Virtual Environments and Advanced Interface Design / Edition 1

by Thomas A. Furness, Woodrow Barfield

Overview

This sweeping introduction to the science of virtual environment technology masterfully integrates research and practical applications culled from such disciplines as psychology, engineering, and computer science. With contributions from the field's foremost researchers and theorists, the book focuses on ways in which virtual technology and interface design can better accommodate human cognitive, motor, and perceptual capabilities, bringing the reader up-to-date with the latest design strategies and cutting-edge virtual environments, and pointing to promising avenues for future development. The first section introduces the reader to the subject by defining basic terms, identifying key components of the virtual environment, and reviewing their origins and elements. The second part focuses on current technologies used to present visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic information. The book concludes with an in-depth analysis of how environments and human perception are integrated to create effective virtual systems. Comprehensive and splendidly written, this will be the seminal text on the subject for years to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195075557
Publisher:	Oxford University Press, USA
Publication date:	01/28/1995
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	600
Product dimensions:	6.31(w) x 9.62(h) x 1.56(d)

Table of Contents

PART I: Introduction to Virtual Environments
1. Introduction to Virtual Environments and Advanced Interface Design, Tom Furness and Woodrow Barfield
2. Origins and Elements of Virtual Environments, Steve Ellis
PART II: Virtual Environment Technologies
Virtual Environment Modeling
3. Computer Graphics Modeling for Virtual Environments, Mark Green and Hanqui Sun
4. The VEOS Project, William Bricken and Jeff Coco
Visual Displays
5. Human Stereopsis, Fusion, and Stereoscopic Virtual Environments, Elizabeth Davis and Larry Hodges
6. Visually Coupled Systems Hardware and Human Interface, Dean Kocian and Lee Task
7. Eye Tracking in Advanced Interface Design
PART III: Auditory Displays
8. The Design of Multidimensional Sound Interfaces, Michael Cohen and Elizabeth M. Wenzel
Haptic Displays
9. Tactile Displays, PaulBach-y-Rita and Kurt Kaczmarek
10. Kinesthetic Displays for Remote and Virtual Environments, Blake Hannaford and Steve Venema
11. Input Devices and Interaction Techniques for Advanced Computing, Scott MacKenzie
PART 3: Integration of Technology
12. Presence and Performance Within Virtual Environments, Woodrow Barfield, Tom Sheridan, David Zeltzer, and Mel Slater
13. Cognitive Issues in Virtual Reality, Christopher Wickens and Polly Baker
14. Augmented-Reality Displays, Woodrow Barfield, Craig Rosenberg,and Wouter Lotens
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Fourteen chapters, each written by different authors and covering different topics related to virtual environments, make up this book. Despite the authors' different styles, the content hangs together remarkably well, and it becomes apparent that there is a wealth of information in this book. The book is divided into three sections: an introductory section of two chapters presents a history and overview of the field; a technology section of nine chapters contains the bulk of the material; and a final section contains two chapters relating to psychology and one relating to augemented-reality displays ... This work is a must-have reference for anyone entering the field. It presents enough depth to help readers understand each topic while providing sufficient reference material to permit them to delve further."—Computing Reviews

From the Publisher