Publication Frequency
Quarterly (since 2025)
Journal Articles
Search
Search scope
Journal Center
Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd. (APACSCI) specializes in international journal publishing. APACSCI adopts the open access publishing model and provides an important communication bridge for academic groups whose interest fields include engineering, technology, medicine, computer, mathematics, agriculture and forestry, and environment.
Volume Arrangement
2025
2024
Featured Articles
Reconstructing the human body from monocular video input presents significant challenges, including a limited field of view and difficulty in capturing non-rigid deformations, such as those associated with clothing and pose variations. These challenges often compromise motion editability and rendering quality. To address these issues, we propose a cloth-aware 3D Gaussian splatting approach that leverages the strengths of 2D convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and 3D Gaussian splatting for high-quality human body reconstruction from monocular video. Our method parameterizes 3D Gaussians anchored to a human template to generate posed position maps that capture pose-dependent non-rigid deformations. Additionally, we introduce Learnable Cloth Features, which are pixel-aligned with the posed position maps to address cloth-related deformations. By jointly modeling cloth and pose-dependent deformations, along with compact, optimizable linear blend skinning (LBS) weights, our approach significantly enhances the quality of monocular 3D human reconstructions. We also incorporate carefully designed regularization techniques for the Gaussians, improving the generalization capability of our model. Experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art techniques for animatable avatar reconstruction from monocular inputs, delivering superior performance in both reconstruction fidelity and rendering quality.
The Charta of Rigas Velestinlis is one of the most important works of the eighteenth-century Neo-Hellenic Enlightenment and the most characteristic sample of Greek scholar cartography. Printed in Vienna in 1220 copies in 1796-1797, this emblematic map of the Balkan peninsula significantly influenced the development of ideas and perspectives that inspired the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821. The sixty (60) known remaining copies of this valuable material in Greece and abroad remain stored in the confined spaces of libraries, museums, and archives, strictly guarded for security, conservation, and preservation. This renders their access difficult to both the general public and the educational community. Since the Onassis Library and the General State Archives of Greece—Cartographic Heritage Archives both possess an original copy of this historical document each, they design and implement many educational programs aiming at highlighting its importance and reintroducing it to the public. This paper will present how the usage of new technologies, both in software and hardware, has facilitated the showcasing of cultural heritage artifacts, such as Rigas’ Charta, with an emphasis on technologies and resources that are freely available to everyone. It will also be demonstrated how the digitization projects, the digital libraries, repositories, and platforms implemented by many cultural and research organizations during the last decade, presented the opportunity for the new generation to come in contact with a variety of “locked away” historical documents, like Rigas’ Charta, allowing their reuse and reinterpretation while providing unlimited potential for the collection, research and presentation of facts, evidence and data. Furthermore, the incorporation of this digital cultural wealth in the school curriculum through targeted educational programs and the creative combination with open-source metaverse development tools, unleashed the possibilities of reviving the past, extending the life span of old materials to perpetuity. As a result, this multimodal approach paved the way for the emergence of a new more democratic, open-access, and inclusive educational model.
In this groundbreaking study, we present a novel approach to interspecies communication, focusing on the understanding of chicken vocalizations. Leveraging advanced mathematical models in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, we have developed a system capable of interpreting various emotional states in chickens, including hunger, fear, anger, contentment, excitement, and distress. Our methodology employs a cutting-edge AI technique we call Deep Emotional Analysis Learning (DEAL), a highly mathematical and innovative approach that allows for the nuanced understanding of emotional states through auditory data. DEAL is rooted in complex mathematical algorithms, enabling the system to learn and adapt to new vocal patterns over time. We conducted our study with a sample of 80 chickens, meticulously recording and analyzing their vocalizations under various conditions. To ensure the accuracy of our system’s interpretations, we collaborated with a team of eight animal psychologists and veterinary surgeons, who provided expert insights into the emotional states of the chickens. Our system demonstrated an impressive accuracy rate of close to 80%, marking a significant advancement in the field of animal communication. This research not only opens up new avenues for understanding and improving animal welfare but also sets a precedent for further studies in AI-driven interspecies communication. The novelty of our approach lies in its application of sophisticated AI techniques to a largely unexplored area of study. By bridging the gap between human and animal communication, we believe our research will pave the way for more empathetic and effective interactions with the animal kingdom.
