Interaction in Distributed Virtual Environments

Abstract

This course will describe the main challenges faced when building engaging shared virtual environments supporting complex behaviour and interaction, and provide discussions on techniques that can be adopted to support some of these. In order to build such environments, it is necessary to combine high quality graphics, better modes of interaction, rich behavioural simulations and appropriate distribution strategies. After introducing the field of interaction and rich behaviour in collaborative virtual environments, we cover the main issues in three parts. First we look at techniques for improving the user s experience by using high-fidelity graphical rendering, and explore how this may be achieved in real-time through exploitation of features of the human visual perception system. We examine also how additional sensory modalities such as audio and haptic rendering may further improve this experience. Second we consider issues of distribution with an emphasis on avoiding potential pitfalls when distributing complex simulations together with an analysis of real network conditions, and the implications of these for distribution architectures that provide for shared haptic interaction. Finally we present the current state of the art of haptic interaction techniques. In particular the motivations for perceptually-inspired force models for haptic texture rendering, interaction between such models and GPU techniques for fast haptic texture rendering. The objective of this course is to give an introduction to the issues to consider when building highly engaging interactive shared virtual environments, and techniques to mediate complex haptic interaction with sophisticated 3D environments.