Virtual reality.

Identifying and tracking individuals affected by this virus in densely
populated areas is a unique and an urgent challenge in the public health sector.
Currently, mapping the spread of the Ebola virus is done manually, however with
the help of social contact networks we can model dynamic graphs and predictive
diffusion models of Ebola virus based on the impact on either a specific person or
a specific community.
With the help of this model, we can make more precise forward
predictions of the disease propagations and to identify possibly infected
individuals which will help perform trace – back analysis to locate the possible
source of infection for a social group. This model will visualize and identify the
families and tightly connected social groups who have had contact with an Ebola
patient and is a proactive approach to reduce the risk of exposure of Ebola
spread within a community or geographic location.

We have an opportunity not only to interact with 3D content but also to
immerse ourselves in it via Virtual Reality (VR). This work is deeply inspired by
my experience as a Ukrainian witnessing the recent turmoil in my homeland. I
wanted people around the globe to experience the horrors that are unfolding.
The Voice of the People, explores narrative storytelling through VR. Ultimately,
the viewer will be able to put on a VR headset and become deeply immersed in
the story. With this technology, the user intimately experiences the war and
devastation created by Russian occupation first hand. The end of World War II is
a critical time in my country’s history. Included in the 3D environment are video
segments of those affected by the current Russian occupation; historical themes
underscore the narrative and help the viewer understand the recurring
aggression by Russia that is part of Ukraine’s history.

Research on Multiple Object Tracking (MOT) has typically involved 2D displays where
stimuli move in a single depth plane. However, under natural conditions, objects move in 3D
which adds complexity to tracking. According to the spatial interference model, tracked
objects have an inhibitory surround that when crossed causes tracking errors. How do
these inhibitory fields translate to 3D space? Does multiple object tracking operate on a
2D planar projection, or is it in fact 3D? To investigate this, we used a fully immersive
virtual-reality environment where participants were required to track 1 to 4 moving
objects. We compared performance to a condition where participants viewed the same
stimuli on a computer screen with monocular depth cues. Results suggest that participants
were more accurate in the VR condition than the computer screen condition. This
demonstrates interference is negligent when the objects are spatially distant, yet
proximate within the 2D projection.

A hallmark of the cyberpunk era, virtual reality is now a real and readily available
medium for technological entertainment and lifestyle. Cyberpunk texts and contemporary
SF that incorporates virtual reality provide a framework for considering the implications
of this newly popularized technology. By allowing the user to explore new forms of
identity in an alternate reality, virtual reality poses many interesting opportunities for
undermining current social constructs related to gender, race, and identity. This thesis
investigates real and fictional examples of virtual reality and the significance of
authorship and narrative construction, race and social hierarchies, death and selfpermanence,
and gender performance across the boundary between virtual and material
space.