Data Visualisation Software

DATA4100

Data Visualisation Software

Lesson 2 Immersive environments and business

(virtual reality)

Lesson Learning Outcomes

1 Define virtual reality and immersive environments

2 Investigate immersion environments business

applications

3 Compare virtual reality software companies

4 Assess the applications & advantages of

immersion analytics

This Topic’s Big Idea

"The screen is a window through which one sees a

virtual world. The challenge is to make that world

look real, act real, sound real, feel real.“

- Ivan Sutherland

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Motivating Business scenario

Suppose that you are a data visualisation analyst in one of these industries

• Health

• Resources

• Retail

• Communications

• Education

• Technology

• You have been reporting to and training staff via static and interactive 3-D visuals, however you have found it is often inadequate.

• You want to go one step further by creating an illusionary environment that your work colleagues can step into.

• How will you make this happen?

What is an Immersive

Environment? L01 • Virtual reality (VR) is a “realistic and immersive simulation

of a three-dimensional environment, created using

interactive software and hardware, and experienced or

controlled by movement of the body.”

• VR is a type of immersion (or immersive) environment

(IE). By using the VR system, you are immersed in an

illusionary environment.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/virtual-reality?s=t

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Virtual_reality_game.png

What is an Immersive

Environment? L01 • Augmented virtuality is “Computer -generated imagery

that can be manipulated by the user.” E.g. deigning a

kitchen by moving virtual components via a touch screen

• Mixed reality is about augmenting real environments with

digital elements, e.g. Pokémon Go App

• Mixed reality can also be thought of as a type of immersion

environment

https://www.pcmag.com › encyclopedia › term ›

augmented-virtuality

https://simplicable.com/new/immersive-environment

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Case study 1: Student learning

using an Imaginarium LO2

Business problem: Coomera Anglican College was having issues engaging their students so they turned to immersive visualization.

Solution: Immersaview designed a number of immersive environments.

“A climate-controlled, 360° imaginarium was built, featuring six laser projectors and cinema quality surround sound, a seamless 360° sensory experience without the need for wearable technology.”

Click on the link below to see the

imaginarium

https://youtu.be/94ga2HkV0KU

https://www.immersaview.com/work/

How realistic are these environments?

Case Study 2: AR – Trimble

Construction video

• Watch the video below about AR in the construction industry

• What advantage does this app give engineers when building new structures?

Case study 3: Mines Rescue

Training • Business problem: Mines Rescue NSW respond to underground

incidents on mining sites. The challenge was to create a number of

state-of-the-art training facilities, such that trainees could be safe, and

yet, be immersed in a hazard situation.

• Solution: Immersaview designed four “360 degree stereoscopic

theatres” with curved and half-dome displays.

– The rescue teams can participate in simulated emergencies

– Simulations can be stopped and restarted at any stage.

Case study 4: Glenlevit seamless

city-to-city tour display LO2 • Business problem: Glenlevit, a Scottish whisky producing company,

set out on a city-to-city tour of the US to promote their products. The challenge was to create an engaging display for potential customers attending their promotional events.

• Solution: Immersaview Warp, “which allowed for the content from a single PC to be seamlessly displayed on the curved projection surface, with precision geometry correction and edge blending.”

• The content was displayed on a 12.2 x 2.4 metre (40x8 foot) curved projection screen, so customers could sit back be immersed by the display and sample the drinks.

https://www.immersaview.com/work/

Activity 1: Workplace safety and

training using Oculus Rift VR

• Watch the video below about workplace applications of gaming VR technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gKznb6l_BU

Instructions: As a group

Q1. Describe immersive environments in your own words.

Q2. How is VR improving the work safety training in this case?

Q3. What elements (objects, odours and sounds), would have to be considered by a VR programmer when simulating a factory fire using this technology e.g. Factory floor layout.

Considerations when creating an

immersive environment

• Attention to detail

– List of all components required

– Create sensory richness

• Audience transformation

– How will the environment transform the user?

– What role is each person taking in the simulation?

