Exploring Configurations for Multi-user Communication in Virtual Reality

TL;DR

This paper introduces CollabVR, a multi-user VR collaboration environment, exploring different participant configurations and interaction modes to enhance communication and idea sharing in virtual spaces.

Contribution

It presents three novel participant configurations and interaction modes for multi-user VR collaboration, along with an implementation and evaluation of their effectiveness.

Findings

Configuration (2) improved face-to-face communication.

Eyes-free mode facilitated non-verbal cues.

Participants preferred the shared display setup.

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) enables users to collaborate while exploring scenarios not realizable in the physical world. We propose CollabVR, a distributed multi-user collaboration environment, to explore how digital content improves expression and understanding of ideas among groups. To achieve this, we designed and examined three possible configurations for participants and shared manipulable objects. In configuration (1), participants stand side-by-side. In (2), participants are positioned across from each other, mirrored face-to-face. In (3), called "eyes-free," participants stand side-by-side looking at a shared display, and draw upon a horizontal surface. We also explored a "telepathy" mode, in which participants could see from each other's point of view. We implemented "3DSketch" visual objects for participants to manipulate and move between virtual content boards in the environment. To evaluate the system, we conducted a study in which four people at a time used each of the three configurations to cooperate and communicate ideas with each other. We have provided experimental results and interview responses.