School of Computer Science and Statistics
In Virtual Reality, strong embodiment is usually achieved by making an avatar closely reproduce the user’s physical movements. But what happens when the virtual body does not move in the same way as the real body? Can haptic feedback help users accept unfamiliar virtual movements as their own? In this project, the student will develop … Read more
Imagine visiting a virtual museum as a family after closing time, where the exhibits have mysteriously come to life and an AI-driven virtual museum guide needs your group’s help to discover what has happened. This project will develop a short multiplayer VR experience for 3–4 players, in which a MetaHuman guide dynamically responds to the … Read more
In Virtual Reality, users typically expect their avatar to both look and move like them. But what happens when your virtual body responds to your actions while moving with the motion style of somebody else, or when your appearance is replaced by a highly realistic digital double of another person? In this project, the student … Read more
How we move through a crowd is influenced not only by where other people are, but also by how we perceive them. This project will investigate whether the appearance and proximity of virtual people influence how users behave when navigating through a crowd in Virtual Reality. The student will develop a VR crowd environment in … Read more
Recent advances in generative AI make it possible to realistically transform both a person’s face and voice while preserving their underlying behaviour. This project will develop an interactive AI virtual mirror in which participants see their face transformed into another photorealistic identity while their own facial expressions and head movements drive the generated face. The … Read more
This project will develop a procedural facial feature adjustment system for Unreal Engine MetaHumans that dynamically modifies key facial characteristics based on psychological associations between facial traits and personality impressions—for example, enlarging eyes to convey honesty or adjusting jawline to suggest dominance. The system will map established psychological findings about how facial features … Read more
This project will explore how users select and customize avatars within educational virtual environments and how these choices affect engagement and identification with the learning experience. The student will review existing avatar customization systems, focusing on how well they support user identity expression and ease of use in educational contexts. Using a prototype avatar customization … Read more
This project will investigate how two core gaze behaviors, mutual gaze and gaze cueing, influence user behavior and attention in dynamic virtual environments. In real-world interactions, direct eye contact increases social presence and engagement, while observing another person’s gaze direction can automatically shift our own attention. Using immersive virtual reality, this study will simulate a … Read more
This project seeks to build a solution for modelling and interactive realistic 3D rendering of home interiors. There already exist many applications that (a) capture building interiors in realistic 3D (b) create a 3D model of a house based on a simple app, and (c) simulate placement of furniture in a real space This project … Read more
VR technology is poised to revolutionize the arts by offering new and exciting possibilities for creative expression and audience engagement. This project proposes a technology-focused exploration of VR’s applications in the Film, Theatre, and Performance discipline, aiming to unlock innovative uses, expand accessibility, and push the boundaries of artistic expression. The primary objective of this … Read more