Virtual Reality on the Internet

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Virtual Reality on the Internet

• ITK 352 - Multimedia

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Virtual Reality
• VRML Specification
• Examples
• Trends

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Virtual Reality

• A computer simulation of reality, using 3D
  graphics and sound effects, with user interfaces
  such as special goggles and gloves, to create a
  lifelike environment for entertainment,
  experimentation, and training.
• Virtual Worlds
• Artificial Reality

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Virtual Reality
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Artificial Reality
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Virtual Reality

• Ivan Sutherland (60s)
• MIT (Sketch Pad)
• Utah
• Body Tracking
• Head Mounted Displays
• 3D Graphics Processors

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Peripheral Devices
Head Mounted Display
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Peripherals

• DataGloves

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Peripheral Devices

• Body Suit

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Bodysuit

• Tracking the virtual soldier
• The DoD wishes to place soldiers into unobtrusive
  bodysuits, on locomotion platforms, in order to
  track those soldiers movements and interactions
  in a networked virtual environment.

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Entertainment Industry

• The EI needs bodysuits to build efficient and
  enticing VR applications.

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Cave
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VRML

• The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a
  language for describing multi-participant
  interactive simulations--virtual worlds networked
  via the global internet and hyperlinked with the
  World Wide Web.

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VRML Example
VRML V1.0 ascii SeparatorThe blue cube
Material diffuseColor 0 0 1 Blue
Cube width 2 height 2
depth 2
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Browser

• File Extensions
• The extension for VRML files is .wrl (for world)
• Embedding VRML into HTML
• ltEMBED SRCexample.wrlgt
• http//www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/d
  ownload/iexplore/

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X3D

• Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics
• www.web3d.org
• expressing the geometry and behavior capabilities
  of the Virtual Reality Modeling Language
  (VRML 97) using the Extensible Markup Language
  (XML).

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Demo

• Home Space Builder
• Space Designer

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Future Developments

• High resolution displays providing a realistic
  360 degree image surround
• Body and eye position tracking with imperceptible
  lag
• Rich virtual displays with very rapid refresh for
  realistic environments

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Applications

• Collaborative virtual environments for simulation
  and entertainment
• Telepresence, Telecommuting, Teleoperation
• Data Visualization Environments
• Computer Aided Design
• Architectural Modeling

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Applications

• Virtual capabilities for the disabled
• Remote sensing
• Tools that support group processes embeded in
  applications software
• used in design, GSS, E-Mail, VideoConferencing,
  Project Management

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VRML

• The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a
  language for describing multi-participant
  interactive simulations--virtual worlds networked
  via the global internet and hyperlinked with the
  World Wide Web.

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History

• VRML was conceived in the spring of 1994 at the
  first annual World Wide Web Conference in Geneva,
  Switzerland.
• Tim Berners-Lee and Dave Ragget Organized a BOF
  session to discuss Virtual Reality interfaces to
  the WWW.

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VRML Authors

• Gavin Bell, Silicon Graphics, Inc.
• Open Inventor ASCII
• Anthony Parisi, Intervista Software
• Mark Pesce, VRML List Moderator

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VRML 1.0

• The first version of VRML allows for the creation
  of virtual worlds with limited interactive
  behavior.
• These worlds can contain objects which have
  hyperlinks to other worlds or HTML documents.

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Requirements

• VRML 1.0 was designed to meet the following
  requirements.
• Platform independence
• Ability to work well over low-bandwidth
  connections.

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Language Specification

• VRML defines a set of objects useful for doing 3D
  graphics.
• These objects are called Nodes
• Nodes are arranged in hierarchical structures
  called scene graphs.

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VRML Example
VRML V1.0 ascii SeparatorThe blue cube
Material diffuseColor 0 0 1 Blue
Cube width 2 height 2
depth 2
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Nodes

• VRML defines 36 different classes of nodes.
• shape nodes
• cone, cube, cylinder etc.
• properties
• material, texture, translation etc
• group nodes
• WWWanchor, separators, etc.

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Browser

• File Extensions
• The extension for VRML files is .wrl
• (for world)
• Embedding VRML into HTML
• ltEMBED SRCexample.wrlgt

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X3D

• X3D is the next generation version of VRML 97 and
  fully backward compatible with it.
• VRML 97 is an ISO standard. ISO standards are
  periodically updated to reflect progress and
  change in the standardized technology, but you
  can't replace a standard wholesale.
• VRML 97 content will be convertible to X3D.

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X3D

• Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics
• www.web3d.org
• expressing the geometry and behavior capabilities
  of the Virtual Reality Modeling Language
  (VRML 97) using the Extensible Markup Language
  (XML).

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VRML X3D

• X3VRML 97 DEF MyView viewpoint position 0 0
  10
• XML ltviewpoint id'MyView' position'0 0 10' gt

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X3D

• X3D is currently a stop-gap until 2002 when the
  two standards will merge together as one markup
  language.
• X3D will enable small, lightweight Web clients to
  support advanced 3-D capabilities. These
  applications will reside in the browser instead
  of a third party software package.

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• ltProto type"myBox"gt
• ltField id"mySize" type"vec"gt
• ltBox size"mySize"gt
• lt/Protogt
• then somewhere else in a document
• ltProtoUse type"myBox" DEF"aTwoThreeTenBox"gt
• mySize"2 3 10"
• lt/ProtoUsegt
• and thereafter
• ltProtoUse USE"aTwoThreeTenBox"/gt

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Avatars - Humanoids

• In 3D or virtual reality applications, your
  avatar is the visual "handle" or display
  appearance you use to represent yourself.
• avatar(Hinduism) the incarnation of a deity in
  human or animal form to counteract some
  particular evil in the world.

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ActiveWorlds.com
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Avatars as Forms of Personal Expression

• Avatar Gallery

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Worlds Chat

• www.worlds.com
• Worlds' 3D browser software enables you to
  explore a variety of 3D worlds while you meet,
  chat and interact with people from all over the
  world.

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http//www.blaxxun.com
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The Sims

• The Sims Online is a massive online world built
  by thousands of players.
• You can create your own Sim and play as yourself
  or your alternate Sim persona.
• You can be rich, powerful, popular, or famous.
• You can explore neighborhoods, make friends, host
  events, or run a business..

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Sims
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Color-Coded Virtual Reality Navigation Research
Tool
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VR Research