Interaction Design IV:

"Defining Virtual Reality: Dimensions Determining Telepresence" by Jonathan Steuer

The objective of the article is to define virtual reality as an experience rather than a technology as a means of comparing virtual reality to other types of mediated experiences.

Steuer uses the terms presence and telepresence to define virtual reality as they relate to human experiences. Presence is defined as the sense of being in an environment, as dictated by sensory inputs and mental processes (75). It is a natural perception of an environment. Conversely, telepresence is defined as presence in a mediated environment or virtual world. A virtual reality is defined as a real or simulated environment where someone experiences a mediated environment.

Factors that influence telepresence include:

• The combination of sensori stimuli employed in the environment
• The level of interactivity afforded by the environment
• The characteristics of the individual experiencing the environment.

Five variables that help induce a sense of telepresence include the scope of sensory information, level of controls, the ability to modify the environment, task difficulty and degree of automation.

Two major dimensions that impact telepresence are vividness (i.e. the ability of a technology to produce a sensorially rich mediated environment) and interactivity (i.e. the degree users can influence the form or content of the mediated environment). The breadth or number of sensory dimensions employed in a mediated environment affects vividness. Speed (i.e. response time), range (i.e. number of possible actions at any given time) and mapping (i.e. the way human actions are connected to actions in a simulated environment) all impact interactivity.

Engagement is motivational factor and is described as a "critical factor in engendering a feeling of first-personness" (88).