About this Research Topic
The rapid advancement of Mixed and Augmented Reality (MR/AR) technology has accelerated its adoption in several domain applications. MR/AR technology has become increasingly pervasive in domains such as
education and training, entertainment, medical and rehabilitation, engineering and design, and emergency response to name but some. MR/AR technology is well known for its capability to offer high fidelity stereoscopic visualization and natural interaction through the head-mounted display, hand controllers, or freehand gestures. Although the fundamental techniques underlying MR/AR technology are common across multiple software development platforms, domain-specific applications usually require unique solutions that cater to their distinct problems or contexts.
Furthermore, MR/AR technology has the potential to enhance human capabilities beyond natural human abilities and the universal limits of the physical world. The malleability of space-time in this alternate reality allows boundless possibilities of enhancements of human perception, interaction, and collaboration. The opportunities arise for innovation that applies MR/AR to domain-specific problems combining with the supernatural approach to enhance the user experience beyond the norm. The goals of the enhancements using MR/AR range from enhancing productivity by reducing cognitive load or increasing efficiency, assisting in rapid learning, improving understanding of complex concepts, experience sharing and developing empathy between users, and more
implications beyond this list. These specializations of MR/AR technology across various domains combined with novel supernatural approaches to enhance user experience are crucial factors that will further hasten the
development of the field and a central theme of this research topic.
An example of supernatural enhancement is a recent resurgence of user’s scale manipulation in the collaborative environment in MR. Early research explored multi-scale collaboration combined AR and VR technologies focusing on co-located collaboration supporting user transitions between VR and AR collaborating across multiple scales. Recent multi-scale MR research has emphasized remote collaboration with recent systems sharing an AR user’s 3D reconstructed environment with a VR user who could be on a regular scale or a giant scale. As the VR user scaled themselves down into a miniature form, they immersed in a 360-video
instead. The multi-scale concept also appeared in the telepresence system using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with an adaptive stereo camera, which changes the eye separation of the virtual camera to create an illusion of being a giant in the real world. These examples provide an example of perception manipulation of being larger or small relative to the physical environment, world scaling for different levels of interaction, and collaboration at multiple scales.
We are seeking submissions of original research, perspective and reviews on the following topics:
- Human factors in supernatural perception, interaction, and collaboration in AR/MR/VR
- Design and evaluation of novel supernatural interaction techniques in AR/MR/VR
- Ethical considerations of supernatural perception, interaction, and collaboration in AR/MR/VR
- System architecture and development of supernatural AR/MR/VR systems
- User experience and usability studies of supernatural AR/MR/VR systems
- Social implications and technology acceptance of supernatural enhancements in AR/MR/VR
- Visionary concepts of supernatural enhancements of perception/interaction/collaboration in AR/MR/VR
- Applications utilizing supernatural enhancements of perception, interaction, and collaboration in AR/MR/VR
education and training, entertainment, medical and rehabilitation, engineering and design, and emergency response to name but some. MR/AR technology is well known for its capability to offer high fidelity stereoscopic visualization and natural interaction through the head-mounted display, hand controllers, or freehand gestures. Although the fundamental techniques underlying MR/AR technology are common across multiple software development platforms, domain-specific applications usually require unique solutions that cater to their distinct problems or contexts.
Furthermore, MR/AR technology has the potential to enhance human capabilities beyond natural human abilities and the universal limits of the physical world. The malleability of space-time in this alternate reality allows boundless possibilities of enhancements of human perception, interaction, and collaboration. The opportunities arise for innovation that applies MR/AR to domain-specific problems combining with the supernatural approach to enhance the user experience beyond the norm. The goals of the enhancements using MR/AR range from enhancing productivity by reducing cognitive load or increasing efficiency, assisting in rapid learning, improving understanding of complex concepts, experience sharing and developing empathy between users, and more
implications beyond this list. These specializations of MR/AR technology across various domains combined with novel supernatural approaches to enhance user experience are crucial factors that will further hasten the
development of the field and a central theme of this research topic.
An example of supernatural enhancement is a recent resurgence of user’s scale manipulation in the collaborative environment in MR. Early research explored multi-scale collaboration combined AR and VR technologies focusing on co-located collaboration supporting user transitions between VR and AR collaborating across multiple scales. Recent multi-scale MR research has emphasized remote collaboration with recent systems sharing an AR user’s 3D reconstructed environment with a VR user who could be on a regular scale or a giant scale. As the VR user scaled themselves down into a miniature form, they immersed in a 360-video
instead. The multi-scale concept also appeared in the telepresence system using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with an adaptive stereo camera, which changes the eye separation of the virtual camera to create an illusion of being a giant in the real world. These examples provide an example of perception manipulation of being larger or small relative to the physical environment, world scaling for different levels of interaction, and collaboration at multiple scales.
We are seeking submissions of original research, perspective and reviews on the following topics:
- Human factors in supernatural perception, interaction, and collaboration in AR/MR/VR
- Design and evaluation of novel supernatural interaction techniques in AR/MR/VR
- Ethical considerations of supernatural perception, interaction, and collaboration in AR/MR/VR
- System architecture and development of supernatural AR/MR/VR systems
- User experience and usability studies of supernatural AR/MR/VR systems
- Social implications and technology acceptance of supernatural enhancements in AR/MR/VR
- Visionary concepts of supernatural enhancements of perception/interaction/collaboration in AR/MR/VR
- Applications utilizing supernatural enhancements of perception, interaction, and collaboration in AR/MR/VR
Keywords: Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality, Perception, Interaction, Collaboration
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
