In this paper we present a novel experiment to explore the impact of avatar realism on the illusion of virtual body ownership (IVBO) in immersive virtual environments, with full-body avatar embodiment and freedom of movement. We evaluated four distinct avatars (a humanoid robot, a block-man, and both male and female human adult) presenting an increasing level of anthropomorphism in their detailed compositions. Our results revealed that each avatar elicited a relatively high level of illusion. However both machine-like and cartoon-like avatars elicited an equivalent IVBO, slightly superior to the human-ones. A realistic human appearance is therefore not a critical top-down factor of IVBO, and could lead to an Üncanney Valley" effect.
%0 Generic
%1 lugrin2015anthropomorphism
%A Lugrin, Jean-Luc
%A Latt, Johanna
%A Latoschik, Marc Erich
%D 2015
%K Illusion VR body embodiment myown of ownership virtual
%T Anthropomorphism and Illusion of Virtual Body Ownership
%X In this paper we present a novel experiment to explore the impact of avatar realism on the illusion of virtual body ownership (IVBO) in immersive virtual environments, with full-body avatar embodiment and freedom of movement. We evaluated four distinct avatars (a humanoid robot, a block-man, and both male and female human adult) presenting an increasing level of anthropomorphism in their detailed compositions. Our results revealed that each avatar elicited a relatively high level of illusion. However both machine-like and cartoon-like avatars elicited an equivalent IVBO, slightly superior to the human-ones. A realistic human appearance is therefore not a critical top-down factor of IVBO, and could lead to an Üncanney Valley" effect.
@conference{lugrin2015anthropomorphism,
abstract = {In this paper we present a novel experiment to explore the impact of avatar realism on the illusion of virtual body ownership (IVBO) in immersive virtual environments, with full-body avatar embodiment and freedom of movement. We evaluated four distinct avatars (a humanoid robot, a block-man, and both male and female human adult) presenting an increasing level of anthropomorphism in their detailed compositions. Our results revealed that each avatar elicited a relatively high level of illusion. However both machine-like and cartoon-like avatars elicited an equivalent IVBO, slightly superior to the human-ones. A realistic human appearance is therefore not a critical top-down factor of IVBO, and could lead to an "Uncanney Valley" effect.
},
added-at = {2015-09-04T16:04:47.000+0200},
author = {Lugrin, Jean-Luc and Latt, Johanna and Latoschik, Marc Erich},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/24b3ae25aad204d9f3bd486b6d91c3cc4/lugrinj},
interhash = {5e7825e500c4f6682c6348cf4cc93ab2},
intrahash = {4b3ae25aad204d9f3bd486b6d91c3cc4},
keywords = {Illusion VR body embodiment myown of ownership virtual},
timestamp = {2015-09-04T16:08:49.000+0200},
title = {Anthropomorphism and Illusion of Virtual Body Ownership},
year = 2015
}