AHCI RESEARCH GROUP
Publications
Papers published in international journals,
proceedings of conferences, workshops and books.
OUR RESEARCH
Scientific Publications
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You can expand the Abstract, Links and BibTex record for each paper.
2025
Timmerman, K.; Mertens, R.; Yoncalik, A.; Spriet, L.
Cities Unseen: Experiencing the Imagined Proceedings Article
In: Proc. Int. Conf. Tangible, Embed., Embodied Interact., TEI, Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2025, ISBN: 979-840071197-8 (ISBN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Art installation, Embodiment, Immersive, Immersive Storytelling, Multiplayers, Presence, Real time interactions, Sensory Involvement, Through the lens, Urban environments, Virtual environments, Virtual Reality
@inproceedings{timmerman_cities_2025,
title = {Cities Unseen: Experiencing the Imagined},
author = {K. Timmerman and R. Mertens and A. Yoncalik and L. Spriet},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105000440301&doi=10.1145%2f3689050.3707685&partnerID=40&md5=6aa0968146eab8f91fba6eaeb30f7f9c},
doi = {10.1145/3689050.3707685},
isbn = {979-840071197-8 (ISBN)},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
booktitle = {Proc. Int. Conf. Tangible, Embed., Embodied Interact., TEI},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery, Inc},
abstract = {"Cities Unseen: Experiencing the Imagined" is an art installation that reinterprets Italo Calvino's "Invisible Cities" through the lens of virtual reality. The project employs a physical suitcase as a portal, allowing participants to enter and explore virtual urban environments using the Oculus Quest 3. The cityscapes will be developed with generative AI, converting Calvino's descriptions into prompts, creating an immersive space for philosophical reflection on the nature of travel and the boundaries between reality and imagination. By integrating Unity's shared spatial anchors and advanced multiplayer features, "Cities Unseen" supports real-time interaction among participants, emphasizing the social and collaborative dimensions of virtual travel. © 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).},
keywords = {Art installation, Embodiment, Immersive, Immersive Storytelling, Multiplayers, Presence, Real time interactions, Sensory Involvement, Through the lens, Urban environments, Virtual environments, Virtual Reality},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
"Cities Unseen: Experiencing the Imagined" is an art installation that reinterprets Italo Calvino's "Invisible Cities" through the lens of virtual reality. The project employs a physical suitcase as a portal, allowing participants to enter and explore virtual urban environments using the Oculus Quest 3. The cityscapes will be developed with generative AI, converting Calvino's descriptions into prompts, creating an immersive space for philosophical reflection on the nature of travel and the boundaries between reality and imagination. By integrating Unity's shared spatial anchors and advanced multiplayer features, "Cities Unseen" supports real-time interaction among participants, emphasizing the social and collaborative dimensions of virtual travel. © 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).
Leininger, P.; Weber, C. J.; Rothe, S.
Understanding Creative Potential and Use Cases of AI-Generated Environments for Virtual Film Productions: Insights from Industry Professionals Proceedings Article
In: IMX - Proc. ACM Int. Conf. Interact. Media Experiences, pp. 60–78, Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2025, ISBN: 979-840071391-0 (ISBN).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: 3-D environments, 3D reconstruction, 3D Scene Reconstruction, 3d scenes reconstruction, AI-generated 3d environment, AI-Generated 3D Environments, Computer interaction, Creative Collaboration, Creatives, Digital content creation, Digital Content Creation., Filmmaking workflow, Filmmaking Workflows, Gaussian distribution, Gaussian Splatting, Gaussians, Generative AI, Graphical user interface, Graphical User Interface (GUI), Graphical user interfaces, Human computer interaction, human-computer interaction, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Immersive, Immersive Storytelling, Interactive computer graphics, Interactive computer systems, Interactive media, Mesh generation, Previsualization, Real-Time Rendering, Splatting, Three dimensional computer graphics, Virtual production, Virtual Production (VP), Virtual Reality, Work-flows
@inproceedings{leininger_understanding_2025,
title = {Understanding Creative Potential and Use Cases of AI-Generated Environments for Virtual Film Productions: Insights from Industry Professionals},
author = {P. Leininger and C. J. Weber and S. Rothe},
url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105007976841&doi=10.1145%2f3706370.3727853&partnerID=40&md5=0d4cf7a2398d12d04e4f0ab182474a10},
doi = {10.1145/3706370.3727853},
isbn = {979-840071391-0 (ISBN)},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
