Alexis Souchet

The project is studying presence, avatarial immersion, bilocation and embodiment surveys and physiological measures
With the apparatus, people are navigating by flying while embodying a 3PP avatar: a nondescript avatar or the avatar of oneself is proposed
We are using a HMD and gestural interactions

Multiple fields are involved: communication studies, game studies, neurophysiology, psychology, engineering, virtual reality, computer sciences...

I joined the research activities of the team for 6 months

research engineer (intern), communication designer, UX

Dr. Etienne Perény: conception, design, production
Dr. Etienne-Armand Amato: qualitative and communication studies of the avatar
Pr. Alain Berthoz: neurophysiological and cognitive expertize
PhD Student Geoffrey Gorisse: VR developpement and Unity 3D, presence researches
Nicolas Galinotti: system developpement

Become Avatar was presented in LavalVirtual2016. More than 200 personnes experimented the apparatus. Around 100 completed a survey proposed by a psychologist and an ethnologist.

2 experiments have been conducted and will be presented in conferences and articles. It asked to improve the first scenario that is used for scientific purposes (the two others are for the general public)

One position paper has been published in VRIC 2016, the conference of Laval Virtual 2016 (not based on my contributions, I am not one of the authors):
"The autoscopic flying avatar : a new paradigm to study bilocated presence in mixed reality"

Publications and conferences are planned. Other experiment will be conducted.

Master's thesis presenting research activities (a state of art on presence, HMDs, visual fatigue and avatars, 2 experiences): during a 6 months internship as a research engineer in the project Become Avatar
Keywords : virtual reality, presence, visual fatigue, HDM, avatar, autoscopy

Author, research engineer

Etienne Perény: conception, design, production
Etienne-Armand Amato: qualitative and communication studies of the avatar
Alain Berthoz: neurophysiological and cognitive expertize
Geoffrey Gorisse: VR developpement and Unity 3D, presence researches
Nicolas Galinotti: system developpement

The analyse of several publications showed us that: presence is still a very variable notion depending on the field defining it. The study of presence is using both objective and subjective mesures. Navigation tasks are often proposed to users (subjects) but rarely by flying and with actual mouvements interaction as commandes for actions in the virtual environement. The avatar and the best point of view is defined in some studies but very variable. Works on HMDs and their consequences on the visual system following the exposure to a stereoscopic content are still to conduct with devices from general public market. Previous studies showed a visual fatigue after using HMDs. Finally, several publications are treating the type of image to propose to lead to a better presence feeling but rarely with HMDs and video game-like contents. All these conclusions leaded us to conduct two experiences.

Experiment 1 are pilote tests in the experimental phase of the Become Avatar project. A navigation by flying with three events for an exposal of 3x3 minutes was proposed to subjects. Subjective mesures of presence were conducted via a survey and objective mesures (muscular activity (EMG), heart bit (ECG), pressure center (WiiBoard Balance) and posture (Kinect 2), stereoscopic acuite, accommodation rapidit and punctum proximum of accommodation) have been registered. The subject was embodying an avatar of oneself in real time (video) mapped in the virtual reality world.



Experiment 2 was comparing monoscopy and stereoscopy through the same three optometrical variables than experiment 1 plus the visual discomfort from Zeri et Livi (2015). Presence was mesured via the SPSL with 4 items from Vorveder et al. (2004) translated in french, and the SPQ from Ratan (2010) reinterpreted and the GENAVA (original survey) focusing on the avatar. The blue avatar (Casilli, 2005), 3PP, was used not the avatar of oneself like experiment 1. Exposure time was 36 minutes. In both experiments, gestures were tracked and returned by a Kinect in real time. The HMD used was a Sony HMZ-T3W. The virtual environment was designed in C# under Unity 3D.

Results and conclusions are treated in the Master's thesis. They are basis for further experimental approaches to come.

Innovative solutions for libraries.
Vidya focuses on the introduction of new spaces and digital mediations choices based on the 15-24 years old practices.

Publisher, UX, Project manager, Concept designer, Artistic direction, Technology watch

Pierre Boulangé: architect, illustrator
Aymeric Ingret: 3D modelisation
Lydia Jory: programmation, illustrator
Lucie Rizzo: architect, illustrator
Adrien Morisse: UX/UI & artistic direction web, motion designer, illustrator, graphic artist

More than 80% of people from the Y generation own a smartphone. Mobility and digital devices are everywhere. We created a crossmedia application that be can accessed from smartphones, tablets and computers. All of the life aspects inside the library and what is linked to it at distance (from our own place) is taking care of. The App in Vidya is: a profil, a member card, renting medias (books, musics, videos), coworking with other users, citizen projects, social network around the library and culture, gamification, reading and buying items...

In order to create a useful application based on users and their needs, we created wireflows as a base for the app architecture and functionalities.

