UA Little Rock Graduate Students Present Virtual Reality Research at International IEEE Conference
Two graduate students from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock showcased their research on virtual reality (VR) at the 32nd Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces, held March 8-12 in Saint-Malo, France.
M.J.M. Sunny and Jayasri Sai Nikitha Guthula, both pursuing their Master of Science in Computer Science, presented research that explores the intersection of VR usability, eye-tracking technology, and privacy protection in immersive environments.
Sunny and Jayasri presented a paper jointly, “Gaze Insights in XR: Real-Time Eye-Tracking Analytics with Elasticsearch,” that was written with fellow UA Little Rock graduate students Atit Kharel, Meherun Nesa Shraboni, Praveshika Bhandari, and Hadi Rashid and faculty members Dr. Jan Springer and Dr. Arya Basu.
The paper introduced a framework that enables researchers to analyze eye-tracking data in real time across multiple VR platforms. The study also highlights privacy concerns and proposes using homomorphic encryption to secure sensitive data.
Sunny, a research analyst at UA Little Rock’s Emerging Analytics Center, also presented a poster, “Evaluating Adjustment and Proficiency Disparities in Virtual Reality,” focused on how users’ prior gaming and VR experience impact their ability to perform precise tasks in VR environments.
“People are increasingly using emerging technologies, but many still find VR devices uncomfortable and unfamiliar,” Sunny said. “My research examines how different backgrounds affect users’ ability to adapt to VR. This has significant implications, especially for applications requiring precision, such as surgery simulations.”
Attending the IEEE conference was a valuable experience for both students.
“It was an honor to present my work on an international stage and represent UA Little Rock,” Sunny said. “I gained new insights into my research and made connections with experts in the field.”
Jayasri echoed the sentiment, noting that her second year at the conference was especially rewarding.
“This year’s event in France was incredible,” she said. “Being a student volunteer allowed me to network more easily, and I received great feedback from peers and experts on how to refine my research. Plus, touring one of France’s largest VR labs was a highlight.”
The research presented by Sunny and Jayasri underscores UA Little Rock’s commitment to innovation in emerging technologies. Their work not only advances the field of virtual reality but also addresses critical issues in user accessibility and data privacy.