Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

My goal is to enable natural and effective human spatial behaviour and performance in computer-mediated environments, such as virtual reality (VR), multi-media, video-conferencing, or gaming. I plan research to investigate what constitutes natural and effective, embodied human perception and behaviour. Relevant cues include visual, auditory, biomechanical, and kinesthetic cues, as well as multi-modal and higher-level contributions and interactions. The better we understand these underlying processes and requirements, the better we can use this gained scientific knowledge to design, construct, and evaluate novel and more effective human-computer interfaces that optimally support our unique human capabilities and strengths. Ultimately, this will enable us to empower humans to effectively and intuitively interact with computers and computer-generated environments. For this research, I plan to build a unique multi-modal VR lab that enables me, my trainees, and colleagues to carry out world-class research and development in this and related domains. VR serves here as an enabling technology; it offers the unique opportunity to study human perception and behaviour in naturalistic, yet reproducible, clearly defined, and controllable experimental conditions. This research will lead to a deeper understanding of human perception and behavior that enables us to design more effective human-computer interfaces and interaction metaphors. In particular, applied perspective research will identify the essential parameters of perception/action and pin-point the "blind spots" that will enable us to trick the brain when simulating virtual reality. This will enable creation better, cost-effective, virtual solutions for numerous applications, such as driving/flight simulation and space exploration, rehabilitation, education, gaming, engineering, recreation, emergency training, minimally invasive surgery, telemedicine, and other tele-presence applications.