Live Now

 

Here you will find instructions on how to join a session that is currently in progress. The minimal requirement is the ability to use Zoom. If you are willing to participate, have registered, and did not receive a Zoom link, please email Alexei.Samsonovich@gmail.com.


 

Format



Poster sessions are based on two platforms: VCC and Mozilla Hubs, that complement each other. Plus, Zoom is used during live VCC sessions for audio connections. In comparison to Mozilla Hubs, VCC offers more functionality: e.g., it includes Virtual Actors - poster presenter bots.


Mozilla Hubs supports local voice chat and runs in any browser and also in VR, while VCC requires a Windows machine with a non-integrated video card.


Plenary talks are based on Zoom and VCC. Speakers give Zoom presentations that are streamed to VCC and back to Zoom, therefore, Zoom-only participation is possible.



 

Step-by-Step Instructions
 

1. Install and run Virtual Convention Center (VCC)


To do this, you need a Windows computer with a videocard of at least 1GB VRAM (integrated videocards and Macs do not work). Those who cannot meet these requirements should skip to Step 3 and use Mozilla Hubs and Zoom only.

To download and start VCC on a Windows machine with a non-integrated videocard, please use this link (the link may be updated frequently, updated on Nov 12, 11:40 UTC):


https://console.improbable.io/launch/v2/eyJhbGciOiJSUzM4NCIsImtpZCI6IjAwMDEifQ.eyJpYXQiOjE2MDUyNjE1NTMsInByb2plY3RfbmFtZSI6ImJldGFfY29sZF9zb3V0aF80NzciLCJkZXBsb3ltZW50X25hbWUiOiJ0ZXN0MTMxMXQxIiwiaXNzIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9sb2NhdG9yLmltcHJvYmFibGUuaW8iLCJhdWQiOiJodHRwczovL2xvY2F0b3IuaW1wcm9iYWJsZS5pbyJ9.QAFGvcz83Fi1UIQPsAkVqUDR71Dc23bsGR0W9Xx-V2WNZ-cKVtwYn0gCz4U1qxXYO7Q0rYVi_pkJqIMv4nh9ot0IDSveXyT-rRGv60we586DRxhSw8fsiW11KcKE0Gryhkt5g3f9FnV1I9spqjv3UB9mv7KCyrGafaXinbTqMKiwRqjAWeUcGxkF1TDISzxLdsJsbda8x8-qd_ZnXPxBTgqWaFRvpLNQUqHaXU7BESw7IRLrkou61VfWcaMOQWeL439YT1yCmQ2ilT9EW9N3ib5EcH3Gzhh5FvZOgP-Fu9ngLYRz2X4ms9Jnb8AyffK-1uPxC5597pNB4xCL67oKcA

Tick the checkbox, download and launch the Improbable Launcher. You will be guided further. In case of errors due to missing dependencies, to install DirectX on Windows, use this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8109 Finally, select "Play".

If you need launcher installation guidance, use this link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yj-9NN96A2WAqUT4ytisNmdfpY6nk_tovEUnjkoNxTI/edit?usp=sharing

After installation, video instructions on how to use VCC can be found here:
https://youtu.be/gwHknWOgbcQ

 

2. Get familiarized with VCC

When entering your first and last name, please use only English characters. You will have a choice of 8 avatars. You can navigate in the session by using the mouse, W, A, S, D, and arrow keys. Other keyboard key bindings are set as follows (see also buttons on the screen).

  • Left Shift: speedup your motion.
  • Left Control: hand rising. Also used to interrupt the bot.
  • Z: zoom (toggle).
  • X: show/hide your avatar (toggle).
  • C: sit down / stand up (toggle).
  • B: applause.
  • V: voice communication (currently disabled).
  • SpaceBar: point with the laser pointer to your mouse cursor location.
  • M: show/hide the map of the environment.
  • Tab: switch between layers (room versions). The content of the room changes, including other participants present in VCC.
  • F11: exit/enter full-screen mode.
  • Escape: adjust the quality and resolution. Selecting a lower quality may improve performance. Press Escape again to return.
  • 0: hide/show on-screen buttons.
  • More functions are available with on-screen buttons.

Upon entry you will meet a Virtual Poster Presenter (a bot). When you approach the poster, she starts speaking. To interrupt, raise your hand (press the left control key). Then choose your answer from the menu displayed to the right from the bot: e.g., 'Thank you' will end the presentation. We hope you will enjoy. Any questions or comments should be communicated to alexei.samsonovich@gmail.com

3. Explore posters in Mozilla Hubs

Detailed program of BICAAI 2020 JVRT is available at https://easychair.org/smart-program/BICAAI2020/

The poster session program and posters themselves are at https://bica2020.org/program/posters.htm. Column headers are clickable. Room letters refer to rooms in Mozilla Hubs and layers in VCC.

Poster rooms in Mozilla Hubs are:

To try Mozilla Hubs, please open a browser on your device in advance, before opening VCC, and login to Mozilla Hubs. You must enter your real name for other participants to be able to identify you in Mozilla Hubs. You may select any avatar you like. More details on Mozilla hubs can be found in the official YouTube video https://youtu.be/5QnOsyyebEQ

To return to VCC from Mozilla Hubs, please close the tab (unless you want to keep a huge number of tabs open) and switch the applications. Each participant's voice in Mozilla Hubs can be heard at a short distance only (several meters), which makes possible having private conversations.

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to email Alexei.Samsonovich@gmail.com. We hope you will enjoy VCC.

 

Fragment of our first live pre-conference session:




 
Previous video instructions + demo of a virtual poster presenter:




 
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