Monica Billger

Perception of color and space in virtual reality: a comparison between a real room and virtual reality models

Virtual Reality has great potential to become a usable design tool for the planning of light and colour in buildings. The technical development has provided us with better computer graphics and faster rendering techniques. However, the reliability and usability is delimited by lack of knowledge about how humans perceive spatial colour phenomena. The setting up of parameters for material properties in light calculation software is done arbitrarily. We present a comparison between a real room and a digital model evaluated on a desktop PC and in an Immersive Projection Technology (IPT) type system. Data were collected from video recorded interviews and questionnaires. The participants assessed the appearance of light, colours and space. They also evaluated their involvement in solving this task, and their presence in each environment. Our results highlight the benefits and disadvantages of the real and virtual models. The participants had difficulties in estimating the size of both the desktop room and the room in the ITP system. The comparison of real and virtual rooms revealed unsatisfying differences in shadowing and colour appearance. We defined the magnitude of perceived colour reflections in the real room, and elaborated with some of the parameters in Lightscape/3dsmax6.

To Colour the Virtual World - Difficulties in Visualizing Spatial Colour Appearance in Virtual Environments

This paper discusses the problems of visualizing colour appearance in an interactive virtual environment (VE) from the viewpoint of practice based architectural research. The discussion is based upon the research information project Virtual Colour Laboratory (VCL), the aim of which is to visually present and demonstrate existing research results on spatial colour phenomena for educational purposes, in the shape of a software application. During the work on this project, various problems connected to the visualization of colour appearance have emerged which are discussed in relation to current research on spatial experience and visual appearance in VEs. The aim of the paper is to focus on the importance of colour appearance in digital modelling as well as to highlight the problems of visualizing colour appearance interactively. The term colour appearance is used here as a general concept for the perceived colour of a surface or object.

Evaluation of a Colour Reference Box as an Aid for Identification of Colour Appearance in Rooms

Hitherto, methods for visual assessment of colour appearance have not been developed for use in the study of rooms. We seek a practical method that allows one or two observers to characterize a room by identifying the perceived colours. Verbal descriptions are necessary, but lack precision. A magnitude estimation method may enable a more precise location in colour space. However, the need of a group of well-trained observers makes it impractical for room studies. A method involving matches between reference colour samples and the perceived room colours would be ideal. But, reference colour samples require a standard illumination; otherwise, the sample changes colour due to different room light. Hence, a method involving a colour reference box was developed. The colour reference box with its standard source of illumination provides a reference situation, where colour samples can be visually compared with the colours of the room. The study presented is an evaluation of this colour reference box. The crucial problem is that the same color sample in the box is perceived differently, as the observer adapts to various lighting conditions. The aim of the study was to investigate if these different perceptions of the samples could be described and controlled. In the study, 18 observers were asked to visually assess the hue of 15–66 samples, and mark its place in the NCS hue circle. The assessment of the samples was made in two different room lights: incandescent light and simulated daylight. The result of the study showed a clear tendency for the samples, perceived in the box, to shift colour in simulated daylight compared to incandescent light. It was concluded that the problem with the observers adaptation to the room light can be described and controlled, although complementary studies are needed to quantify the adaptation effect with more accuracy, and to investigate differences in nuance. Thus, it seems that the colour reference box can be used to visually evaluate and describe the differences in colour appearance in different rooms.

Colour combination effects in experimental rooms

This article deals with the way colours in a room affect each other through contrast effects and reflections. The study presented is based on the visual observations of the colour appearance of three inherent colours in a sequence of experimental situations. My point of departure was a yellow, blue, and red room. The room had distinctly different colour appearances of the same inherent colours when observed at different locations. The effects of both contrasts and reflections were evident. However, reflection effects seemed to dominate the situation. In a study of small experimental rooms, different combinations of the same three inherent colours were systematically tested. Comparisons were made to examine the differences in colour appearance between monochromatic rooms and multicoloured rooms with varying colour schemes. The illumination was kept stable. In the cases studied, it was obvious how the colours in the two-coloured rooms became more alike or “neutralized each other.” The contrast strengthening between abutting areas on the same level had distinct significance for colour appearance and perception of space. However, not in such a way that the perceived colour differences became larger in the two-coloured room than between each monochromatic rooms

In search of visualization challenges: The development and implementation of visualization tools for supporting dialogue in urban planning processes

Today, urban planning processes involve many stakeholders and efficient dialogue tools are needed to support communication in transdisciplinary environments. The aim of our study is to identify visualization challenges in urban planning. Based on a state of the art study and a thematic analysis of 114 articles, published in 2004–2014 and found through snowball sampling, the development and implementation of digital visualization tools for dialogue are discussed. A wide range of examples of visualization tools for dialogue has been found; either based on 2D maps, 3D environments or gaming. The initiators of the development originate from different disciplines, such as geographic information (GI) science, computer graphics, 3D modelling, Virtual Reality, interaction design and urban planning. There has been an increasing amount of usability studies during recent years. There is a tendency for the usability studies to have gone from experimental and prototype studies to more and more concern real planning processes and implementation. Studies of implemented tools in real planning processes are, however, still rare. Gaming appears more and more frequently. Challenges are related to integration of qualitative and quantitative data, representation of data as regard appropriate levels of realism and detailing, as well as the user’s experience and the appearance of the digital models. There is a need to consider how we can achieve the full potential of visualization tools, including optimal effectiveness of visualization tools and processes for dialogue as well as how they can be implemented. Organizational preparedness is necessary, including clear ownership, allocation of resources for maintenance, competence and access to tools and technology.

Color appearance in virtual reality: a comparison between a full-scale room and a virtual reality simulation

The main goal of our project is to make VR applications usable for the planning of light and color. To enable reliable simulations, we both need to develop better rendering methods and carefully study the appearance of light and color in real rooms and in virtual environments. Assessments of real rooms are compared to simulations of the same rooms in immersive Virtual Reality (3D-cube). In this paper, we will present the outcome of a pilot study and discuss specific problems associated with the prospect of comparing reality to Virtual Reality. We will account for the experience of the room and go into details on the experience and perception of light. Indeed, the problems fo getting enough light in the 3D-cube and of simulating the light situation of a real room affect color appearance.