Virtual Environments

Ruth Aylett

Aims of the course

1. To demonstrate a critical understanding of modern

VE systems, evaluating the strengths and
weaknesses of the current VR technologies
2. To be able to describe the main components of a
virtual reality system and explain the importance and
impact of real-time constraints
3. To be able to evaluate appropriate display and
interaction capabilities for specific VR applications
and justify a choice
4. To be able to apply basic VE construction skills to
the creation of small-scale systems

Overview of course

Lectures cover the whole area

Software and hardware
An issue of breadth v depth

Practical/lab work
VRML/X3D tutorial
Scenegraph programming in
OpenSceneGraph
Limited coverage of modelling

Projected topics

Intro, History, VRML, Human factors

Display systems, audio, input devices
Scenegraph programming, OpenSceneGraph,
system life-cycle
Modelling, physics, haptics, volumetric
rendering
Immersion, visualisation, IVEs, Distributed
systems, Avatars and agents, Games Engines,
Applications

Books

Somewhat problematic
Virtual reality technology: Burdea & Coiffet
Good but VERY expensive

Designing Virtual Reality Systems, Kim

OK, but limited scope

Essential Virtual Reality, Vince

Also Ok but very descriptive

The VRML Sourcebook

Very comprehensive on VRML

X3D: Extensible 3D Graphics for Web Authors

See http://x3dgraphics.com/

WARNING

Not everything is written on the slides

Lectures are there to convey verbal information
On which you may be examined

You are recommended to take notes

And if you dont, this is your problem

You are expected to read around

Some papers are provided
The web is an excellent resource

See

http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/modules/F24VS2/VRcourse.html
Or go via my teaching page at
www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~ruth/teaching.html

Definition
Virtual Reality or a Virtual Environment is a
user-interface technology that allows humans
to visualise and interact with computer
generated environments through human
sensory channels in real-time

The ultimate display

Sutherland:
The ultimate display would, of course, be a room
within which the computer can control the
existence of matter. A chair displayed in such a
room would be good enough to sit in. Handcuffs
displayed in such a room would be confining, and
a bullet displayed in such room would be fatal.
With appropriate programming such a display
could literally be the Wonderland into which Alice
walked. Ivan Sutherland, 1965

The StarTrek Holodeck:

VE topics

Human
Immersion, presence, engagement

Hardware
Display systems, interaction devices,
model-capture tools

Software
Modelling, programming, rendering

Why Use a VE?

The real is too costly or dangerous to work with

(e.g. oilrig, nuclear plant)

Why Use a VE?

The real does not exist anymore - e.g.heritage

Why Use a VE?

The real does not exist yet

(construction, architects, design)

Agecroft Prison

Why Use a Virtual Environment?

The real is difficult to visualise

(pin hole surgery, scientific data)

Virtual laparoscopic port-site simulator offering realistic variation in the

appearance, attitude, and magnification of the image, depending on
the location of the virtual scope

Main Components
Visual
Display

Graphics Hardware
Visual Interface

Auditory
Display

Audio Hardware

VR Run-time
Environment

Auditory Interface

Haptic
Feedback

Haptic Hardware
Haptic Interface

Position &
Orientation
Tracking

Tracking Hardware
Tracking Interface

3D Model
Database
Virtual Environment
Generator

Human Senses
As virtual environments try to simulate the real world, by
constructing them we require knowledge on how to fool the
users senses
Contribution of human senses [heilig92]
sight..70%
hearing..20%
smell..5%
touch..4%
Sight has been traditionally been the focus of most VR research, however
researchers are starting to realise this depends on the task.

VE: Output Technologies

Non-Immersive
Environments

Flat Displays

Virtual Window
Displays

Semi-Immersive

Reality Rooms

Stereo Glasses

Augmented

HM Displays

HM Displays

Immersive

CAVE

HM Immersive

VR: Data Input Devices

Hand Held
Laser Scanner

Microscribe
3D Digitizer

Real Word

Real Time

Capture

Data Capture

Laser Scanning Animation

Range Finder
Capture

Haptic Interfacing Devices

1. Haptic Gripper

4. 3D Mouse

7. FF Steering Wheel

2. Haptic Stick

5. Dataglove

8. FF Joystick

3. Haptic Fingertips

6. Haptic Mouse

Graphics Pipeline
3D
DATA

TRANSFORM

FINAL
IMAGE

3D DATA IN
CAMERA
COORDS

TRANSFORM

HIDDEN SURFACE & RENDER

2D DATA IN
SCREEN
COORDS

DATA
FULLY ON
SCREEN

Scene graph - the concept

Decomposition of a Geometric Model

The object to be modelled is (visually)

analysed, and then decomposed into
collections of primitive shapes.
The tree diagram provides a visual
method of expressing the composed
of relationships.

Learn about scenegraphs with these applets

http://www.cs.brown.edu/exploratories/
freeSoftware/catalogs/scenegraphs.html

More On Scene Graphs

- Root
- Group
- Rotate
- Translate
- Scale

Scene Graph
A data structure that stores the complete
information about the 3D scene:

geometry (what the object is)

appearance (how the object should look)
behaviours (possible procedures that can change the form of the object)
global entities that affect all objects (such as viewpoints, lights, sounds,
background object.

Note that in VR (as opposed to animation and 3D graphics) a scene

graph can be a dynamic structure, and behaviours can dynamically
add, delete, and modify the scene.

Animation Versus VR

Animation: images pre-rendered and played back in

sequence
As in film

VR - images drawn in real-time in response to the

users position and actions in the world
In VR the user has total control of what they see

The overlap between the technologies is typically in

walk throughs and fly-pasts
Small animated sequences may be invoked (cut scenes)

VR Versus CAD

CAD stresses modelling accuracy

VR stresses sensory realism

VR allows the user to walk, stop, touch, manipulate objects

within the world

VR has lighting, materials, textures

There is convergence between the two areas

Many VR packages will import CAD data

Applications

Data visualisation

Oil industry; networks; scientific

Publicity and Marketing

Product design

Rapid prototyping, Maintenance

Ergonomics
Urban planning
Collaborative working
Training

Research issues

Understanding the impact

What works and what doesnt on people

Better displays
Better resolution, quicker update, non-intrusive stereo,
volumetric rendering

Better interaction
Better interaction devices; better haptics
Non-intrusive interaction: gesture, glance, facial expression,
social responsiveness

Embodying intelligence
Adding knowledge
Adding autonomous characters