VR Embodiment Research: Investigating Human Perception and Interaction in Virtual Environments
Understanding the Self in Virtual Space
This project was created (during my Minor virtual reality while I was doing my Bachelor of Science at the Hogeschool van Amsteram) by a multi-disciplainary team of 5 people (including myself).
Students from different educations came together in order to create a VR application for various companies. Our team existed of 3 game developers, 1 fashion student, and an electrical engineer.
This project delves into the fascinating field of VR embodiment, exploring how users perceive and interact with their own bodies within virtual environments. Conducted as a team project during my Virtual Reality minor, the initiative focused on researching and developing distinct VR scenarios designed to investigate different facets of embodiment, aiming to understand its impact on user experience and interaction.
What it Entailed: Designing Diverse Embodiment Experiences
The core objective was to research and prototype how embodiment—the sense of “being there” in a virtual body—affects user perception and interaction. This required creating varied VR environments, each designed to test specific aspects of embodiment, from sensory perception to collaborative control.
Process & Methodology
The project involved a structured approach to research and development:
Research Focus:
Investigating the psychological and perceptual aspects of embodiment in VR.
Team-Based Development:
Collaborated with a team of 5 members, contributing to the design and implementation of the VR application.
Environment Development:
Created several distinct test environments, each designed to explore different facets of embodiment:
Echolocation Environment:
Developed a scenario where the player is visually impaired (blind) and must rely on echolocation to perceive and navigate the virtual space, simulating an alternative sensory input for body awareness.
Shared Body Control:
Implemented a unique cooperative mechanic where three players collectively control a single VR avatar, exploring distributed agency and shared embodiment.
Cooperative Puzzle Environment:
Designed a scenario where three players, inhabiting a shared virtual body, must work together to solve puzzles, testing collaborative problem-solving within a single embodied presence.
Technical Implementation:
Utilized VR Development Tools (likely Unity or Unreal Engine, with relevant VR SDKs) to build these interactive and experimental environments.
Key Features / Results
* Embodiment Research: Explored the psychological and perceptual aspects of self-presence in VR.
* Diverse VR Scenarios: Developed three distinct environments to test different embodiment paradigms:
* Echolocation-based navigation.
* Three-player shared avatar control.
* Collaborative puzzle-solving within a shared body.
* Team Collaboration: Worked effectively within a team to conceptualize, design, and implement research-focused VR applications.
* User Experience Focus: Designed interactive systems to measure and understand user perception and engagement.
For a complete overview of the project a devlog was kept on the following website.
Conclusion/Next Steps
The VR Embodiment Research project provided a deep understanding of how presence and embodiment significantly influence user experience in virtual reality. By creating and testing diverse scenarios, I gained practical insight into the complex interplay between virtual bodies, sensory feedback, and human perception. This project reinforced my interest in experimental VR design and its potential applications in areas like training, therapy, and enhanced social interaction.
