VenueGen Whitepaper 3D Functionality Requirements

8/9/2019 VenueGen Whitepaper 3D Functionality Requirements

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Functionality Requirements for the

Successful use of 3D Environments

Key Learnings from Pilot Projects UtilizingImmersive 3D Platforms and Technology for Applications

Involving Synchronous Training and Collaboration

May 20, 2010


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Table of ContentsAbstract ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 4

Sound, Volume and VoIP Control .............................................................................................................................. 4

Individual Microphone Mute and Volume Control .................................................................................................. 4

Open Microphones and Echo Cancellation ........................................................................................................... 5

Positional Sound ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Multi-Channel VoIP and Proximity Zones .............................................................................................................. 6

Dial-in Capabilities ................................................................................................................................................. 7

Individual Granular Control of Attendees ................................................................................................................... 8

Content Control ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Mobility Control ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

Speaking Control ................................................................................................................................................... 9

Appearance and Animation Control ....................................................................................................................... 9

Presence Control ................................................................................................................................................... 9

Moderator Control ................................................................................................................................................. 9

Access: Firewalls and Proxy Servers ......................................................................................................................... 9

Behind the Firewall Installations .......................................................................................................................... 10

Flash

and Java

- based 3D Applications ......................................................................................................... 10

Independent Firewall Friendly Solutions .............................................................................................................. 10

Content Integration .................................................................................................................................................. 11

Screen Sharing .................................................................................................................................................... 11

Host Controlled Distributed Content .................................................................................................................... 11

Browser Content .................................................................................................................................................. 13

Fidelity and Realism ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Avatar Face Fidelity ............................................................................................................................................. 13

Realism ............................................................................................................................................................... 15

Focus and Eye Contact ....................................................................................................................................... 15

Self Expression and Non-Verbal Communication ................................................................................................ 16

Ease of Use ............................................................................................................................................................. 16

Interacting with Objects ....................................................................................................................................... 16

Navigation ........................................................................................................................................................... 17

Gesturing ............................................................................................................................................................. 18Set and Forget ..................................................................................................................................................... 18

Viewing Content .................................................................................................................................................. 19

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 20

About VenueGen ..................................................................................................................................................... 20

Appendix: Capability Checklist................................................................................................................................. 21


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AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to assist those who are using or considering the use of 3D virtualenvironments. It is a guide to identifying and prioritizing a process for selecting and evaluating3D technology, functionality and virtual platforms. It is written to assist both technical andnontechnical individuals who may be tasked with teaching, informing, collaborating, supportingor persuading a geographically dispersed audience and who are considering the use of varioustechnologies and platforms to create immersive 3D virtual environments as their modality. It is apractical guide based on the first hand experiences of those who piloted various virtual 3Dtechnologies for these applications. These findings are relevant to almost all 3D applications forbusiness and learning with the exception of custom built simulators. It is formatted as asummary of technical requirements, best practices, pitfalls and techniques that can be utilized tocreate virtual experiences.

Questions this paper answers

1. What are the most common technical problems and obstacles reported by those utilizing3D virtual environments technology today?

2. How are 3D platform vendors innovating today to address the issues reported by thosewho pioneered the use of their technologies?

3. What technical capabilities are considered most essential for conducting consistentlysuccessful virtual meetings?

4. Why is granular individual VoIP control a requirement for all immersive meetings?5. How important is graphical fidelity and realism to creating immersive 3D environments?6. What are the benefits and drawbacks of the various technical approaches vendors use

to integrate content into 3D virtual environments?7. What are the most common constraints that firewalls and proxy servers place on the use

of 3D virtual technology and what are the various approaches platform vendors use toaddress these challenges?

8. What are the most common interface design mistakes that can cause 3D environmentsto be confusing and difficult to learn and use?

9. Which technological features are most important for driving adoption of 3D technologywithin most organizations?


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Introduction3D environments can be incredibly engaging, interactive and cost effective when supported bythe right technology and functionality. For several years now, trainers, business professionalsand educators have been experimenting with 3D technologies and techniques. Their pilotprojects generally were targeted at one or more of the following goals:

o Achieve better distance learning outcomeso Create more engaging personal and cost-effective virtual meetingso Increase productivity and creativity through online collaborationo Extend the reach and accessibility of real-world meetings and events

Over the last three years, these initiatives reported mixed results. Early adopters of the 3Dmodality endured many obstacles including immature software and limited technical functionalityto gain early firsthand experience with what many believed could be a major advancement inhow we meet and learn. These pioneers were excited about the potential of a more engagingand personal online experience. They were emboldened by numerous studies and surveys thatindicated how almost all of the important metrics from participation to retention seemed todramatically improve when virtual attendees were immersed in an environment that felt andfunctioned more like a real-world experience. Business professionals piloted 3D initiatives inthe hopes of moving their distance presentations beyond passive screen sharing to a morenatural and personal interaction with staff, partners and customers.

Interviewing those who piloted 3D virtual initiatives has been encouraging in that they, for themost part, still believe in the promise of immersive distance meetings and training. Todaysgeneration of 3D technologies are delivering successful solutions and are beginning to addressthe issues raised by these early adopters and to incorporate the specific functionality they foundto be critically important.

Following is a listing of some of the technical factors and capabilities cited as most important to

any successful 3D immersive experience.

Sound Volume and VoIP ControlFirst and many would argue foremost, sound has to be right in order to conduct successfulonline meetings. You only need to attend one or two virtual events to realize how criticallyimportant granular VoIP control is to the meetings success. The CEO of Vivox Corporation putit best, If you dont have spot on VoIP then you dont have anything when it come to virtualgathering. There are several technical requirements to making VoIP work well in virtualenvironments.

Individual Microphone Mute and Volume ControlMost 3D platforms today still tend to put all virtual attendees into a single VoIP channel with onemaster volume for the group as a whole. This approach is the reason for most virtual meetingstarting late as each participant is asked to adjust his volume manually one at a time based onfeedback from the group. Often attendees are unable to figure out how to get their microphonevolume to an acceptable level because their headset is managed by volume controls found in


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the operating system control panel, proprietary device driver software and a physical control onthe headset itself; any of which could be the problem. Add to this confusion the fact that thereare often multiple microphone control slider bars in Windows, line-ins and microphone boostoptions hidden in various windows depending on which version of the operating system you areusing. It seems simple enough to ask someone to turn their microphone volume down but infact they may not be able to figure it out and unfortunately one bad volume can ruin the entire

groups experience.

The answer is simple. Each attendee must be able to control every other attendees volumeindividually for themselves. In other words, if Bills volume is too low I should be able to click onBills avatar and increase his volume but only for me (i.e. this will not affect how others hearBill). With this ability each attendee simply makes a few adjustments on the fly as others arespeaking and the meeting just hums along. Without individual volume and mute control you areasking for a frustrating experience.

Some vendors now offer auto-volume leveling technology which attempts to automatically adjusteach participants volume to a similar level. This technology is based on quick initial samplingsand can help some but it is not a replacement for individual volume control. Most experienced

VoIP users will agree that it is rare for any auto-leveling technology to adjust every attendeesvolume perfectly. Individual and granular control of the volume at which you hear others is anabsolute must for painless virtual meetings.

Open Microphones and Echo CancellationA single attendee or student with an open microphone can ruin your virtual training class ormeeting. If a participant does not have a headset, the sound of others speaking comes throughhis speakers and into his open microphone which then rebroadcasts the sound back to thosewho are speaking. This is extremely frustrating as speakers hear everything they say echoedback to them making it almost impossible to focus on what they are saying. It is often very

difficult to figure out which attendee in a larger group has the open microphone or even toexplain to them what the problem is when communications are so hampered.

Some vendors have attempted to address this issue by adding a push to talk feature thatforces virtual attendees to hold down a particular key while speaking like using a CB radio.Ones microphone is muted automatically except when the talk key is being held down. Thisdoes stop open microphones echoes but it also adds a level of complication to the virtualmeeting as communication becomes less free flowing and natural. Attendees often forget tohold down the required key when they talk leading to long silences before apologies andbacktracking.

Not everyone has an available headset and even if they do they still may not be able to turn off

a built-in open microphone in their laptop, etc. The best solution to this problem is having afeature that gives the host control to force only the attendees with open microphones into pushto talk mode and leaves everyone else as is.

Echo cancellation is a sophisticated technology that is also targeted at this problem. It attemptsto automatically remove echoes from open microphones via sound pattern recognition. Echocancellation sometimes works well but other times it does not work at all. Echo cancellation andgranular host control of push to talk are both required capabilities for any online meeting of anysize especially if there will be attendees that are new to virtual meetings.


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Positional SoundPositional sound significantly enhances the virtual meeting experience and dramatically reducesaudio fatigue for attendees. Positional sound attempts to simulate how we hear sound in thereal world. It allows virtual attendees to hear others speaking predominately through their left orright speaker based on the relative location of others to them in the virtual space. It also

reduces the volume of others proportionately to how far away they are from the listener.Positional sound gives acoustical clues as to where others are virtually standing or sitting andas such significantly increases the sense of presence and immersion in virtual environments.

This effect is hard to describe without experiencing it firsthand. For example, when someone atthe end of the table begins speaking, without even seeing that person, attendees automaticallyknow that the speaker is sitting to their left several seats away. When compared to everyonebeing in a non-positional VoIP channel i.e. a single volume without stereo, the difference isliterally miraculous. As will be discussed later, fidelityis an important part of what makes avirtual environment work and positional sound is critically important to creating that sense ofpresence. In the real world, we tend to look at other people when they speak to us. Withoutdirectional sound clues, no one knows where to look so they either begin scanning the virtual

room trying to see whose mouth is moving or they simply stare off into space not evenattempting to look at the speaker which creates an equally weird effect.

Audio fatigue is a known and well-documented problem in the telecom and virtual meetingindustries. We are conditioned since birth to associate sound with a source. Presenters at the2009 Basex Conference on Teleconferencing argued that when attendees cannot see who isspeaking as much as 30% of their mental energy is spent trying to fill in the missing dataasking who said that and who was that said to. That is a potential 30% less mental cyclesavailable to focus on what is actually being presented. This effect is the reason why we tend tofeel more tired and mentally drained after a long telephone conference call than we do after areal world meeting.

Positional sound is not just a VoIP gimmick, it frees up mental energy and focus which enablesattendees to learn and retain more while making better and faster decisions. It is an importantcapability that will help your virtual attendees reduce audio fatigue. It will also enable them toquickly look at others who are speaking to communicate their attention which dramaticallyincreases the fidelity and realism of the virtual experience.

Multi-Channel VoIP and Proximity ZonesA single VoIP channel works OK for smaller virtual gatherings but for larger classes, meetingsand events with dozens of attendees a multi-channel VoIP solution is required. Imagine you areseated with a few of your colleagues at a virtual lecture or conference with fifty to a hundred

other attendees. You need to hear the presenter or panelists but you also would like to be ableto make comments to your colleagues sitting near you. If everyone in the room is in a singleVoIP channel then you will hear everyone in the room, thus making it very difficult to hear thepresenters. This is especially true in a positional VoIP channel where you hear those closest toyou the loudest. Single channel VoIP solutions try to avoid this problem by muting those whoare not presenters but this removes your ability to whisper to colleagues and it creates anunnatural silence in the venue that dramatically reduces the fidelity of the experience.


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A two-channel VoIP technology addresses these issues allowing each attendee to be in both asmall directional proximity-based VoIP channel and an all inclusive non-directional VoIP channelsimultaneously. The large inclusive channel is used by presenters like a house microphone.Everyone can hear the housechannel but only presenters andthose granted permission can

speak into it. This has the effectof a real world housemicrophone or PA system.Anyone using the housemicrophone VoIP channel canbe heard clearly by everyoneregardless of distance.

At the same time, attendees are also in a small proximity-based VoIP channel into which theycan speak and hear. Small proximity-based VoIP zones can encompass each attendee and afew seats to either side. They allow colleagues to whisper to each other and share insightswithout disturbing the entire room. If the proximity zones are sized properly they will also

provide just the right amount of ambient noise to create the sense of being in the audience at anevent of similar size and crowd. If an attendee is seated close by (within the proximity range) ofanother chatty attendee he can individually mute that person if the VoIP channel also supportsthis feature.

Getting directional, non-directional and proximity-based VoIP ranges right is as much of an artas it is a science. The size, shape and configuration of the virtual venue must be taken intoconsideration. For example, in a large lecture hall one would want small individual proximityzones but in a smaller, more collaborative, venue such as a board room with facing chairs onewould want a single proximity zone that includes all attendees. In effect, the VoIP zones andproximity sizes must be configured per venue and for the meeting experience that venue isdesigned to facilitate.

Larger training rooms are the most difficult of all venues to configure correctly from a VoIPperspective because of their duel functions. For example, at times a trainer may want to usethe class room like a lecture hall with a very small proximity VoIP zone for each student. Atother times the teacher may want to play the role of a facilitator for a class open discussionrequiring everyone to be in the same proximity-based VoIP zone. Other configurations mightinclude larger proximity zones for teams meeting in the corners of the room. The best VoIPsystem of all is one enabling the event host to dynamically adjust the size/range of theattendees proximity based VoIP zone on the fly. Preconfigured settings/use-cases make forthe simplest user interface here such as a menu option that allows hosts to configure theirvirtual training room for lecture, open discussion, etc.

Dial-in CapabilitiesDial-in refers to the ability to dial a telephone number that connects the caller to a VoIP channelwithin a virtual environment. Most 3D platforms, if they support dial-in at all, think of it in termsof an attendee who does not have access to a computer at the meeting time and is thereforelimited to audio-only participation. This is a common use case but a far more common use caseinvolves an attendee who does not have a headset or whose firewall settings do not allow VoIPtraffic. These participants can be and should be virtually present. They have an avatar, see


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content and can text chat with others. They just need a sound solution that incorporates theirvirtual presence.

The best dial-in solution is one that turns the attendees telephone receiver into a VoIP headsetfor all practical purposes. Although directional sound is not possible with a single-ear telephonereceiver, the participants avatars lips should move as the user speaks into the phone. This

capability alone dramatically increases the number of attendees who can participate in a virtualtraining event because it makes the event available to those who do not have a headset orcannot connect to a VoIP channel.

Individual Granular Control of AttendeesIn general, individual granular control refers to an instructor or meeting hosts ability to controleach attendees experience and permissions individually and not just as a group. Thiscapability is very important to achieving both the level of control and audience participation thatmakes for the best interactive virtual experiences. Individual granular control falls into several

categories.

Content ControlMeeting host/instructors must be able to pass content control individually to an attendee. Thegoal of 3D immersion is increased engagement. Allowing others to take control of contentallows them to be more than passive observers. It enables them to demonstrate their learningsand participate interactively in the process. The ability for an instructor or facilitator to removethis permission is equally important to maintain control.

Mobility ControlMeeting host/instructors mustbe able to individually grantand revoke the ability to standand move about. This isimportant especially in largervirtual venues and publicevents where one disruptiveattendee can compromiseeveryones experience. The

ability to come to the front ofthe class or lecture hall or tomove to a breakout session iscritically important to maintainthe feeling of activeparticipation and engagement.