Beyond the pixelated mirror: Understanding avatar identity and its impact on in-game advertising and consumer behavior
Article ID: 2377
Vol 5, Issue 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54517/m.v5i1.2377
Vol 5, Issue 1, 2024
Received: 14 November, 2023; Accepted: 25 December, 2023; Available online: 10 January 2024; Issue release: 30 June, 2024
Download PDF
Abstract
This article examines the complex dynamics between avatars and in-game advertising, probing how virtual representations influence consumer behavior within digital environments. It delves into the psychological interplay between self-perception and avatar embodiment, suggesting that while younger users may treat avatars as accessories showcasing personal interests, adults tend to opt for idealized selves, affecting their interaction with and responsiveness to virtual marketing. The study contemplates the avatar’s function as both a consumer and influencer in the expanding metaverse, considering the escalating integration of branded items in games. It also highlights potential shifts in consumption patterns as digital and physical realities converge. The article advocates for future research to explore the multifaceted impacts of avatars, such as age-related differences, the role of artificial intelligence in self-representation, and cross-platform avatar utilization, utilizing longitudinal data from sources like Second Life and social media profiling. In synthesizing these perspectives, the article underscores the necessity to further understand how avatars contribute to shaping digital consumerism, paving the way for a new domain in consumer psychology that navigates the evolving interface of the metaverse. The findings suggest that the nuances of digital identity formation are significant factors in the effectiveness of in-game advertising and indicate a transformative phase in marketing strategies tailored for virtual worlds.
Keywords
avatars; in-game advertising; consumer behavior; metaverse; digital identity
References
- Hsu CL, Lu HP. Consumer behavior in online game communities: A motivational factor perspective. Computers in Human Behavior. 2007, 23(3): 1642–1659. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2005.09.001
- Nguyen P, Nguyen L. A study on game consumer behavior. Management Science Letters. 2021, 11(9): 2323–2330. doi: 10.5267/j.msl.2021.6.002
- Qiao W, Yin X. Understanding the impact on energy transition of consumer behavior and enterprise decisions through evolutionary game analysis. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021, 28: 231–240. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2021.04.015
- de Souza LLF, de Freitas AAF. Consumer behavior of electronic games’ players: A study on the intentions to play and to pay. Revista de Administração (São Paulo). 2017, 52(4): 419–430. doi: 10.1016/j.rausp.2017.08.004
- Guo Y, Barnes SJ. Explaining purchasing behavior within World of Warcraft. Journal of Computer Information Systems. 2012, 52(3): 18–30. doi: 10.1080/08874417.2012.11645555
- Miller K. Grove street grimm: Grand Theft Auto and digital folklore. Journal of American Folklore. 2008, 121(481): 255–285.
- Kumar SS, Prathima M, Sanmath A, Dutta A. An empirical study on esports consumer consumption patterns, motives and its effect on consumer behavior. Baltic Journal of Law & Politics. 2023, 16(3): 3135–3148. doi: 10.2478/bjlp-2023-00000234
- Jordan H, Buck L, Shinde P, McDonnell R. What’s my age again? Exploring the impact of age on the enfacement of current state-of-the-art avatars. In: Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW); 25–29 March 2023; Shanghai, China. pp. 865–866. doi: 10.1109/VRW58643.2023.00275
- Fong K, Mar RA. What does my avatar say about me? Inferring personality from avatars. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2015, 41(2): 237–249. doi: 10.1177/0146167214562761
- Bélisle JF, Bodur HO. Avatars as information: Perceptions of consumers based on their avatars in virtual worlds. Psychology & Marketing. 2010, 27(8): 741–765. doi: 10.1002/mar.20354
- Etemad-Sajadi R. The impact of online real-time interactivity on patronage intention: The use of avatars. Computers in Human Behavior. 2016, 61: 227–232. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.045
- Wang LC, Fodness D. Can avatars enhance trust and emotion in online retail sales? International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing. 2010, 3(4): 341–362. doi: 10.1504/IJEMR.2010.036881
- Moon JH, Kim E, Choi SM, Sung Y. Keep the social in social media: The role of social interaction in avatar-based virtual shopping. Journal of Interactive Advertising. 2013, 13(1): 14–26. doi: 10.1080/15252019.2013.768051
- McGoldrick PJ, Keeling KA, Beatty, SF. A typology of roles for avatars in online retailing. Journal of Marketing Management. 2008, 24 (3–4): 433–461. doi: 10.1362/026725708X306176
- Jin SAA. Avatars mirroring the actual self versus projecting the ideal self: The effects of self-priming on interactivity and immersion in an exergame, Wii Fit. CyberPsychology & Behavior. 2009, 12(6): 761–765. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2009.0130
- Elsharnouby MH, Jayawardhena C, Liu H, Elbedweihy AM. Strengthening consumer-band relationships through avatars. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing. 2022, 17(4): 581–601. doi: 10.1108/JRIM-02-2022-0035
- Mull I, Wyss, J, Moon E, Lee SE. An exploratory study of using 3D avatars as online salespeople: The effect of avatar type on credibility, homophily, attractiveness and intention to interact. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. 2015, 19(2): 154–168. doi: 10.1108/JFMM-05-2014-033
- Taylor DG. Putting a face with a name: Avatars, relationship marketing and services failure/recovery. International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing. 2010, 3(4): 363–381. doi: 10.1504/IJEMR.2010.036882
- Taylor N, Bergstrom K, Jenson J, de Castell, S. Alienated playbour: Relations of production in EVE online. Games and Culture. 2015, 10(4): 365–388. doi: 10.1177/1555412014565507
- Aguirre‐Rodriguez A, Boveda-Lambie AM, Miniard PW. The impact of consumer avatars in internet retailing on self-congruity with brands. Marketing Letters. 2015, 26(4): 631–641. doi: 10.1007/s11002-014-9296-z
- Bente G, Dratsch T, Kaspar K, et al. Cultures of Trust: Effects of avatar faces and reputation scores on German and Arab players in an online trust-game. PLoS ONE. 2014, 9(6): e98297. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098297
- Moriuchi E. Bridging social marketing and technology in the disability field: An empirical study on the role of cybernetic avatar and social inclusion. Journal of Social Marketing. 2023, 13(2): 218–240. doi: 10.1108/JSOCM-05-2022-0111
- Wei J. Self-representation through online avatars in major online contexts among Chinese university students. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. 2023, 8: 2171–2184.
- Yao Q, Kuai L, Jiang L. Effects of the anthropomorphic image of intelligent customer service avatars on consumers’ willingness to interact after service failures. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing. 2023, 17(5): 734–753. doi: 10.1108/JRIM-06-2022-0164
- Musammem PY. Investigating the relationship between online advertising and the level of customer satisfaction in telecommunication companies in Faryab Province. Integrated Journal for Research in Arts and Humanities. 2023, 3(1): 71–78. doi: 10.55544/ijrah.3.1.13
- Shiju BS. Digital advertising and its impact on online consumer buying behavior. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results. 2023. doi: 10.47750/pnr.2022.13.S09.917
- Hussain SI, Chimhundu R. Effects on consumer purchase intentions through online marketing activities: Evidence from Australian retail sector consumers. International Journal of Arts and Humanities Studies. 2023, 3(1): 16–25. doi: 10.32996/Ijahs.2023.3.1.3
