There have been major progressions in the field of immersive technology recently leading to the prospect of utilising virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and haptics as tools for productivity being realised by a wide range of industries. With the increased uptake in the adoption of immersive technologies it is essential that research be conducted to investigate how to effectively enhance user interactions and experiences. This thesis contains the dissemination of four novel proof of concept systems developed for a range of VR and AR applications with technologies such as the HTC VIVE, Microsoft HoloLens and Ultrahaptics. The concepts are developed and assessed through empirical user studies which demonstrate how effectively technology integrations can enhance user interactions. The research presented throughout the technical chapters highlights strengths and weaknesses of a wide range of technologies used in immersive workflows, from issues with the volume size for haptic platforms through to the effect VR can have on our emotions. The dissemination of the systems and findings during user studies are valuable for those interested in the development of applications for VR, AR and Haptics. The research presented in this thesis is also of relevance for stakeholders surrounding the implementation of VR / AR workflows in industry, with specific novel implementations of concepts, such as real time guidance of maintenance tasks in AR and a demonstrator of a multi-sensorial experience with virtual spiders for consideration in virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) design.
| Date of Award | Jul 2023 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Awarding Institution | - Queen's University Belfast
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| Sponsors | Northern Ireland Department for the Economy & IAMS (Centre Intelligent Autonomous Manufacturing Systems (QUB) |
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| Supervisor | Karen Rafferty (Supervisor) & Seán McLoone (Supervisor) |
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- Virtual reality
- virtual reality exposure therapy
- human computer interaction
Effectively exploiting immersive technologies for enhanced user interaction
Brice, D. (Author). Jul 2023
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy