Please note: This PhD seminar will take place online.
Liwei Wu, PhD candidate
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
Supervisor: Professor Jian Zhao
The widespread adoption of virtual reality (VR) technology has resulted in its increasing use for live streaming across multiple fields, including education, simulation, and entertainment. Despite this growth, there remains limited research on VR streaming’s potential as a mass medium designed for broad public consumption.
This seminar aims at exploring the role of VR streaming as an emerging mass medium, with a particular focus on its practical application in entertainment contexts. First, we conducted a collection and analysis of VR streaming videos to gain an objective understanding of common practices in the field and identify its associated challenges. Second, we interviewed media professionals to examine the relationships between traditional media and VR streaming, as well as to explore design considerations that could improve current VR streaming performance. Finally, drawing on prior research that has utilized design canvas as a participatory design tool, we investigated how a digital design canvas can support non-technical streamers in exploring future opportunities for VR streaming. This seminar aims to inform the audience about VR streaming and stimulate interest in further research on its development and application as an emerging mass medium.