Interaction Design- VR Classroom Simulation

INTERACTION DESIGN - II Aditi Singh | Ambika Menon | Gayathri Menon | Anushka Jain | Srinija Ghantasala

CLASSROOM SIMULATION

CHOSEN EMOTION -

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Longing is an emotion which is defined as ‘yearning desire’ The elements of Longing: ◆ A waiting period/ Anticipation ◆ Nostalgia (a longing for objects/ experiences/ interactions from the past) ◆ Curiosity (a longing to know something) ◆ Aspiration (a longing for objects/ experiences/ interactions in the future) Longing is mostly associated with Loneliness, Envy and Desperation Through our Context, we would like to bring a sense of Fulfilment to Longing

CONTEXT : A DAY IN A SCHOOL -

Many children who are terminally ill usually drop out of school due to their condition or in some cases, have never been to a school.

Through VR, we aim to simulate a day in school - from classroom experience to lunch hall and playground, etc.

This is to provide a sense of “normalcy� to those children - (re)experience going to school just like other children of their age.

The age group of our users will be 8-18 years

WHY VIRTUAL REALITY? -

Enabling our target user to experience a classroom setting without them having to move from their home/ medically controlled environment.

Making the User feel empowered through simple interactions. The judgement they could face when placed in a real classroom with students is also eliminated.

CONCEPT Our project focuses on providing experiences to terminally ill patients between the age of 8 and 18. The experience we have focused on in this case is that of being in a classroom. People who miss cherishing such memories can fulfill their sense of longing by spending some time in this environment that we have created.

PLACING OBJECTS IN VR Initial planning :-

From here, we chose to work with only the classroom. We followed this chart to place objects in the VR environment within the classroom.

TRIGGERING NOSTALGIA Initially, we thought of filming a 360 degree VR video, with staged circumstances and actors. However, the fact that every user comes from a different geographical and cultural background, seeing people of a different demographic would not make the VR experience as authentic as possible. Additionally, showing the user their hands in live action would also create a disconnect. Another constraint was that a VR video would limit a user’s agency and not enable us to create interactions with objects.

Although we contemplated on the validity of a simulated classroom environment, we realised that triggering nostalgia through objects and interactions, wherein the user is able to create a connect to their own experiences in a classroom, would be a more fulfilling experience than a staged live action VR video.

INTERACTIONS In order to make the experience more wholesome, we have included interactions within the classroom like grabbing and throwing things around in the class.

Along with visual interactions, we’ve also added audio for added experience. Audio that transports you into the environment. Chattering students, banging desks, teacher discussing topics, all these added sounds help the user feel more in the moment.

LIST OF INTERACTIONS Majority of the interactions we added are pick-up and throw.

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All crumpled papers can be picked up and thrown around.

The paper plane can be picked up, with one hand, and can be thrown around. The material is set to paper, so the motion of the plane will look real The globe at the back of the class can rotate.

Apart from these, the user can walk the perimeter of the class with the VR headset The view of the outside classroom is also very clear from the windows.

A GLIMPSE OF THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

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THANK YOU