Virtual Reality Systems

This volume brings together a number of the leading practitioners and exponents in the field of virtual reality (VR), and explores some of the main issues in the area and its associated hardware and software technology. The main components of the current generation of virtual reality systems are outlined, and major developments of VR systems are discussed.

• SPECIAL FEATURES

• This volume brings together some of the leading practitioners and exponents in the field of VR, and explores some of the main issues in the area and its associated hardware and software technology.

• The main components of the current generation of cirtual reality systems are outlined, and major developments of Vr systems are discussed, focussing of key areas such as hardware, software, techniques, application interfaces and ethical issues.

• The book contains a comprehensive bibliography enabling the reader to follow up particular areas of specialism. It contains 16 pages of colour plates.

Research-level students and practitioners in computer science

Introduction: Virtual Reality: Definitions, History, Applications. Virtual Reality: Enabling Technologies. Systems: Supervision. A Parallel Architecture for Virtual Reality. Virutal Reality Products. A Computational Model for the Stereoscopic Optics of a Head-Mounted Display. A Comprehensive Virtual Reality Environment Laboratory Facility. Techniques: Gesture Driven Interaction as a Human Factor in Virtual Environments. An Approach with Neural Networks. Using Physical Constraints in a Virtual Environment. Device Synchronisation Using an Optimal Linear Filter. Applications: Virtual Reality Techniques in Flight Simulation. Using Virtual Reality Techniques in the Animation Process. Dynamic Fisheye Information Visualisations. Human Computer Interface: Virtual Reality: a Toll for Telepresence and Human Factors Research. Critical Aspects of Visually Coupled Systems. AVIARY. A Generic Virtual Reality Interface for Real Applications. Using Gestures to Control a Virtual Arm. Theory and Modelling. Towards Three-Dimensional Graphical Models on Virtual Reality. Ethics and Societal Implications: Back to the Cave. Cultural Perspectives on Virtual Reality. Ethical Issues in the Application of Virtual Reality to the Treatment of Mental Disorders. Bibliography. Appendix: Virtual Reality Software Systems.