'KIF' for 'Knowledge Is Fun' is a serious game template. It re-mediatize copyright-free art pieces (mostly books). KIF's games are 'action point and click' games. The games purpuse is to collect knowledge in order to progress and win. The interaction in the game is conducted by the gamer's gesture capted by a movement detector (kinect).
Through this, the library opens a door on the documents it preserves. Via KIF, the library gets closer to players, legions among 15-24 year olds. This serious game is a tool to attract and feudalize users. While delivering their knowledge in a ludic way, 'KIF' allows users to have fun. It stimulates imagination and relaxes them. The library is a publisher of content.

400 m² in the frame of the competition by the 'Île-De-France Region' was asked. But we imagined the building, spaces and stage sets articulating: digital tools, common spaces, energetic efficiency and nature.

So as to give a structured approach of our work, we wrote a report mentionning: sources, studies and steps of the project.

A digital book for middle school students with innovative navigation

Publisher, UX, Project manager, Concept designer, Artistic direction, Technology watch, Programmer

Lydia Jory: graphic artist, motion designer, illustrator
Bertille Liberos: publisher, UX
Arnaud Laborderie: academic supervision

‘Découvrir l’Islam’ offers a new approach to history and access to rich multimedia content via the ePub format. This book remediates collections from the BNF and invites to a fun and educational experience: time travel with an interactive timeline, explore space with an interactive map, test your skills by answering questions and create your customized timeline. The book is applying for high school students who can apprehend Islamic culture along with the Arab manuscripts curator of the BNF. The contents were thought to experience and an optimum acquisition on a tablet. With ‘Découvrir l’Islam’, you will travel through time and space to discover the Muslim civilization. Ready for departure? Technologies used HTML5 / CSS3 / JavaScript)

A Digital solution for guidebooks and travels.

Publisher, UX, Project manager, Concept creator, Artistic direction, Technology watch, Video Editing

Lydia Jory: motion designer, illustrator, graphic artist
Chloé Riffault: graphic artist, illustrator, UI
Bertille Liberos, Claire Fortune, Morgane, Ari...: UX
Arnaud Laborderie & Samuel Szoniecky: academic supervision

eGuide Fes is articulating web, eBook and print within the three aspects of a travel: preparing it, traveling and telling about our trip to friends. Services suit any situations, user is adding their own content in the book on top of the publisher’s; and taking advantage of community’s experiences and advice.

Short drama/thriller

Trailer coming soon

Writter, Director

Cast: Sarah Walsh (Emilie), George Worrall (Jack), Roger Young (John), Raquel Arraes (Mary), Kerri McAllister (Catherine), Ailbhe Boyle (Emma), Karl Byrne (Radio presenter)
Crew: James Murphy (Producer), Karl Merriman (Assistant director), Dar Richardson & Aaron Brown (Camera operators), Sarah Golovkine (Sound operator), Andrew West (Editor), Quentin Nigues (Special Effect)

The couple, Jack and Emilie, are serial killers. New in the quarter, they invite a family for a short drink. Will they succeed to kill them without being caught? Will they ever stop?

Emma is a criticism of the modern society and capitalism that produced the middle class. Emma is also about the heritage given by parents that determine who we are and who we will become. Those determinisms can force children to reproduce the same horrors than their parents. Emma invites the spectator to criticize the middle class behavior and capitalism values through Jack and Emilie. The purpose of the movie is to make the audience uncomfortable. The public is then invited to think about their own determinisms. Emma is inversing the usual protagonists (becomes the killers) and antagonists (becomes the family) of thriller movies. Emma discusses the horror and violence of every day through a gruesome event.

Online, collaborative writting (based on the model of the 'cadavre exquis') of poems with printing of the object (cube) and reflexion in how to allow readers to create sense within the interface and the object in the syntagmatic of 3D.

Publisher, UX, Project manager, Concept designer, Artistic direction, Technology watch

Adrien Morisse, Elena Tsalidou : UX/UI, graphic artist, programmer
Mouhaned, Zakaria, Wafae, Zineb, Yann...: UX/UI, project manager, programmer, visual identity, concepts, graphic artist
Samuel Szoniecky: academic supervision

The user arrives on a home page field with a 'galaxy' of poems taking a 3D cube form. The user can navigate to read the poems written on a 3D cube by scrolling (zooming and moving left or right). If the user clicks on a poem from the galaxy, he can read the whole poem. The poems are composed of one verse written by one person on each face (one person by face). Six people are needed to create one poem. The user can choose the sense in which he will read the poem. Users can participate to the writing of the poem. In this case, one cube will be randomly picked in the data base. The contributor cannot read the previous verses (cadavre exquis) before adding his own. If the six faces of the cube are filled, it is joining the 'galaxy' of the home page. By assembling cubes, users can create a longer poem and can print them in order to assemble the paper cubes.

Tutorial platform to learn how to create videos and make it becoming viral (buzz).

