Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts

Latest papers

• Ageing, Digital Literacy, and Interaction Modality in Immer-sive Virtual Reality: Psychomotor Performance, Cognitive Flexibility, and Their Processing-Speed Association

  Panagiotis Kourtesis, Katerina Denaxa, Lydia Asimakopoulo, Petros Roussos, Maria Roussou · 18 September 2026

  Extended reality (XR) increasingly supports training and cognitive assessment, yet the age sensitivity of its interaction techniques is unclear. This study examined age, digital literacy, and interaction modality as correlates of psychomotor and cognitive-flexibility performance in immersive virtual…

• Open WebXR versus Commercial Game Engines: A Socio-Technical Position Analysis for an Open, Sustainable, and Interoperable Metaverse

  Luca Turchet, Michel Buffa · 4 September 2026

  The Metaverse is often framed as a persistent, interoperable, and embodied network of virtual and augmented environments. Yet, most contemporary XR applications are developed through commercial game engines and distributed through proprietary app stores, creating tensions between openness and platfo…

• The impact of design factors of virtual and augmented reality on tertiary students user experience in Metaverse

  Julius G. Garcia, Alvie Simonette Q. Alip · 12 August 2026

  The Metaverse is a convergent space integrating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, with market projections rising from \$65.5 billion in 2022 to \$1.3 trillion by 2030. Despite rapid adoption in education, the specific contributions of visual elements, environmental design…

• A Multi-Layer System for Ultra-High-Resolution Static 360-Degree Telepresence

  Jiapeng Chi, Gerd Bruder, Carsten Neumann, Carolina Cruz-Neira, Dirk Reiners · 7 August 2026

  360-degree video telepresence offers strong immersive potential but remains constrained by the limited resolution of current capture and display hardware. Many telepresence installations feature fixed viewpoints and largely static scenes, yet optimization strategies tailored to such setups have rece…

• CoGen3D: An Agentic Human-AI Co-Design Pipeline for 3D Asset Generation for Virtual Reality

  Weiwei Jiang, Wanyu He, Zheyu Tan, Zheyuan Kuang, Difeng Yu, Shinobu Hasegawa, Sven Mayer, Zhanna Sarsenbayeva · 7 July 2026

  Creating 3D assets for virtual reality requires modeling expertise, which restricts the authorship of immersive experiences. Existing generative AI tools rely on unconstrained, command-driven prompting, lacking the conversational scaffolding needed for users to articulate their intent and validate d…

• Technologies and Security Challenges in Metaverse

  Krishno Dey, Diogo Barradas, Saqib Hakak · 20 May 2026

  The Metaverse utilizes emerging technologies such as Extended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and digital twins to provide an immersive and interactive virtual experience. As the Metaverse continues to evolve, it brings a range of security and privacy threats, such as identit…

• Bodyless Presence: Reconsidering the Minimal Self in Immersive Video

  Koichi Toida · 6 May 2026

  Immersive video, namely 180-degree and 360-degree video designed to be viewed through head-mounted displays, constitutes a boundary case between interactive VR and conventional two-dimensional video for reconsidering self-experience in XR. It can generate a sense of being there without providing a c…

• Imitation Game for Adversarial Disillusion with Chain-of-Thought Reasoning in Generative AI

  Ching-Chun Chang, Fan-Yun Chen, Shih-Hong Gu, Kai Gao, Hanrui Wang, Isao Echizen · 1 May 2026

  As the cornerstone of artificial intelligence, machine perception confronts a fundamental threat posed by adversarial illusions. These adversarial attacks manifest in two primary forms: deductive illusion, where specific stimuli are crafted based on the victim model's general decision logic, and ind…

• Enhancing immersion in Virtual Reality sports through Physical Interactions

  Arka Majhi · 23 April 2026

  Recent discoveries in VR have opened up scope for designing physical tools and controllers to enhance immersion, through perceived reality. In a virtually simulated sports scenario it is challenging to immerse user because most of the available controllers are unable to bridge the user experience in…

