Concepts and Techniques from HCI, Human Factors and Media Psychology

As architecture becomes increasingly integrated with information technology, we need to envision new approaches for architectural visualization. In this paper, we describe an evolving approach for architectural visualization that integrates affordable virtual reality tools, motion capture technology and psychophysiological measurement tools. We start by tracing the development and validation of our two virtual reality labs. Next, we describe our current attempts at visualizing embodied interaction and the use of behavioral agents for simulating human-environment interaction. We conclude by discussing our current work and future directions, particularly our idea to integrate psychophysiological tools for measuring cognitive and affective responses to these information rich environments.

Me and My VE

Virtual environments, simulations and serious games are increasingly being employed for research, training, education, evaluation, and various business endeavors. This session will describe and demonstrate some of the diverse uses for virtual environments (VEs) in an alternate demonstration format. The session will begin with demonstrators providing a brief description of their VE, and how they’ve used it to answer a critical research question or address a unique need, including a video demonstration of the VE in action. After these introductions, all demonstrations will be set up around the room, and session attendees can move around the room for more direct interaction with both the demonstrations and the demonstrators. The objective of the session is to provoke ideas among the attendees for how VEs, simulations and serious games can help address their research, training, education, evaluation or business needs.