In these strange days technologies for virtual meetings and gatherings that have been developing steadily and quietly are now finding themselves suddenly ushered to the front of the class as we ask what might change in the workplace post-Covid-19.
These questions were posed in a conference recently and explored through the very medium being asked to step up to plug the gap; namely VR. Theeventwas jointly organised by Immerse UK and Vive and hosted onEngage VRs learning and conference platform.
As a paid-up evangelist for VR as a transformative technology Im often a little bemused by the still commonly held reservations about the tech which often seem to be based on discomfort during fleeting experiences with the first generations of hardware. The state of the art has been moving at breakneck speeds and many of the old quibbles about low resolution, motion sickness and underwhelming experiences no longer apply. Furthermore, the refinements needed for these platforms to become good proxies forin-the-fleshmeetings require a certain amount of constructive engagement to help turn them into the generation of VR tools we now need to protect both our environment and our health.
I attended a conference in VR for the first time, very much in the spirit of exploration, accepting that there would be limitations, inconveniences and glitches, but open to seeing the more subtle merits of meeting in VR.
Being the first conference that I have attended on such a platform I dont mind admitting that I was as excited by the format as much as I was by the content and the speakers. A train of thought recap seems as appropriate a way as any to describe the experience!
Inevitably I spent slightlytoolong before the event perfecting my avatar with the well-intentioned advice of my partner who suggested that my hair should begreyer than that and that my faceshould be chunkier. I made a reasonable effort to faithfully reproduce my earthly appearance by uploading my mugshot which was then draped over a generic 3D male head shape. Something was inevitably lost from my roguish good looks but I reasoned that this was only of marginal importance. I also made sure that in VR I was wearing my trademark jeans and T-shirt ensemble. Then I was ready, with a degree of trepidation, to enter the conference lobby space.
Much like a real-space event, I experienced the visceral anticipation of meeting strangers, accompanied by a slight sense of uncertainty regarding the proper form and mechanics of interaction with other avatars. With my microphone off, I lurked around the edges of the room looking at displays and eyeing the crowd from a safe distance (so far so normal). The hum of conversations, spatially rendered, is a compelling aspect of the immersion. This lobby areas was the holding-pen, and the conference proper would actually take place in three identical virtual venues (each space hosting fifty attendees). While we waited for the main event, I played with a glockenspiel and sank a few baskets.
Once in the Engage VR environment I am equipped (virtually) with a better tablet than I actually own in the real world on which I can make notes, look at presentation slides close-up and best of all, take ill-judged selfies:
The conferences chosen environment was pleasing enough; an open-air amphitheatre under a blue sky, by the sea, but the trouble Id taken over my virtual appearance seemed poorly spent as I looked around at my co-attendees. I realised that as Id joined the event using theOculus Questversion of the Engage app, I was provided with a slightly less rich version of the environment; participants were represented by only torsos and hands and the photorealistic avatars were absent. This wasnt necessarily an issue. but once I realised I opted instead to dive headlong into theuncanny valleyand I rejoined the event using theSteamVRimplementation which provides a much more detailed rendering.
An initial problem, (with the medium rather than the platform) is that the novelty of the environment overshadowed the event itself. I found I was preoccupied looking around at other participants, trying to recognise names and observing their behaviour. Many of the attendees had adopted bizarre and athletically challenging postures. It took me a few moments to realise why: if you put down your VR hand controls your virtual hands might suddenly manifest by your feet. If you take off your headset to rub your eyes or visit the loo, your avatar might be left in the virtual world with your neck angled up at the sky as if expecting an alien invasion. If you have been automatically seated and muted by the event administrator in VR and then actually sit down in the physical world, you may find that your virtual head is resting disembodied on your virtual chair. I ended up taking a lot of photos of these odd VR yoga poses:
To the substance of the event then. The presenters introduced their product solutions for meeting, learning and collaborating (https://sync.vive.com,https://dimension10.com, andhttps://www.imagedreality.com) and each was able to perambulate convincingly around a stage referencing a large projected presentation (impressive projects all though Ill leave you to follow the links). This was followed by a panel session.
All the while I was comparing this experience to how I might be acting in a real conference. Firstly, I would be Tweeting and I couldnt find a way to do this from within the virtual. I would also be note taking, though the act of typing in VR is currently slightly cumbersome. I found that I would have liked to have been able to scrawl on my virtual tablet instead. I would of course be taking pictures of slides, and it was a nice touch to be able to see the live presentations on my virtual tablet. There were a couple of technical glitches which might have been my end so I wont dwell on them.
As the panel session drew to a close I was looking forward to networking, though with a childlike curiosity rather than any expectation of making meaningful exchanges. This was definitely the most intriguing aspect of the medium for me.
