Design VR Pop-up book experience from the principles of creating immersive user experience

Master thesis (2023)

Authors

J. Zhao Industrial Design Engineering

Contributors

W.S. Elkhuizen Mechatronic Design - IDE (mentor)
M.W.A. Wijntjes Human Information Communication Design - IDE (mentor)
Faculty
Industrial Design Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering
Copyright: © 2023 Jiaqing Zhao
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Published Date

26-09-2023

Language

English

Reuse Rights

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Abstract

The National Library of the Netherlands boasts an extensive collection of Pop-up books. However, due to their age, some of these Pop-up books have deteriorated over time, making it impossible to display them to the public. Nonetheless, emerging VR/AR technologies offer a solution to this issue. By recreating these Pop-up books within the VR/AR realm, users can once again engage with these embodiments of human wisdom. Hence, the core of my graduation project lies in designing a VR/AR Pop-up book experience. With the aim of fostering a greater appreciation and understanding of Pop-up books, I envision my experience to meet the following criteria: 1. It should provide users with a profound sense of immersion. 2. It should be easy to navigate and operate. 3. It should offer users a novel perspective for appreciating Pop-up books.

Analysis
Through my research into the histories of "Pop-up books" and "VR/AR books," coupled with an analysis of their features, I have uncovered a shared core concept: the transformation of imagination into tangible form. This underlying principle resonates with people's desire for immersion. Furthermore, my investigation into the literature surrounding "immersion" has led me to identify seven factors that influence the sense of immersion in an experience: Sensory, Curiosity, Concentration, Comprehension, Control, Challenge, and Empathy. These factors exert varying degrees of influence on immersion at different stages of the experience.

Design
After careful consideration, I decided to utilize VR to present a Pop-up book titled "TIP+TOP Boven De Wolken." Building upon my previous conclusion of immersion and insights gained from user study, I particular emphasis on the environment and interactions part. I decided to craft the environment as a "Wizard's attic" and will introduce two pivotal interactions: "Scalable Pop-up book size" and "Exploration-triggered story-telling." These components collectively encompass all the factors influencing immersion. I believe that their synergistic integration will effectively enhance the sense of immersion within the experience.

Conclusion
Ultimately, upon completing the experience, I invited 24 participants to engage with it and provide feedback. Through the analysis of both ratings and feedback, I have concluded that my VR Pop-up book experience has successfully enhanced user immersion and introduced a novel perspective on Pop-up books for some users. However, it also revealed several areas that require further improvement.