Brandon Lambert
Overview
 What is Virtual Reality (VR)?
 Classifications of VR
 Brief History
 Immersive VR Environments
 Software and Challenges
 Applications
Definition
 A computer generated simulation that enables people
to interact with visual and sensory three-dimensional
objects or environments through the use of computer
modeling
Types of Virtual Reality
 Desktop VR
 Used by most people every day
 Immersive VR
 Used in industry mainly
 Expensive
Desktop VR
 Everyday computers, laptops, phones
 Gaming consoles
 Non-immersive environments
 Common Associated Inputs:
 Computer mice, keyboards, and game controllers
Immersive VR
 Classical Depiction
 Complex system of software
and hardware
 Realistic Experience
 User immersion in
environment
 Easily amount to hundreds of
thousands of dollars
Ivan Sutherland
 BS: EE, PH.D EECS
 Ultimate Display (1965)
 First concepts of VR
system
 Pioneer in Computer
Graphics, 3D modeling,
and VR
Tron
 First movie to heavily rely
on computer generated
graphics (CGI)
 Opened doors for the use of
CGI in entertainment
industry
Data Glove
 Dr. G. Grimes, of Bell Labs
 Patented 1983
 Used for measuring of hand positions using sensors on
the wrist and joints.
 Initially thought glove would replace the keyboard
 Expensive
Virtual Reality Modeling
Language(VRML)
 Released by Silicon
Graphics in 1995
 Designed to be standard
modeling language for
interactive simulations
on the web
 VRML 2.0 is used today
on IE, Firefox, and
Chrome for viewing
world (.wrl) files
Immersive VR Environments
 Cave Automatic Virtual Environments (CAVE)
 Projectors
 Head Mounted Display Environments (HMD)
 HMDs
CAVE
 Uses projectors to display the virtual objects and
environment on the walls, ceiling, and floor of the VR
volume
 Users wear 3D glasses
 To increase resolution, multiple cameras can be used
on each wall of the VR volume
Software
CAVE System
Input
Devices
Motion
Capture
Display
Controllers
Projectors
Projectors
Motion
Tracking
Data
Acquisition
Walls &
Screens
CAN
Devices
Modeling &
Simulation
Glasses
Other
HMD VR Environments
 Uses HMD devices to display the virtual environment
and objects to the user
 Field of view is limited by screens on HMD
 Peripherals
Software
HMD System
Input
Devices
Motion
Capture
Display
Controllers
HMD
Projectors
or Monitors
Motion
Tracking
Data
Acquisition
Screen
CAN
Devices
Modeling &
Simulation
HMD(s)
Other
Motion Capture Systems
 Optical
 Cameras
 Magnetic
 Sensors
 Electro mechanical
 Sensor suits
Optical Motion Capture
 Uses cameras to track
markers in a tracking
volume
 Tracking data is
streamed into VR system
 Vicon Bonita
Optical System
Magnetic Motion Capture
 Uses magnetic sensors to
gather data
 Metal can interfere with
the sensor readings
Electro mechanical Motion Capture
 Uses a suit of sensors to
track the wearers motion
 High portability
 Some designs are motion
restricting
Vicon Bonita Optical
 Optical Motion capture system
 Power over Ethernet to facilitate data streaming
 Easy setup and teardown
 Vicon DataStream SDK 1.2 and Virtual Vicon System
1.2
Tracking
 The Vicon optical system tracks objects in the
environment with the use of reflective markers
 The cameras use infrared light, which reflects off the
markers.
