Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2.
Collaborative Tasks - Basic collaborative tasks would include a limited exchange with
system data internal to the virtual environments infrastructure. This stage is focused on
the management collaborating with individual end-users.
3.
End-users - Other than general interaction within the virtual environment itself, end-
users would have minimal to no object creation or manipulation. There may or may not
be an avatar proxy for end-user visualization and use. The emotional realism you might
experience with your avatar or digital proxy would be limited to non-existent. It should
be noted here that use of a digital proxy or avatar can have a certain degree of
anonymity to it that can encourage more personal exploration; where shy users are
more likely to participate (Lesko & Pickard, 2011).
4.
Encompassing Technologies - At this stage, technologies would be limited to manual
creation of virtual spaces. Spaces at this level have a degree of visual familiarity with
layout and objects within the space for the end-users. When applicable, the liberation
from the physical laws of the real world can make possible the creation of innovative
and imaginative spaces, activities and experiences.
5. Conclusions
So the ROTATOR model is a proposed staged theoretical model that moves from reality and
augmented reality towards collaborative virtualized environments or from purely virtual
environments towards reality in four like steps. The model is set up to allow organizations
to effectively understand and then evaluate their collaborative virtual workspace goals and
objectives in order to create a long term plan for implementation and deployment of those
workspaces. This model is just the first step in a larger framework the authors intend to
develop based on case study analysis of past and projected implementations to help
companies find the proper fit for their needs when using virtual spaces and like technology
options for company communication and work.
The ROTATOR model is built on the premise that businesses may be starting from either a
fully reality-based setting that does not yet use any virtualized communication mediums
and move towards more aggressive forms of virtual medium use by adding augmented
spaces to their systems. As the model moves towards the center space-labeled Section IV in
the model—businesses can evaluate the delivery of each stage of the virtualized medium
before reaching the fuller virtual reality space and/or plan for movement based on uses,
needs and goals of the organization.
On the far right of the ROTATOR model a business might begin to see ways to continue it's
movement into the more complex arenas of fully immersive virtual reality as these
capabilities become more plausible for the organization to manage. It is anticipated that
along with the more aggressive stages, nearer to the center Stage IV of the model, there will
be greater risks for businesses to consider and a more difficult process of maintaining
business content that may increase cost and some exposure for these businesses. However,
this should not preclude some businesses from investing in the newest emergent options of
virtual reality tools.
The impetus behind the ROTATOR model is to provide a structured first step in assisting
businesses in evaluating and planning ahead for these kinds of implementations—be they
aggressive use of newer immersion techniques for business collaborations or more stable
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