Ph.D. Student: Ashwini G. Naik 
Committee Members: 
Dr. Nikita Soni 
Dr. Debaleena Chattopadhyay 
Dr. Steve Jones (External Member) 
Dr. Robert Kenyon (Co-Advisor) 
Dr. Andrew Johnson (Advisor and Chair) 
Date and Time: May 23, 2023, 9 AM-11 AM Chicago Time 
Location: ERF 2068 
Zoom Link: <a href="https://uic.zoom.us/j/7898336493">https://uic.zoom.us/j/7898336493</a> 
Abstract: 
Strategizing and sensemaking in immersive environments have predominantly been explored for training, learning, and recreational tasks. The ability to embed these concepts into the data analysis pipeline is recently emerging and has seen limited research. In our work, we present Personal Situated Analytics (PSA) that provides individuals the ability to embed themselves in recorded events in multiple degrees of immersion on the Reality-Virtuality spectrum, evaluate the benefits, and study their exploration patterns. With the increasing availability of sensors and capturing devices, we can now actively record and leverage data from our daily activities to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions. PSA at its core formulates a combination of embodied cognition, situated analytics, and conversation analysis while exploiting the benefits of strategic immersion and sensemaking in immersive environments. To that end, we first developed a framework for embedding the individuals in the environment where the conversation originally occurred. Secondly, we conducted a pilot user study (n=12, protocol #STUDY2023-0018), to compare user experiences while exploring recorded conversations in Mixed Reality through the HoloLens2 device, and in Virtual Reality through the Quest2 device. Our proposed framework encompasses various stages such as tracking, data capturing, data cleaning, data synchronization, prototype building, and deploying the final product to end-user hardware. In the first part of the experiment, we used datasets consisting of seated participants (protocol #2022-0354). In the future, we will record and analyze datasets with standing and non-stationary participants (protocol #STUDY2023-0509) in two settings that would employ various collaboration profiles among the participants. Drawing from our experience during the preliminary user study and the feedback we received from the participants, we catalog our lessons learned and insights which can potentially drive advancements in embodied situated analytics and thereby enhance the conversation analysis pipeline.

PhD Prelim Announcement: Improving Conversation Analysis Pipeline through Personal Situated Analytics in Extended Reality

Master of Design graduate student Quentin Bu presents her virtual reality performance piece &ldquo;An Elegy for the Departed - an Interactive Virtual Reality+Physical Computing Typographic Performance&rdquo; in EVL&rsquo;s CAVE2. 
Friday, May 5, 2023 
11:15 - 11:45 AM 
Room 2036 ERF 
Elegy is a highly experimental virtual reality work, merging the artist&rsquo;s original poetry and audio composition, graphic design, 3D typography and physical computing activated through participant movement and gestures. In the artist&rsquo;s own words &ldquo;The Elegy is my poetic, perhaps futile attempt to consolidate and immortalize the transitory states of life.&rdquo;

MDES Thesis Presentation &ldquo;The Elegy&rdquo;

EVL alumna and Associate Professor in Interactive Systems at the Department of Informatics & Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Maria Roussou presents her research in immersive eXtended Reality (XR): 
Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 1:30PM 
EVL Continuum Room 2068 ERF 
Dr. Roussou&rsquo;s talk entitled &ldquo:Extending the virtual: the museum as a hybrid experience&rdquo; will discuss the use of advanced digital technologies, such as Virtual Reality, in the GLAM sector (e.g., galleries, libraries, archives, museums, etc.) to create immersive experiences for visitors has come of age. However, to date, the emphasis has been on reconstructing the real to transgress the built environment's limitations. Nowadays, the focus turns to integrating the physical and the virtual. The physical space is highlighted, complemented, and expanded through close coupling with the digital. Tangible objects are integrated and play a leading role in the digital experiences of visitors, creating a hybrid reality. Drawing from a range of high-end immersive eXtended Reality (XR) applications but also lower-end mobile tours created for cultural or informal educational purposes, this talk will explore how the future’s hybrid nature is shifting immersive presentation from the mainly didactic walkthroughs to experiences that are playful, emotive, social and shared, meaningfully interactive, and, ultimately, relevant and resonant to those they are designed for. 
Specifically, Roussou will present aspects of the BRIDGES project, a multi-user, multisensory XR experience set in informal learning contexts, and the EMOTIVE project, which aims to leverage interactive, social, and participatory capabilities. Both combine historical accuracy in representation with dramatic storytelling to enhance knowledge about the past, historical empathy, and resonance. 
--- 
The <a href="https://www.bridges-horizon.eu">BRIDGES project</a> and the <a href="https://www.emotiveproject.eu/">EMOTIVE project</a> have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. 
Bio: 
Maria Roussou is an Associate Professor in Interactive Systems at the Department of Informatics & Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. In 2003 she founded and co-directed <a href="http://www.makebelieve.gr/mroussou
">makebelieve</a>, an experience design and consulting company. Previously, she established (in 1998) and directed (until 2003) the Virtual Reality Department at the Foundation of the Hellenic World, where she was responsible for setting up the immersive projection-based VR exhibits and managing the research, design and development of the VR programs and related visitor experiences. She holds a PhD in Computer Science (VR/HCI) from the University of London (UCL), a Master in Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Electronic Visualization from the School of Art and Design, University of Illinois at Chicago, a Master of Science (M.Sc) in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from the same university, and an undergraduate degree in Applied Informatics from the Athens University of Economics and Business. Maria is a Senior Member of the ACM, and Vice-chair of the Greek ACM SIGCHI Chapter and the Greek ACM-W Chapter.

