Interpersonal entrainment (IPE), motor synchronization to a common rhythm, can be used to strengthen the ability to communicate and coordinate actions between citizens. Different studies show how children's and adults’ behaviors changed positively by increasing their cooperation, helpfulness, and affiliation levels after performing activities in synchrony. However, those activities are often affected by the mediation of a researcher. This problem can be addressed by using new technologies such as mixed reality (MR) full-body systems. The aim of this study was to develop a playful MR pre-interactive (noninteractive visual/auditory cues) experience, the Mandala, to promote IPE. Sixty-six children were presented, in groups of four, with one of the conditions: async movements and ambient music (control) or sync movements accompanied by rhythmic (experimental 1) or ambient music (experimental 2). We analyzed the children's ability to follow the visual elements well (temporal pattern and precision), the good use of the interactive object, and their level of synchrony. The results show how the children followed the visual pattern well and accurately, used the interactive object as proposed, and achieved high levels of synchrony. We provided initial insights on how full-body MR systems can be used to promote IPE without an external facilitator.

After analyzing how VR experiences are modeled within human computer interaction (CHI) we have found there is a deep theoretical gap. Similarly to how the scientific community has defined CHI models for multimedia applications, it would be very important to have such models for VR—obviously the standpoint cannot be the same because multimedia and VR applications differ in essence. Indeed, there is no formal model to unify the way in which scientists and designers of VR applications define their experiences. More specifically, apart from the isolated initial scheme defined by S.R. Ellis (Ellis, 1991, Computing Systems in Engineering , 2 (4) 321–347; Ellis, 1993, Pictorial Communication in Virtual and Real Environment , 3–11), and a low level model defined by Latta and Oberg (Latta & Oberg, 1994, IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications , 14 , 23–29), there is no model to fully describe the relationship with which the user will be experiencing the VR application. In this paper we shall explain where exactly we think this gap is found, which elements and concepts are involved in the definition of a model of experience, and finally propose a definition of a model that we think, eventually, will fill this gap.

Virtual reality application design is usually guided by a content-driven strategy, which gives priority to the application's content and context. In this paper, we shall describe and study a novel strategy in VR application design that is centered on the design of the user interaction, regardless of the specific content of the application. This is especially useful in creative/artistic applications of VR. We shall present the specific case of an artistic VR application from which this strategy has emerged. This VR experience, El Ball del Fanalet or Lightpools has been successfully presented at the Miró Foundation in Barcelona (Spain).