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EVE: A Framework for Experiments in Virtual Environments

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Spatial Cognition X (Spatial Cognition 2016, KogWis 2016)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 10523))

Abstract

EVE is a framework for the setup, implementation, and evaluation of experiments in virtual reality. The framework aims to reduce repetitive and error-prone steps that occur during experiment-setup while providing data management and evaluation capabilities. EVE aims to assist researchers who do not have specialized training in computer science. The framework is based on the popular platforms of Unity and MiddleVR. Database support, visualization tools, and scripting for R make EVE a comprehensive solution for research using VR. In this article, we illustrate the functions and flexibility of EVE in the context of an ongoing VR experiment called Neighbourhood Walk.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The project appears to be abandoned.

  2. 2.

    https://unity3d.com/unity/system-requirements.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ioannis Giannopoulos and Tyler Thrash for the valuable comments and suggestions during various drafts of this manuscript. We would also like to thank Katja Wolf and Fabian Schewetofski for the development and design of the evaluation screen, GUI interface, and many other features that have now become an integral part of the EVE framework. We also thank VIS Games for the free provision of the 3D models used in our research. Partial support for Daniel Hackman was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholars Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Population Health Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Cognitive Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Jascha Grübel, Raphael Weibel, Mike Hao Jiang, Christoph Hölscher & Victor R. Schinazi

  2. USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Daniel A. Hackman

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  1. Jascha Grübel
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  2. Raphael Weibel
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  3. Mike Hao Jiang
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  4. Christoph Hölscher
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  5. Daniel A. Hackman
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Correspondence to Jascha Grübel .

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  1. University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Thomas Barkowsky

  2. Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA

    Heather Burte

  3. ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Christoph Hölscher

  4. University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Holger Schultheis

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Grübel, J., Weibel, R., Jiang, M.H., Hölscher, C., Hackman, D.A., Schinazi, V.R. (2017). EVE: A Framework for Experiments in Virtual Environments. In: Barkowsky, T., Burte, H., Hölscher, C., Schultheis, H. (eds) Spatial Cognition X. Spatial Cognition KogWis 2016 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10523. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68189-4_10

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