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Speaking ControlMeeting host/instructors ability to individually grant and revoke an attendees right to speakpublicly is equally important for both creating an interactive experience and maintaining control.Attendees should be able to mute other attendees if they become a distraction. Meeting hostsshould have the ability to grant speaking privileges by VoIP channel to any attendee.

Appearance and Animation ControlThe host/instructor must have the ability to control any factor that might compromise thelearning process or event. For example, meeting attendees or students should not be allowedto dress or undress in a way that would be offensive or a distraction to others. Likewise,students should not have unchecked abilities to perform gestures or animations that would alsoprove counterproductive or disruptive. The best balance is to allow individual freedom ofexpression while empowering the instructor or presenter with the ability to restrict any attendeewho crosses the line.

Presence ControlMeeting hosts and Instructors must also have the ability to limit access to and even expel adisruptive participant. Corporate trainers often control access to sensitive and proprietaryinformation that must be kept secure. Public events particularly require the presenter to havean ability to control access and to expel invalid or distracting attendees. This is one lesson frompublic virtual worlds that cannot be ignored. The event host and those granted moderator rightsmust have total control of their virtual gathering.

Moderator ControlFinally, instructors and meeting hosts must have the ability to give another virtual attendee orinstructor the ability to moderate. Moderator control is the ability to grant and to revoke all of theabilities discussed thus far to another attendee.

Access: Firewalls and Proxy ServersMost surveys and reports being published today continue to find access as the single biggestproblem facing the expanded use of 3D virtual technology especially for corporate trainingapplications. 3D applications are particularly offensive to firewalls because they tend to require

diverse types of internet traffic including VoIP, positional data and all types of content. Nomatter how sophisticated the virtual offering, if your intended audience cannot participate thenyour initiative will fail.

Corporate security administrators will open firewall ports for approved products that theypurchase after a detailed evaluation but they rarely will do this for the one-off person who wantsto attend a virtual class or event. The bottom line is that your chosen platform must runseamlessly through the vast majority of corporate firewalls and proxy servers.


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Behind the Firewall Installations3D vendors tend to tackle the firewall problem in one of three ways. The first way is to requirethat their platform be installed behind their corporate customers firewall. Historically this hascreated a lot of difficulties for virtual learning pioneers. Besides adding upfront expense, risk,time and administrative complexity to the pilot project, this approach also only resolves the

firewall issue for employees that are in fact behind that particular firewall. When they try to usethe platform to include customers, business partners or anyone who does not work for theircompany, they discover that they have not solved their firewall problem but rather they havesimply moved it.

Flash and Java - based 3D ApplicationsA second way that 3D vendors attempt to work around firewalls is to develop a 3D Flash orJava-based application. Adobe Flash is a popular browser plug-in that allows movies andsimple interactive programs to run within a browser. Flash is very popular and as such it isapproved for download and use by most corporations. If a vendor can make their 3D

application look like Flash content then they can avoid many firewall obstacles.

The problem with this approach is that Flash content and interpretively run scripting languageslike Java are very limited graphically in what they can do compared to stand alone softwareprograms. Java and 3D Flash applications do tend to run through corporate firewalls but theyhave rather limited functionality and offer very poor fidelity. This presents a problem because,as will be discussed later, the fidelityof the virtual experience is important to how others useand view this technology within their organization. In the tradition of Jeff Foxworthys popularYou might be a redneck monologue,

If your avatar looks like a cartoon;If you are unable to turn your neck to look around;

If your virtual venueresembles Sponge Bobs livingroom;Thenyou might be a Java or 3D Flash application!

Independent Firewall Friendly SolutionsThe third and by far the most difficult way 3D vendors work around firewalls is to engineer everyaspect of their platform to run seamlessly through every type of firewall and proxy serverconfiguration. Very few vendors attempt this approach because getting this right, andaddressing the related security issues, etc., can be as time consuming and difficult as buildingtheir 3D platform originally.

This is by far the best approach because it provides for a platform that is accessible fromanywhere, can be used for any application or target audience and provides for a full-featuredhigh fidelity experience. Such offerings can also be offered as a service running as a browserplug-in. These applications require no firewall changes or complicated and expensive onsiteinstallation of servers. As such, they tend to require no upfront cash outlay or hardware and canbe purchased as a monthly subscription. Such pilots have far less risk and tend to be approvedfaster.


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Firewalls and proxy servers are no longer confined to large corporations. They are starting toappear in small companies and even as part of home cable and DSL provider networks.Firewall technology is also constantly evolving. Make sure that your chosen 3D platform notonly works well through existing firewalls and proxy servers, but also that your vendor iscommitted to maintaining that functionality on an ongoing basis into the future.

Content IntegrationA major component of most virtual training and meetings is the ability to share and collaboratearound various types of content. There are two ways to achieve this in a 3D virtualenvironment.