• Seeing Your Mindless Face: How Viewing One's Live Self Interrupts Mindless Short-Form Video Scrolling

  Kyungjin Kim, Minjeong Kim, Soobeen Jeong, Jiyeon So, Hayeon Song · 22 April 2026

  The widespread, addictive consumption of short-form videos, which allegedly causes "brain rot," has become an urgent public concern. This study proposes that self-related cues serve as an intrinsic, self-reflective strategy that enhances self-control over media overuse. We developed an app that de-i…

• Focus360: Guiding User Attention in Immersive Videos for VR

  Paulo Vitor S. Silva, Lucas L. Neves, Rafael A. Goi\'as, Diogo F. C. Silva, Rafael T. Sousa, Arlindo R. Galv\~ao Filho · 1 April 2026

  This demo introduces Focus360, a system designed to enhance user engagement in 360{\deg} VR videos by guiding attention to key elements within the scene. Using natural language descriptions, the system identifies important elements and applies a combination of visual effects to guide attention seaml…

• Behavioral Engagement in VR-Based Sign Language Learning: Visual Attention as a Predictor of Performance and Temporal Dynamics

  Davide Traini, José Manuel Alcalde-Llergo, Mariana Buenestado-Fernández, Domenico Ursino, Enrique Yeguas-Bolívar · 23 March 2026

  This study analyzes behavioral engagement in SONAR, a virtual reality application designed for sign language training and validation. We focus on three automatically derived engagement indicators (Visual Attention (VA), Video Replay Frequency (VRF), and Post-Playback Viewing Time (PPVT)) and examine…

• The Midas Touch in Gaze vs. Hand Pointing: Modality-Specific Failure Modes and Implications for XR Interfaces

  Mohammad Dastgheib, Fatemeh Pourmahdian · 18 March 2026

  Extended Reality (XR) interfaces impose both ergonomic and cognitive demands, yet current systems often force a binary choice between hand-based input, which can produce fatigue, and gaze-based input, which is vulnerable to the Midas Touch problem and precision limitations. We introduce the xr-adapt…

• Nudging the Somas: Exploring How Live-Configurable Mixed Reality Objects Shape Open-Ended Intercorporeal Movements

  Botao Amber Hu, Yilan Elan Tao, Rem RunGu Lin, Mingze Chai, Yuemin Huang, Rakesh Patibanda · 3 March 2026

  Mixed Reality (MR) increasingly explores how virtual elements can shape physical behavior, yet how MR objects guide group movement remains underexplored. We address this gap by examining how virtual objects can nudge collective, co-located movement without relying on explicit instructions or choreog…

• Understanding the Key Factors Influencing Continued Use Intention Toward Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)-Themed Virtual Reality Games

  Yuanfang Liu, Guanghong Xie, Junya Zhi, Wenrui Zuo, Rua Mae Williams · 3 March 2026

  Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) faces critical challenges in the digital age, including reduced public engagement, restricted accessibility, and difficulties in communicating complex cultural practices to modern audiences. Virtual Reality (VR) games present promising opportunities for ICH preserv…

• Synthetic Media in Multilingual MOOCs: Deepfake Tutors, Pedagogical Effects, and Ethical-Policy Challenges

  Alexandros Gazis, Erietta Chamalidou, Nikolaos Ntaoulas, Theodoros Vavouras · 24 February 2026

  In recent years, synthetic media from deepfake videos have emerged as a new interesting technology, whether that refers to cloned voices, multilingual translation models, or more recent applications of avatar tutors into higher education. As such, these technologies are rapidly becoming part of the …

• Screen Matters: Cognitive and Behavioral Divergence Between Smartphone-Native and Computer-Native Youth

  Kanan Eldarov · 3 February 2026

  This study explores how different modes of digital interaction -- namely, computers versus smartphones -- affect attention, frustration, and creative performance in adolescents. Using a combination of digital task logs, webcam-based gaze estimation, and expert evaluation of task outcomes, we analyze…