 User range of motion is limited by tracking volume
 Other reflective objects may be picked up by the
cameras, but this is handled by using masks during
calibration
Vicon Tracker
Latency Graph
Using Vicon Tracker
 Addition of new tracked objects is easy
 Place markers on new object
 Save the marker configuration in Vicon Tracker
 SDK can be used to access the data stream for custom
application development
Simulation Software
 Vega Prime
 Vortex
 Jack and Process Simulate (Jack)
Vega Prime
 Produced by Presagis
 Used to produce real-time 3D simulation applications
 Platform Independent
 Lynx Interface is provided for making real-time
changes to the simulation
 Available Application Programming Interface (API)
Vortex
 Physics Package for Vega Prime Simulations
 Allows for physically accurate machine simulations
 Package is integrated with Lynx Interface
Jack
 Produced by Siemens
 Used to visually analyze workspace environments to
improve:
 Ergonomics
 Safety
 Efficiency
 Integrated Python and TCL languages
 Custom modules
 Built-in Python console
320D Current Production
Software Challenges
 VR requires a wide range of skills from software
developers
 Coordinate Systems
 Motion capture versus Simulation
 Modeling?
 Input
 Adding new devices
 CAN Devices
 Motion bases
 Other Software (MATLAB, Custom Applications)
Custom Program Solutions
 Linkage Configurator Example
 Defines coordinates for pivot points on a vehicle or
machine
 Maps model files to linkage in Jack
Industry Applications
 Manufacturing and Product Development
 Education and Training
 Healthcare Industry
 Pain
 Therapy
 Entertainment
 Gaming
 Movies
Manufacturing Product Design
 Companies such as John Deere, BMW, and Ford use
VR in their product design
 Reduced cost
 Fewer physical prototypes
 Faster concept analyzing
 More evaluations
 Fewer defects
 Used to check ISO visibility standards
Education and Training
 Simulations for operator training
 Operator can make mistakes in VR
 Use real controls
 Helps demonstrate proper methods
 Assembly technique
 Repairs
 Maintenance
 Allows anyone to familiarize themselves with
machines in the field
Healthcare
 VR has been found to reduce the pain patients endure
during treatments
 Used magnetic resonance to watch brain activities
during treatment with and without VR
 SnowWorld - commonly used for burn victims
SnowWorld
VR Therapy
 Used to treat patients with fear of heights, spiders.
 SpiderWorld
 Also can be used to treat addictions, anxiety, post
traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), and other
conditions
SpiderWorld
VR for PTSD
 VR Therapy has been reported to reduce PTSD in
soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan
significantly for 62% of those undergoing treatment
 9/11
 2012, NBC - article about a returning soldier using VR
Therapy
Entertainment
 Movie production
 Animated films
 CGI
 Gaming
 Animations
 PlayStation Move
 Xbox Kinect
 Wii
Conclusion
 VR is used in applications across a broad spectrum of
industries and is becoming increasingly better with
new technologies
 Software developers will need a wide range of skills to
meet the ever evolving demands of VR environments
References
 Lambert, B. (2012). Virtual reality.
 (2012). Retrieved from





http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim//2010/07/12/slimhor.jpg
(2012). Retrieved from
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/CAVE
_Crayoland.jpg/220px-CAVE_Crayoland.jpg
(2012). Ivan edward sutherland. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Sutherland
(2012). Tron. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090111000835/tron/images/2
/28/Tron_poster1.jpg
(2012). Vrweb vrml viewer. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://www.iicm.tugraz.at/Ressourcen/Papers/vrml95/vrml95inlines/fig1.jpg
(2011). Retrieved from http://regmedia.co.uk/2011/11/15/sony_hmzt1_personal_3d_head_mounted_display_5.jpg
References Continued
 (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.roadtovr.com/files/2012/08/HMD_T2_basic_cw_1800x1125.jpg
 (2012). Bonita optical. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://vicon.com/products/bonita/optical.html
 (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.polhemus.com/polhemus_editor/assets/handmocapphoto.gif
 (2012). Retrieved from http://www.mediasysdubai.com/mc3.jpg
 (2012). Igs-190. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://www.razor3d.co.kr/dlp/Animazoo IGS.htm
 (2012). Vicon tracker. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from
http://vicon.com/products/images/tracker-01-lrg.jpg
 (2012). Retrieved from
http://grouplab.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/cookbook/uploads/Toolkits/ViconCameraSet
.jpg
 (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nvidia.com/docs/IO/38272/snow_world.jpg
 (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.firsthand.com/creations/images/SpiderHand02_800.png