Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cmcl2!lanl!opus!unssun.unscs.unr.edu!rfh
From: rfh@unssun.unscs.unr.edu (J.A. MacDonald)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Virtual Reality
Keywords: Artificial Reality
Message-ID: <378@opus.NMSU.EDU>
Date: 11 Nov 89 02:59:51 GMT
Sender: unm001@nmsu.edu
Reply-To: rfh@unssun.unscs.unr.edu (J.A. MacDonald)
Distribution: na
Organization: Reno Association for Misplaced Canadians (RAMC)
Lines: 71
Sender:

I missed the posting, but simstim@milton.acs.washington.edu (simstim) wrote

> I am attempting to locate information on the subject of Virtual Reality.


   Funny you ask this now. I just this morning read an article in PC Computing,
the latest issue I think, regarding Virtual Reality (or Artificial Reality).
That's one place to locate information. mjb@nucleus.UUCP (Mark Bobak)
also posted a description of it. If I may be so bold, I'd like to add some
of my own to that.

   Artificial reality is a field being developed by NASA as well as several
firms in the Bay Area (AutoDesk and VPL Research). Originally the idea was
developed by a fellow named Krueger (? I'm going from memory). It involves
entering a 3D space defined in a computer's memory by means of two interface
devices: the DataGlove (built by VPL) and the EyePhone (also by VPL). NASA
uses it's own version of the EyePhone. The DataGlove uses two fibreoptic 
lines running down the back of each finger and the thumb to measure the
angle of bend in two joints (the joint at the hand and the middle joint;
sorry, my anatomical terms are pathetic :-). On the back of the glove is
a device (name escapes me, starts with a p) that consists of three wire
coils positioned orthogonaly to each other. Somewhere else in the room is
a similar (but larger) setup. This setup allows for the tracking of the
attitude of the glove in space.

   The EyePhone is simply a device that looks like a scuba mask (or at
least it does in the pictures in the article) with two little colour 
CRT's in it, one for each eye. This provides for stereo viewing.

   Once equipped, enter the world of the computer's memory. VPL set up
a demo of a day care centre. Two people can enter this demo at one time.
In it you move about the room by pointing or walking the fingers in a 
direction and there you go. You can pick up objects, move them around, etc.
The AutoDesk setup is used with AutoCAD generated information for designing
stuff. See Bobak's previous posting. At NASA they plan to use it to tour
places via information obtained using probes.

   This technology sounds to me like the next form of man/machine interface.
Designing a home comes to the point of picking up walls and putting them in
place. Let's try a window here. No? pick it up and either toss it or move
it somewhere else. Picture hiring a builder/designer to build you a home.
Several days later you "tour" your new home with him, suggesting changes
which he implements right before your eyes! Eventually you have your dream
house and he knows exactly what you want. Zap a point on the menu: up pops
an approximate cost, schedule, etc. Zap another menu and out goes the plans
to the plotter. Remove the DataGlove and the EyePhone and, voila, there're
the plans waiting to be built.

   Or how about this: Let's build a space station. The whole thing can first
be done in a computer's memory. I.e. a training simulation. Then launch the
materials and a bunch of robots. Each robot has two cameras (eyes) and two
fairly dextrous hands (or maybe more), plus thrusters to move about. Down
on earth are a bunch of "construction workers" wearing DataGloves and
EyePhones manipulating them. "What do I do next?". Pop up the simulation
data: wow, hey, deja vu. Ever find you wished you had more hands to do a
job ("Honey, could you hold this for a minute?")? Use voice commands to 
change control of the glove to another arm.

   
WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW DO I GET TO TRY THIS STUFF OUT?
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


J.A. MacDonald


disclaimer unnecessary -- unemployed grad student soon to be AVAILABLE
==========================================================================
rfh@unssun.unscs.unr.edu     |  AAAARRRGGHH!!!!!!!  - it's only a dream...
University of Nevada - Reno  |  WHERE'S MY AXE??!!  - it's only a dream...
==========================================================================