Exploiting Voice Transformation to Promote Interaction in Virtual Environments

We propose a new type of interaction dedicated to virtual reality (VR). We have designed a futuristic scenario promoting a dialogue with a humanoid. The participant is submitted to a reverse Turing test and has to answer questions addressed by the humanoid. The participant uses his/her own voice to respond, which is transformed in real time in terms of timbre and spatialization, in correspondence with special effects applied to the 360-degree video. Behavioral assessments are proposed after each vocal answer given, to determine the quality of the vocal interaction. Overall, the potential of this new narrative vector is confirmed by the very positive feelings of the participants, while promoting the extension of interactivity in 360-degree VR.