Extending the virtual: the museum as a hybrid experience

Standing in front of Argonne National Laboratory&rsquo;s Aurora supercomputer, EVL and computer science department professor
Michael E. Papka is the Featured Photo of the Spring 2023 RISE publication. Papka holds a joint appointment with UIC and is also Deputy Associate Laboratory Director, Computing, Environment, and Life Sciences, Argonne National Laboratory. Among his charge is the new Aurora supercomputer, which once fully online, will be among the United States&rsquo; most powerful exascale machines used for research. Sponsored by the Department of Energy and designed by Intel and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Aurora will provide scientists a new and extremely powerful tool for a host of research initiatives. 
<a href="https://engineering.uic.edu/about/coe-news/rise/rise-spring-2023/">See the RISE: Spring 2023 feature</a>.

EVL Professor Papka is the Featured Photo in UIC Engineering&rsquo;s RISE 2023

EVL graduate student Hal Brynteson in collaboration with Dr. Parisa Mirbod and PhD student Abbas Moradi Bilondi (Mechanical and Industrial Engineering) has been awarded an honorable mention for this year's <a href="https://grad.uic.edu/funding-awards/the-image-of-research/">Image of Research Competition</a>. The Image of Research is an annual interdisciplinary exhibit competition organized by the Graduate College and University Library to showcase the breadth and diversity of research at UIC. 
Brynteson&rsquo;s visualization was created using Blender/ParaView, and represents The Rayleigh Bénard convection. As Bilondi explains, &ldquo;The Rayleigh Bénard convection, where a fluid is heated from below and cooled from above, is an important mechanism of mass and heat transfer in nature and in numerous industrial applications. One can cite geophysics, astrophysics, meteorology, heat exchangers, multilayer walls in buildings, and cooling of electronic components for example. In the present work, by considering bubbles inside the fluid flow, we aim to investigate the effects of the presence of bubbles on the heat transfer rate.&rdquo; 
A celebration of the 2023 Image of Research awardees on Friday, April 28, at 3 p.m., in the Richard J. Daley Library, 801 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607.

EVL Graduate Student Awarded with 2023 UIC Image of Research Honorable Mention

EVL-affiliated faculty and Computer Science Assistant Professor Nikita Soni&rsquo;s research in human-computer interaction (HCI), along with three other researchers working in this area: Assistant Professor Debaleena Chattopadhyay, Professor Andruid Kerne, and Assistant Professor Joseph E. Michaelis is featured in the Spring 2023 issue of UIC Engineering RISE.
Soni&rsquo;s research focuses on user interface design honed for teaching and learning in support of greater creativity allowing users to interact using natural input methods such as touch and speech. Her work includes multi-touch spherical displays for Earth Science education in museums and classrooms. Her multi-touch spherical display uses familiar smartphone-like gestures for interaction with earth science and climate data displayed on a globe. In addition to working on user interfaces for novel display technologies, Soni also creates mobile interfaces for creative uses, such as photographic editing. 
<a href="https://engineering.uic.edu/about/coe-news/rise/rise-spring-2023/putting-humans-first-in-computer-design/">Read the full article &ldquo;Putting humans first in computer design&rdquo; featuring HCI research at UIC.</a>

EVL Affiliate Faculty Nikita Soni Featured in UIC Engineering RISE Spring 2023 Issue

Candidate: Arthur Nishimoto 
Committee: 
Andrew Johnson, Chair and Advisor 
Debaleena Chattopadhyay 
Steve Jones 
Wei Tang 
Jason Leigh (University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa) 
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023 
Time: 4-5 PM 
Location: EVL Continuum, Room 2068 ERF 
Abstract: 
Given the adoption of many variations of virtual and augmented reality devices such as CAVE/CAVE2, large virtual reality (VR) capable displays walls/domes, and a growing set of increasingly capable and affordable head mounted displays (HMD) in both commercial and industrial applications, it has become apparent that not one platform will be appropriate for every use case scenario. HMDs are becoming increasingly more lightweight and powerful, but in collaborative settings there always will be a need for a shared display or environment to bring discussions together. 
The goal of this dissertation is to leverage the best of current augmented reality (AR) head mounted display technologies: 360 degree field of regard visuals, rendering of graphics over the real world, and personalized views with the best of large display wall environments: high resolution and contrast, shared visual environment, and more accurate tracking. 
A collaborative user study was conducted to evaluate how two participants wearing AR HMDs (HoloLens 1 and 2) in CAVE2 work with each other and the combination of visuals on the CAVE2 shared display and the AR HMD in completing a building network wiring task in 3D spatial AR.

