Together to Achieve the Objective: Collaboration in Virtual Reality

Learning, training, or even just being in an environment can be boring for some people when they’re isolated. This feeling can be intensified in a Virtual Reality experience. You can’t talk to anyone because there’s no one around you. You can’t ask for help from anyone real or share your thoughts and worries about the task you’re performing. So, what’s the solution? It’s simple: allow multiple users to share the environment and the tasks.

What positive aspects can collaboration bring to a Virtual Reality experience?

• More Complex Tasks: Tasks can be more difficult (or easier) because two brains (or more) are thinking.
• More Realistic Simulations: Let’s be honest: how often do you face a task in an empty space without anyone around? Adding people makes the virtual environment more immersive.
• Sharing More Than Tasks: Share your feelings, objects, and virtual space with others. This definitely makes your experience much more enjoyable.
• Enhanced Learning: Collaborating in VR can enhance learning by allowing real-time interaction and idea exchange, leading to a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
• Social Skill Development: VR collaboration can help develop social skills like effective communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork.
• Personalized Experiences: Collaboration allows for personalized experiences tailored to users’ needs and preferences, providing a more relevant and engaging experience.
• Increased Motivation: Working with others in a virtual environment can boost motivation and engagement, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.
• Immediate Feedback: In synchronous collaborative environments, users can receive immediate feedback from peers, accelerating the learning and improvement process.

We’ve seen so many advantages of collaborating, so why isn’t it common in Virtual Reality yet? It’s because we’re still at the beginning of this technology! Let’s take a look at the challenges.

Despite the benefits, there are many challenges to implementing collaboration in Virtual Reality. Let’s explore them!

• Replicating Components: What one player does needs to be replicated for the other player. This might sound easy, but it consumes a lot of computer memory. The system must constantly track what’s happening in the environment and update it in real-time. Programming must be precise; for example, if one player grabs an object, the other should see it but not be able to grab it simultaneously.
• Avatars and Agents: It’s disappointing if you can’t see the other player and only see objects moving around. This requires an agent (a programmed character) and an avatar for each user, both of which must be well-tracked to avoid discomfort or fear. Tracking a virtual body can be complex due to the limited yet rapidly advancing technology.
• Task Design: Tasks must be well-prepared. If one player can complete the task alone, the design might be flawed. Conversely, if one player excels while the other struggles, it can lead to frustration.
• Connection: A high-speed internet connection is crucial to avoid problems and delays. Remember, you’re streaming to more than one user.
• Hardware: More players mean more head-mounted displays and computers are needed.
• Physical Space: If players need to be in the same room, you’ll need a large enough space to ensure they don’t bump into each other or physical objects.
• Sound: Sound is often the most neglected component of audiovisual content. Poorly designed sound can ruin the immersive experience.
• Technical Difficulties: Implementing collaboration in VR can present numerous technical challenges, such as synchronization issues, latency, and device compatibility.
• Learning Curve: Users may need time to adapt to the mechanics of collaboration in a virtual environment, which can be a significant initial obstacle.
• High Costs: Developing and maintaining collaborative VR environments can be expensive in terms of both hardware and software.
• Privacy and Security: Collaboration in VR can raise concerns about privacy and data security, as interactions and shared information need to be adequately protected.
• Potential Distractions: The presence of other users in a virtual environment can be distracting, affecting concentration and task performance.
• User Compatibility: Not all users may have the same skill level or experience in VR, which can create mismatches and frustrations in collaboration.

Alright, with all this said, you might think collaboration isn’t worth it. Yes, it’s challenging. That’s why developers and researchers need to make it worth it by creating a comfortable framework that serves both worlds. Currently, there are two types of collaboration being developed.

Synchronous:

As the name suggests, you collaborate with another player in real-time and the same virtual space (which can also be a real space). You receive instant feedback and see your partner’s performance in real time. However, this requires two systems running simultaneously and enough physical space if sharing the same room.

Asynchronous:

Here, collaboration isn’t happening in real-time but can be in the same virtual (and possibly real) space. Feedback isn’t instant, but you can see what your partner has done before, and they can see your work later. The advantage is that you don’t need two devices running simultaneously; you just need a shared storage system.

Which type is better? The answer is simple: neither is better. Both have their uses, and depending on your application or video game, one might be more suitable than the other. What’s your opinion? Would you like to collaborate in VR? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments!

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