1.

Schweitzer, Julie B.; Rizzo, Albert “Skip”

Virtual Reality and ADHD: Clinical Assessment and Treatment in the Metaverse Journal Article

In: The ADHD Report, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 1–9, 2022, ISSN: 1065-8025.

2.

Adami, Pooya; Rodrigues, Patrick B.; Woods, Peter J.; Becerik-Gerber, Burcin; Soibelman, Lucio; Copur-Gencturk, Yasemin; Lucas, Gale

Impact of VR-Based Training on Human–Robot Interaction for Remote Operating Construction Robots Journal Article

In: J. Comput. Civ. Eng., vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 04022006, 2022, ISSN: 0887-3801, 1943-5487.

Links | BibTeX

3.

Talbot, Thomas Brett; Chinara, Chinmay

Open Medical Gesture: An Open-Source Experiment in Naturalistic Physical Interactions for Mixed and Virtual Reality Simulations Proceedings Article

In: 2022.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@inproceedings{brett_talbot_open_2022,

title = {Open Medical Gesture: An Open-Source Experiment in Naturalistic Physical Interactions for Mixed and Virtual Reality Simulations},

author = {Thomas Brett Talbot and Chinmay Chinara},

url = {https://openaccess.cms-conferences.org/#/publications/book/978-1-958651-26-1/article/978-1-958651-26-1_0},

doi = {10.54941/ahfe1002054},

year = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

urldate = {2022-09-13},

abstract = {Mixed (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR) simulations are hampered by requirements for hand controllers or attempts to perseverate in use of two-dimensional computer interface paradigms from the 1980s. From our efforts to produce more naturalistic interactions for combat medic training for the military, we have developed an open-source toolkit that enables direct hand controlled responsive interactions that is sensor independent and can function with depth sensing cameras, webcams or sensory gloves. From this research and review of current literature, we have discerned several best approaches for hand-based human computer interactions which provide intuitive, responsive, useful, and low frustration experiences for VR users. The center of an effective gesture system is a universal hand model that can map to inputs from several different kinds of sensors rather than depending on a specific commercial product. Parts of the hand are effectors in simulation space with a physics-based model. Therefore, translational and rotational forces from the hands will impact physical objects in VR which varies based on the mass of the virtual objects. We incorporate computer code w/ objects, calling them “Smart Objects”, which allows such objects to have movement properties and collision detection for expected manipulation. Examples of smart objects include scissors, a ball, a turning knob, a moving lever, or a human figure with moving limbs. Articulation points contain collision detectors and code to assist in expected hand actions. We include a library of more than 40 Smart Objects in the toolkit. Thus, is it possible to throw a ball, hit that ball with a bat, cut a bandage, turn on a ventilator or to lift and inspect a human arm.We mediate the interaction of the hands with virtual objects. Hands often violate the rules of a virtual world simply by passing through objects. One must interpret user intent. This can be achieved by introducing stickiness of the hands to objects. If the human’s hands overshoot an object, we place the hand onto that object’s surface unless the hand passes the object by a significant distance. We also make hands and fingers contact an object according to the object’s contours and do not allow fingers to sink into the interior of an object. Haptics, or a sense of physical resistance and tactile sensation from contacting physical objects is a supremely difficult technical challenge and is an expensive pursuit. Our approach ignores true haptics, but we have experimented with an alternative approach, called audio tactile synesthesia where we substitute the sensation of touch for that of sound. The idea is to associate parts of each hand with a tone of a specific frequency upon contacting objects. The attack rate of the sound envelope varies with the velocity of contact and hardness of the object being ‘touched’. Such sounds can feel softer or harder depending on the nature of ‘touch’ being experienced. This substitution technique can provide tactile feedback through indirect, yet still naturalistic means. The artificial intelligence (AI) technique to determine discrete hand gestures and motions within the physical space is a special form of AI called Long Short Term Memory (LSTM). LSTM allows much faster and flexible recognition than other machine learning approaches. LSTM is particularly effective with points in motion. Latency of recognition is very low. In addition to LSTM, we employ other synthetic vision & object recognition AI to the discrimination of real-world objects. This allows for methods to conduct virtual simulations. For example, it is possible to pick up a virtual syringe and inject a medication into a virtual patient through hand motions. We track the hand points to contact with the virtual syringe. We also detect when the hand is compressing the syringe plunger. We could also use virtual medications & instruments on human actors or manikins, not just on virtual objects. With object recognition AI, we can place a syringe on a tray in the physical world. The human user can pick up the syringe and use it on a virtual patient. Thus, we are able to blend physical and virtual simulation together seamlessly in a highly intuitive and naturalistic manner.The techniques and technologies explained here represent a baseline capability whereby interacting in mixed and virtual reality can now be much more natural and intuitive than it has ever been. We have now passed a threshold where we can do away with game controllers and magnetic trackers for VR. This advancement will contribute to greater adoption of VR solutions. To foster this, our team has committed to freely sharing these technologies for all purposes and at no cost as an open-source tool. We encourage the scientific, research, educational and medical communities to adopt these resources and determine their effectiveness and utilize these tools and practices to grow the body of useful VR applications.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {inproceedings}