Screen SharingThe ability to broadcast ones screen buffer to others has been around for many years but the

ability to share that image on a viewer inside of a 3D environment creates a much moreimmersive experience. Screen sharing is a common way to allow others to view your contentwithout actually distributing that content to their local computers. Screen sharing, often calledweb conferencing, is the only way to allow others to see any real time edits you are making to adocument or other content.

There are, however, some major drawbacks to real time screen sharing if it is a platform s onlymethod for sharing content. Broadcasting many frames-per-second from your screen buffer isvery bandwidth intensive and as such generally displays poorly except on the most static ofcontent. Screen sharing is woefully inadequate for sharing videos for example and evenPowerPoint documents with embedded slide transitions and animations can appear jerky anddelayed. Worst of all, real time 3D applications using VoIP are typically already maximizing

available bandwidth. When real time screen sharing is added to the mix VoIP often becomesscratchy and overall 3D performance can become slow and out of sync.

Host Controlled Distributed ContentAnother more complexapproach for sharingcontent within a 3Denvironment involvesdistributing the actualcontent to all participants

so that it can run locallyon the users computerwhile being controlled bythe instructor or meetinghost. For example aPowerPoint slide showor video can bedistributed to attendeesbut controlled by the


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meeting host. When the host decides to play or pause the video or to advance to the next slide,a small command is broadcasted to all attendees who then see the content change as if theywere looking at the instructors copy of that content.

There are many advantages to the distributeddocument approach. Content, especially contentwith moving graphics, displays smoothly just as if it were running locally because, in fact, it is

running locally. Another advantage of this approach is that it requires far less real timebandwidth than screen sharing. More available bandwidth means better performance in generalwithin the 3D environment especially where VoIP is concerned.

There can be a major limitation to the distributed document approach if the 3D platform requiresthat each attendee have the actual software viewer installed locally, i.e. PowerPoint, Word,the QuickTime player, etc. Sophisticated platforms avoid this requirement by converting allcontent to a common and ubiquitous format such as Flash prior to distribution. This removesthe requirement to have each content players or application installed locally.

Another limitation of the distributed document approach is that the distributed content must bedownloaded before it can be viewed. If large video files for example are added to a meeting or

training session they cannot be viewed by attendees until they have been completelydownloaded. Well architected platforms minimize this delay by allowing presenters to selectcontent for a virtual class or meeting when that meeting is created. Anyone who registers toattend that event will automatically have the content downloaded prior the events start time.This approach keeps almost all bandwidth available for use once the meeting has begun.

A final concern regarding distributed content is security. Ask to see your vendors securitywhitepaper. All content should be converted and encrypted before distribution with temporaryunlocking keys sent only when that content is being used by the presenter or instructor. Thedistributed and encrypted content should also be promptly removed from local hard drives assoon as the virtual event ends.

Ideally, your 3D platform shouldsupport both distributed contentand real time screen sharing.Distributed content providesbetter performance and asuperior viewing experiencewhile screen sharing is the onlyway to edit content in real timeonce a meeting has begun.

One last point to keep in mind isthat the way content is

reproduced within a 3Denvironment varies widely from vendor to vendor with varying degrees of fidelity. For example,most platform vendors support PowerPoint content but they do so by converting individualPowerPoint document slides into static JPEG images. This approach looses all PowerPointslide transitions, animations, embedded video etc. Platforms that have the ability to run Flashcontent natively within their 3D engines will have the most faithful content conversionsproducing in-world documents that look and respond exactly as they do when launched fromyour desktop.


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Browser ContentBrowsing the Internet and viewing web-base applications is a requirement for most 3D virtualtraining and meeting platforms. To avoid screen sharing almost all 3D platform vendors whosupport shared browsing use Linden Labs open source version of the Mozilla browser. Itallows an instructor or presenter to control each attendees local Firefox browser in such a way

as to appear that everyone is viewing the hosts browser within the 3D environment.

Unfortunately, there are many well-documented problems that have plagued the Linden Labsbrowser implementation on Windows based PCs. Because the Mozilla browser is a third partyapplication it is not tightly integrated with the Windows operating system the way that InternetExplorer (IE browser) is. For example, it does not share the Windows caching system orinformation about what browser plug-ins are installed. This often creates unexpected resultscausing some attendees to see one web page while others see something totally different.

Platforms that have taken the time to integrate the operating systems native browser into their3D engine will have much better compatibility and provide a more consistent viewing experiencefor virtual attendees. An added benefit of integrating native browsers is that they ship with the

operating system so they do not have to be included in the 3D platform vendors installationprocess which reduces the average download size by dozens of megabytes.

Fidelity and RealismThere has been much debate about how important fidelityand realismare to the adoption anduse of immersive 3D applications. Fidelity refers to how lifelike and natural the avatars andvenues appear i.e. how faithfully they represent the real world experience they are simulating.

Some argue correctly that one can experience content and directional sound equally well with a

low polygon cartoonish avatar. Likewise one does not need shadows and high quality texturesto participate effectively in a class lecture. Some studies have even shown that children, forexample, often relate better to less realistic stylized virtual environments. Most 3D vendors,especially those offering low fidelity applications, will point to older concepts such as theUncanny Valley which stated that most people would prefer to have a cartoon -likerepresentation of themselves rather than something that looks close to human but strange. Inother words between photorealism and a cartoon lies the uncanny value where 3D gets weirdand creeps people out.

