Could an Interactive and Total Immersive Device with Hmd Improve Memory and Give the Presence Sensation?

We studied two interactive (functional and intentional interactivity) and immersive (technical and psychological immersion) devices with a personal 3D viewer (360° vision and environmentally ego-centered) and their effects on the explicit long-term memories of the subjects (4 groups of 30 students for a total of 120 subjects) (2007 and 2012). We have tested memory, communication and feeling of presence in our virtual environment with a canonic test of presence (Witmer and Singer, 1998). In our first experiment (2007), the results showed that there was no improvement in mnemonic performances compared with other types of media (PowerPoint classes without taking notes, with the taking of notes and a lecture class with no other medium). Our second experiment (2012) used a total-immersion device with the ability for the subjects to share their emotions and sensations through a network, results in progress). This article is a reflection on immersion and the presence sensation in a virtual environment in these 3D devices.