}

Close

Mixed (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR) simulations are hampered by requirements for hand controllers or attempts to perseverate in use of two-dimensional computer interface paradigms from the 1980s. From our efforts to produce more naturalistic interactions for combat medic training for the military, we have developed an open-source toolkit that enables direct hand controlled responsive interactions that is sensor independent and can function with depth sensing cameras, webcams or sensory gloves. From this research and review of current literature, we have discerned several best approaches for hand-based human computer interactions which provide intuitive, responsive, useful, and low frustration experiences for VR users. The center of an effective gesture system is a universal hand model that can map to inputs from several different kinds of sensors rather than depending on a specific commercial product. Parts of the hand are effectors in simulation space with a physics-based model. Therefore, translational and rotational forces from the hands will impact physical objects in VR which varies based on the mass of the virtual objects. We incorporate computer code w/ objects, calling them “Smart Objects”, which allows such objects to have movement properties and collision detection for expected manipulation. Examples of smart objects include scissors, a ball, a turning knob, a moving lever, or a human figure with moving limbs. Articulation points contain collision detectors and code to assist in expected hand actions. We include a library of more than 40 Smart Objects in the toolkit. Thus, is it possible to throw a ball, hit that ball with a bat, cut a bandage, turn on a ventilator or to lift and inspect a human arm.We mediate the interaction of the hands with virtual objects. Hands often violate the rules of a virtual world simply by passing through objects. One must interpret user intent. This can be achieved by introducing stickiness of the hands to objects. If the human’s hands overshoot an object, we place the hand onto that object’s surface unless the hand passes the object by a significant distance. We also make hands and fingers contact an object according to the object’s contours and do not allow fingers to sink into the interior of an object. Haptics, or a sense of physical resistance and tactile sensation from contacting physical objects is a supremely difficult technical challenge and is an expensive pursuit. Our approach ignores true haptics, but we have experimented with an alternative approach, called audio tactile synesthesia where we substitute the sensation of touch for that of sound. The idea is to associate parts of each hand with a tone of a specific frequency upon contacting objects. The attack rate of the sound envelope varies with the velocity of contact and hardness of the object being ‘touched’. Such sounds can feel softer or harder depending on the nature of ‘touch’ being experienced. This substitution technique can provide tactile feedback through indirect, yet still naturalistic means. The artificial intelligence (AI) technique to determine discrete hand gestures and motions within the physical space is a special form of AI called Long Short Term Memory (LSTM). LSTM allows much faster and flexible recognition than other machine learning approaches. LSTM is particularly effective with points in motion. Latency of recognition is very low. In addition to LSTM, we employ other synthetic vision & object recognition AI to the discrimination of real-world objects. This allows for methods to conduct virtual simulations. For example, it is possible to pick up a virtual syringe and inject a medication into a virtual patient through hand motions. We track the hand points to contact with the virtual syringe. We also detect when the hand is compressing the syringe plunger. We could also use virtual medications & instruments on human actors or manikins, not just on virtual objects. With object recognition AI, we can place a syringe on a tray in the physical world. The human user can pick up the syringe and use it on a virtual patient. Thus, we are able to blend physical and virtual simulation together seamlessly in a highly intuitive and naturalistic manner.The techniques and technologies explained here represent a baseline capability whereby interacting in mixed and virtual reality can now be much more natural and intuitive than it has ever been. We have now passed a threshold where we can do away with game controllers and magnetic trackers for VR. This advancement will contribute to greater adoption of VR solutions. To foster this, our team has committed to freely sharing these technologies for all purposes and at no cost as an open-source tool. We encourage the scientific, research, educational and medical communities to adopt these resources and determine their effectiveness and utilize these tools and practices to grow the body of useful VR applications.

