2. Virtual Reality allows a user to interact with a
computer- simulated environment, be it a real or
imagined one.
Real Environments- Simulations for pilot or combat
training.
Imaginary Environments- Differ significantly from
reality, as in VR games
3. Most virtual reality environments are primarily visual
experiences, displayed either on a computer screen
or through special stereoscopic displays, but some
simulations include additional sensory information,
such as sound through speakers or headphones.
Some advanced and experimental systems have
included limited tactile information, known as force
feedback.
4. It is currently very difficult to create a high-fidelity
virtual reality experience, due largely to technical
limitations on processing power, image resolution
and communication bandwidth.
However, those limitations are expected to
eventually be overcome as processor, imaging and
data communication technologies become more
powerful and cost-effective over time.
5. Why Virtual Reality is needed?
Operations in dangerous environments
There are still many examples of people working in
dangerous or hardship environments that could
benefit from the use of VR-mediated
teleportation.
Workers in radioactive, space, or toxic
environments could be relocated to the safety of a
VR environment where they could 'handle' any
hazardous materials without any real danger using
teleoperation or telepresence.
8. Why Virtual Reality is needed?
Scientific Visualization
Scientific Visualization provides the researcher with
immediate graphical feedback during the course of
the computations and gives him/her the ability to
'steer' the solution process.
Application at NASA Ames Research Center is the
Virtual Planetary Exploration. It helps planetary
geologists to remotely analyze the surface of a
planet. They use VR techniques to roam planetary
terrains.
10. Why Virtual Reality is needed?
Medicine
Until now experimental research and education in
medicine was mainly based on dissection and study
of plastic models. Computerized 3D human models
provide a new approach to research and education in
medicine. Experimenting medical research with
virtual patients will be a reality.
We will be able to create not only realistic looking
virtual patients, but also histological and bone
structures. With the simulation of the entire
physiology of the human body,
11. Why Virtual Reality is needed?
Education and training
Driving simulators.
Flight simulators.
Ship simulators.
Tank simulators.
12. Types of VR
1. Immersive VR
A type of VR in which the user becomes immersed
(deeply involved) in a virtual world. It is also a form
of VR that uses computer related components.
13. Immersive VR Components
The head-mounted display
(HMD) was the first device
providing its wearer with an
immersive experience. A
typical HMD houses two
miniature display screens and
an optical system that
channels the images from the
screens to the eyes, thereby,
presenting a stereo view of a
virtual world. As a result, the
viewer can look around and
walk through the surrounding
virtual environment.
14. Immersive VR Components
»
The CAVE (Cave
Automatic Virtual
Environment) provides
the illusion of
immersion by projecting
stereo images on the
walls and floor of a
room-sized cube.
Several persons wearing
lightweight stereo
glasses can enter and
walk freely inside the
CAVE.
15. Immersive VR Components
A glove that can sense the position of the finger which
can be used to control and interact with the virtual
images being displayed.
16. 2. Text-based VR – when a reader of a certain text form
a mental model of this virtual world in their head
from the descriptions of people, places, and things.
3. Augmented VR- the idea of taking what is real and
adding to it in some way so that the user obtains
more information from their environment.
18. Technologies of VR--Software
Toolkits
Programming libraries.
Provide function libraries (C & C++).
Authoring systems
Complete programs with graphical interfaces for
creating worlds without resorting to detailed
programming.
19. Technologies of VR--Software
Software packages available in market:
Multiverse (Freeware)
Virtual Reality Studio
Sense8 World Tool Kit (WTK)
Autodesk Cyberspace Development kit
20. Technologies of VR--Software
VRML
In addition to HTML (Hypertext Markup Language),
that has become a standard authoring tool for the
creation of home pages, VRML provides three-
dimensional worlds with integrated hyperlinks on the
Web.
The viewing of VRML models via a VRML plug-in for
Web browsers is usually done on a graphics monitor
under mouse-control and, therefore, not fully
immersive.
However the syntax and data structure of VRML
provide an excellent tool for the modeling of three-
dimensional worlds that are functional and
interactive and that can, ultimately, be transferred
into fully immersive viewing systems.
21. Architecture of VR System
visual,
auditory,
Position & haptic,
Orientation touch…
Input Rendering
Processor Processor
Simulation
Processor
World Database
22. Components of VR System
Input Processor
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.
23. Components of VR System
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.
24. Components of VR System
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.
25. Components of VR System
World Database (World Description Files)
Store the objects that inhabit the world, scripts that
describe actions of those objects.
26. RECENT ADVANCEMENTS
iOptik A Washington-
based company is
looking to further
decreasing the line
between science fiction
and reality with its eye
enhancing iOptik virtual
reality contact lenses.
Enhance your normal
vision by allowing you to
view virtual and
augmented reality
images without the use
of any bulky apparatus.
27. RECENT ADVANCEMENTS
Conduit from Mechdyne Corporation
Allow users of existing computer graphics
applications to automatically be able to run those
applications on CAVE, head-mounted display, or
other VR device without access to the source code.
Remo 3D
An effective tool for creating and modifying 3D
models intended for realtime visualization.
Brings support for importing and exporting models in
multiple file formats(OSGF, OSGT, OSGT etc.)
28. ADVANTAGES
• Interaction with the environment.
• User interface
• User can see and even feel the shaped surface under
his/her fingertips.
• Flight simulators and games.
• CAD/CAE
• Biomedical Engineering the projects mentioned are
use of virtual reality for viewing of X-RAY's and MRI‘s.
• Rendering and 3-D lighting, modeling for resource
management.
29. DISADVANTAGES
• New technologies have also revealed new problems.
• VR in medical treatment is going through some
growing pains.
• There are limitations with VR devices as well in
regards to usability.
• Lack of standardization of hardware and protocols.
• Most troublesome are the side effects it can induce,
like disorientation, dizziness and nausea.
• People often find navigating in 3-D spaces and
performing actions in free space extremely difficult.
• Practical problems in spatial cognition research
30. The Future of Virtual Reality
• Virtual Reality is a growing industry.
• PC and specialized hardware are getting better,
faster and cheaper because of development in VR.
• Maybe 3D user interfaces will replace the windows
based ones?
• Huge demand for VRML programmers in near future.
• Revolution in gaming industries.
