Virtual Reality refers to a high-end user interface that involves real-time simulation and interactions through multiple sensorial channels.
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Introduction (Cont’d)
Why VR?
VR is able to immerse you in a computer-generated world of your own making: a room, a city, the interior of human body. With VR, you can explore any uncharted territory of the human imagination.
Brief History
In 1950s, flight simulators were built by US Air Force to train student pilots.
In 1965, a research program for computer graphics called “The Ultimate Display” was laid out.
In 1988, commercial development of VR began.
In 1991, first commercial entertainment VR system "Virtuality" was released.
Types of VR System
Windows on World(WoW)
Also called Desktop VR.
Using a conventional computer monitor to display the 3D virtual world.
Immersive VR
Completely immerse the user's personal viewpoint inside the virtual 3D world.
The user has no visual contact with the physical word.
Often equipped with a Head Mounted Display (HMD).
Types of VR System(Cont’d)
Telepresence
A variation of visualizing complete computer generated worlds.
Links remote sensors in the real world with the senses of a human operator. The remote sensors might be located on a robot. Useful for performing operations in dangerous environments.
Types of VR System(Cont’d)
Mixed Reality(Augmented Reality)
The seamless merging of real space and virtual space.
Integrate the computer-generated virtual objects into the physical world which become in a sense an equal part of our natural environment.
Distributed VR
A simulated world runs on several computers which are connected over network and the people are able to interact in real time, sharing the same virtual world.
Control the devices used to input information to the computer. The object is to get the coordinate data to the rest of the system with minimal lag time.
Keyboard, mouse, 3D position trackers, a voice recognition system, etc.
Components of VR System (Cont’d)
Simulation Processor
Core of a VR system.
Takes the user inputs along with any tasks programmed into the world and determine the actions that will take place in the virtual world.
Components of VR System (Cont’d)
Rendering Processor
Create the sensations that are output to the user.
Separate rendering processes are used for visual, auditory, haptic and other sensory systems. Each renderer take a description of the world stat from the simulation process or derive it directly from the World Database for each time step.
