VIRTUAL REALITY

Michael Fodero Michael Martins

Definition What is Virtual Reality? Virtual Reality refers to a high-end user

interface that involves real-time simulation and interactions through multiple sensorial channels. Virtual Reality is often used to describe a wide variety of applications, commonly associated with its immersive, highly visual, 3D environments. The development of CAD software, graphics hardware acceleration, head mounted displays, database gloves and miniaturization have helped popularize the concept.

Brief History Cinerama Widescreen film format (originally called vitarama)

invented in 1939 by Fred Waller and Ralph Walker. This system was used by The Army Air Corps during WWII for anti aircraft training.

In 1950s, Flight simulators were built by the US Air Force to train student pilots.

Sesorama simulator was built by Morton Heilig in 1962. Simulation that contained Stereoscopic images, motion chair, audio, temperature changes, odours, and blown air. One could see, hear, feel motion and smell during the simulation.

In 1965, Ivan Sutherland led a research program for computer graphics and developed a VR system called “The Ultimate Display”. This was a virtual environment seen through an HMD (head-mounted display). Users could manipulate objects in a realistic way.

In 1988, commercial development of VR began.

In 1991, first commercial entertainment VR system "Virtuality" was released.

In 1992 a method of the showing and testing of scientific visualizations called the CAVE was created.

By Virtuality

Exorex

Dactyl Nightmare

SP

Applications

Movies - Virtual reality is applied in 3-D movies to try and immerse the viewer into the movie and/or virtual setting and environments.

Video Games - Virtual reality is evident in video games. Now you can physically interact with a game by using your body and motions to control characters and other elements of the game that years ago people would only imagine.

Education and training – Training and education is done through virtual reality because it can prepare you for many dangerous jobs and put the worker in real scenarios without the risk of them being hurt. Doing this enables them to fully train and educate themselves in almost any situation possible so that they’re ready and well equipped for the job. Virtual reality can give them the experience they need without actually putting them or others in danger.

Applications Education & Training

- Driving simulator

- Flight simulator

- Ship simulator

- Shooting simulator

Types of VR Technology's

Project Natal

Its a new piece of technology that is under going development now for the Xbox 360. Project Natal proposes a new way of interacting with games, and indeed with computer systems in general. They propose that there system will not require any keyboards or controller. It will function by the use of the user's voice and motions as the method for interacting with the system.

Cave Automatic Virtual Environment

The term “CAVE" refers to any virtual reality system that uses multiple walls with multiple projectors to immerse users in a virtual world. The CAVE is used for visualizing data, demonstrating 3D environments, and virtually testing component parts of newly developed engineering projects.

The Nintendo Wii The controller is basically a simplified version

of the "virtual reality glove." Both the Wiimote and the Wii Fit offer users another way of interacting with their virtual environment without having to wear any bulky equipment.

Virtual Reality Experience in Rome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9B7MOOf2XU

Future of Virtual RealityConclusion

The future of virtual reality is hard to predict but one thing’s for sure the world of entertainment is going to see a lot more of it. Virtual reality is starting to evolve into video games and movies. The Nintendo Wii and Project Natal are great examples because the user is performing physical movements to interact with the game. Also many more 3-D movies are being made and maybe in the near future they will all become more immersive than the “Experience in Rome” movie. Only time will tell.

References "virtual reality (VR)." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 11 Dec.

2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/630181/virtual-reality>.

Strickland, Jonathan. "How Virtual Reality Works." howstuffworks.com. N.p., n.d.      Web. 9 Dec. 2009. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtual-reality8.htm#>.

"Exorex, the Video Game by Virtuality." Arcade History. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec.      2009. <http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=exorex&page=detail&id=12496>.

"Dactyl Nightmare SP, the Video Game by Virtuality." Arcade History. N.p., n.d.      Web. 10 Dec. 2009. <http://www.arcade-history.com/      ?n=dactyl-nightmare-sp&page=detail&id=12495>.

Kenyon, Robert V. "THE CAVEÔ AUTOMATIC VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT: CHARACTERISTICS AND      APPLICATIONS." University of Illinois at Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec.      2009. <http://www.cs.uic.edu/~kenyon/Conferences/NASA/      Workshop_Noor.html>.

Wilson, Mark. "Testing Project Natal: We Touched the Intangible." Gizmodo. N.p.,      n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2009. <http://gizmodo.com/5277954/      testing-project-natal-we-touched-the-intangible>.

Brain, Marshall. "How the Wii Works ." howstuffworks.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 11      Dec. 2009. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/wii.htm>.

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