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IMMERSIVE VRX LAB

About Us

The aim of the Immersive VRX Lab is to promote research and development in the transformative field of Immersive Virtual Reality.

Firstly, we aim to understand the technology itself, how it works, and how we can push the boundaries of the hardware and software that are used to generate these highly immersive virtual experiences. This is a highly technical path, including work on hardware systems such as full-body trackers, high-fidelity displays and brain-computer interfaces, in order to advance the interaction with the virtual environment. In addition, equal importance is given to developing software systems such as improving the graphic quality of the environment, algorithms for creating realistic virtual agents using AI, which would lead to a highly realistic multi-dimensional experience.

Along with the technical aspects, we are interested in studying the underlying cognitive and behavioural aspects of people using these Immersive VR systems. It has been shown that when people are immersed in a virtual environment, they tend to react to a situation as if it were happening in real life. This has powerful implications and gives us the chance to drive research in areas of psychology and cognitive neuroscience, in order to understand why this happens and how this can be applied to other situations.

Finally, there is a significant emphasis on the applications of Virtual Reality. The potential of using this technology in industry is limitless in a plethora of fields such as training, education, medicine and healthcare. Our goal is to link up with companies, schools and universities for collaboration on research and development projects in order to utilise this potential.

The Lab is an integral part of Middlesex University Dubai’s Centre for Innovation in Human Experience.

Guest editing for research topic published in Frontiers in Virtual Reality

The Immersive VR lab, in collaboration with Dr. Nishtha Lamba, head and founder of the Social Psychology Research Lab at Middlesex University Dubai, recently had a research topic for guest editing accepted in the journal, Fronters in Virtual Reality. This research topic is in collaboration with Dr. Domna Banakou from NYU Abu Dhabi and Dr. Sofia Seinfeld from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain.

The title of this topic is “Understanding and Improving the ‘Self’ Using Immersive Virtual Reality”

Guest Editors: Dr. Sameer Kishore, Dr. Nishtha Lamba, Dr. Domna Banakou, Dr. Sofia Seinfeld

This topic aims to develop research related to generating new knowledge and developing interventions where virtual reality can be used to somehow improve the ‘self’. These can include treatment of phobias and mental health disorders, studies related to positive psychology, improving wellbeing, or learning new skills.

More information and submission guidelines can be found here: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/50472/understanding-and-improving-the-self-using-immersive-virtual-reality

Talk about impact of emerging technologies on higher education delivered at the Youth Knowledge Forum

Dr. Sameer Kishore gave a talk about impact of emerging technologies on higher education at the Youth Knowledge Forum, organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program. The event was very well received, with over 300 attendees that tuned in through Zoom besides the viewers through the social media livestreams, with engaging discussions and a Q/A session.

Dr. Sameer Kishore featured in Wired Magazine Middle East discussing treatment of phobias using Virtual Reality

Dr. Sameer Kishore was recently featured in an article published in Wired magazine Middle East, where the use of virtual reality technology to treat phobias was discussed. The article covered why the technology is so effective, how it can be used practically, and what the future holds. It was in the print edition as well as online.

https://wired.me/gear/virtual-reality-is-helping-people-overcome-their-phobias/

Transforming the ‘Self’ in the Metaverse – Talk delivered at The Assembly, UAE

Dr. Sameer Kishore presented his research and insights on how VR can be used as a tool for improving the ‘self’, with various applications for treating phobias, improving mental health, and reducing biases.

Dr. Sameer Kishore's PhD work featured in Prestigious Exhibition "Brain(s)" at the Centre of Contemporary Art and Culture, Barcelona

The Museum of Contemporary Art and Culture in Barcelona (Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona) has featured the Ph.D. work of Dr Sameer Kishore at its exhibition titled “Brain(s)” (Open from July 27 – December 11).

This exhibition explores both the anatomy of the brain and everything that it generates: consciousness, abstract thinking, language, imagination, dreams, and memory. Curated by physicist and biologist Ricard Solé and by Emily Sargent, curator of the Wellcome Collection, the exhibition presents some 300 pieces including 17 contemporary immersive art installations and audio-visual works, pieces from historical collections (including work by René Descartes and Santiago Ramon y Cajal) and the results of projects of scientific research into the brain.

Sameer’s work that is featured was carried out during his PhD at the EventLab in the University of Barcelona. The humanoid robot that he used to develop the telepresence system is on display, along with several videos of the system in action, including news clips by the BBC (UK).

Research exploring impact of instructors’ gender and race on perceived learning presented at 10th European Conference on Education, London

In collaboration with Dr. Nishtha Lamba, head and founder of the Social Psychology Research Lab at Middlesex University Dubai, and Ms. Olga Khokhlova, research associate at the Social Psychology Research Lab, a study was carried out and later presented at the 10^th European Conference on Education, held at UCL, London, UK from July 14 – 17. The study explored impact of instructors’ gender and race on perceived learning in higher education, using virtual avatars.

