Developing Virtual Reality Applications: Foundations of Effective Design

Front Cover
Morgan Kaufmann, Jun 2, 2009 - Computers - 448 pages
Virtual Reality systems enable organizations to cut costs and time, maintain financial and organizational control over the development process, digitally evaluate products before having them created, and allow for greater creative exploration. In this book, VR developers Alan Craig, William Sherman, and Jeffrey Will examine a comprehensive collection of current,unique, and foundational VR applications in a multitude of fields, such as business, science, medicine, art, entertainment, and public safety among others.An insider’s view of what works, what doesn’t work, and why, Developing Virtual Reality Applications explores core technical information and background theory as well as the evolution of key applications from their genesis to their most current form. Developmental techniques are cross-referenced between different applications linking information to describe overall VR trends and fundamental best practices. This synergy, coupled with the most up to date research being conducted, provides a hands-on guide for building applications, and an enhanced, panoramic view of VR development. Developing Virtual Reality Applications is an indispensable one-stop reference for anyone working in this burgeoning field.
  • Dozens of detailed application descriptions provide practical ideas for VR development in ALL areas of interest!
  • Development techniques are cross referenced between different application areas, providing fundamental best practices!
 

Selected pages

Contents

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Virtual Reality
1
CHAPTER 2 Applying Virtual Reality
33
CHAPTER 3 Business and Manufacturing
61
CHAPTER 4 Science Applications
109
CHAPTER 5 Medical Applications
145
CHAPTER 6 Education Applications
189
CHAPTER 7 Public Safety and Military Applications
239
CHAPTER 8 Art
273
CHAPTER 9 Entertainment Applications
299
CHAPTER 10 Putting It All Together
347
Bibliography
357
Index
361
Copyright

Common terms and phrases

Aladdin allows the user animation astronauts audio augmented reality avatar Boston Dynamics Buhen Caterpillar CAVE Celiac Plexus collaborative computer graphics create cues example explore FIGURE flying goal gorilla guest handheld haptic haptic feedback hardware head-based head-mounted display Image courtesy immersive implemented input device interaction interactive fiction interface key frame LASCAUX manipulate medium menu method monitor monoscopic move NCSA objects operator Osmose participant performance physical platform players prop real world realistic rendering representation scene ScienceSpace scientific visualization screen sense sensor Silicon Graphics simulation sounds space specific stereo stereoscopic task techniques telepresence texture maps three-dimensional tion tool tracking system typically user’s venue viewer Virtual Director virtual environment virtual prototyping virtual reality virtual reality applications Virtual Windtunnel virtual world visual display VR application VR display VR experience VR system wand

About the author (2009)

Dr. Alan B. Craig is an independent consultant in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Visualization, and High Performance Computing. Prior to this role, he contributed much to these fields during his thirty-year career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as a Research Scientist at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and as Senior Associate Director for Human-Computer Interaction at the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts, and Social Science (I-CHASS). Among his other consulting roles, he is currently engaged with the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE). Dr. Craig has been called upon to speak as an expert in VR and AR at countless worldwide events and continues to speak at various venues. He has taught classes related to VR and AR online as well as onsite at universities, companies, and high school campuses. Dr. Craig has worked with government and industry entities regarding VR and AR applications. He has been interviewed by numerous publications, television, and news outlets. In addition to Understanding Virtual Reality (with William R. Sherman) he also authored Developing Virtual Reality Applications (with William R. Sherman and Jeffrey D. Will) and Understanding Augmented Reality. Additionally, he has written multiple book chapters and articles. He has developed many virtual reality and augmented reality applications in content areas ranging from archaeology to zoology. He also teaches and advises on related topics. His primary focus has been on the use of virtual reality and augmented reality in educational applications and his work centers on the continuum between the physical and the digital. He holds three patents.

Dr. Jeff Will is an Associate Professor at Valparaiso University. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2002, he was named the Fredrick F. Jenny Professor of Emerging Technology in Engineering. He established the college’s Scientific Visualization Laboratory, where he has directed students in major research projects and taught VR technology and programming courses to undergraduates as well as aided faculty from other disciplines to integrate VR into their curricula.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Developing Virtual Reality Applications
TitleDeveloping Virtual Reality Applications: Foundations of Effective Design
ITPro collection
ITPro collection
AuthorsAlan B. Craig, William R. Sherman, Jeffrey D. Will
Editionillustrated
PublisherMorgan Kaufmann, 2009
ISBN0080959083, 9780080959085
Length448 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Computers / Business & Productivity Software / Business Intelligence
Computers / Software Development & Engineering / Computer Graphics
Computers / User Interfaces
Computers / Virtual & Augmented Reality
  
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