- Arora N, Rana M, Prashar S. Empathy toward social media advertisements: The moderating role of ad intrusiveness. Journal of Promotion Management. 2023, 29(4): 535–568. doi: 10.1080/10496491.2022.2163038
- Alghiffari AP, Matusin IO. Antecedents of customer loyalty on AI Chatbot users in banking applications. Jurnal Pendidikan Tambusai. 2023, 7(2): 18915–18927. doi: 10.31004/jptam.v7i2.9380
- Bong SL, Adriawan ABY, Kamilah G, Madyatmadja ED. Analysis of consumer behavior in online shopping on social media. In: 2023 International Conference on Cyber Management and Engineering (CyMaEn); 26–27 January 2023; Bangkok, Thailand. pp. 449–453. doi: 10.1109/CyMaEn57228.2023.10051027
- Wu Y, Gui X, Wisniewski PJ, Li Y. Do streamers care about bystanders’ privacy? An examination of live streamers’ considerations and strategies for bystanders’ privacy management. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 2023; 7(CSCW1): 1–29. doi: 10.1145/3579603
- Al Sokkar A, Law LCE, Almajali D, Al Shinwan M. The effect of multimodality on customers’ decision-making and experiencing: A comparative study. International Journal of Data and Network Science. 2023, 7(1). doi: 10.5267/j.ijdns.2022.12.012
- Reinholtz N, Bartels DM, Parker JR. On the mental accounting of restricted-use funds: How gift cards change what people purchase. Journal of Consumer Research. 2015, 42(4): 596–614. doi: 10.1093/jcr/ucv045
- Viera VA, Liu RL, de Mello VG. The mediating role of Brand Engagement in the Self Concept (BESC) in explaining consumer response: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice. 2023, 31(1): 97–114. doi: 10.1080/10696679.2021.2004379
- Yu K, Wen S, Xu W, et al. Cheer for me: Effect of non-player character audience feedback on older adult users of virtual reality exergames. Virtual Reality. 2023, 27: 1887–1903. doi: 10.1007/s10055-023-00780-5
- You R, Zhou Y, Zheng W, et al. BlueVR: Design and evaluation of a virtual reality serious game for promoting understanding towards people with color vision deficiency. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 2023; 7(CHI PLAY): 289–318. doi: 10.1145/3611031
- Park J, Kim N. Examining self-congruence between user and avatar in purchasing behavior from the metaverse to the real world. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing. 2023, 15(1): 23–38. doi: 10.1080/20932685.2023.2180768
- Kim H, Park J, Lee IK. “To be or not to be me?”: Exploration of self-similar effects of avatars on social virtual reality experiences. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. 2023, 29(11): 4794–4804. doi: 10.1109/TVCG.2023.3320240
- Zimmermann D, Wehler A, Kaspar K. Self-representation through avatars in digital environments. Current Psychology. 2023, 42: 21775–21789. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03232-6
- Lösel G. Puppets, pets or deputies. On the relationship between actors and avatars. In: Mersch D, Rey A, Grunwald T, et al. (editors). Actor & Avatar: A Scientific and Artistic Catalog. transcript Verlag; 2023. pp. 224–236. doi: 10.1515/9783839467619-032
- Shih MT, Lee YC, Huang CM, Chan L. “A feeling of déjà vu”: The effects of avatar appearance-similarity on persuasiveness in social virtual reality. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 2023; 7(CSCW2): 1–31. doi: 10.1145/3610167
- Saunders J, Namboodiri V. READ avatars: Realistic emotion-controllable audio driven avatars. arXiv. 2023. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2303.00744
- El Ali A, Lee S, Cesar P. Social virtual reality avatar biosignal animations as availability status indicators. arXiv. 2023. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2302.05172
- Han E, Miller MR, DeVeaux C, et al. People, places, and time: A large-scale, longitudinal study of transformed avatars and environmental context in group interaction in the metaverse. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. 2023, 28(2): zmac031. doi: 10.1093/jcmc/zmac031
- Misterska E, Górski F, Tomaszewski M, et al. “Scoliosis 3D”—A virtual-reality-based methodology aiming to examine AIS females’ body image. Applied Sciences. 2023, 13(4): 2374. doi: 10.3390/app13042374
- Yang S, Xiong G, Mao H, Ma M. Virtual fitting room effect: Moderating role of body mass index. Journal of Marketing Research. 2023, 60(6): 1221–1241. doi: 10.1177/00222437231154871
- Presti P, Galasso GM, Ruzzon D, et al. Architectural experience influences the processing of others’ body expressions. PNAS. 2023, 120(41): e2302215120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2302215120/-/DCSupplemental
- Park I, Sah YJ, Lee S, Lee D. Avatar-mediated communication in video conferencing: Effect of self-affirmation on debating participation focusing on moderation effect of avatar. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction. 2023, 39(3): 464–475.
