Master’s thesis Position in Immersive Virtual Reality starting 7.1.2020 or earlier if so agreed.

Collaboration, CoDesign and user Involvement in Fully Immersive virtual Environments (CoDIFIE)

Work starting 7.1.2020 or earlier if so agreed.
Application deadline 29.11.2019

Virtual Reality technologies have advanced in strides along with the increased processing power, sensor and wireless technologies. Oculus (part of Facebook) and HTC among others have brought to the market several reasonably priced consumer VR systems that aim to popularize VR to everyday use, while other companies like Finnish Varjo is focusing on superior image quality at a higher price point. Even though most of the consumer applications are geared towards games or entertainment, there seems also to be growing interest towards wider use outside simple fun.

User-Centered Design and Co-Design excels in innovating new products and services based on user needs, behavior and desires by involving users in the design process. VR technology inherently aims to separate users from the real world to immersive artificial environments or at least inject virtual components that are not easily sharable between the virtual and real worlds. This virtual boundary, or “immersion bubble”, poses challenges to apply current Co-Design practices to designing VR services. 

How does a person inside an immersive environment work with other people who are in the real world?

How can we study the use, usability, user experience, or CoDesign in immersive applications with users in situ if we do not want to break the illusion of immersion?

Which types of applications are more susceptible to immersion interruptions, and what are the preferred interaction methods in VR to preserve immersion?

Or does it even matter? What are the direct benefits of immersive CoDesign or user involvement?

This master’s thesis work consists of state-of-the-art literature study on immersive VR technology and environments. It will include construction of an immersive VR environment, designing and executing empirical user study to investigate the fragility of immersion and mapping out the most potential ways to interact through the immersion bubble without breaking it.

Applicant must be fluent in UCD/CoDesign practices and have rudimentary programming skills. Prior knowledge of VR or Unity is not compulsory but appreciated.

This thesis position is for six (6) months starting Tuesday 7.1.2020 or earlier if so agreed.

Salary according to the Aalto University salary table: 2285,23€ / month.

Submit your motivation letter (max. 1 pages) with your CV and study transcript by November 29 through the application link below. More information from Mika P. Nieminen ([email protected], +358 40 731 2625)