Abstract
Learning to build and test virtual reality (VR) systems is difficult due to the many required knowledge (e.g. computer graphics, sound processing, simulation, interaction, etc.) and subsystems to worry about (e.g. various sensors, displays, computers, graphics board, etc.). Furthermore, virtual reality contents have to be optimized according to different goals such as its basic function, usability, and presence. Thus, learning and applying a structured approach to designing VR systems is very critical to a successful completion of a meaningful class project. In this paper, we report our experiences in using a development methodology and an authoring support tool called the CLEVR/P-VoT to teach virtual reality to engineering students of advanced levels. CLEVR’s central concept is to refine and validate forms, functions and behaviors of the virtual objects and scenes incrementally and hierarchically. P-VoT helps students interactively try out and explore different virtual object/scene configurations and immediately see their impact with respect to system performance, interaction usability, realism, and presence. P-VoT, used in the first stage of the class, is designed at an abstraction level appropriate for even non-computer science major students to quickly learn and understand the need of a structured development approach. Having learned the merits of the structured approach firsthand, the students effectively put it to use in the second stage of the course for implementing a more sophisticated class project.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Seo, J.S., Kim, G.J.: Design for Presence: A Structured Approach to Virtual Reality System Design. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 11(4), 378-403 (2002)
The MathWorks, Inc.: The MathWorks – MATLAB and Simulink for Technical Computing. Retrieved Jul. 23, 2006 from the World Wide Web (2006), http://www.mathworks.com
Pattis, R.E.: Karel the Robot: A Gentle Introduction to the Art of Programming. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York (1994)
Carnegie Mellon University: Alice: Free, Easy, Interactive 3D Graphics for the WWW. Retrieved Jul. 23, 2006 from the World Wide Web (2006), http://www.alice.org
Myers, B.A., Giuse, D.A., Dannenberg, R.B., Zanden, B.V., Kosbie, D.S., Pervin, E., Mickish, A., Marchal, P.: Computer, 23(11), 71-85 (1990)
Epic Games: Powered By Unreal Technology. Retrieved Jul. 23, 2006 from the World Wide Web (2006), http://www.unrealtechnology.com
Cooper, S., Dann, W., Pausch, R.: Teaching objects-first in introductory computer science. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin 35(1), 191–195 (2003)
Harel, D.: STATEMATE: A Working Environment for the Development of Complex Reactive Systems. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 16(4), 403–414 (1990)
Gaskell, C., Phillips, R.: Software Architecture of the executable graphical specification tool EGS. Software-Concepts and Tools 16(3), 124–135 (1995)
Conitec Corporation: 3D GameStudio. Retrieved Dec. 16, 2003 from the World Wide Web: (2003), http://conitec.net/a4info.htm
Radon Labs GmbH: The Nebula Device. Retrieved Dec. 16, 2003 from the World Wide Web: (2003), http://www.radonlabs.de/nebula.html
Tyberqhein, J.: (2003), Crystal Space 3D, Retrieved Dec. 16, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://crystal.sourceforge.net/tikiwiki/tiki-view_articles.php
Gat, E.: Lisp as an alternative to Java. Intelligence 11(4), 21–24 (2000)
Python Software Foundation: Python Programming Language. (2006), Retrieved Jul. 23, 2006 from the World Wide Web http://www.python.org
VRPN. (2006), Retrieved Jul. 23, 2006 from the World Wide Web http://www.vrpn.org
Smith, R.: Open Dynamics Engine. (2006), Retrieved Jul 23, 2006 from the World Wide Web http://www.ode.org
Shoemake, K.: ARCBALL: a user interface for specifying three-dimensional orientation using a mouse. In: Proceedings of the conference on Graphics interface, pp. 151–156 (1992)
Bowman, D., Hodges, L.: User Interface Constraints for Immersive Virtual Environment Applications. Technical Report of Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, GIT-GVU-95-26 (1995)
Chen, S.E.: QuickTime VR: an image-based approach to virtual environment navigation. In: Proceedings of the 22nd annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques, pp. 29-38 (1995)
Youichi, Horry, Ken-Ichi, Anjyo, Arai, K.: Tour into the picture: using a spidery mesh interface to make animation from a single image. In: Proceedings of the 24th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques, pp. 225–232 (1997)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Seo, J., Kim, G.J. (2007). Teaching Structured Development of Virtual Reality Systems Using P-VoT. In: Hui, Kc., et al. Technologies for E-Learning and Digital Entertainment. Edutainment 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4469. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73011-8_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73011-8_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-73010-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-73011-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)