1. Design and Creation of Virtual Environments CAP 6930/4930 Section 5694/3947 Course Introduction August 24th, 2005

2. Welcome! My name is Benjamin Lok. A bit about myself
Pronounced like “lock” as in lock the door.
Not Loke as in Tone Lōc.
Feel free to call me Ben.
A bit about myself
Background
Interests

3. Course Run-icity Ask questions!!!
Cheating will not be tolerated. You cheat == no longer in class.
No attendance, no nagging
In return: You are completely responsible for your actions in this class.
Very APPLIED (lots of projects). You will work hard.

4. Discussion Topic
Let’s design the ultimate display. (Let’s break up into groups of 4 – 1 scribe)
What are the issues to consider?
Which senses do we want to provide sensory input to?
How would you engineer this?
How much would it cost?
What is possible today, what needs to be invented?
What is the best virtual reality experience available today?

5. Course Notes Acknowledgement
A significant portion of the lecture notes were drawn from Dr. Larry Hodges at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (previously at Georgia Tech).
Known for using VR in clinical therapy.
Clip of Fear of Flying

6. What’s this course about?
What is a Virtual Environment?
Computer generated environments
Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality
Immersive Environments
Mixed Reality
Learn what goes into VEs
Learn to make VEs
Building your own VE
What are the research areas in VEs?

7. What will we get to do?
Explore a new area of computer science research
Q: How old is VR and who is the ‘father’ of VR?
A: 1965, Ivan Sutherland (The Ultimate Display, first reading)
What is unique about the picture?
What does having the head device get you?
Build your own environments
Build your own interfaces
Develop a significant group final project
Do things that have never been done before!

8. Course Outline Background and history of VR Software Hardware Design
Interaction (Wiiii!)
Research Issues
Build Basic AR
Build Complex AR
Group Project building a compelling VE

9. AR ToolKit Open Source library University of Washington HITLAB
You will build two environments with ARToolKit

10. Pre-Requisites Proficient in programming (preferrable C/C++)
Programming must not be an obstacle
Java3D is an option, but more complex
General technical background
Familiar with computer graphics
You can take this course while taking CAP 4730, but it will be a challenge

11. Pre-Requisites Please drop on by if you have any questions/concerns
No Slackers allowed…
those in search of an easy ‘A’ drop now!
those in search of a rewarding challenge stick around!

12. Why should I take this course?
An excuse to build that program/game/project you always wanted
A Computer Science course that involves a variety of skills (other than coding!)
Art
Psychology
Sound
Creativity
To play with fun toys
To show off your projects!
End of the semester final projects (potential advisors!)

13. Syllabus Project course (most of your grade) Go over syllabus
Create your own virtual environments
Create a group (probably made up of 3 people) project
Investigate the course topics you find most interesting
Do something that’s never been done before.
Go over syllabus

14. Readings Chapter 1 – Introduction
"The Ultimate Display," Sutherland, I.E., Proceedings of IFIPS Congress 1965, New York, New York, May 1965, Vol. 2, pp
"A Head-Mounted Three-Dimensional Display," Sutherland, I.E., AFIPS Conference Proceedings, Vol. 33, Part I, 1968, pp