Characteristics of interaction and cooperation in immersive and non-immersive virtual environments

This research presents three studies that investigate the characteristics\r\nof the interaction and cooperation activities in immersive and non-immersive\r\nvirtual environments. The first study explored the characteristics of the\r\ninteraction during a cooperative task; the second one investigated the\r\ncharacteristics of the cooperation strategies used in the cooperative task; the final\r\none verified if and how the level of immersion in the virtual environments\r\ninfluenced the performance and the characteristics of the interaction/cooperation.\r\nThe results of the studies showed a substantial homogeneity between immersive\r\nand non-immersive VR environments. In both environments, partners produce a\r\nreciprocal influence on their actions and seem to be able to perceive their\r\nconjoint communicative work. However, the average time used to complete the\r\ntask is significantly longer in the immersive phase instead of in the nonimmersive\r\none. Moreover, our experience showed that simulation sickness is a\r\nsignificant problem for the immersive experience.