booktitle = {IMX - Proc. ACM Int. Conf. Interact. Media Experiences},
pages = {60–78},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery, Inc},
abstract = {Virtual production (VP) is transforming filmmaking by integrating real-time digital elements with live-action footage, offering new creative possibilities and streamlined workflows. While industry experts recognize AI's potential to revolutionize VP, its practical applications and value across different production phases and user groups remain underexplored. Building on initial research into generative and data-driven approaches, this paper presents the first systematic pilot study evaluating three types of AI-generated 3D environments - Depth Mesh, 360° Panoramic Meshes, and Gaussian Splatting - through the participation of 15 filmmaking professionals from diverse roles. Unlike commonly used 2D AI-generated visuals, our approach introduces navigable 3D environments that offer greater control and flexibility, aligning more closely with established VP workflows. Through expert interviews and literature research, we developed evaluation criteria to assess their usefulness beyond concept development, extending to previsualization, scene exploration, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our findings indicate that different environments cater to distinct production needs, from early ideation to detailed visualization. Gaussian Splatting proved effective for high-fidelity previsualization, while 360° Panoramic Meshes excelled in rapid concept ideation. Despite their promise, challenges such as limited interactivity and customization highlight areas for improvement. Our prototype, EnVisualAIzer, built in Unreal Engine 5, provides an accessible platform for diverse filmmakers to engage with AI-generated environments, fostering a more inclusive production process. By lowering technical barriers, these environments have the potential to make advanced VP tools more widely available. This study offers valuable insights into the evolving role of AI in VP and sets the stage for future research and development. © 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to ACM.},
keywords = {3-D environments, 3D reconstruction, 3D Scene Reconstruction, 3d scenes reconstruction, AI-generated 3d environment, AI-Generated 3D Environments, Computer interaction, Creative Collaboration, Creatives, Digital content creation, Digital Content Creation., Filmmaking workflow, Filmmaking Workflows, Gaussian distribution, Gaussian Splatting, Gaussians, Generative AI, Graphical user interface, Graphical User Interface (GUI), Graphical user interfaces, Human computer interaction, human-computer interaction, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Immersive, Immersive Storytelling, Interactive computer graphics, Interactive computer systems, Interactive media, Mesh generation, Previsualization, Real-Time Rendering, Splatting, Three dimensional computer graphics, Virtual production, Virtual Production (VP), Virtual Reality, Work-flows},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Virtual production (VP) is transforming filmmaking by integrating real-time digital elements with live-action footage, offering new creative possibilities and streamlined workflows. While industry experts recognize AI's potential to revolutionize VP, its practical applications and value across different production phases and user groups remain underexplored. Building on initial research into generative and data-driven approaches, this paper presents the first systematic pilot study evaluating three types of AI-generated 3D environments - Depth Mesh, 360° Panoramic Meshes, and Gaussian Splatting - through the participation of 15 filmmaking professionals from diverse roles. Unlike commonly used 2D AI-generated visuals, our approach introduces navigable 3D environments that offer greater control and flexibility, aligning more closely with established VP workflows. Through expert interviews and literature research, we developed evaluation criteria to assess their usefulness beyond concept development, extending to previsualization, scene exploration, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our findings indicate that different environments cater to distinct production needs, from early ideation to detailed visualization. Gaussian Splatting proved effective for high-fidelity previsualization, while 360° Panoramic Meshes excelled in rapid concept ideation. Despite their promise, challenges such as limited interactivity and customization highlight areas for improvement. Our prototype, EnVisualAIzer, built in Unreal Engine 5, provides an accessible platform for diverse filmmakers to engage with AI-generated environments, fostering a more inclusive production process. By lowering technical barriers, these environments have the potential to make advanced VP tools more widely available. This study offers valuable insights into the evolving role of AI in VP and sets the stage for future research and development. © 2025 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to ACM.