I-Jui Lee

By I-Jui Lee, Ling-Yi Lin, Chien-Hsu Chen and Chi-Hsuan Chung

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by a reduced ability to appropriately express social greetings. Studies have indicated that individuals with ASD might not recognize the crucial nonverbal cues that usually aid social interaction. This study applied augmented reality (AR) with tabletop role-playing game (AR-RPG) to focus on the standard nonverbal social cues to teach children with ASD, how to appropriately reciprocate when they socially interact with others. The results showed that intervention system provides an AR combined with physical manipulatives and presents corresponding specific elements in an AR 3D animation with dialogue; thus, it can be used to help them increase their social interaction skills and drive their attention toward the meaning and social value of greeting behavior in specific social situations. We conclude that AR-RPG of social situations helped children with ASD recognize and better understand these situations and moderately effective in teaching the target greeting responses.

Part of the book: State of the Art Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Knowhow

By I-Jui Lee

The production and design of wood furniture manufacturing includes manufacturing furniture parts and their assembly with appropriate finishing operations; the process requires repeated communication and discussions, as well as furniture sampling and trials, which are indispensable. However, in the sampling process, due to the different understandings of the designer and the sample maker in regard to the size of 2D drawings and the modeling of 3D furniture, the sampling results often differ greatly from the designer’s original concept; such errors appear mostly in the prototyping of wooden furniture. In this study, we focus on the wooden chair to explore whether augmented reality (AR) can contribute to the comparison between the virtual and physical shapes in the furniture prototyping process. We hope that by employing AR, the gap between the prototype and the finished furniture will be narrowed. By researching actual furniture prototyping with three furniture designers and two sample makers, this study has defined three furniture prototyping methods in the industry. Based on the basic principles, we recruited 38 designers to participate in the comparison experiments employing the above three different furniture prototypes. The results confirmed that applying the AR technology can effectively narrow the gap between judgment and prototype.

Part of the book: Mixed Reality and Three-Dimensional Computer Graphics

By I-Jui Lee

Social communication is the basis of human interaction, as people transmit messages, their emotions, and some symbolic social content through oral or non-verbal communication. However, it is difficult for most children with autism to master, or understand, these non-verbal social communication skills. In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology (A/VR technology) have been widely used in the social training of children with autism. This technology creates many learning states that are difficult to achieve in the traditional social training of autism, and they are mainly achieved through the sensory advantages of A/VR technology in the visual presentation and simulation of surreal state situations. This technology can provide more attractive interactive games and play strategies to help autistic children learn social reciprocity skills. Therefore, this paper discusses how A/VR technology can be used to construct a surreal visual training strategy in the non-verbal social training of autistic children and, by using different teaching strategies and visual training applications, to help them to improve their mastery of non-verbal social communication. Based on the findings, future researchers are offered some suggestions and references for the application of A/VR technology in the social training of autism.

Part of the book: Types of Nonverbal Communication