Novel Interaction Techniques for Collaboration in VR

Following their introduction in the 1960s, head-mounted VR systems mainly focused on visual and aural senses. In order to enhance immersion in the virtual world, researchers have since pursued the addition of movement and haptics through motion platforms, exoskeletons, and other hand-held devices. From a proliferation of low-cost devices that can sense the user's motion to full body motion capture suits, from gloves to gestures, natural interaction techniques have been desirable and explored in HCI and VR for several years. With virtual reality rapidly becoming accessible to mass audiences, there is growing interest in new forms of natural input techniques to enhance immersion and engagement in multiuser systems. First we need to determine what types of techniques can we design that would integrate well with multiuser experiences. Next, we need to understand the contribution of the designed techniques to the experience, understand how they work with existing controllers, and explore whether they should replace or augment current techniques in order to design more effective and engaging experiences. Finally, it is vital to discern the limitations and the types of application scenarios that are suitable for incorporating the techniques. The aim of this workshop is to deepen and expand the discussion on natural interaction techniques for collaborative VR within the CHI community and promote their relevance and research in HCI.