Avatar Face FidelityOur ability to create photo-realistic avatars and environments has come of age and the mostpractical argument for 3D fidelity involves avatar face creation. If a trainer, professor orexecutive can create his avatar with good fidelity from an uploaded photograph then everyonewho knows him will instantly recognize him at virtual events. This is valuable because itempowers virtual staff meetings to get off to a quick start as attendees do not have to introducetheir unrecognizable proxies. There are advantages when virtual attendees can tell immediatelywho is waving at them and professors, at a glance, can know who is asking the question withouthaving to endure clouds of jumbled floating name banners obscuring attendees and content.


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The demand and use of 3D photorealism today is unprecedented. We routinely watch moviesthat flow seamlessly between real and computer-generated characters with most of us none-the-wiser. We are told that the Uncanny Valley lies between photorealism and 3D art. If apersons photograph can be converted to a texture and accurately mapped onto his avatar thenone could argue effectively that we have at last crossed over the valley to the side of avatarphotorealism.

Business professionals generally want their avatar to be a fairly accurate representation ofthemselves so that they can be recognized immediately at virtual events. We talk about the

importance of getting face time i.e. the feeling of a personal experience with others. One CEOwas recently quoted as saying, My face is my brand. The president of a large university saidhe could see tremendous applications for the immersive internet from distance learning andfaculty office hours to student recruiting and alumni meetings. However, he continued, buttheres no way Im going to address my staff or students looking like some cartoon! The samesort of response has been echoed by many business leaders.

Many believe that 3D fidelity is important if for no other reason because it is linked to theadoption of 3D technology in general. For years some management teams laughed off 3D pilotprojects even after they demonstrated excellent metrics and solid ROI for no other reason thanthat they could not get past the fact that this technologys typical cartoonish characters remindthem of childrens games. Fidelity is important because it positions 3D meetings as a serious

tool that can provide faithful representations of the venues and people who teach, learn andwork within them.

The ProteusEffect is a well-documented principle of psychology. It basically states that the waywe act is influenced by how we feel about the way we look. In other words, humans have atendency to play the part based on how we feel about our appearance each day. It has oftenbeen stated that people onlybuy into and support a virtual environment to the extent that theybuy into and relate to their representation of themselves within that environment. It is interestingto watch the subtle changes in how focus group attendees act after they see their photo-created


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avatar for the first time. They often stop referring to the avatar as it and begin to refer to it asme. These subtleties are the essence of what creates the immersive sense-of-presence andself that makes virtual reality immersive.

If for no other reason, fidelity is important because it can have a very positive impact on thesuccess of your pilot project and the future adoption of your 3D workplace applications.

RealismRealism is an important part of fidelity that addresses how lifelike the 3D experience appears.For example, do avatars move in a natural and convincing way? Do they make eye contactwhen they look at others? Do their lips move appropriately while speaking? Can theycommunicate using expression?

Realism is important for many of the same reasons that fidelity is important. Would you want touse virtual conferencing and meeting tools if the fidelity was poor? For example, would you usevideo conferencing if the video images on your screen where washed out and blurred? What if

video attendees did not look like themselves and appeared to jerk around in unnatural lookingways? Probably not; it is important that 3D fidelity be of high enough quality to basically not beall that noticeable or at least not be a distraction. The attendees mind should have minimalobstacles in accepting the virtual venue and other attendees as reasonable likenesses of whatis being simulated. If others appear as flat cartoons incapable of neck movement or the abilityto walk without ice skating, then the business professional or student is constantly beingreminded that the immersion is not real. Realism is important because it helps the virtual worldto get out of the way so that attendees can focus on the goals of their gathering.

The key to an immersive movie viewing experience is the suspension of disbelief. We have allwatched low budget movies with poor and unconvincing graphics and sets. No matter howgreat the dialogue or story line, you probably struggled to get into the movie. Many 3D

pioneers report a similar experience when using low fidelity platforms.

It can take additional years of technical and artistic polishing, even after a 3D platform has beenlaunched, to create consistently smooth and natural looking avatar movement. Sophisticated3D platform providers, in businessfor the long haul, know that this timeconsuming and expensive effort iscritical to their products success andthe long term adoption of the 3Dmodality.

Focus and Eye ContactA fundamental question thatteachers and presenters askthemselves many times in both realand virtual meetings is Do I havetheir attention? A huge advantagethat realistic high-fidelity platformsafford is the ability for users to


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communicate focus and attention. Users can move their focus causing their avatar to adjusthead, neck, eyes and posture appropriately so others can see exactly where they are looking.When an avatar turns and look directly at you, then you know you have that persons attention.This fidelity dramatically increases the overall sense of presence and makes virtual eventsmuch more personal and engaging.

