Embodiment of AI in Virtual Reality

Open Human-Computer Interaction Bachelor Project Embodiment Lab Industry Cooperation

Background

VITAS develops innovative intelligent telephone assistants for various configurable scenarios. In this project, such a telephone assistant will be simulated in virtual reality (VR). Specifically, the goal is to simulate and embody an artificial intelligence (AI). The central question is how the embodiment of this AI in virtual reality affects the users. The project therefore includes the development of a VR prototype as well as its evaluation.

The project takes place within the research project AIL@WORK.

Tasks

The project will focus on the following tasks:

• Acquaintance with the topic and the theoretical backgrounds
• Development of a VR prototype (in Unity)
• Development of suitable embodiment solutions for the AI within the prototype
• User study to evaluate the effects of the embodied AI
• Evaluation and presentation of results

The project will be organized according to the basic principles of SCRUM, an agile project management framework for software development. A group of 4 to 8 students will work as a team.

Prerequisites

• Introduction to Programming (Java, C++ or C#), e.g., 10-MCS-EinP
• Introduction to MCS, e.g., 06-MCS-GL-AP
• Statistics 1 and 2, e.g., 06-PSY-STAT-1 and 06-PSY-STAT-2
• Advanced Programming, e.g., 10-MCS-GADS, 10-MCS-EPP and 10-MCS-SPSE
• Usability and Software Ergonomics, e.g., 06-MCS-Usab
• Interactive Computer Graphics, e.g., 10-MCS-ICGV
• Software Quality, e.g., 10-MCS-SQ and 10-MCS-ST

Optional

• Game Engine Experience (Unity)

Contact Persons at the University Würzburg