CIHX hosts a panel discussion at ERPBSS 2022 – "Humanising Technology: The Role of Policy, Law and Ethics in Technological Innovation"

As part of the Sixth International Conference on Emerging Research Paradigms in Business and Social Sciences and in line with one of the key values of the Centre for Innovation in Human Experience (CIH^X) at Middlesex University Dubai, we organised an exciting panel discussion, that explored the role of policy, law, and ethics within technological innovation. Main themes of the discussion included the legality of autonomous AI, the role of education in the context of the future, financial implications, and environmental considerations. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the topic and the diverse backgrounds of our expert panel, the session was broad in its scope and covered various topics within the concept of “humanising” technology, including practical suggestions for incorporating these values.

The panel included experts across various disciplines –

Dr. Tenia Kyriazi

Deputy Director Academic Operations at Middlesex University Dubai, UAE

Dr. Eduard Fosch-Villaronga

Assistant Professor at eLaw- Center for Law and Digital Technologies, University of Leiden, Netherlands

Paul Kayrouz

Head of Fintech, Blockchain & Emerging Technologies at PwC Middle East

Prof. William Wong

Professor of Human-Computer Interaction, and Head Interaction Design Centre at Middlesex University London, UK

Dr. Fehmida Hussain

Head of Center for Innovation in Human Experience (CIH^X), Associate Professor at Middlesex University Dubai, UAE

Moderated by: Dr. Sameer Kishore

Presentation about the study related to implicit racial bias amongst US police officers at the Research Seminar Series at Middlesex University Dubai

Dr. Sameer Kishore presented his collaborative research on 'A Virtual Reality Technique to Enhance Helping Behaviour of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression'. This project was carried out with Google (Jigsaw) where the team investigated the use of VR as a platform for encouraging helpful behaviour among US police officers towards victims of police racial aggression.

Interview with Dr. Sameer Kishore about the Metaverse published in Emirates Woman magazine

Dr. Sameer Kishore was invited to participate in a written interview with Emirates Woman, a popular lifestyle, news, and fashion website in the UAE.

They were doing an issue on the ‘Future’ and had very interesting questions related to the Metaverse and its implications.

Immersive VRX Lab is proud to invite Dr. Eduard Fosch-Villaronga, Leiden University, Netherlands to talk about his cutting-edge research titled: “Of, for, and by the people: The future of AI is human”

About Dr. Fosch-Villaronga

Dr. Eduard Fosch-Villaronga is an Assistant Professor at the eLaw Center for Law and Digital Technologies at Leiden University (NL) where he investigates legal and regulatory aspects of robot and AI technologies, with a special focus on healthcare. Eduard recently published the book ‘Robots, Healthcare, and the Law. Regulating Automation in Personal Care’ with Routledge and is interested in human-robot interaction, responsible innovation, and the future of law. Eduard is the PI of LIAISON, an FSTP from the H2020 COVR project that aims to link robot development and policymaking to reduce the complexity in robot legal compliance. He is also the PI of PROPELLING, an FSTP from the H2020 Eurobench project, a project using robot testing zones to support evidence-based robot policies. Eduard is also the co-leader of the Ethical, Legal, and Societal Aspects Working Group at the H2020 Cost Action 16116 on Wearable Robots and participates actively at the Social Responsibility Working Group at the H2020 Cost Action 19121 GoodBrother.

In 2020, Eduard served the European Commission in the Sub-Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI), connected products and other new challenges in product safety to the Consumer Safety Network (CSN) to revise the General Product Safety directive. Previously, he worked as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Researcher under the LEaDing Fellows at eLaw. He was a postdoctoral researcher at the Microsoft Cloud Computing Research Center at Queen Mary University of London, investigating the legal implications of cloud robotics; and at the University of Twente, exploring iterative regulatory modes for robot governance. Eduard Fosch-Villaronga holds an Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate (EMJD) in Law, Science, and Technology coordinated by the University of Bologna, an LL.M. from the University of Toulouse, an M.A. from the Autonomous University of Madrid, and an LL.B. from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Abstract:

Autonomous cars, assistive robots, smart speakers, surgical robots, and intelligent vacuum cleaners are just a few examples of technologies that increasingly interact with humans in private, professional, or public settings. Algorithms also determine whether people get a loan, go to college, or be a risk to society. The particularity of these advancements is that sometimes they help achieve societal goals and advocate for a more inclusive and fairer society, and, other times, they replicate and exacerbate existing societal problems. To avoid the potential adverse consequences AI may have for society; we need to ensure that the future of AI is for, by, and of the people.

Collaborative research project by Dr. Sameer Kishore titled: ‘A Virtual Reality Embodiment Technique to Enhance Helping Behavior of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression’ published in Presence journal

Dr. Sameer Kishore and his co-authors have had their paper titled ‘A Virtual Reality Embodiment Technique to Enhance Helping Behavior of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression’ published in Presence: Virtual and Augmented Reality. It’s one of the oldest journals focusing on research related to VR/AR.