• Look at the original aspects of the space available

• Allow the user to make decisions in the IE

• Chose the software/hardware fit for purpose

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2016/06/09/the-6-secrets-to-creating-a-truly-immersive-

experience/#564bf9693918

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed

under CC BY-SA-NC

VR Companies

• Vive: https://www.vive.com/au/

• Unreal: https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/

• Unity: https://unity.com/

• Microsoft HoloLense: https://www.microsoft.com/en- us/hololens

• 7DX: https://7dx.co/

• Start Beyond: https://www.startbeyond.co/

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Activity 2: More VR companies

• Oculus.com

• VironIT

• Next/Now

• Groove Jones

• Immersaview

Instructions: As a group, explore the applications on the Oculus,

Immersaview or VironIT website.

Q1: How do these companies compare in terms of the diversity of

products/applications?

Q2. Which company would be best for simulating a job interview ?

Why?

Activity 3: Creating an immersive

environment Instructions: Form groups and choose an industry from the list below.

• Health

• Resources

• Retail

• Communications

• Education

• Technology

1. Think of an application in the industry that you have chosen, e.g. Scrub

nurse training in Health.

2. Assuming that you will be partnering with one of the VR companies,

write down the specifications for an immersive training environment

relevant to the application, e.g. you want to simulate a surgical theatre

environment for a scrub nurse

Immersive Analytics

Immersive Analytics enables you to engage with your data using virtual

reality or mixed reality?

Situated Analytics uses virtual data which is organised in relation to

objects, locations and people in the real world, e.g.

• Virtual labels on objects

• Using IoT to remind you what you need to buy at the shop

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-

releases/immersion-analytics-brings-dataviz-to-the-

magic-leap-one-300927255.html

Immersive Analytics Companies

• Virtualitics

• Immersionanalytics

• Visual Analytics Collaboratory

Activity 4: Immersive Analytics toolkit

IATK is an Immersive Analytics toolkit

• Uses menu-driven software

• Enables you to build interactive immersive visualisations

Watch the video below and answer the questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQKkOzS-mTY

Q: Which plots are being built in this video?

Q2: What advantage does this toolkit have over general 3-D images?

Immersion Analytics in Healthcare P1, LO4

• Qlik Sense creates immersion analytics app for Heath care, to help

doctors with the next decisions

• The app shows feasible pathways of patient care

• Doctors can click on, or use voice, to enter data and get output

• Watch the video at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g1G2TjnJdw

Instructions: As a group answer these questions

Q1. Describe immersion analytics in your own words.

Q2. How does the input alter the possible pathways of care?

Q3. What do you see as the limitations of this US-based system?

VR in Healthcare P2, LO4

• Watch the video on image-guided surgery

• How is holographic projection touch screen helping these surgeons?

Immersion Analytics in

Manufacturing L04 Watch the video below on the application of immersion analytics to

manufacturing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwbG20pvPzY

Instructions: : Form a group and answer the following questions.

Q1. What sort of data is the user interacting with in this case?

Q2. What is the advantage of immersive analytics compared to standard

analytics in this case?

Q3. Can you think of another application of this technology?

Activity 5: Research into immersion

analytics • Monash University researchers are developing new immersive analytics

techniques & technology, to support decision making

• Watch the video below and answer the questions

https://www.monash.edu/it/our-

research/strengths/chic/research/immersive-analytics

Q1. How is immersive analytics described in this video?

Q2. How are the research group working with maps?

Q3. How is the technology used to improve chemical plants?

The benefits of Immersion

analytics for storytelling • Greater scale (multi-dimensional datasets can be

investigated easily)

• Better focus by surrounding the user with data attributes

(beside, above, behind, in front of them)

• Greater density of information can be displayed – easing

cognitive load

• Human-centred interpretation

• Greater engagement!

https://medium.com/badvr/why-vr-the-many-benefits-of-immersive-data-analysis-a8590f7b4284

https://webapps.stackexchange.com

Activity 6: Integration exercise

Instructions:

• In your groups, build on the work done in Activity 3.

• With reference to the industry and application you chose

in Activity 3, think of the data you would like displayed in

the immersive environment.

• For example, in the case of the scrub nurse, you may

want to have preparation time, training hours done,

measures of efficiency and cleanliness of the nurse.