Essential Virtual Reality fast: How to Understand the Techniques and Potential of Virtual Reality (Essential Series) - Softcover

Vince, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1852330120 ISBN 13: 9781852330125

Publisher: Springer, 1998

Synopsis

Essential Virtual Reality fast tells you what is and isn VR! John Vince provides a potted history of Virtual Reality and explains in easy-to-understand terms what computer graphics are and how they are integral to VR systems. You'll see how important it is to understand the part human factors have to play in creating a good VR system (sound, sight, touch and balance) and take a look at a working VR system. You'll get the answers to questions like: - What hardware and software is used? - How does multi-user VR work? - Can you network VR? - What are the applications? - What is the future for VR? And you'll have a far better understanding of the impact these exciting techniques will have on our everyday lives.

About this title

Review

Virtual reality is everywhere these days--from computer games to CAD packages--and this book is intended to be a quick guide to the technologies that are used to create realistic computer-generated images. It's harder to define what VR is than what it isn't, and Vince takes this as his starting point.

Essential Virtual Reality Fast takes an introductory look at the components that go together to create a virtual environment--looking at the basics of 3D graphics, the hardware and software needed for VR. The most interesting section examines the way that human senses interact with VR, including how they can interact to cause motion sickness. Vince finishes with a survey of VR applications, exploring the industrial, military and scientific uses of VR--from solid CAD models to medical simulators, using screen based displays and head mounted devices.

This is a good basic guide to VR. However it doesn't really live up to its name. There's plenty of information about the tools and the applications, but very little on how to actually build a VR application. If it wants to be Essential Virtual Reality Fast then this book needs more than one appendix of VRML code. However, the human factors information in here is well worth having around if you're doing VR work.--Simon Bisson

Synopsis

This text examines what is and what is not virtual reality. It provides a potted history of the field and explains in easy-to-understand terms what computer graphics are and how they are integral to VR systems. The part that human factors have to play in a good VR system is emphasized, such as sound, sight, touch and balance, and a working VR system is explored. The text also attempts to answer questions such as what hardware and software is used, how does multi-user VR work, can you network VR, and what are its applications?

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1852330120
• ISBN 13: 9781852330125
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 200