Dr. Ryan P. McMahan is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas, where his research focuses on the effects of system fidelity for virtual reality (VR) applications and systems. In his Future Immersive Virtual Environments (FIVE) lab, wireless head-mounted displays (HMDs) and a motion tracking system are used to create high-fidelity VR applications that include head-tracked stereoscopic graphics, 3D sound localization, and tactile feedback via wireless handheld controllers. Through user studies, Dr. McMahan’s research determines the effects of system fidelity by varying components such as stereoscopy, field of view, and degrees of freedom for interaction techniques.
Dr. McMahan’s current research focuses on the effects of system fidelity for learning and training transfer. This research involves identifying a learning objective, building a VR application to train the tasks involved, and evaluating the amount of training transfer that occurs through objective and subjective measurements. By varying the level of system fidelity among cohorts of participants, Dr. McMahan’s research is able to provide indications to the effects of fidelity on learning and training transfer.
Dr. McMahan received his Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2011 from Virginia Tech, where his dissertation focused on the effects of visual display fidelity and interaction fidelity in VR games. From Virginia Tech, he also received his B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science in 2004 and 2007. Before joining the faculty at the University of Texas at Dallas, he was a postdoctoral associate at Duke University, where he served as the Interim Director of the Visualization Technology Group and oversaw the operations of the Duke Immersive Virtual Environment (DiVE). Dr. McMahan is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Duke University.
Research Interests
- Virtual Reality (VR)
- 3D User Interfaces (3DUIs)
- Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
- Training Transfer
- Modeling & Simulation
- Computer Graphics
