Thanks for taking the time to review my projects!
The projects I am most proud of are the VR/AR projects I built during my time working with the 3DUI group at Virginia Tech. All of my research work was done on university machines and I no longer have access to most of the source code, so instead I have included descriptions of the projects, screenshots/videos of the code in action and links to publications related to the projects.
VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SPORT PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING
Based upon the success of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET), where phobic patients are treated for their fears using virtual environments, I was curious to explore the potential of virtual reality as a training platform for high-anxiety sport situations. Using Virginia Tech’s VisCube (a 4-walled immersive VR display), I developed an application for soccer goalkeepers to defend against penalty kicks. Sensors were used to track the users position, reaction time, heart rate, and galvanic skin response (GSR). Multiple environments were created, with varying degrees of fidelity and anxiety triggers. The application was used for two studies, one with high-level goalkeepers and the other with regular population. Using physiological sensors and surveys we were able to determine that anxiety could be triggered in users, suggesting that VR has potential for sport psychology training.
Screenshots
Related Publications
Master’s thesis: Stinson, C. Master’s Thesis: Virtual reality for sport training, 2013.
VIRTUAL REALITY FOR BIOMECHANICAL TRAINING
This project was built to explore the potential of using a fun, interactive VR experience for sport biomechanical training. The system was aimed at kids aged 5-12 who were looking to improve their jumping ability. The system used a Microsoft Kinect for full-body tracking, and a standard TV as a display. The users movements controlled an avatar in the game, where they had to jump back and forth between rocks floating in a sea of lava. At the end of each round some biomechanical tips were shared with the user to help improve their jumping technique.
Video Demo
Related Publications
Master’s thesis: Stinson, C. Master’s Thesis: Virtual reality for sport training, 2013.
VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE
The challenge for this contest was to build novel software for use in virtual search and rescue. We built an application that can be used to train search and rescue efforts using Virtual Reality. The responder uses a head-mounted display to navigate within a 3D environment filled with hazards and danger. The scene commander has a mixed 2D/3D view on a standard display and can help guide the responder through the environment using waypoints and audio instructions.
Video Demo
Related Publications
VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SOLVING 3D PUZZLES
The challenge for this contest was to build novel software for solving 3D puzzles. Imagine a 3D version of tetris where you have a variety of shapes (each consisting of blocks) and you need to arrange the shapes correctly to make a 3×3 cube. We came up with an innovative solution using the idea of ‘building blocks’. The users could navigate the 3D puzzle using a tracker in one hand to rotate/spin the environment, and a 3D cursor wand to place blocks of the puzzle piece.