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Revision with unchanged content. As Web-based interactive 3D graphics, popularly referred to as Virtual Reality (VR), continue to become more affordable, research and development groups in various fields have been adopting Web-based VR technology. Despite sub stan tial adoption, how and how much the technology benefits target users and the providers who choose to adapt the technology is not well un der stood. Previous research has established that VR provides users with unique human-computer interaction. However, little is known about how users ex pe rience the Web-based VR technology and how user-system interaction con tri bu tes to system usability. This book investigates user perception of Web-based VR comparing to conventional 2D graphics and system usability affec ted by the user-system interaction process. The impact of Web-based VR on sy stem usability was empirically examined from an integrated view of tech no lo gy acceptance in information systems and human-computer interaction. In addition, the impact of user characteristics on user-system interaction while using a VR system was examined. This book provides new knowledge about usability, sense of presence and tech nology acceptance in VR and provides insights for future research, which should be important to anyone designing, developing and evaluating a VR system in general and to an electronic commerce or market research system in particular.

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Dr. So-Yeon Yoon, assistant professor and coordinator of graduate program in design with digital media: Architectural Studies at the University of Missouri. Faculty fellow at the Center for the Digital Globe.

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