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Introduction to Virtual Environments CIS 4930/6930

Introduction to Virtual Environments CIS 4930/6930. Benjamin Lok Spring 2009. Outline. Define Virtual Reality / Virtual Environments Explore the spectrum of VR Components of VR Applications of VR. Virtual Reality Definition. What is virtual reality? Virtual –

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Introduction to Virtual Environments CIS 4930/6930

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  1. Introduction to Virtual EnvironmentsCIS 4930/6930 Benjamin Lok Spring 2009

  2. Outline Define Virtual Reality / Virtual Environments Explore the spectrum of VR Components of VR Applications of VR

  3. Virtual Reality Definition • What is virtual reality? • Virtual – • being in essence or effect, but not in fact • Example VRAM • Reality – • the state or quality of being real. Something that exists independently of ideas concerning it. Something that constitutes a real or actual thing as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.” • What was the first VR?

  4. What was the first VR?

  5. Define VR • Take a few minutes and write a 1-2 sentence definition. • What are the important components? • Burdea (Rutgers): • Virtual reality is a high-end user-computer interface that involves real-time simulation and interactions through multiple sensorial channels. These sensorial modalities are visual, auditory, tactile, smell, and taste.

  6. Burdea’s 3 I’s of VR • Interactivity – user impacts world • Define • Channels • Immersion – believing you are there • Define • What contributes to it? • Imagination – user ‘buying’ into the experience • Examples • Why is this necessary?

  7. Our definition (from Brooks’ What’s Real About Virtual Reality) • Virtual Reality Experience – the user is effectively immersed in a responsive virtual world. • Implies -> user dynamic control of viewpoint • Control becomes an important element of VR systems. • Differentiates VR from books and movies (or watching movies in HMD) • Why is control more important?

  8. Ivan Sutherland’s The Ultimate Display “Don’t think of that thing as a screen, think of it as a window, a window through which one looks into a virtual world. The challenge to computer graphics is to make that virtual world look real, sound real, move and respond to interaction in real time, and even feel real.”

  9. Key Elements of Virtual Reality Experience • Virtual World - content of a given medium • Immersion – sensation of being in an environment • mental immersion – suspension of disbelief • physical immersion – bodily entering the medium • Related to presence – (mentally immersed) the participant’s sensation of being in the virtual environment (Slater) Walking Experiment at UNC – Chapel Hill

  10. Key Elements of Virtual Reality Experience • Sensory Feedback – information about the virtual world is presented to the participant’s senses • Visual (most common) • Audio • Touch • Interactivity – the virtual world responds to the user’s actions. • Computer makes this possible • Real-time Walking Experiment at UNC – Chapel Hill

  11. Why VR? • When should we apply VR?

  12. Outline Define Virtual Reality/Virtual Environments Explore the spectrum of VR Components of VR Applications of VR

  13. Virtual Environments • Augmented Reality (Mixed Reality) • Telepresence • Artificial Reality • Virtual Reality

  14. Augmented Reality • A combination of a real scene viewed by a user and a virtual scene generated by a computer that augments the scene with additional information. Ultrasound Visualization Research at UNC – Chapel Hill All Virtual Objects All Real Objects

  15. Telepresence • The use of various technologies to produce the effect of placing the user in another location. All Virtual Objects All Real Objects

  16. Mixed Reality • Merging of the real and virtual worlds

  17. Virtual Reality • Ideal for VR is that everything you experience is computer-generated. All Virtual Objects All Real Objects

  18. Outline Define Virtual Reality/Virtual Environments Explore the spectrum of VR Components of VR Applications of VR

  19. Components of VR Display Tracking System User

  20. Immersive Technology • Head-mounted Display • Optical System • Image Source (CRT or LCD) • Mounting Apparatus • Earphones • Position Tracker

  21. Immersive Technology • Multi-screen Projection of stereoscopic images (CAVE)

  22. Immersive Technology • Single large stereoscopic display • Projection-based • Head-tracked • Possible tracking of hands and arms. • Brings virtual objects into the physical world

  23. User’s perspective • Setting • Objects in world • Other participants • Active/Passive • Factory Simulation • Architectural Walkthrough

  24. Outline Define Virtual Reality/Virtual Environments Explore the spectrum of VR Components of VR Applications of VR

  25. Applications Most current applications: • Special Purpose • Interaction simple and/or infrequent • Sidestep limitations of graphics and haptics • A few expensive systems are sold to a few rich people

  26. Entertainment

  27. Design Visualization

  28. Training (NASA)

  29. Clinical Virtual Reality The direct use of VR as a tool in the treatment or assessment of psychological and physical disorders. Hunter Hoffman HITLab – University of Washington

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