Virtual Reality

CS60-520Presentation

Instructor:Dr.Aggarwal
Student:YangGao
Semester:Winter2004

Outline

Introduction
ThehistoryofVR
TypesofVR
TechnologiesofVR
ArchitectureofVRsystem
ApplicationsofVR
Currentproblems&Futurework
Summary
Reference
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Introduction
WhatisVirtualReality(VR)?
VirtualRealityreferstoahigh-enduser
interfacethatinvolvesreal-time
simulationandinteractionsthrough
multiplesensorialchannels.
.

Introduction
(Contd)

WhyVR?
VRisabletoimmerseyouina
computer-generatedworldofyourown
making:aroom,acity,theinteriorof
humanbody.WithVR,youcanexplore
anyunchartedterritoryofthehuman
imagination.
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BriefHistory

In1950s,flightsimulatorswerebuiltbyUSAir
Forcetotrainstudentpilots.
In1965,aresearchprogramforcomputer
graphicscalledTheUltimateDisplaywas
laidout.
In1988,commercialdevelopmentofVR
began.
In1991,firstcommercialentertainmentVR
system"Virtuality"wasreleased.
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TypesofVRSystem

WindowsonWorld(WoW)
AlsocalledDesktopVR.
Usingaconventionalcomputermonitorto

displaythe3Dvirtualworld.

ImmersiveVR
Completelyimmersetheuser'spersonalviewpointinside
thevirtual3Dworld.
Theuserhasnovisualcontactwiththephysicalword.
OftenequippedwithaHeadMountedDisplay(HMD).

TypesofVRSystem(Contd)

Telepresence
Avariationofvisualizingcompletecomputer

generatedworlds.
Linksremotesensorsintherealworldwiththesensesof
ahumanoperator.Theremotesensorsmightbelocated
onarobot.Usefulforperformingoperationsindangerous
environments.

TypesofVRSystem(Contd)

MixedReality(AugmentedReality)
Theseamlessmergingofrealspaceandvirtualspace.
Integratethecomputer-generatedvirtualobjectsintothe

physicalworldwhichbecomeinasenseanequalpartof
ournaturalenvironment.

DistributedVR
Asimulatedworldrunsonseveralcomputerswhichare

connectedovernetworkandthepeopleareableto
interactinrealtime,sharingthesamevirtualworld.

VRExamples(Contd)

TelepresenceVR

VRExamples(Contd)

AugmentedVR

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VRExamples(Contd)

DistributedVR

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TechnologiesofVR--Hardware

Head-MountedDisplay(HMD)
AHelmetorafacemaskprovidingthevisualandauditory

displays.
UseLCDorCRTtodisplaystereoimages.
Mayincludebuilt-inhead-trackerandstereoheadphones

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TechnologiesofVR--Hardware

BinocularOmni-OrientationMonitor(BOOM)

Head-coupledstereoscopicdisplaydevice.
UsesCRTtoprovidehigh-resolutiondisplay.
Convenienttouse.
Fastandaccuratebuilt-intracking.

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TechnologiesofVR--Hardware

Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE)

Providestheillusionofimmersionbyprojectingstereo

imagesonthewallsandfloorofaroom-sizedcube.
Aheadtrackingsystemcontinuouslyadjustthestereo
projectiontothecurrentpositionoftheleadingviewer.

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TechnologiesofVR--Hardware

DataGlove
Outfittedwithsensorsonthefingersaswellasanoverall

position/orientationtrackingequipment.
Enablesnaturalinteractionwithvirtualobjectsbyhandgesture
recognition.

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TechnologiesofVR--Hardware

ControlDevices
Controlvirtualobjectsin3dimensions.

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TechnologiesofVR--Software

Toolkits
Programminglibraries.
Providefunctionlibraries(C&C++).

Authoringsystems
Completeprogramswithgraphicalinterfacesforcreating

worldswithoutresortingtodetailedprogramming.

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TechnologiesofVR--Software

Softwarepackagesavailableinmarket
Multiverse (Freeware)
Virtual Reality Studio($100)
Sense8 World Tool Kit (WTK)(over$1000)
Autodesk Cyberspace Development kit(over$1000)

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TechnologiesofVR--Software

VRML(VirtualRealityModelingLanguage)

Standardlanguageforinteractivesimulation
withintheWorldWideWeb.
Allowstocreate"virtualworlds"networkedvia
theInternetandhyperlinkedwiththeWorld
WideWeb.
Aspectsofvirtualworlddisplay,interactionand
internetworkingcanbespecifiedusingVRML
withoutbeingdependentonspecialgearlike
HMD.
VRmodelscanbeviewedbyNetscapeorIEwitha
browserplug-in.
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ArchitectureofVRSystem

InputProcessor,SimulationProcessor,
RenderingProcessorandWorldDatabase.
visual,
auditory,
haptic,
touch

Position&
Orientation

Input
Processor

Rendering
Processor

Simulation
Processor

World Database

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ComponentsofVRSystem(Contd)

InputProcessor
Controlthedevicesusedtoinput

informationtothecomputer.Theobjectis
togetthecoordinatedatatotherestofthe
systemwithminimallagtime.
Keyboard,mouse,3Dpositiontrackers,a
voicerecognitionsystem,etc.

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ComponentsofVRSystem(Contd)

SimulationProcessor
CoreofaVRsystem.
Takestheuserinputsalongwithanytasks
programmedintotheworldanddetermine
theactionsthatwilltakeplaceinthevirtual
world.

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ComponentsofVRSystem(Contd)

RenderingProcessor
Createthesensationsthatareoutputto
theuser.
Separaterenderingprocessesareusedfor
visual,auditory,hapticandothersensory
systems.Eachrenderertakeadescription
oftheworldstatfromthesimulation
processorderiveitdirectlyfromtheWorld
Databaseforeachtimestep.
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ComponentsofVRSystem(Contd)

WorldDatabase(WorldDescription
Files)
Storetheobjectsthatinhabittheworld,
scriptsthatdescribeactionsofthose
objects.

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Applications

Entertainment
Morevivid
Moveexciting
Moreattractive

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Applications(Contd)

Medicine
Practiceperformingsurgery.
Performsurgeryonaremotepatient.
Teachnewskillsinasafe,controlledenvironment.

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Applications(Contd)

Manufacturing
Easytomodify
Lowcost
Highefficient

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Applications(Contd)

Education&Training
Drivingsimulators.
Flightsimulators.
Shipsimulators.
Tanksimulators.

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Currentproblems&Futurework

Cybersickness/simulatorsickness
Low-fidelity
Expensive
Lackofintegrationbetweenapplicationpackages
High-fidelitysystem
Cost-saving
Collaborative
High-levelcontactbetweenparticipantsindistributed
VR

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Summary

Visualizationofcomplicated,largedatais
helpfulforunderstandingandanalysis.
VRoffersusanewwaytointeractwith
computer.
VRenablesustoexperiencethevirtualworld
thatisimpossibleinrealworld.
VRischangingourlife,eventuallyVRwill
increasinglybecomeapartofourlife.
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Reference

[1]What is Virtual Reality?,

http://vr.isdale.com/WhatIsVR/frames/WhatIsVR4.1.html.
[2]Augumented and Mixed Reality,
http://www.mic.atr.co.jp/~poup/research/ar/.
[3]Virtual Reality Applications,
http://vresources.jump-gate.com/applications/application
s.
shtml.
[4]K.-P.Beier.Virtual Reality: A short Introduction.
http://www-vrl.umich.edu/intro/
[5]Franchi,J.VertualReality:AnOverview.ERICDigest,
June1995
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Comments&Questions?

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