Notes about Plurality and Immersive Technology (WIP)

Many aspects of immersive tech aligns with Plurality

• E.g.
• From low-bandwidth collaboration to multisensory / multimodal shared experience
  • this is what the Plurality Book currently focuses on
• From “one body per individual” to “augmented bodies” (e.g. owining one avatar by multiple people), non-traditional model of individuals
• From objective/singular reality to intersubjective/plural reality
  • this is what I want to talk about in this article!

Reality is subjective, and we share them intersubjectively to construct a Shared Reality

• People’s worldviews are inherently subjective, and there is no truly objective reality.
  • This plural model of reality is reminiscent of concepts like Uexküll’s umwelt and phenomenology, which emphasize that people perceive different things even when they are in the same world
• i.e. Reality is asymmetric.
  • we can experience different realities while also sharing reality

The fascinating aspect of computer-mediated reality (VR, MR, etc) is that ### we can intentionally design the mechanism of this “asymmetry.”

• We can create personalized experiences that cater to individual differences while still maintaining a shared reality.

Specific examples of designed asymmetry include:

• Asymmetry of Language: Participants in a virtual meeting can hear the conversation in their preferred language while still sharing the same audio space.
  • realtime voice translation by Meta
• Asymmetry of Noverbal Cues: Gestures and nonverbal cues can be adapted to match each user’s cultural norms, promoting better understanding and communication.
  • e.g.
  • Real-time Gesture Translation in Intercultural Communication
• Asymmetry of Space: The layout and arrangement of virtual environments can be optimized for each user’s physical space and equipment, ensuring a comfortable and efficient experience.
  • e.g.
  • Placement Retargeting of Virtual Avatars to Dissimilar Indoor Environments
  • Partially Blended Realities： Aligning Dissimilar Spaces for Distributed Mixed Reality Meetings
• Asymmetry of Time: In asynchronous collaboration, team members in different time zones can view project updates and deadlines relative to their own timeline, enhancing coordination and productivity.
  • e.g.
  • Causality-preserving Asynchronous Reality
  • Challenges for Asynchronous Collaboration in Augmented Reality
• Context-aware Level of Detail: The amount and complexity of information presented can be tailored to each user’s needs and preferences, providing a personalized learning or working experience.
  • e.g.
  • The Two-User Responsive Workbench： Support for Collaboration Through Individual Views of a Shared Space
• some of my works:
  • 
  • Asymmetry of Space and Time: Asynchronous Remote Teleoperation
    • When presenting the environment where the robot is placed to the user, time and space are shifted to match the user’s .
    • Paper: Asynchronously Assigning, Monitoring, and Managing Assembly Goals in Virtual Reality for High-Level Robot Teleoperation
  • Asymmetry of Time: Pseudo-Sync and Adaptive-Sync in Asynchronous Online Lectures
    • Providing lecture videos optimized in speed for each student, while enabling communication among students across time.
    • Details: kineto
  • Asymmetric Chat: LLM-mediated chat environment with context translation
    • asym-chat (Anjasshu State Chat)
    • https://asym-chat.vercel.app/

When designing asymmetry for personalization can lead to a more pluralistic experience, the question arises:

• Q: How can we design asymmetry to foster collaboration across differences, while avoiding the dystopian filter bubble where everyone lives in their own isolated reality?
• Personalization by asymmetry could lead to a dystopian world where everyone lives in their own world; without collaborating and co-existing.
  • how can we avoid this?

The key lies in creating asymmetry in one aspect of reality to enable the sharing of another.

• i.e. make one thing asymmetric so that we could share something else
• E.g.
  • Realtime language translation allows users to hear voices in their preferred language. This creates asymmetry in the audio space, while now allowing sharing the meaning and content of the conversation.
  • Personalized levels of detail in a presentation ensure that each attendee receives the appropriate amount of information. This creates asymmetry in the depth of content, while now sharing the overall message and context.
  • Culturally adapted gestures and nonverbal cues. This create asymmetry in the visual representation, while now conveying the same underlying emotions and intentions.

Another approach is to recognize and embrace the existence of multiple realities simultaneously.

• Traditional reality is often viewed as singular, but with immersive technology, we can overlay multiple realities in one space at the same time.
• This allows users to experience the world from both their own and other people’s perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding.
• By presenting both personalized and shared realities concurrently, users can appreciate the diversity of experiences while still maintaining a sense of connection and collaboration.
• Examples:
  • OVRlap： Perceiving Multiple Locations Simultaneously to Improve Interaction in VR
  • SpiderVision： Extending the Human Field of View for Augmented Awareness
  • Blended Reality： Extending Existence to Multiple Realities

In summary, by thoughtfully designing asymmetry in immersive reality, we can create personalized experiences that cater to individual differences while still promoting collaboration and shared understanding. By leveraging asymmetry to enhance certain aspects of reality while maintaining a common ground in others, and by acknowledging the coexistence of multiple realities, we can harness the power of plurality to foster more inclusive, empathetic, and collaborative virtual environments.

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