Researcher Introduction

Hello, my name is Mike McCready. I am an Instructor and Research Program Chair of the Spatial Technologies Applied Research & Training (START) Centre at Lethbridge College. I have been teaching and researching immersive technologies since 2016. I live in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada and am currently a remote student in the MSc Digital Arts (by Research) program at the University of Kent.

Purpose of the Study

Due to the current pandemic context, there has been a surge in interest in technology that allows people to connect, play, and collaborate, despite physical distance and restrictions. A technology area that has seen growth during the pandemic is multiplayer games. Immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have also seen an increase in adoption, as people were looking for ways to connect during the lockdowns and beyond. Despite their immersive qualities, VR head mounted displays (HMDs) have also received criticism for their isolating characteristics, both socially and technologically and for the discomfort they sometimes induce. As a result of these limitations, VR research and design has started to look more and more into leveraging different systems for the design of novel interactions, which include bystanders and co-players using other interaction modalities. This approach is called asymmetric VR.

VR is described as a technology that provides believable experiences in a virtual way using an HMD such as an Oculus Quest, while AR is a system that superimposes computer-generated content on top of the physical world using a mobile device or HMD such as a Microsoft Hololens.

With this study, our aim is to address some of the existing research gaps by developing an asymmetric VR game that connects remote VR, AR, and PC users in a shared virtual environment. This study may provide important insights and provide a foundation for developing a multi-user gaming experience that can scale and accommodate a variety of devices and a number of participants.

Participant Responsibility

I am looking for participants to take part in the study. Participants will play an asymmetric VR collaboration game for 15 minutes. Following the game, each participant will complete a short survey and interview. The total time commitment is approximately 60 minutes.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to participate in the study, the following requirements need to be met:

• able to travel to Lethbridge College (Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada) on the either May 16 or May 17, 2022
• basic computer literacy
• English language proficiency
• at least 18 years old
• Have no condition, impairment, or diagnosis that would affect your ability to participate

Need More Information?

If you would like to learn more about the study or have questions, download the Participant Information Package or email mjm75@kent.ac.uk.

Ready to Participate?

If you have enough information and ready to sign-up, complete the Participant Survey. Thank you to everyone who is interested and expressed interest in participanting. Space is limited, so participants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis from the list of qualified submissions.