Overview of Virtual Reality, the new generation informed by 24 years of involvement with the technology. Presented at Honolulu mini-MakerFaire June 25 2016

1. June 25, 2016 WhatIsVR 2016 - isdale@gmail.com 1
What Is Virtual Reality (VR)?
24rd
anniversary revision
June 2016
Honolulu mini-Maker Faire
Jerry Isdale, isdale@gmail.com

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Basic Definition
● Virtual Reality is a computer generated
immersive environment that allows users
agency and engenders presence.
● Immersive, Agency, Presence ?
● Marketing and Press stretch definitions into
wide spectrum of uncertainty.

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Some Word Definitions
● Immersion - perception of being physically
present in a non-physical world
● Presence – Feeling of being There, Realism
● Agency – having control of view and actions
● Haptics – sense of touch
● Proprioception – sense of body position
● Affordances – perceived action possibilities

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Reality-Virtuality Continuum of
Mixed Reality
Milgram et al, revised by Ron Azuma, etc

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Augmented Reality
CGI over Real World

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Mixed Fantasy Framework
Stapleton et al “Applying Mixed Reality to Entertainment” IEEE Computer Dec 2002

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Agency in VR
● Agency == Interactivity
● Surround Images/Video – passive viewer position (look
around, dont move)
● Surround Video with teleporting (limited move)
● Immersive Environment free motion, limited object
interaction (move some objects)
● Immersive Environment with full agency and interaction
(move, destroy, build)
● Affordances – what can you do?

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Head Mounted Displays HMDs

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CastAR Projection HMD

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Domes, CAVE

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Visual Depth Perception
● Static Monocular
– Occlusion, Size, Perspective, Shading
● Stereopsis
– Binocular stereo
● Motion Parallax
● Oculomotor cues
– Accomodation (eye shape)
– Convergence (eye pointing)

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Tracking
● Position + Orientation
● Head, Controllers
● Eye Tracking
– Fovial Rendering
● Hands & Body
● Gestures

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Audio
● Very important to experience
● Environmental, Effects, Mood Music
● Spatialization
– Interaural time/intensity
– Pineal shape
● Speech Generation
● Speech Recognition

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Haptics
● Tactile
– Temperature, curvature, vibration
● Kinematic Force
– Force feedback
– Exoskeleton
● Motion Platforms

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World Design
● 3D Modeling
● World Assembly
● Behaviors
– Afforances – (perceived) action possibilities; what can you do?
● VR Engines
– Unity, UnReal, CryEngine, Lumberyard, WorldViz, etc
● Storytelling, Narrative Cues
● Usability Design
● Lots of Literature on Building Worlds – Research it!
– Brenda Laurel
– http://lmgtfy.com/?q=vr+world+design

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VR Applications
● Games
● Education/Training
● Travel/Tourism
● Architectural/Engineering Design
● Information Visualization
– Knowledge Management

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VR Business

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Not Games