Group Interaction in a Surround Screen Environment

This paper describes a setup using a surround screen environment (Extended Virtual Environment EVE dome) that we used to explore group interaction in real and virtual space. We have created a prototype framework to explore different modes of group interaction, the position and motion of users in real space are tracked using a vision-based interface that allows the activities of real crowds to be monitored. In the virtual space, we use a simple behavioural animation system that serves as a testbed to generate virtual group and crowd behaviour. Exploring different kinds of dynamic relationships between real and virtual groups gives insight to possible directions of group interaction.