• VRGaussianAvatar: Integrating 3D Gaussian Avatars into VR

  Hail Song, Boram Yoon, Seokhwan Yang, Seoyoung Kang, Hyunjeong Kim, Henning Metzmacher, Woontack Woo · 3 February 2026

  We present VRGaussianAvatar, an integrated system that enables real-time full-body 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) avatars in virtual reality using only head-mounted display (HMD) tracking signals. The system adopts a parallel pipeline with a VR Frontend and a GA Backend. The VR Frontend uses inverse k…

• Designing Gamified Social Interaction for Gen Z in the Metaverse: A Framework-Oriented Systematic Literature Review

  Baitong Xie, Mohd Fairuz Shiratuddin, Mostafa Hamadi, Joo Yeon Park, Thach-thao Duong · 21 January 2026

  Gamification plays a pivotal role in enhancing user engagement in the Metaverse, particularly among Generation Z users who value autonomy, immersion, and identity expression. However, current research lacks a cohesive framework tailored to designing gamified social experiences in immersive virtual e…

• Uncovering Patterns of Brain Activity from EEG Data Consistently Associated with Cybersickness Using Neural Network Interpretability Maps

  Jacqueline Yau, Katherine J. Mimnaugh, Evan G. Center, Timo Ojala, Steven M. LaValle, Wenzhen Yuan, Nancy Amato, Minje Kim, Kara Federmeier · 25 December 2025

  Cybersickness poses a serious challenge for users of virtual reality (VR) technology. Consequently, there has been significant effort to track its occurrence during VR use with brain activity through electroencephalography (EEG). However, a significant confound in current methods for detecting sickn…

• Perceptions of the Metaverse at the Peak of the Hype Cycle: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Turkish University Students

  Mehmet Ali Erkan, Halil Eren Ko\c{c}ak · 22 December 2025

  During the height of the hype in late 2021, the Metaverse drew more attention from around the world than ever before. It promised new ways to interact with people in three-dimensional digital spaces. This cross-sectional study investigates the attitudes, perceptions, and predictors of the willingnes…

• Beyond right or wrong : towards redefining adaptive learning indicators in virtual learning environments

  Andreia dos Santos Sachete, Alba Valeria de SantAnna de Freitas Loiola, Fabio Diniz Rossi, Jose Valdeni de Lima, Raquel Salcedo Gomes · 16 December 2025

  Student learning development must involve more than just correcting or incorrect questions. However, most adaptive learning methods in Virtual Learning Environments are based on whether the student's response is incorrect or correct. This perspective is limited in assessing the student's learning le…

• How Immersiveness Shapes the Link Between Anthropocentric Values and Resource Exploitation in Virtual Worlds

  Quan-Hoang Vuong, Thi Mai Anh Tran, Ni Putu Wulan Purnama Sari, Fatemeh Kianfar, Viet-Phuong La, Minh-Hoang Nguyen · 16 December 2025

  The Anthropocene is characterized by escalating ecological crises rooted not only in technological and economic systems but also in deeply ingrained anthropocentric worldviews that shape human-nature relationships. As digital environments increasingly mediate these interactions, video games provide …

• The Online Discourse of Virtual Reality and Anxiety

  Kwabena Yamoah, Cass Dykeman · 9 December 2025

  VR in the treatment of clinical concerns such as generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety. VR has created additional pathways to support patient well-being and care. Understanding online discussion of what users think about this technology may further support its efficacy. The purpose of this …

• Simulating Life Paths with Digital Twins: AI-Generated Future Selves Influence Decision-Making and Expand Human Choice

  Rachel Poonsiriwong, Chayapatr Archiwaranguprok, Constanze Albrecht, Peggy Yin, Nattavudh Powthavee, Hal Hershfield, Monchai Lertsutthiwong, Kavin Winson, Pat Pataranutaporn · 8 December 2025

  Major life transitions demand high-stakes decisions, yet people often struggle to imagine how their future selves will live with the consequences. To support this limited capacity for mental time travel, we introduce AI-enabled digital twins that have ``lived through'' simulated life scenarios. Rath…