Using Virtual Reality and Co-design to Study the Design of Large-scale Shape-Changing Interfaces

Title of the Paper

Using Virtual Reality and Co-Design to Study the Design of Large-scale Shape-Changing Interfaces

Paper Information

• Research Domain: Human-Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality, and Design
• Keywords: Virtual Reality, Co-Design, Shape-Changing Interfaces, Spatial Design, User Experience, Sensory Illusions, Architectural Design, Large-Scale Interfaces, Perception, Non-Intrusive Design

Research Background and Problem

• Problem or Challenge: Large-scale shape-changing interface technologies (e.g., shape-changing walls) hold potential for optimizing user experience. However, due to the immaturity of the technology, designing these interfaces and understanding their impact on users remain challenging. Specifically, existing research has not systematically explored how to design these interfaces to appear non-intrusive while integrating seamlessly with their surroundings.
• Significance: For architectural spaces, large-scale shape-changing interfaces could enhance environmental interactivity, such as for navigation, information display, and environmental adaptation. Understanding users' emotional responses to these interfaces and their design parameters can contribute to future technological development and improvements in architectural design.
• Motivation and Related Work: Previous studies have primarily used 2D videos and projection-based augmented reality platforms to explore shape-changing interface design, but these platforms lack sufficient immersion. In contrast, the immersive experience provided by Virtual Reality (VR) may be more effective in helping users perceive the impact of shape-changing interfaces. Furthermore, there is a lack of systematic research on how design parameters of shape-changing interfaces (e.g., fluidity or dynamics) are understood and utilized by users.

Solution

• Method and Approach: This study proposes using Virtual Reality combined with co-design methods to allow users to experience different types of shape-changing walls in a linear virtual architectural environment, followed by design activities to create non-intrusive or more intrusive shape-changing interfaces.
• Innovation: The study employs the VR application "Living Building," which provides a virtual linear architectural environment with multiple rooms, each showcasing different types of shape-changing wall designs. Through the co-design process, user feedback on design parameters is collected and analyzed.
• Implementation Steps:
  1. Develop the VR application "Living Building," enabling users to experience various types of shape changes (e.g., volumetric changes, curvature, porosity) in an immersive environment.
  2. Conduct co-design activities where users design shape-changing walls based on their experiential feedback and refine their designs from the perspective of intrusiveness evaluation.
  3. Perform interviews and analyses of users' overall design processes, experiential reactions, and perception data.

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:
  1. Detailed User Perception Reports: Shape-changing walls can elicit a range of emotional responses, including positive (excitement, calmness) and negative emotions (fear, irritation).
  2. User Design Characteristics: Users were able to design shape-changing interfaces that meet functional or aesthetic goals based on their initial VR experiences.
  3. Parameter Usage Guidelines: The study distilled design dimensions closely related to intrusiveness (e.g., types of shape changes, speed, scale) to guide design choices.
  4. Development of the mobile VR application "Living Building," providing a tool for exploring different shape-changing interfaces.
• Advantages: VR offers a more immersive experience compared to traditional 2D videos or augmented reality, enabling users to more intuitively and deeply understand complex design concepts. The co-design activities provided insights into users' reactions to parameters and their adjusted design preferences.
• Evaluation Results:
  • Users expressed a higher preference for certain shape-changing types (e.g., circular curvature and slow changes) as they appeared more "non-intrusive."
  • Other types, such as "increased shape-changing speed" and "simultaneous shape changes across multiple walls," were perceived as more intrusive.
  • The experiments also revealed sensory illusions in the VR environment, such as perceived changes in air temperature and auditory hallucinations.
• Limitations and Future Directions:
  • Limitations include the use of mobile VR devices (with slightly lower immersion compared to research-grade equipment) and the limited realism of virtual models.
  • Future research should explore the impact of physical prototypes of real shape-changing interfaces on user perception, investigate additional shape-changing parameters (e.g., texture and color), and expand the participant pool to include professional designers and architects.

By integrating shape-changing interface design, user experience feedback, and technology platform evaluation, this study provides critical guidance for the future design and application of large-scale shape-changing interfaces.