- Mack K, Hsu RCL, Monroy-Hernández A, et al. Towards inclusive avatars: Disability representation in avatar platforms. In: Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems; 23–28 April 2023; Hamburg, Germany. pp. 1–13. doi: 10.1145/3544548.3581481
- Boban L, Strauss L, Decroix H, et al. Unintentional synchronization with self-avatar for upper- and lower-body movements. Frontiers in Virtual Reality. 2023, 4: 1073549. doi: 10.3389/frvir.2023.1073549
- van Ryn L, Apperley T, Clemens J. Avatar economies: Affective investment from game to platform. New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia. 2018, 24(4): 291–306. doi: 10.1080/13614568.2019.1572790
- Bostan B. Player motivations: A psychological perspective. Computers in Entertainment. 2009, 7(2): 1–26. doi: 10.1145/1541895.1541902
- Ghosh T, Sreejesh S, Dwivedi YK. Brands in a game or a game for brands? Comparing the persuasive effectiveness of in‐game advertising and advergames. Psychology & Marketing. 2022, 39(12): 2328–2348. doi: 10.1002/mar.21752
- Prakash D. Protection of trademarks in virtual reality environment. Available online: https://deliverypdf.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=414065068026024127028066069117084002017016005008033085110094122005099068122064083004003032103103116031046075068115001017127098055010000046009119012081080088127077073009009083084000011012093028106006091119092125093101075107073086024080017116023101020103&EXT=pdf&INDEX=TRUE (accessed on 25 January 2024).
- Hutson J, Coble K, Kshetri N, Smith A. Exploring the intersection of digital marketing and retail: Challenges and opportunities in AI, privacy, and customer experience. In: Confronting Security and Privacy Challenges in Digital Marketing. IGI Global; 2023. pp. 50–72.
- Hanbazazah A, Reeve C, Abuljadail M. Advergames and consumer behaviour: A quantitative comparative analysis of the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Marketing Studies. 2022, 14(2): 113–120. doi: 10.5539/ijms.v14n2p113
- Ho SH, Lin YL, Yang YT. In-game advertising: Consumers’ attitude and the effect of product placements on memory. African Journal of Business Management. 2011, 5(24): 10117–10127. doi: 10.5897/AJBM11.377
- Watanabe K, Ho BQ. Avatar-mediated service encounters: Impacts and research agenda. The Service Industries Journal. 2023, 43(3–4): 134–153. doi: 10.1080/02642069.2023.2169277
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2024 Kyle Coble, Jeremiah Ratican, James Hutson
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Academic Supporter
Editor-in-Chief
Prof. Zhigeng Pan
Director, Institute for Metaverse, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, China
Honorary Editor-in-Chief
Prof. Jianrong Tan
Academician, Chinese Academy of Engineering, China
Indexing & Archiving
.jpg)
.jpg)
News & Announcements
2025-05-20
Conference Time
December 15-18, 2025
Conference Venue
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC)
...
2025-04-23
Metaverse Scientist Forum No.3 was successfully held on April 22, 2025, from 19:00 to 20:30 (Beijing Time)...
2025-04-21
We received the Scopus notification on April 19th, confirming that the journal has been successfully indexed by Scopus...
2025-04-15
We are pleased to announce that we have updated the requirements for manuscript figures in the submission guidelines. Manuscripts submitted after April 15, 2025 are required to strictly adhere to the change. These updates are aimed at ensuring the highest quality of visual content in our publications and enhancing the overall readability and impact of your research. For more details, please find it in sumissions...