Publisher, UX, Project manager, Concept designer, Artistic direction, Technology watch, Video editing

Antoine Nguyen: illustrator, motion design, graphist artist
Anne Lemoine: project manager, concept, technology watch
Antoine San Segoundo: graphic artist, motion design
Gaëlle Camus: graphic artist

Based on a technology watch about the notion of buzz, we created a platform to learn how to create texts and videos. The platform is filled with tutorials (videos), articles, analyses and actuality. The tone is relaxed, based on the web culture.
We resumed the notion of buzz with 4 words: message, propagation, transfer and forward. Based on graphic representations of these words, we created a logo and a brand identity.

‘Psy’ (interpreter ‘Gangnam style’) is used as a mascot in the platform and in the tutorial because it perfectly represents the buzz of internet content. We call him 'cute Psy' and he appears in each tutorial as a guide, but also a mocking character that already has the keys of buzz, taunting learners.

The web platform allows users to create an account and purchase tutorials. The platform also offers a state of the art video or texts that are on buzz and analysis designs to explain the reason for this notoriety. Another aspect of the platform is to list the scientific contributions to explain and question the notion of buzz.

"Should we facilitate the access to nationality to clandestine of France?" is the main question that motivated the creation of this platform.
It is a social platform with web documentaries, portraits, testimonials and stats.

Publisher, UX, Project manager, Concept designer, Artistic direction, Technology watch, Video creation

Anne Lemoine: project manager, concept, technology watch
Gaëlle Camus: graphic artist

The web documentary device on which we worked is primarily intended to create a space for debate around a social issue. This is to enable dialogue among citizens, enriched with subjective information (testimonies), but also more scientific content (legislation, expert opinions). The statistical tool helps to identify the phenomenon at a national level and to have an overall vision of the subject. This is primarily to provide an innovative a model of mediation on social themes and to refocus the debate by putting the human and direct experience in the center of the device. The digital technologies allow citizens to create links between themselves, even though the general trend is to isolate. Digital then allows citizens to discuss a topic cleaving around the society. It also provides arguments supported by direct experiences. The collection of statistics available at the end of the course extends the discussion by positioning its opinion in relation to other citizens. This interactive, participatory and innovative project proposes a new model of mediation.
The experience is based on key words that a user is choosing and meta-data that matches between their choices and what describes the best the interviews of illegal immigrants.

PAM is an algorithm that generates metaphysical poems to make you think about the meaning of life. It is a semiotic experiment.

Video soon

Publisher, UX/UI, Project manager, Concept designer, Artistic direction, Technology watch, Programmer

Adrien Morisse: Programmer, Grapic artist, UX/UI

PAM stands for ‘Automatic and Metaphysical Poetry’. This is an optimized web interface for Chrome. PAM mediates three lines generated by an algorithm composed of vocabulary words evoking metaphysical themes. The user will read one or several ephemeral poems (life of 40 seconds) after which a question is asked. Even if the user answers the question, he will be invited to stay in a playback loop and seek "meaning of your life" but will never find the right answer to the question, according to the controller. It is possible to "escape death" by printing or sharing on twitter. A song is played in the background (Chopin - Notturno op. 9 n. 1 – Pollini). The user can influence the appearance of the poem and the sound texture. The poems are generated randomly based on three variables to construct the verse: a subject, a verb and a complement. The lexicon consists in this first prototype of 51 subjects, 38 verbs and 33 complements.

Through Bad Doors is an association creating music events. They contacted me to create a logo and a brand image.

Graphic Artist

P.Q. is a satiric website about daily life

Creator, Writter, Webmaster, Publisher

P.Q. is a testimony. It wants to prove that behind the daily life there is a story worth being told. Well, we might say that the stories in question are the result of the deformation of the daily life; sprinkled with schizophrenia and satire... You are now sole judges.
P.Q. is composed of several collections that calibrate the texts as tales, perceptions, heroes I look alike and more.

Digital Book Publishing is a fake publisher I created for an 'Illustrator' module where it was asked to create a full graphic charter

Graphic Artist

A Digital Book (ePub Fixed Layout) from the education department of Hachette-Livre

Production manager (adviser)

I worked with one of my collegue to find the best technologies and UX to propose to readers. Based on my researches, we included the JQuery librairy in order to deal with the big amont of information, especially on the explanation page on "how to use".
BLED provides explanations on the french language with hundreds of sounds and a dynamic menu to navigate in the book.

10 Digital Books (ePub Fixed Layout) from the education department of Hachette-Livre

Production manager

I proposed to create the first collection in the department with an animated cover.
The Top Actuel books have a CSS3 animation on the cover and a dynamic menu to navigate in the book.
This work highlighted a lack, by the time, in the ePub norm on synthaxes in CSS3 to animate pseudo-objects. Begining and end of animations wrote with '0.n' would not work. Only '00%'. The IDPF has been informed and the two syntaxes are now possible.

The Rise Inside is a metal core band. They contacted me to create a logo and an EP cover. My work is not used anymore.

Graphic Artist