Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society (한국컴퓨터그래픽스학회논문지)

Korea Computer Graphics Society (한국컴퓨터그래픽스학회)
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Application of Immersive Virtual Environment Through Virtual Avatar Based On Rigid-body Tracking

강체 추적 기반의 가상 아바타를 통한 몰입형 가상환경 응용

  • MyeongSeok Park (Department of Computer Engineering, Graduate School, Hansung University) ;
  • Jinmo Kim (Department of Computer Engineering, Graduate School, Hansung University)
  • 박명석 (한성대학교 일반대학원 컴퓨터공학과) ;
  • 김진모 (한성대학교 일반대학원 컴퓨터공학과)
  • Received : 2023.06.16
  • Accepted : 2023.07.05
  • Published : 2023.07.25
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Abstract

This study proposes a rigid-body tracking based virtual avatar application method to increase the social presence and provide various experiences of virtual reality(VR) users in an immersive virtual environment. The proposed method estimates the motion of a virtual avatar through inverse kinematics based on real-time rigid-body tracking based on motion capture using markers. Through this, it aims to design a highly immersive virtual environment with simple object manipulation in the real world. Science experiment educational contents are produced to experiment and analyze applications related to immersive virtual environments through virtual avatars. In addition, audiovisual education, full-body tracking, and the proposed rigid-body tracking method were compared and analyzed through survey. In the proposed virtual environment, participants wore VR HMDs and conducted a survey to confirm immersion and educational effects from virtual avatars performing experimental educational actions from estimated motions. As a result, through the method of utilizing virtual avatars based on rigid-body tracking, it was possible to induce higher immersion and educational effects than traditional audiovisual education. In addition, it was confirmed that a sufficiently positive experience can be provided without much work for full-body tracking.

본 연구는 몰입형 가상환경에서의 가상현실 사용자의 사회적 현존감을 높이고 다양한 경험을 제공하기 위하여 강체 추적 기반의 가상 아바타 응용 방법을 제안한다. 제안하는 방법은 마커를 사용한 모션 캡처 기반의 실시간 강체 추적을 기반으로 역운동학을 통해 가상 아바타의 동작을 추정한다. 이를 통해 현실 세계에서의 간단한 객체 조작으로 몰입감 높은 가상환경을 설계함을 목적으로 한다. 가상 아바타를 통한 몰입형 가상환경에 관한 응용을 실험 및 분석하기 위하여 과학실험 교육 콘텐츠를 제작하고 시청각 교육, 전신 추적, 그리고 제안하는 강체 추적 방법과의 설문을 통해 비교 분석하였다. 제안한 가상환경에서 참가자들은 가상현실 HMD를 착용하고 추정된 동작으로부터 실험 교육 행동을 수행하는 가상 아바타로부터 몰입과 교육 효과를 확인하기 위한 설문을 진행하였다. 결과적으로 강체 추적 기반의 가상 아바타를 활용하는 방법을 통해 전통적인 시청각 교육보다 높은 몰입과 교육 효과를 유도할 수 있었으며, 전신 추적을 위한 많은 작업 없이도 충분히 긍정적인 경험을 제공할 수 있음을 확인하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 한성대학교 학술연구비 지원과제임 (김진모, Jinmo Kim).

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