Close

4.

Davis, Matt; Nye, Benjamin; Sinatra, Gale; Swartout, William; Sjӧberg, Molly; Porter, Molly; Nelson, David; Kennedy, Alana; Herrick, Imogen; Weeks, Danaan DeNeve; Lindsey, Emily

Designing scientifically-grounded paleoart for augmented reality at La Brea Tar Pits Journal Article

In: Palaeontol Electron, 2022, ISSN: 19353952, 10948074.

Links | BibTeX

5.

Stokes, Jared D.; Rizzo, Albert; Geng, Joy J.; Schweitzer, Julie B.

Measuring Attentional Distraction in Children With ADHD Using Virtual Reality Technology With Eye-Tracking Journal Article

In: Frontiers in Virtual Reality, vol. 3, 2022, ISSN: 2673-4192.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{stokes_measuring_2022,

title = {Measuring Attentional Distraction in Children With ADHD Using Virtual Reality Technology With Eye-Tracking},

author = {Jared D. Stokes and Albert Rizzo and Joy J. Geng and Julie B. Schweitzer},

url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2022.855895},

issn = {2673-4192},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

urldate = {2022-09-13},

journal = {Frontiers in Virtual Reality},

volume = {3},

abstract = {Objective: Distractions inordinately impair attention in children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but examining this behavior under real-life conditions poses a challenge for researchers and clinicians. Virtual reality (VR) technologies may mitigate the limitations of traditional laboratory methods by providing a more ecologically relevant experience. The use of eye-tracking measures to assess attentional functioning in a VR context in ADHD is novel. In this proof of principle project, we evaluate the temporal dynamics of distraction via eye-tracking measures in a VR classroom setting with 20 children diagnosed with ADHD between 8 and 12 years of age.Method: We recorded continuous eye movements while participants performed math, Stroop, and continuous performance test (CPT) tasks with a series of “real-world” classroom distractors presented. We analyzed the impact of the distractors on rates of on-task performance and on-task, eye-gaze (i.e., looking at a classroom whiteboard) versus off-task eye-gaze (i.e., looking away from the whiteboard).Results: We found that while children did not always look at distractors themselves for long periods of time, the presence of a distractor disrupted on-task gaze at task-relevant whiteboard stimuli and lowered rates of task performance. This suggests that children with attention deficits may have a hard time returning to tasks once those tasks are interrupted, even if the distractor itself does not hold attention. Eye-tracking measures within the VR context can reveal rich information about attentional disruption.Conclusions: Leveraging virtual reality technology in combination with eye-tracking measures is well-suited to advance the understanding of mechanisms underlying attentional impairment in naturalistic settings. Assessment within these immersive and well-controlled simulated environments provides new options for increasing our understanding of distractibility and its potential impact on the development of interventions for children with ADHD.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