This project which started out in 2018, was carried out by Sameer with his former colleagues at University of Barcelona, and in collaboration with Google (specifically Jigsaw, a “think tank” that works towards using tech for social good). The project used Virtual Reality with police officers at an inner-city police department in the US to investigate and develop innovative methods for tackling implicit racial bias. The results are promising and provide further evidence of how VR could be effectively used towards creating societal change.

Kishore, S., Spanlang, B., Iruretagoyena, G., Halan, S., Szostak, D., & Slater, M. (2021). A Virtual Reality Embodiment Technique to Enhance Helping Behavior of Police Toward a Victim of Police Racial Aggression. PRESENCE: Virtual and Augmented Reality, 28, 5-27. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres_a_00339

You can read/download the full paper and access accompanying video using the following links:

Link to publication: https://direct.mit.edu/pvar/article-abstract/doi/10.1162/pres_a_00339/106763/A-Virtual-Reality-Embodiment-Technique-to-Enhance?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Link to full paper: http://publicationslist.org/data/melslater/ref-379/pres_a_00339.pdf

Link to accompanying video (Warning: Strong, but realistic language): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb9QAUkZWic

Immersive VRX Lab welcomes Dr. Eduard Fosch-Villaronga from the eLaw Center for Law and Digital Technologies at Leiden University, Netherlands as Visiting Scholar for an international research collaboration.

Immersive VR^X Lab is proud to welcome Dr. Eduard Fosch-Villaronga from the eLaw Center for Law and Digital Technologies at Leiden University, Netherlands as Visiting Scholar from December 11 to December 21, 2021. During this period, they will be involved in several activities, including delivering talks, planning for student workshops, and developing proposals for an international multidisciplinary research project involving legal and ethical aspects of technology.

“The Role of Immersive Technologies in Promoting Social Connectedness” – Special Track organised by the Immersive VR Lab for ERPBSS 2022

The Immersive VR Lab is organizing a special track for the Sixth International Conference on Emerging Research Paradigms in Business and Social Sciences

Topic: The Role of Immersive Technologies in Promoting Social Connectedness

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of immersive technologies, such as Virtual and Augmented Reality. With people staying at home and remote work becoming a viable option, the role of this technology in letting us stay connected with each other has become even more critical. When compared with more traditional forms of online communication, VR/AR devices allow users to have a much more immersive experience. Several applications and experiences have been developed, for professional interaction as well as for entertainment purposes. It's increasingly clear that VR/AR appears to provide a viable platform for promoting social connectedness. Given the availability and convenience of accessing this technology, there is great potential in developing such networked experiences, with multiple people interacting with each other in the same virtual space.

While these applications allow people to connect in a virtual space, several aspects of this interaction need to be understood better. In this context, this special track welcomes submissions on the use of immersive technologies, such as VR and AR, specifically related to their role in advancing social connectedness. This multidisciplinary track focuses on various factors, including, but not limited to:

Potential Applications

· Multi-user applications in VR/AR for specific use-cases, such as education (virtual classrooms), professional interactions, recreation, etc.

· Cross-platform applications, which allow multiple users to connect via VR/AR devices, mobile devices, and desktops/laptops.

· Potential applications of single-user VR/AR experiences that facilitate social connectedness.

Technical Challenges - Hardware, Software, Networking

· Approaches for tracking user movements in VR.

· Methods for ensuring a smooth visual experience - Focusing on graphics quality, variability in hardware, network latency issues, etc.

· Design and evaluation of consistent user interfaces and user interactions in VR/AR.

· Design and evaluation of virtual characters that represent the users in VR (e.g., animation, perceptual evaluation)

· Methods for synchronising various sensory streams (audio, visual, haptic, etc.).

Human Factors and Psychological Impact

· Theoretical perspectives of understanding the use of VR/AR for social connectedness.

· Potential impact (socio-economic, cultural, environmental) of using VR/AR in the workplace.

· Challenges in applying VR/AR in the workplace (employee motivation, cost-effectiveness, productivity, and efficiency)

· Methods for measuring and understanding the impact of human factors for interaction in VR/AR.

· Approaches for tackling issues related to biases, diversity, and inclusion with user representation in VR/AR.

Interactive Session about ‘Using Immersive Technology for Creative Problem Solving’ at GEMS Founders School and Cambridge International School

Dr. Sameer Kishore delivered two interactive sessions for Grade 12 students at GEMS Founders School and Cambridge International School about using immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for solving problems creatively. The session was well attended, and students got an up-close look at the various hardware, software, and cutting-edge research in this field.

Offerings

Research and Development

This is one of the fundamental goals of the Immersive VRX Lab and we are always looking to collaborate with other researchers and institutions in order to push the boundaries in this field. In addition to research projects, we also welcome opportunities with the industry where we can come up with new and exciting solutions.

Training

Looking ahead it is clear that the Immersive VRX Lab and similar technologies can provide a viable tool to tackle issues, not just on a personal scale but at an organisational level as well. In addition, VR has been used extensively in the past to provide advanced training in a safe and controlled environment. We provide expertise and decades of experience in working together with organisations to provide these services.