Self Expression and Non-Verbal CommunicationAnother important part of 3D fidelity and realism involves a virtual attendees ability to expresshimself. If you watch participants in a real world meeting or class room you will immediatelynotice that they do not just sit in passive trances. On the contrary, they constantly communicateeven when not speaking. They laugh, frown, fidget, slump, grimace and do a host of otherthings to communicate their engagement in and feelings about what is happening or being said.The ability for virtual attendees to use non-verbal communication is an important part of whatkeeps them engaged and actively participating. In lectures, conferences and larger gatheringswe may not all be afforded an opportunity to state our opinions verbally but we can all stillcommunicate and this ability keeps us from becoming passive disengaged bystanders.

Although some platform vendors dismiss non-verbal communication as simply being cute or agimmick, 3D pioneers have discovered that it is these degrees of control that keep virtualattendees from slipping into the all-too-common disengaged state associated with passive 2Dweb conferencing.

Ease of UseOver two consecutive years at one virtual learning conference the audience was asked to voteon what it believed to be the single biggest obstacle to the adoption and use of immersive 3D

environments within their organization. Both years the number one response was the same; 3Denvironments are too difficult to learn and use. The issues sited included installation,navigation, gesturing and content integration. No matter how full featured and sophisticatedyour 3D platform, if its difficult to learn and use you will have a major uphill battle reaping thebenefits it has to offer.

Rather than show specific 3D interface blunders (and they do abound) this section will focus onsome broad guidelines and generally accepted best practices for interfacing and controllingones experience in a virtual environment. Most of these best practices were derived fromsurveys and from watching hundreds of hours of users who were new to 3D immersion,attempting to use various interfaces without any instructions or previous training.

Interacting with ObjectsA common mistake most platform designers make is in employing 2D interface designtechniques rather than taking advantage of the 3D environment itself. Finding an icon on a toolbar that opens a menu of options may be your only choice when using a 2D product but 3Denvironments can provide for much more intuitive interactions. The best 3D interfaces arethose that allow users to mouse click directly on the object, person or content with which they


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GesturingAs previously discussed, the ability to gesture and express oneself is an important part ofcreating an engaging virtual experience. All 3D platforms support basic gesturing such as handraising, clapping and agree/disagree. These platforms, however, support a very limited numberof other gesture animations. This is mainly because it is too difficult for presenters to look

through a list of hundreds of potential gestures to find the right one on-the-fly while talking andcontrolling content at the same time. Unfortunately, limiting the number of available gestures isnot a good solution either. A limited number of gestures that everyone in the room repeats overand over again can dramatically reduce realism and does not provide the repertoire presentersreally need. This is an interface dilemma that has perplexed 3D platform providers for years.

A novel solution to this problem has recently emerged. The study of hundreds of cross culturalgestures led to the concept of gesture archetypes. (VenueGen White Paper: Gesture Archetypes)There are a limited number of gesture classes (types) that communicate the same coremeaning. The palms-up gesture archetype, for example, always communicates a lack or needfor something. Any gesture from this class communicates the same meaning.

Interfaces that use gesture archetypes are much simpler to use and significantly increase thenumber and variety of available gestures. When a user selects an archetype his avatar willautomatically and randomly display one of dozens of appropriate gestures from that meaningclass. In other words, the presenter does not have to select a particular gesture from a long listbut rather he focuses on what he wants to communicate and the avatar gestures appropriatelyfrom that gesture group.

Interfaces that allow multiple related uses from a single button or icon can also significantlysimplify an otherwise complex 3D interface. For example, a gesture icon can be single-clickedto play a normal gesture archetype; double-clicked to play a high profile or more intense versionof that gesture or clicked-and-held to continue doing the gesture until released. This approachnot only feels very natural and intuitive it also provides support for hundreds of gestures through

relatively few onscreen icons.

Set and ForgetAnother best practice for allinterface design but especiallyimportant in 3D virtualenvironments is the concept of set-and-forget or autopilot. In less thana minute, users should be able tocreate a profile of how their avatar

speaks, gestures, sits, and acts sothey dont have to click icons andbuttons during meetings. Youravatar should look and act like youautomatically. This interfacetechnique allows users to selectoptions or general behaviorpatterns for their avatar as a defaultso as not to have to manually drive


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changes. An example of a set-and-forget behavior might include selecting how much onetypically moves his hands while speaking. Once selected, ones avatarrandomly moves itshands automatically (to the extent selected) whenever the user is speaking.

Posture is another excellent candidate for a set-and-forget interface. One should be able tomanually instruct his avatar to change its idle sitting animation from legs crossed to hands-in-lap

but does one really want to use mental energy to keep up with this? Selecting a default posturelevel between formal and casual is much easier. The avatar then randomly changes posturesautomatically from time to time but remains true to the formality class selected.

Set-and-forget interfaces can make a tremendous contribution to a 3D platforms realism andease of use. It is amazing to see ones avatar automatically acting like its owner. The less newusers have to do to appear natural and at ease in a virtual environment the easier it will be todrive adoption of 3D technology in your enterprise.

Viewing ContentA final interface issue often sited involves how users view content. The ability to clearly readcontent from anywhere in a virtual environment is critical for most types of virtual meetings andtraining events. If a user is required to move his avatar close to content in order to read it thenthere will be navigation and crowding issues. If the content pops up in another window forcingthe 3D window to minimize or shrink proportionately then a large part of the sense of presenceand immersion is lost.

