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Fig. 2.
Fractal surfaces used in experimental trial
The study entailed the observation and questioning of the participants regarding
their interactions with these fractal surfaces. The participants were observed interact-
ing with the visual and tactile fractal surfaces before being questioned regarding their
preferences (surfaces featured 3D relief elements in physical and displacement/bump
maps in visual, as result D values here are in the 2 to 3 range).
The participants visual preferences as recorded in the trial
indicate that 18 of the 25
participants (72%) showed a visual preference for surfaces and objects within the
fractal range of D=2.3 to D=2.5. This finding matches the results from earlier studies
and highlights the fact that the fractal dimension, independent of other factors such as
colour, is playing a key role in the aesthetic appeal of the surface and that the simple
adjustment of the fractal complexity can alter the perception of the surface signifi-
cantly [5], [10], [11]. The observational findings from the study also strongly demon-
strated this altered perception of the surface, caused by change in its fractal dimen-
sion. Of specific note were the correlations between response time and the observa-
tion of emotive signal, for example, the observed facial cues associated with negative
responses were very strong in relation to an unseen response (virtual tactile/touch) but
almost imperceptible in relation to a negative visual response. These observations also
found that the unseen tactile response is usually quick, under a three second response
time, especially in regard to the objects which offer a greater level of manipulation.
The visual response however was usually much slower and considered. Observation
of the participants showed that visual preference was given only after careful com-
parison and categorisation. The key difference with this study was that the fractal
surfaces presented were automatically created to meet fractal dimensional values and
varied only in this factor. Thus the findings indicate that the fractal dimension itself
played a key role in the aesthetic appeal, or otherwise, of a surface.
4
Applying Fractal Principles and Designs
The contemporary built environment, in both the real world and the virtual game
worlds, is dominated by the Cartesian concept of space. The world of architecture,
bricks, textures, UV, tiles, panels and pavement offer a familiar rectilinear package in
which to place our identities, both virtual and real. The familiarity is based upon col-
lective experience; a mechanistic experience built brick at a time. In contrast the natu-
ral world is filled with rough edges, asymmetries, complex interactions, profound
depth of scale and above all, life. Fractals and other forms of recursive patterns can
