Focus Group «Extended Reality»

During the founding workshop held on March 20, 2023, at the Institute of Sports Science, participants were introduced to the laboratory and CAVE infrastructure available there. Following a welcome address by the President of the Digitalization Commission, members of the focus group presented their previous XR projects. Finally, an informal reception provided additional opportunities for discussion and networking. The focus group's future direction was also discussed. 

We held our second workshop on 23.04.24 at the Virtual Insel Simulation Lab of the Faculty of Medicine on the topic "Emergency Medicine: From Real to Virtual".

In the first part, Tanja Birrenbach and Thomas Sauter gave us a guided tour of the Inselspital emergency centre.

The second part of the workshop began with a presentation by Ronan Boulic, head of the Immersive Interaction Group at EPFL and a long-time user of VR technologies. He gave us an insight into his research work and discussed the opportunities and challenges of this technology with us.

Title: Exploring the Boundaries of Full-body Embodiment in Immersive Virtual Reality
Abstract: When interacting through a Head-Mounted Display (HMD) in virtual reality, the participant is not able to visually assess the current state of their real body. In addition, the human proprioception is known to be less precise than visual localisation in some contexts. This allows to assess the extend to which the participant may tolerate discrepancies between the current state of their real body and the displayed avatar virtual body. Our research activities have leveraged on this type of experimental setup, among others, to identify the necessary conditions for accepting the full-body avatar as our own body in immersive virtual reality. The presentation will provide an overview of our results in this research direction.

In a subsequent demonstration section, Tanja Birrenbach, Thomas Sauter and their team will show us the VR tools developed and used in their research group.
The workshop concluded with a joint discussion and time for networking over drinks.

The third workshop will take place on 6 June 2025 from 13:00 at the Institute of Psychology of the Faculty of Humanities. In addition to getting to know the infrastructure there, two lectures from the field of XR are part of the programme:
 

Potentials for adaptive learning in XR: Automated recognition of cognitive processes with eye tracking

Babette Bühler

Extended Reality (XR) opens up new possibilities for immersive learning environments in which learning processes can not only be designed but also continuously supported. The ‘Human-Centered Technologies for Learning’ research group at the Technical University of Munich is investigating how cognitive processes such as attention, cognitive load and reading comprehension can be recorded and modelled in immersive learning environments. Examples of this include analysing cognitive load in virtual reality, investigating attention processes in virtual classrooms and the AR system SARA. The latter uses eye tracking to recognise comprehension problems when reading in real time and offers adaptive assistance.

The presentation will focus on current research into the automated recognition of mind wandering, the spontaneous wandering of thoughts during learning. This form of attention deviation often occurs unnoticed, has been shown to impair learning performance and can be modelled in a differentiated way using gaze data. Several studies have shown that eye tracking - sometimes combined with facial videos and physiological signals - can differentiate between conscious and unconscious mind wandering. Eye synchronisation with other learners has also proven to be a promising indicator of self-reported attention.

Eye tracking has proven to be the most robust sensor for the continuous recording of cognitive states. Based on this research, adaptive interventions can be developed, such as visual cues for refocussing, targeted pause recommendations or content-related assistance when attention wanes. Particularly in XR environments with integrated sensor technology, this opens up new possibilities for cognitive-sensitive systems that accompany learning, such as SARA, which can react to individual attention patterns in real time.

The Future Laboratory: Real Behaviour and Real Emotions in Virtual Environments

Benjamin Schöne

This presentation explores how virtual reality (VR) can significantly enhance the ecological validity of psychological experiments without sacrificing experimental control. Traditional laboratory experiments in psychology often employ artificial stimuli-such as word lists, shapes, or static images-to ensure maximum control over cognitive and emotional processes. While this approach enables precise measurement, it frequently lacks ecological validity, limiting the generalisability of findings to real-world scenarios.

VR offers a compelling solution by immersing participants in realistic environments, thereby bridging the gap between controlled experimental conditions and naturalistic experiences. Importantly, VR not only recreates lifelike environments but may also fundamentally alter the functional properties of cognitive and emotional processes compared to conventional 2D settings.

Studies on inattentional blindness, for example, demonstrate that participants in VR are more likely to notice unexpected events, suggesting that attentional mechanisms operate differently in immersive contexts. Similarly, research on autobiographical memory shows that experiences encoded in VR elicit neural patterns closely resembling those formed during real events, pointing to more authentic memory processing. Investigations into face perception further reveal that VR presentations evoke distinct neural responses compared to 2D stimuli, underlining the critical role of immersive context in social cognition.

By integrating VR into experimental paradigms, researchers can revisit and expand established theories, capturing human cognition and emotion in forms that are not only more ecologically valid but may also reveal new functional dynamics. This approach opens promising avenues for exploring complex behaviours within controlled yet realistic settings.

Interested parties are welcome to register by email (ralf.kredel@unibe.ch)!