Guidelines for establishing a virtual reality lab [medicalapplications]

Gives guidelines for establishing a virtual reality (VR) laboratory in the context of medical applications. In order to set up the laboratory, a user analysis and a task analysis must first be performed. A VR system's components have to be carefully selected, depending on their functionality and their use within the medical environment. The advantages of the individual components are not the only criteria for their choice; their interrelation with the system also has to be taken into account. In addition, cost is often an important limiting factor in establishing a laboratory     

Applying virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) immerses a user within a simulated three-dimensional environment. Still in its infancy, much remains to be done, but the field shows great promise. Computer processing speed, graphics, networks, and specialized peripherals all play a part in creating believable applications. In a full VR implementation, the user wears specialized goggles that substitute small video displays for the lenses, one for each eye. The displays become the “lenses” onto a simulated world. The head-mounted display containing the goggles detects head movement and updates the user's view accordingly; the user has the impression of looking around, even moving within, the simulated environment. The sensory experience can be further enriched with sound, or a data glove to simulate contact between the user and simulated objects. In a partial VR implementation, a computer's video display becomes a window onto the simulated environment, and no external gear is required. In a networked environment, people can be immersed in the same simulation, each perceiving it from their own point of view     

The reality of virtual environments

In this article, the reality of virtual environment is described in detail. Highly detailed three-dimensional (3D) computer models and environments are commonly used in design, manufacturing, simulation, and entertainment. These virtual environments (VEs) are often successful at appearing realistic when time remains still, but as the mobile objects are set into motion and interact with their surroundings, the movements often appear unnatural. In many prerendered VEs used for entertainment purposes, all of the object's motions must be handmade by 3-D animators in a process that is time consuming and lacks strict realism. In other VEs such as the first generation of 3-D video games, objects are modeled by their bounding space or by a sphere that surrounds all of the 3-D model's vertices. In these cases, the motions are often quite linear, and the collision response algorithms are quite simplistic; some even revert to stopping an object's motion when it collides with the environment. These techniques are much too minimal and greatly reduce the level of realism in VEs.     

The VRT revolution [Medicine]

Applications of virtual reality range from telesurgery to monitoring early human development. The main disadvantages of this technology are the hardware and software costs. However, the cost of the computer based instrumentations traditionally decreases a few years after introduction into the market. In addition, the fundamental limitations of telemedicine and telesurgery technologies are the requirements of sufficient audio, video, and data links between sites. There has been tremendous ongoing research efforts in this area     

基于虚拟现实技术的电子虚拟实验室的构建

应用虚拟现实技术构建的电子虚拟实验室与传统的电子实验室相比,有着巨大的优越性.本文就虚拟现实技术在构建虚拟电子实验室方面的应用进行说明,介绍了虚拟电子实验室构成的硬件和软件平台,及具体的构建方法,主要侧重于介绍电子虚拟仪器的构建以及虚拟电子实验室的构建.文中结合作者自己研究实现的成果,分别以虚拟的低频信号发生器和虚拟的电路实验为代表,以实际的例子加以说明电子虚拟实验室在构建过程中的关键技术.     

Medicine, the borrower [Retrospectroscope]

Medicine has its three goals, curing a disease or arresting its progress, providing relief from pain and suffering, and rehabilitating with the minimum need of a caregiver. Medicine appropriates everything from every source that can be the slightest use to anybody who is ailing in any way or likely to be ailing from any cause. The modern biomedical engineer must be knowledgeable in biology, medicine, and engineering to recognize problems that can be solved by tools or techniques that can be borrowed to solve a medical problem.     

Substation simulation system using virtual reality technology

An indoor distribution substation simulation system based on virtual reality technology has been developed. The system is designed to give the user the feeling of actually touring a substation for routine inspection. Various states of the substation facilities, such as the opening and closing of the doors and the disconnectors as well as the relocation and extension of the installations, can be simulated. In the event the user approaches the energized components of the equipment and fails to keep the specified insulation distance from them, the system first sounds an alarm, and then a flashing red light on the display warns of passage beyond the safety point and that the operation has suffered an electric shock. Validation of equipment operating procedures, training of unskilled workers and work-schedule preparation can be upgraded by using this system.     

Augmented reality and virtual reality displays:emerging technologies and future perspectives

With rapid advances in high-speed communication and computation, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are emerging as next-generation display platfor...     

