Richard (Rick) Skarbez

Since 2005, I have been doing research with advanced computing technologies, with a specific focus on virtual reality (VR). These technologies are already changing how we play, work, and live, and I am passionate about making sure that these changes improve our lives.

About Me

As of 1 January 2024, I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Before moving to Australia, in 2017-2018, I was a postdoctoral associate in the Virginia Tech Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, working under the supervision of Prof. Joseph L. Gabbard. Before that, I did my PhD research with the Effective Virtual Environments research group at the University of North Carolina Department of Computer Science. My dissertation, "Plausibility Illusion in Virtual Environments," was completed under the supervision of Mary C. Whitton and Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. (RIP) It was selected as 2018 VGTC Virtual Reality Best Dissertation Honorable Mention at IEEE VR 2019. Long before that, I earned my BS (Hons) from Penn State in Computer Engineering, and even before that, I was born and raised in Forest City, Pennsylvania, USA.

I also have a beautiful wife, a ragdoll cat, and way too many boardgames.

My Research

My focus as a researcher is on studying the effects of advanced computing technologies, especially mixed reality (MR) – by which I primarily mean virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) – and artificial intelligence (AI) on users’ perception, cognition, and behaviour. In doing so, I apply a broad interdisciplinary lens: I use methods, and frequently collaborate with experts, from computer science – notably human-computer interaction and computer graphics– as well as other fields – notably psychology, philosophy, and human factors engineering.

Understanding mixed reality experiences

Mixed reality (MR) experiences - by which I mean experiences that fall between the endpoints of the reality-virtuality continuum, as discussed here - require their users to integrate information and sensory stimuli from a variety of sources. Along with important collaborators including Missie Smith (Auburn) and Mary C Whitton (UNC-Chapel Hill), I am interested in learning how people process such experiences, and particularly in how these experiences are like (or not like) other "real" experiences that we may have.

I am actively seeking students and collaborators on these projects (and others). Please feel free to get in touch if you are interested and would like to discuss further.

News & Events

New Year, New Post

Selected Publications

Revisiting Milgram and Kishino's Reality-Virtuality Continuum

Since its introduction in 1994, Milgram and Kishino's reality-virtuality (RV) continuum has been used to frame virtual and augmented reality research and development. While originally, the RV continuum and the three dimensions of the supporting taxonomy (extent of world knowledge, reproduction fidelity, and extent of presence metaphor) were intended to characterize the capabilities of visual display technology, researchers have embraced the RV continuum while largely ignoring the taxonomy. Considering the leaps in technology made over the last 25 years, revisiting the RV continuum and taxonomy is timely. In reexamining Milgram and Kishino's ideas, we realized, first, that the RV continuum is actually discontinuous; perfect virtual reality cannot be reached. Secondly, mixed reality is broader than previously believed, and, in fact, encompasses conventional virtual reality experiences. Finally, our revised taxonomy adds coherence, accounting for the role of users, which is critical to assessing modern mixed reality experiences. The 3D space created by our taxonomy incorporates familiar constructs such as presence and immersion, and also proposes new constructs that may be important as mixed reality technology matures.