PhD Dissertation Announcement: &ldquo;Collaborative Augmented Reality for Virtual Reality Display Wall Environments&rdquo;

&ldquo;Hummingbird&rdquo; is coming to the Chicago Children&rsquo;s Theater March 24-26th. Written by Jo Catell and developed by Daria Tsoupikova, Sai Priya Jyothula, Andrew Johnson, Arthur Nishimoto and Lance Long at EVL, this experience is described as collaborative Virtual Reality (VR) for tele-Immersive interactive theater. &ldquo;Hummingbird&rdquo; performances provide the opportunity for people to experience the show in two different ways: as a VR participant wearing a head-mounted display and interacting with the environment, or as an observer watching participants perform! 
A gutsy teen has to outsmart her mother&rsquo;s narcissistic boss and survive dangerous new technology in hummingbird: a live, immersive adventure that transforms theatrical storytelling utilizing cutting-edge, virtual reality technology1 
Free Performances: Fri 3/24 @ 6:30pm, Sat 3/25 @ 2:30pm & 4pm, Sun 3/26 @ 2:30pm & 4pm 
Recommended For Ages 10 & Up 
Run Time:50 minutes 
See the Chicago Children&rsquo;s Theater <a href="https://chicagochildrenstheatre.org/event/hummingbird/">web posting</a> for more information. 
&ldquo;Hummingbird&rdquo; performances are made possible with the support from the National Endowment for the Arts grant for art projects, Illinois Arts Council, Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL), and the University of Illinois Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts. 
See <a href="https://hummingbirdvr.com/"> https://hummingbirdvr.com/</a>

&ldquo;Hummingbird&rdquo; Performances Scheduled at the Chicago Children&rsquo;s Theater

The First Environmental Justice Workshop, entitled &ldquo;Generating a Discussion Between Communities and Industries: Data Collection, Analytics, Policy, and Tools&rdquo; was held at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory's Continuum environment on March 15, 2023. In many cities across the United States, many communities are located close to an excessive number of environmentally polluting industrial facilities. From an environmental justice viewpoint, the fact that the environmental burden is not shared across all populations living in a city is unfair. The aim of the environmental justice workshop is to bring together different stakeholders such as industries and southwest Chicago communities to get their perspective, identify and discuss pressing environmental justice challenges across Chicago, share current work across disciplines, and brainstorm solutions. 
Among topics for discussion were posing questions to participants such as - What are the fundamental concepts of environmental justice? How do environmental issues disproportionately impact certain communities? What environmental injustices exist in different communities? Are there any organizations working to create awareness about environmental justice? How can we use interactive visualization to access environmental justice issues? 
Workshop organizers include: 
Apostolis Sambanis, Health Policy and Administration, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Fabio Miranda, Computer Science, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Federica Fusi, Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Marisol Becerra, Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Michael Cailas, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Michael D Siciliano, Public Policy, Management, and Analytics, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Phillip A. Boda, Special Education, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Sanjana Srabanti, Computer Science, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Sybil Derrible, Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, Chicago

The First Environmental Justice Workshop Held at EVL

&ldquo;Where the sidewalk ends&rdquo; in <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/open-source-tool-mapping-sidewalks-0315">MIT News</a> discusses how Miranda along with researchers from MIT, University of Sao Paulo, and New York University have built an open-source tool that uses aerial imagery and image-recognition to create complete maps of sidewalks and crosswalks. The tool, called TILE2NET can help planners, policymakers, and urbanists who want to expand pedestrian infrastructure. 
The research team used computerized image-recognition techniques to build a tool that will visually recognize sidewalks, crosswalks, and footpaths. To do that, the researchers first used 20,000 aerial images from Boston, Cambridge, New York City, and Washington - places where comprehensive pedestrian maps already existed. By training the image-recognition model on such clearly defined objects and using portions of those cities as a starting point, they were able to see how well TILE2NET would work elsewhere in those cities. 
<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2023/open-source-tool-mapping-sidewalks-0315">Read the full MIT News article.</a> 
For additional information regarding this research see the Computers, Environment and Urban Systems publication <a href="https://www2.evl.uic.edu/entry.php?id=2703">&ldquo;Mapping the walk: A scalable computer vision approach for generating sidewalk network datasets from aerial imagery&rdquo;</a>.

PhD Prelim Announcement: Improving Conversation Analysis Pipeline through Personal Situated Analytics in Extended Reality

Contact