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The BAC…. My PhD writing process

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Virtual Humans and Avatars Who’s Who?

Jacquelyn Ford Morie

The projects or efforts depicted were or are sponsored by the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Simulation Training and Technology Center (STTC). The content or information presented does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Immersion Virtual Humans Games-Simulation Narrative-Storytelling

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Agenda

o ICT’s Virtual Humans

o Virtual Worlds // Virtual Reality

o Avatars in VWs

o “Coming Home” in the VW

– Activities: MBSR Running Path Warriors’ Journey

oVirtual Humans in VWs

oThe Iraqi Village checkpoint Exercise

oFuture work

o Collaborations & Acknowledgements

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ICT makes Virtual Humans

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Marketing

TrainingResearch

Dr. PerezSASO-ST, SASO-EN

Elder-Al-HassanSASO-EN

C3ITCultural training

ELECTBi-Lat

HassanEmotional Dialog Modeling

Virtual

Humans

RaedTactical Questioning

Sgt. Star

Sgt. BlackwellClinicalDiagnosis

RadiobotsJFETS Training

RapportAgent Study

ICT’s Virtual Humans Portfolio

JustinaVirtual Patient

Gunslinger

JustinVirtual Patient

Museum Guide & Coach

Support

VeteransCenterSimCoach

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Ada & Grace

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The Rise of Virtual Worlds 1 in 8 people now use virtual worlds

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Virtual Worlds

VWs (vs. Virtual Environments or VR)

are rich, networked, persistent, 3D, interactive worlds,

which participants inhabit by means of an avatar (self-representation),

who interacts with the world, its contents and others.

VWs are primarily social

This facilitates and encourages

• communication,

• social activities &

• group connections.

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Avatars

A key attractor for people

People identify strongly with their avatars

And spend a lot of time personalizing them.

It is the self they perform/let the (virtual) world see

“I am my avatar and my avatar is me.”

Other social networks do NOT provide this means for

embodied self-expression.

Other social networks do NOT provide this means for

embodied self-expression.

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The “Coming Home” Project

300,000+ veterans in need, yet only 1 in 3 seeks mental health services (RAND 2008)

Why?• Access/Location• Stigma• Not knowing they need help• 6 months until issues manifest• Not completing treatment

Virtual Worlds can address these issues.

• Easily accessible

Anonymity & peer to peer support

Traditional health activities with innovative methods

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“Coming Home” approach

Create a specialized space in Second Life for

• Social connections, relaxation

• Resources for healing & transition

• Specific therapeutic offerings

Best platform because:

• Users do not have to pay for an account to use the space

• We can create the content.

• We can write code to extend the functionality of the world

• Social aspect enhances peer-to-peer support

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The Veterans Center on Chicoma Island (4 sims)

• Chicoma Lodge (social)

• Chicoma Exchange (resources)

• Special activities (engagement)

• Areas for group sessions (MBSR)

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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

• Adapted for the online environment

• 2 expert facilitators

• Guided meditation & awareness

Completed first class (8 sessions) with 8-10 participants

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The Proteus EffectThe Proteus Effect Virtual Human Interaction LabVirtual Human Interaction Labvhil.stanford.edu/

Fox & Bailenson (2009) Virtual self-

modeling: The effects of vicarious

reinforcement and identification on exercise

behaviors, Media Psychology, 12(1)

Fox & Bailenson (2009) Virtual self-

modeling: The effects of vicarious

reinforcement and identification on exercise

behaviors, Media Psychology, 12(1)

Yee, Bailenson & Ducheneaut (2009) The

Proteus Effect: Implications of transformed

digital self-representation on online and

offline behavior. Communication Research,

36 (2).

Yee, Bailenson & Ducheneaut (2009) The

Proteus Effect: Implications of transformed

digital self-representation on online and

offline behavior. Communication Research,

36 (2).

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Virtual Jogging PathVirtual Jogging Path

Controlling one’s avatar via regular breathing

• Implementing this activity was non-trivial & required an innovative solution.

• Needs only standard microphone.

• Uses SL functions & a HUD.

• HUD functions show person’s sound levels as a rising/falling green bar.

• User matches this bar to a target red bar.

• As they do, their avatar runs along a predefined course.

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TOPSS Virtual Humans in Second Life

Ongoing issue:

• Many people have a confusing 1st experience and never return.

• A friend or guide avatar helping can make the difference.

Intelligent agent-avatars can

• Be 24/7 guides

• Make the world more interesting

• Collect data to see how people use the space

• Serve a wide range of other purposes

Challenge to implement within an open persistent environment

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The Center Guide

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Warriors’ Journey Virtual HumanStorytower experience contains classic warrior (hero) journey stories

Why storyPower of storyHow it can help.

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Continuing Work for SL Virtual Humans

Collecting logs and adding to the knowledge base

Additional Warrior’s Journey story – Samurai Warrior

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1. Warrior’s Journey pilot usability study completed

– 18 participants, non-military.

– All found it easy to use, navigate, understand the story & talk to the warrior.

– Testing with veterans next.

2. Voice recognition within the SL Virtual World

– First basic tests with a general voice model successful.

– Need speech model to match subject domain

– Working on more robust SL integration.

Continuing Work for SL Virtual Humans

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Future Work for SL Virtual Humans

Create storytelling agent to assist

veterans in authoring their own

Warrior’s Journey story

“Wounded people may be cared for, but as storytellers, they care for others.

Their injuries become the source of the potency of their stories.” …

(Arthur Frank, 1997)

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Advisors and Collaborations

SL veterans’ group

Dr. Rick Satava, Professor of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle

Dr. Skip Rizzo, Associate Director for Health Research, USC-ICT

Dr. Valerie Rice, PhD, CPE, OTR-L COL (R) Chief, ARL HRED AMEDD Field Element Ft. Sam Houston

Dr. Steve Hickman, Psy.D. Asst. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, UC San Diego Mindfulness Center

Allan Goldstein, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Session Leader

Richard Dillon, Senior VP, Preferred Family Health Care

Collen Crary/Anya Ibor, Fearless Nation PTSD Support Organization: http://www.fearless-nation.org

Dr. Jose Coll, USC School of Military Social Work (grad students will do some social work in SL)

Ft. Hood Resiliency Center

Shelly Young, M.A., LPC, CAC III

Shinzen Young, MBSR Expert, Author of Break Through Pain: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Meditation Program for Transforming Chronic and Acute Pain