NC

Jinwook Kim   My PhD study is based on the subject of converging the field of cognitive science and computer engineering. I am carrying out a research to quantitatively measure the user’s cognitive process based on the data tracing their brain waves and eye gaze in virtual reality (VR). I am also carrying out a research to build a system where users would utilize ‘^*SSVEP (Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential)’ in VR to prompt communication between human begins and computers.

Dongseok Yang   The research that I am carrying out is about creating whole-body movements of virtual avatars, utilizing user information collected through VR devices. The aim of this project is to generate interactive movements between virtual objects and virtual avatars in addition to simple locomotive movements.

^{*SSVEP – Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential: Brain signals that occur in occipital lobe in response to visual stimulus of certain frequency}

Jinwook Kim   Back in college, I was interested in materializing my imagination into reality. Upon graduation, I began to wonder about the impact that the system I built could have on people, and that was why I became interested in HCI*. I entered graduate school to study more about HCI but felt limitations in research methodologies that were based on surveys and interviews. Therefore, I wanted to study ways to assess user experience on a real time basis in the field of virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) that I had been interested in.

Dongseok Yang   Avatars should be able to move naturally in order to enhance the sense of immersion and reality in VR/AR applications. We used to measure movement through attaching full-body trackers on actual human beings in order to create virtual avatars that would replicate whole-body movements. However, it was difficult to create natural movements based on such a method, and the method also had a limitation that it could only be used in controlled environment. Hence, I wanted to study ways for users to easily use whole-body avatars under different environments.

^{*HCI(Human Computer Interaction) – A field of research to design operating systems to enable easy and convenient interaction between human beings and computers and to evaluate the systems}

Jinwook Kim   I have been wanting to receive feedback on my current research subject from professors and professionals. Fortunately, I was told that NC was recruiting scholarship students and submitted my application. After being selected as a recipient of the scholarship, I could get not only practical support, but also confidence and momentum for my research. As a result, my paper, “Exploration of the Virtual Reality Teleportation Methods using Hand-tracking, Eye-tracking, and EEG”, was recently accepted by International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction (IJHCI, IF: 4.92). Also, the VR-mobile cross-platform game, “SEUNG-EE & KKAEBI”, developed with other team members during the game design course jointly conducted by NC and KAIST, was selected as a finalist in ACM CHI Play 2022 Student Game Design Competition, and we are waiting for the final result.

Dongseok Yang   I have known that NC was investing much in the research of character animation. Therefore, I became more interested in NC’s scholarship program after being told that there was such a program, and I applied to the program, wondering how the company would evaluate my research results. The experience of being selected as a recipient of NC’s scholarship and being recognized by others further motivated me to carry out study and research. Also, I could greatly enhance my research efficiency through replacing equipment and getting personal servers using the scholarship money that I was awarded.

Jinwook Kim   I hope that my research would interact with the research of others to contribute to development of VR/AR technology so that as in the movie <Ready Player One>, VR would become another type of living space for someone to work in or to enjoy content like movies. By then, a new genre that is beyond the boundary of existing game genres like action and FPS and is closely connected with our everyday lives will be created.

Dongseok Yang   I believe that games are a kind of ‘metaverse’, since it immerses users based on extensive world views and original stories. Since technologies surrounding games are developing at a fast speed, I believe that VR/AR technology would become one of the ways to provide users with more vivid and realistic playing experiences in the near future.

Jinwook Kim   I would like to discover new possibilities that are hidden in the biological signals of human beings, using machine learning and quantum computing. Also, I would like to become a researcher that connects various disciplines, as the importance of convergence increases in academia. To this end, I would like to understand the trend and the possibility of each research area and enhance my understanding of the elements that could complement individual areas. I believe that the developments made with NC’s scholarship program would be greatly help me achieve these objectives.

Dongseok Yang   My initial objective is to finish the on-going research project successfully. I have not yet experienced having my paper being accepted to the best journals in my field of research. I am wishing to achieve this goal with the paper that I am currently working on. I have not put much thought into my next career paths after graduation yet, but what I would like to continue is research. I am considering options to become a postdoctoral researcher or to apply to corporate research institutes.