The Influence of Extended Reality and Virtual Characters’ Embodiment Levels on User Experience in Well-Being Activities
Published in IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (IEEE VR 2024), 2024
Kojić, T., Vergari, M., Podratz, M., Möller, S. & Voigt-Antons, J.-N.
Millions of people have seen their daily habits transform, reducing physical activity and leading to mental health issues. This study explores how virtual characters impact motivation for well-being. Three prototypes with cartoon, robotic, and human-like avatars were tested by 22 participants. Results show that animated virtual avatars, especially with extended reality, boost motivation, enhance comprehension of activities, and heighten presence. Multiple output modalities, like audio and text, with character animations, improve the user experience. Notably, the cartoon-like character evoked positive responses. This research highlights virtual characters' potential to engage individuals in daily well-being activities.
Recommended citation: Kojić, T., Vergari, M., Podratz, M., Möller, S. & Voigt-Antons, J.-N. (2024, March). The Influence of Extended Reality and Virtual Characters’ Embodiment Levels on User Experience in Well-Being Activities. Paper presented at the IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (IEEE VR 2024), Orlando, FL, USA. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2403.09879