流域三维虚拟仿真平台研究

流域三维仿真是流域数字化的重要组成部分,要开发基于流域的虚拟仿真平台,需要妥善解决海量信息的存储共享与多种功能模块间的集成问题。本文将平台集成开发划分为三维可视化、数学模型计算和数据库三个功能模块。以都江堰为例,讨论了平台开发的总体框架和系统数据库,重点探讨了三维可视化与数学模型计算及数据库之间信息集成和交互的关键技术。     

A Web-based virtual environment for operator training [for powersystems]

The wide accessibility and low cost of virtual reality (VR) on the World Wide Web with the advent of the Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) and VRML interpreters makes it ideal for use in providing cost-effective training for operators in selected complex technical environments. This paper presents SEDA-VRML, a VR-based learn-by-doing system developed for the training of maintenance workers in the troubleshooting and inspection of power transformers at Hydro-Quebec that is accessible from a Web browser. SEDA-VRML is a prototype application of a reuse-driven design incorporating VRML, Java and an expert system within a user interface system (UIS) architecture. The paper describes the functionality and design principles of SEDA-VRML, with key implementation results, to show how SEDA-VRML's design can indeed answer to the limitations of VRML to act as a cost-effective alternative to traditional operator training systems for operator training in VR, as well as a basis for the rapid development of future operator training systems     

地下变电站虚拟现实仿真系统的研究

地下变电站全部采用室内封闭式组合电气设备(GIS),其电站环境也是封闭式的,因此需要大量工业辅助设备保证其安全运行,与常规变电站相比对运行人员提出了更高的要求.利用三维造型软件和虚拟开发平台对复杂的地下变电站运行环境进行虚拟再现,针对地下变电站的特点对学员进行地下变电站日常巡视、操作和事故处理等仿真培训.经测试,该培训系统扩展性好、真实感强,可模拟变电站的扩建和改造,在虚拟变电站中进行变电设备的在线编辑,满足地下变电站长期规划下的仿真培训需要.     

基于虚拟现实的城市溃堤洪水淹没过程仿真

溃堤洪水淹没过程研究对防洪减灾具有重要的现实意义.以哈尔滨市主城区为例,讨论了基于虚拟现实技术建立城市防洪综合信息平台的总体结构,重点研究了城市防洪中溃堤洪水的淹没过程仿真.采用水动力学模型计算法和水深比较法两种方法研究了哈尔滨城区溃堤洪水淹没过程,比较了两种方法的优缺点.将水动力学模型计算结果与连通域搜索方法相结合,实现了三维虚拟环境中洪水演进过程的平滑模拟仿真.     

微型虚拟现实头部跟踪系统的设计

头部跟踪系统是虚拟现实系统中的关键部分之一,它的任务是检测头部的姿态与方位。设计一种基于两轴磁阻效应传感器和三轴MEMS加速度传感器的微型虚拟现实头部跟踪系统,首先阐述了系统的基本原理及整体构成,其次给出了硬件设计以及头部方位、姿态求解的算法;最后,给出了系统的运行效果。结果表明,该头部跟踪系统可实际应用于头部缓慢转动场合,同时具有体积小、功耗低、性价比高的优点。     

Developing the tools for practical VR applications [Medicine]

VR tools and techniques are rapidly developing in the scientific, engineering, and medical areas. Although traditionally used as input devices to virtual worlds, instrumented gloves may become the tools of choice to measure, monitor, and amplify upper-extremity motion. While we have identified potential clinical applications to VR input devices, many technological challenges must be met before such devices can be made available for patient care. The innovators in medical VR will be called upon to refine technical efficiency and increase physical and psychological comfort and capability, while keeping an eye to reducing costs for health care. The mandate is complex, but like VR technology itself, the possibilities are exciting and promising     

A virtual reality testbed for brain-computer interface research.

Virtual reality promises to extend the realm of possible brain-computer interface (BCI) prototypes. Most of the work using electroencephalograph (EEG) signals in VR has focussed on brain-body actuated control, where biological signals from the body as well as the brain are used. We show that when subjects are allowed to move and act normally in an immersive virtual environment, cognitive evoked potential signals can still be obtained and used reliably. A single trial accuracy average of 85% for recognizing the differences between evoked potentials at red and yellow stop lights will be presented and future directions discussed.     

An integrated medical virtual reality program. The militaryapplication

There are basically three types of environments needed for battlefield medicine training: (1) a small task-oriented environment-for individual task training such as maintenance or surgical simulation; (2) a large space environment, usually with a terrain or architectural format for mission rehearsal or disaster training; and (3) a virtual prototyping environment for designing new and advanced technology for instruments, equipment, and even operating rooms. This arbitrary division provides specific types of virtual environments to be designed as stand-alone training simulators, or integrated into a larger training system. The military has been using various task-specific educational media as education and training devices for individual soldiers for decades. Within the context of training a medic or physician for a specific task, virtual environments can be utilized for simulation of combat first-aid and of surgical procedures to correct battlefield injuries. Today, this training is performed upon goats and includes performance of tracheostomy, chest tube insertion, subclavian vein cannulation, as well as inflicting a gunshot wound to the thigh to practice debridement and hemostasis