Close

Objective: Distractions inordinately impair attention in children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but examining this behavior under real-life conditions poses a challenge for researchers and clinicians. Virtual reality (VR) technologies may mitigate the limitations of traditional laboratory methods by providing a more ecologically relevant experience. The use of eye-tracking measures to assess attentional functioning in a VR context in ADHD is novel. In this proof of principle project, we evaluate the temporal dynamics of distraction via eye-tracking measures in a VR classroom setting with 20 children diagnosed with ADHD between 8 and 12 years of age.Method: We recorded continuous eye movements while participants performed math, Stroop, and continuous performance test (CPT) tasks with a series of “real-world” classroom distractors presented. We analyzed the impact of the distractors on rates of on-task performance and on-task, eye-gaze (i.e., looking at a classroom whiteboard) versus off-task eye-gaze (i.e., looking away from the whiteboard).Results: We found that while children did not always look at distractors themselves for long periods of time, the presence of a distractor disrupted on-task gaze at task-relevant whiteboard stimuli and lowered rates of task performance. This suggests that children with attention deficits may have a hard time returning to tasks once those tasks are interrupted, even if the distractor itself does not hold attention. Eye-tracking measures within the VR context can reveal rich information about attentional disruption.Conclusions: Leveraging virtual reality technology in combination with eye-tracking measures is well-suited to advance the understanding of mechanisms underlying attentional impairment in naturalistic settings. Assessment within these immersive and well-controlled simulated environments provides new options for increasing our understanding of distractibility and its potential impact on the development of interventions for children with ADHD.

Close

6.

Ionescu, Alina; Daele, Tom Van; Rizzo, Albert; Blair, Carolyn; Best, Paul

360° Videos for Immersive Mental Health Interventions: a Systematic Review Journal Article

In: J. technol. behav. sci., vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 631–651, 2021, ISSN: 2366-5963.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{ionescu_360_2021,

title = {360° Videos for Immersive Mental Health Interventions: a Systematic Review},

author = {Alina Ionescu and Tom Van Daele and Albert Rizzo and Carolyn Blair and Paul Best},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-021-00221-7},

doi = {10.1007/s41347-021-00221-7},

issn = {2366-5963},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-12-01},

urldate = {2022-09-13},

journal = {J. technol. behav. sci.},

volume = {6},

number = {4},

pages = {631–651},

abstract = {Virtual reality is increasingly recognized as a powerful method for clinical interventions in the mental health field, but has yet to achieve mainstream adoption in routine mental healthcare settings. A similar, yet slightly different technology, immersive 360° videos might have the potential to cover this gap, by requiring both lower costs and less technical skills to construct and operate such virtual environments. This systematic review therefore aims to identify, evaluate, and summarize mental health interventions using immersive 360° videos to support an understanding of their implementation in daily clinical practice. The quality of the 14 selected studies was evaluated using a critical appraisal tool, addressing populations with clinical levels of psychopathological symptoms, somatic conditions associated with psychological implications, and other at-risk groups. Immersive 360° videos successfully increased users’ feelings of presence, given their realistic features, and therefore yielded positive outcomes in clinical interventions where presence is considered as an essential precondition. Because the technical skills required to create immersive 360° video footage are fairly limited, most of the interventions using this approach have been created by mental health researchers or clinicians themselves. Immersive 360° videos are still in an early phase of implementation as a tool for clinical interventions for mental health, resulting in high heterogeneity in focus, procedures, and research designs. An important next step for making use of this technology may therefore involve the creation of standardized procedures, as a means to increase the quality of research and evidence-based interventions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

Close

7.

Mozgai, Sharon; Leeds, Andrew; Kwok, David; Fast, Ed; Rizzo, Albert Skip; Hartholt, Arno

Building BRAVEMIND Vietnam: User-Centered Design for Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Proceedings Article

In: 2021 IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality (AIVR), pp. 247–250, 2021.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

8.

Adami, Pooya; Rodrigues, Patrick B.; Woods, Peter J.; Becerik-Gerber, Burcin; Soibelman, Lucio; Copur-Gencturk, Yasemin; Lucas, Gale

Effectiveness of VR-based training on improving construction workers’ knowledge, skills, and safety behavior in robotic teleoperation Journal Article

In: Advanced Engineering Informatics, vol. 50, pp. 101431, 2021, ISSN: 14740346.

Links | BibTeX

9.

et al A Rizzo,

Normative Data for a Next Generation Virtual Classroom for Attention Assessment in Children with ADHD and Beyond! Proceedings Article

In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies (ICDVRAT 2021), Serpa, Portugal, 2021.

Links | BibTeX