Virtual Reality and HCI at UF

Virtual Experiences Research Group PhD Students PhD Students Kyle Johnsen, Aaron Kotranza, John Quarels, Andrew Raij, Xiyong Wang, Brent Rossen Kyle Johnsen, Aaron Kotranza, John Quarels, Andrew Raij, Xiyong Wang, Brent Rossen Undergraduates Undergraduates Joshua Horton, Harold Rodriguez Joshua Horton, Harold Rodriguez Funding Funding National Science Foundation (CAREER, REU), University of Florida Colleges of Engineering and Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Keele University, School of Pharmacy National Science Foundation (CAREER, REU), University of Florida Colleges of Engineering and Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Keele University, School of Pharmacy

Immersive Virtual Humans for Educating Medical and Pharmacy Communication Skills K. Johnsen, A. Raij, B. Rossen, A. Kotranza, X. Wang, B. Lok Computer and Information Science and Engineering M. Cohen, A. Stevens Surgery J. Cendan Community Health and Family Medicine R. Ferdig Education A. Deladisma, D. S. Lind Surgical Oncology S. Chapman, L. Bracegirdle Pharmacy

VOSCE Project Overview Started Spring ’04 Started Spring ’04 n > 250 students n > 250 students Medical Medical Nursing Nursing Physician Assistant Physician Assistant Pharmacy Pharmacy One of the most popular VH/VR experiences One of the most popular VH/VR experiences Three institutes Three institutes University of Florida University of Florida Medical College of Georgia Medical College of Georgia Keele University (U.K.) Keele University (U.K.) Team Team VR/HCI/CS – 1 PhD, 6 grad students, 2 undergrads VR/HCI/CS – 1 PhD, 6 grad students, 2 undergrads Medicine – 6 MDs, 2 medical students Medicine – 6 MDs, 2 medical students Education – 2 PhDs Education – 2 PhDs Research focus on interfaces Research focus on interfaces

T: Interpersonal Simulator (IPS) Platform for exploring interpersonal interactions with VHs Platform for exploring interpersonal interactions with VHs Natural interaction with a high level of immersion Natural interaction with a high level of immersion Real-world application: Medical interview training Real-world application: Medical interview training Simulate a standardized patient encounter Simulate a standardized patient encounter Virtual patient, DIANA Virtual patient, DIANA Virtual instructor, VIC Virtual instructor, VIC Communication skills Communication skills

Looking for grad students If you are interested, If you are interested, Take a course under Dr. Lok (and do very well) Take a course under Dr. Lok (and do very well) Meet with Dr. Lok to receive a trial project Meet with Dr. Lok to receive a trial project Must have solid background in computer graphics and math Must have solid background in computer graphics and math Potential for funding in Spring ’08 Potential for funding in Spring ’08 Strong interest in fellowship students Strong interest in fellowship students

Human Computer Interaction What is a user interface? What is a user interface? Why do we care about design? Why do we care about design? We see this all the time. We see this all the time. What’s good about the design of this error box? What’s good about the design of this error box? The user knows there is an error The user knows there is an error What’s poor about the design of this error box? What’s poor about the design of this error box? Discouraging Discouraging Not enough information Not enough information No way to resolve the problem (instructions or contact info) No way to resolve the problem (instructions or contact info)

Exhibit A: Why Form Can Mean More than Function Apple iPod Apple iPod Functionality: ipod < other mp3 Functionality: ipod < other mp3 Why does it dominate the market? Why does it dominate the market? In this course: In this course: We’ll study principles of good interfaces We’ll study principles of good interfaces You will design your own interface You will design your own interface You will evaluate your own intercace You will evaluate your own intercace

HCI Course Tuesday/Thursdays 8 th & 9 th period Tuesday/Thursdays 8 th & 9 th period Goal of course: Goal of course: Understand how to evaluate human-computer interfaces Understand how to evaluate human-computer interfaces Build your own interface Build your own interface Run your own studies Run your own studies Project-based course Project-based course Pre-req Pre-req Programming Programming

What was the first VR?

Ivan Sutherland’s The Ultimate Display “Don’t think of that thing as a screen, think of it as a window, a window through which one looks into a virtual world. The challenge to computer graphics is to make that virtual world look real, sound real, move and respond to interaction in real time, and even feel real.”

Virtual Environments Course Experimental course Experimental course Tuesday/Thursdays 8 th & 9 th period Tuesday/Thursdays 8 th & 9 th period Virtual Reality lectures given by experts in the field Virtual Reality lectures given by experts in the field Each week a new guest speaker from 1 of the 4 universities will speak Each week a new guest speaker from 1 of the 4 universities will speak Conference-call setup Conference-call setup Pre-reqs Pre-reqs Computer graphics Computer graphics Good programming + engineering skills Good programming + engineering skills What you will do in addition to lectures What you will do in addition to lectures Read research papers Read research papers Create your own virtual environment Create your own virtual environment Who is it for? Who is it for? Motivated students who want to explore a new area Motivated students who want to explore a new area Project-based course Project-based course Significant individual work with limited oversight Significant individual work with limited oversight Good programmers Good programmers

More info? Visit Dr. Lok’s webpage Visit Dr. Lok’s webpage Questions? him Questions? him Thanks! Thanks!