I remember my first video conference experiences and how confrontational it had seemed to be looking directly at someone as they spoke. In real-life conversations we rarely stare so intently at the other party, but the medium seemed to require it. Of course we all got over whatever our personal reservations were and now generally find video conferencing to be a valuable tool. We can see a persons expression and get a sense of their feelings and body language. In VR the body language is there to see, it can be emphatic and exaggerated, but the expression of the avatar never changes. I felt there was almost a need for an intuitive emoji-type interface to quickly and naturally see the mood of your conversational partners.
The spatial audio came into its own at this point too. It was simple enough to move to a quiet corner to concentrate fully on a conversation, but I wondered how one might have a truly private conversation without leaving the VR environment. If someone were so motivated, they could quite easily sneak their avatar behind a digital palm tree to eavesdrop! However, I made a couple of connections that Ive followed up on LinkedIn or social media, but there was no obvious way to swap business cards.
Much of this reflection might sound overly negative though Im simply making observations about a new paradigm of interaction. Overall I was impressed to the extent that Id very much like to see how Kings Digital Lab could use the same tech to augment our virtual and dispersed Lab whilst under lockdown. However, a key obstacle is the availability of the equipment needed. Id love to try this medium with friends and family too, but I feel like the first man on Earth with a phone; who can I call? The irony is that the equipment will be far more available when lockdown finishes.
The annual DH event (now cancelled) brings together thousands of practitioners from across the globe and sustainability is an increasingly hot topic, not just around research and software but from the more traditional environmental perspective. With careful planning I can see how portions of this event could be moved into this sort of communal VR space. For every limitation there are amazing potential affordances; share a 3D model with your audience? No problem. Cant get a wheelchair up the stairs? No worries.
This was a toe dipped into a new world for me. There are other VR meeting platforms; some of them business-focused, some educational and some purely social. Facebook Horizon is due to be released this year and I imagine that the social network giant will take quite a swipe at the B2B market. I do hope that the pioneers dont get swept aside when this happens
I could ramble on as there is a lot to think about, but instead Ill leave you with a group selfie complete with photobombing by the Vive and Engage team!
This article was first published on 24 April 2020 on the Kings Digital Lab bloghere.
View original post here:
'I attended a conference in VR for the first time' - AV Magazine
- What You Need to Know About the New SAG-AFTRA Agreement ... - Casting Networks - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Premiership Rugby Highlights Show | Be on TV - ITVX - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Elon Musks Neuralink wants to merge your brain with AI at what ... - Vox.com - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- The World's Job During the War on Hamas: Save the Space For Peace - TIME - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- Brooklyn Beckham hits back at haters who mock his online cooking videos - Yahoo News UK - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- Secret to immortality could be just a decade away as scientists predict when well learn to live forever... - The US Sun - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- Roblox Introduces Heads and Bodies to the UGC Program - Game Is Hard - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- Bigger Th*t Than Cardi B: Amidst Conor McGregor's Friend's Feud ... - The Sportsrush - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- Sofia Richie Says Royal Weddings Inspired Her Nuptials - Brides - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- How Many Times a Day to Post to BeReal a Day - Alphr - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- Usage of dark web for uploading sensitive defence information is a ... - LawBeat - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- What Should You Look for in your WiFi Plan? - My Everyday Tech - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- The Pros and Cons of Using No-Code Websites as a Blogger - MUO - MakeUseOf - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- The Future Is Now: Wrestling with Ethics, Policy and Brain-Computer ... - NC State News - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- How to Share Images Online Easily With Pasteboard - Dignited - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- The Acid Test, April 2023 - bandcamp.com - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- Top 9 Generative AI Applications and Tools - eWeek - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- Top 50 Most Viewed U.S. YouTube Channels Week Of 04/30/2023 - Tubefilter - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- PPC Automation: When & How To Use It - Search Engine Journal - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- Image SEO: Optimizing images for search engines Yoast - December 16th, 2022 [December 16th, 2022]
- All That Is In The Heavens [Part 14]: Bionic Basim - MuslimMatters - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Mill Creek Leverages QR Codes To Help People Store Their Loved One's Messages as Forever Cherishable Memories - Digital Journal - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- In their own words: County Commissioner candidates Randy George and Steve Skinner on why each should be considered for the open District 3... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Get ready now for the 2022 Great Southern BioBlitz! - Cosmos - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- ILUMINATIVE Is Reviving the Modern Genre Of Hip-Hop/Rock & Nu-Metal with the Latest Album, 'Endangered' - Daily Music Roll - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Enter the Cambridge Independents Photography Awards 2022 - and win great prizes - Cambridge Independent - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Coros Vertix 2 review the battery life of this smartwatch is insane - CyclingWeekly - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- WTF Are POAPs? The Intriguing Power of Proof of Attendance Protocol - nft now - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Former NRL star Finch fighting to avoid jail amid fears hell be targeted by hardened criminals - Fox Sports - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Muni Long's long and winding road to R&B stardom - Los Angeles Times - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- She-Hulk Recap: Episode 9 | Jen Breaks the MCU - United By Pop - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- People with dark personality type desire enhancing their brains with future tech, new study reveals... - The US Sun - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Emma Chamberlain has opened up the doors of her new home and I havent been able to think of anything else since - image.ie - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- 'Don't believe everything you read': The story of The Onion - Bennington Banner - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- DJ Ace - Peace of Mind Vol 39 (Saxophone Edition Slow Jam Mix ... