Secure Multimodal Virtual Reality for Remote Management of Corporate Systems and Compliance Processes.

Project Introduction:

This proposed research aligns to The Advanced Research and Engineering centre within Northern Ireland which brings together expertise from PwC, University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast.

A selection process will determine the strongest candidates across a range of projects, who may then be offered funding for their chosen project. Approximately £6000 per year is payable to the sponsored student in addition to the normal stipend. Bringing the total stipend to approximately £21,609 per annum. 

Virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) are rapidly maturing technologies that, as yet, have not yet delivered their full potential as a comprehensive, immersive and multi-modal interactive communications medium. Nor has VR/AR been extensively deployed as an interface to embed the human in a naturally symbiotic relationship with a vast body of digital data represented in multiple forms: text, images, video, audio. 

We know skill acquisition is essential for human development in order to attain high-levels of competency in a professional capacity. As such, the demand for accessible and optimised learning and training systems is high. VR and AR demonstrate the potential to improve learning practices under certain conditions by introducing features such as haptics, enhanced visual information, and intelligent tutoring, that combine for a unique and dynamic pedagogical tool. With the advent of VR and AR, virtual systems could offer ubiquitous, effective, and affordable solutions to both learn and manage corporate systems and compliance processes. Virtual systems could one day be ubiquitous, and it will be important to observe the extent to which participants are learning for personalisation and optimisation within business process applications.

Project Description:

This project is required to build the necessary hardware and software to enable the collaborative and virtual presences required by systems such as those envisaged in the project introduction, using a multi sensorial VR approach.

The project also requires the development and examination of example scenarios. This requires the development of metrics against which to measure the effectiveness of such systems in the context of the example scenarios using techniques that provide quantitative assessment that are statistically rigourous.

There is a developing corpus of literature dedicated to EEG analysis techniques for human-machine systems, yet applications specifically for decision-making contexts are currently limited. Data is typically acquired directly from the human component of the system via the EEG headset, which is analysed. For example, the P300 signal is frequently used in medical science and neuroscience applications, but its potential for assisting in analysing learning and memory in a training, learning and decision making context is promising. The relationship between the P300 and working memory suggests that the signal could be a valuable metric for detecting retention in virtual training systems, but there is little research in these applied environments evaluating the suitability for this purpose. We propose using appropriate qualitative and quantitative analysis, including the analysis of appropriate user memory signals, to prove the VR, AR and AI can be combined to enhance the decision making process within a business process.  

Project Key Words:

Multimodal Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Haptics, Tele-conferencing, Authentication Systems, Blockchain.

Full-Time                

Start Date: 01/ 10/ 2022

Application Closing date: 28 / 02 / 2022

Funding Body: DfE / External Corporate Funding

Project Funding Type: funded

Funding Information:

This three year studentship, for full-time PhD study, is potentially funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE) and commences on 1 October 2022. For UK domiciled students the value of an award includes the cost of approved tuition fees as well as maintenance support (Fees £4,500 pa and Stipend rate £15,609 pa - 2022-23 rates to be confirmed). To be considered eligible for a full DfE studentship award you must have been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom for the full three year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course.  The candidate must be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the first academic year of the course, normally 1 October. For further information about eligibility criteria please refer to the DfE Postgraduate Studentship Terms and Conditions 2021-22 at https://go.qub.ac.uk/dfeterms

A selection process will determine the strongest candidates across a range of projects, who may then be offered funding for their chosen project. This is an industrially sponsored project. Approximately £6000 per year is payable to the sponsored student in addition to the stipend rate detailed above. Bringing the total stipend to approximately £21,609 per annum. 

 For candidates who do not meet the above residency requirements, a small number of international studentships may be available from the School. These are expected to be highly competitive, and a selection process will determine the strongest candidates across a range of School projects, who may then be offered funding for their chosen project. 

Academic Requirements:

A minimum 2.1 honours degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, or Psychology or relevant degree with relevant technological experience.

Applicants should apply electronically through the Queen’s online application portal at: https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/