The best interface for viewing contentinvolves two capabilities. First, usersshould be able to zoom their focus in oncontent without actually having to movetheir avatar closer to it. This can be

accomplished via a mouse wheel, trackpad, or the plus and minus keys. Thisfeels very natural allowing users tocontrol their perspective. They canzoom out to see speakers or zoom in toread fine content or even choose to splitthe difference.

A second important capability for viewing very small content is an in-venue floating window.This technique forces the selected content to enlarge and float in reading position within the 3Denvironment. This also feels natural simulating how a user might hold up a piece of paper whilereading it. When used, this function should also trigger an animation that shows the avatar

looking at a paper or handheld device to communicate to others that the user is concentratingon the content.

These combined techniques empower simple and natural viewing of content while carefullypreserving emersion within the 3D environment.


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ConclusionMuch has been learned in the last few years about what is required to successfully pilot the useof 3D virtual meeting and learning technology. Buyers should carefully review vendors toevaluate how well they have incorporated these learnings into their platforms. Most 3Dplatforms today still lack many of the features and capabilities necessary to host high fidelity, fullfeatured, problem-free virtual events. Early adopters of virtual technology, however, remainoptimistic about platform vendors ability and commitment to meeting their needs.

The 3D immersive Internet is being adopted today for meetings, training, and conferences.Virtual platforms can now be delivered as a service and have become accessible to smallerbusinesses, providing a powerful competitive advantage, once only available to largercorporations with huge budgets.

The age of 3D adoption is upon us. Virtual platforms are smarter, and users now have morevideo power and bandwidth than ever before. Innovative businesses can improve informationdelivery to a dispersed workforce, getting everyone in the same room instantly. Opportunityexists today for businesses to use maturing 3D technology to transform processes, increaseproductivity, extend reach, save time and reduce costs.

About VenueGenVenueGen is a browser-based 3D immersive internet meeting platform that enables professionals tomeet, train, collaborate, share and present information quickly and cost effectively via virtual venues suchas boardrooms, classrooms and social halls. VenueGen customers simply select a meeting room, uploadany type of content, and instantly enter a high fidelity virtual room with directional VoIP. VenueGenenables users to start realistic and immersive virtual meetings that are more personal and engaging thantypical web conferencing and more practical and scalable than video-based solutions. With VenueGen,attendees communicate more fluently, make decisions and learn faster, and are more productive thanwith other online virtual meeting technologies. No more boring conference calls, complex and expensivevideo equipment or time consuming travel. VenueGen is Business Ready. Based in Research TrianglePark, NC, VenueGen offers a 30-day free trial. If you have three minutes and an internet browser, youhave all you need to see the future of virtual meeting technology.

venuegen.com 919.228.4997 [email protected]


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Appendix: Capability ChecklistFollowing is a checklist of platform capabilities discussed in this paper and what manyexperienced 3D pioneers believe to be must-have functionality for any successful pilot. Thischecklist may be helpful in evaluating your current 3D platform or while in discussions withvendors as part of your platform selection process.

Platform Requirement/Functionality Check List AvailabilitySound, Volume and VoIP Control (pages 4-7)

1. Each attendee independent microphone mute and volume control2. Microphone volume auto-leveling3. Echo control ability to force push-to-talk (closed microphone)4. Automatic echo cancellation5. Direction/positional VoIP sound6. Simultaneous multi-channel VoIP and configurable proximity zones7. Dial-in (turning phone receiver into VoIP headset)

Individual Granular Control of Attendees (Pages 8-9)1. Ability to individually grant and revoke content control2. Ability to individually grant and revoke mobility3. Ability to individually grant and revoke proximity zone speaking4. Ability to individually give and retake house microphone5. Ability to control attendee appearance and animations6. Ability to control event access and expel attendees7. Ability to individually grant and revoke moderator rights

Access: Firewalls and Proxy Servers (pages 9-10)1. Ability to run as a service without behind-fire-wall installation2. Ability to run as a browser plug-in3. Independent firewall friendly engine (not a Java/Flash-based application)4. Proxy server support

Content Integration(pages 11-12)1. Support for real time screen sharing


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Content Integration (pages 11-13)1. Support for real time screen sharing2. Ability for host to distribute and control content running locally3. Ability to run Flash content and applications natively4. Ability to convert content to Flash for 100% 3D compatibility5. Integrate IE browser for full browser/OS compatibility

Fidelity and Realism (pages 13-16)1. High fidelity photo-realistic (4000 polygon plus) graphics2. Ability to create avatar face from uploaded photograph3. Realism (suspension of disbelief, natural head and shoulder turning)4. Ability to convey focus and attention (eye contact)5. Facial expression6. Self expression (posture, interest level, etc)

Ease of Use (pages 16-19)1. Interact directly by clicking on objects, viewers and others2. Simplified and minimized navigation requirements3. Integrated gesture archetype interface4. Set and forget automatic movements based on user profiles5. Zoom focus capability to read fine content6. Click to enlarge content to reading position within 3D environment

VenueGen Whitepaper 3D Functionality Requirements

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