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Longtermism Movement Misses the Importance of War - Scientific American - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Ten warning signs that your phone is spying on you and tips on removing spyware - Scottish Daily Express - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- JNU Admission 2022: Registration starts for UG admission on the basis of CUET in JNU, fill your form from this link - News Day Express - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- RTI reply: 42 cars in CM Bhagwant Mann convoy, opposition says 'badlav or waste of money' - The Indian Express - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- 10 best One Direction rock covers, from the 1975 to Wolf Alice - Alternative Press - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- How to use GPX maps and trackback on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Route tile - Android Central - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- CHITCHAT OVER COFFEE: Give the Heart the space it needs - Manila Bulletin - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- How technology will bridge the gap for the next million - Times of India - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- now allows you to upload your photos and edit them - Gearrice - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- 2023 Honda CR-V First Drive Review: The Once And Future King? - Motor1 - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Pantheon Review: 2022's Wildest Tech Thriller Is a Cartoon | Time - TIME - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Worth Watching: Lord of the Rings Prequel, Uploading Gets Serious in Pantheon, NASCAR Race for the Championship - Channel3000.com - WISC-TV3 - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- The super-rich preppers planning to save themselves from the apocalypse - The Guardian - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 8 Anime Outros Too Good to Skip - Geek Girl Authority - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- From social media to Pollywood, singer Noor Chahal says originality is her secret to success - The Indian Express - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Behind the music - Ratios - RTE.ie - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- According To Believers, 7% Of Us Will Find Code 0010110 And Exit The Matrix On August 27 - YourTango - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Elon Musk confirms he already uploaded his brain to a cloud, he spoke to himself - Marca - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Whatever Happened to the Transhumanists? - Gizmodo Australia - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- TREASURES OF THE TRI-STATE 2022 - 97.3 the Rock - Radio Dubuque - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- India versus West Indies second T20 highlights: Fancode yesterday match 2nd T20 highlights where to watch - The Sportsrush - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Edinburgh internet troll guilty of sending vile online messages to politicians - Edinburgh Live - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- The PhotoStick Reviews (PhotoStick For PC) - Does This Device Really Worth Buying? Must Read This Before You Buy! - Outlook India - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- How Close Are We to Uploading Your Mind? - How-To Geek - July 23rd, 2022 [July 23rd, 2022]
- Ranveer Allahbadia: Of collaborations and making Reels - Hindustan Times - July 23rd, 2022 [July 23rd, 2022]
- Jasmine TXO: The key to cracking TikTok - Ragtrader - July 23rd, 2022 [July 23rd, 2022]
- You can also earn big money sitting at home from YouTube or Instagram, know how? (How to Earn Money From YouTube And Instagram?) - News Day Express - July 23rd, 2022 [July 23rd, 2022]
- What the POTS shutdown will mean for faxing in the healthcare industry - Healthcare Dive - July 23rd, 2022 [July 23rd, 2022]
- Back Issues: Connecting with the past via historical objects - Stuff - July 23rd, 2022 [July 23rd, 2022]
- Hidden MrBeast Video Sees the Popular Millionaire Put Over $50,000 on the Line for His Fans - EssentiallySports - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- Some of the internet's most homoerotic content is on The History Channel's YouTube? - Queerty - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- A Twitter test will remind you to add alt text to images - TechCrunch - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- Beyonc's 7th Studio Album Renaissance is About Release on The 29th of July - Daily Music Roll - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- Repairing an old thing is a small act of defiance against disposable culture - The Irish Times - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- Warzone players slam the dumbest Perk in the history of CoD - CharlieINTEL.com - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- Tatsuki Fujimotos Just Listen To This Song Is A Lesson In Love And Buddhism - DualShockers - July 17th, 2022 [July 17th, 2022]
- Required Documents - School and Student Services by Community Brands - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- Dr. Strange: Can the Multiverse Really Work as a Plot Device? - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- Sophia Mirzas daughters say living with father happily - The News International - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- Warning for MILLIONS of iPhone users before going on holiday this year... - The US Sun - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- Interview: The Vamps Celebrate 10 Years At The Top! - CelebMix - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- The powerful lesson I learned watching my father die - Sydney Morning Herald - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- How to Sign Up for Amazon Primes Free Trialand Save Big Ahead of Prime Day in 2022 - Yahoo Life - July 3rd, 2022 [July 3rd, 2022]
- Firoz Hasan of Free Motion stands by flood affected Sylhet and Sunamganj - The Daily Star - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Almost Quote the Movie Serena Williams Fangirls Over Iron Man as She Dons Similar Pair of Glasses Ahead of Her Wimbledon Championships 2022 Campaign... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]