VR-Rides: An object-oriented application framework for immersive virtual reality exergames

Exercise can improve health and well-being. With this in mind, immersive virtual reality (VR) games are being developed to promote physical activity, and are generally evaluated through user studies. However, building such applications is time consuming and expensive. This paper introduces VR-Rides, an object-oriented application framework focused on the development of experiment-oriented VR exergames. Following the modular programming pattern, this framework facilitates the integration of different hardware (such as VR devices, sensors, and physical activity devices) within immersive VR experiences that overlay game narratives on Google Street View panoramas. Combining software engineering and interaction patterns, modules of VR-Rides can be easily added and managed in the Unity game engine. We evaluate the code efficiency and development effort across our VR exergames developed using VR-Rides. The reliability, maintainability, and usability of our framework are also demonstrated via code metrics analysis and user studies. The results show that investing in a systematic approach to reusing code and design can be a worthwhile effort for researchers beyond software engineering.     

Provision and maintenance of presence and immersion in hand‐held virtual reality through motion based interaction

Hand‐held devices are also becoming computationally more powerful and being equipped with special sensors and non‐traditional displays for diverse applications aside from just making phone calls. As such, it raises the question of whether realizing virtual reality, providing a minimum level of immersion and presence, might be possible on a hand‐held device capable of only relatively “small” display. In this paper, we propose that motion based interaction can widen the perceived field of view (FOV) more than the actual physical FOV, and in turn, increase the sense of presence and immersion up to a level comparable to that of a desktop or projection display based VR systems. We have implemented a prototype hand‐held VR platform and conducted two experiments to verify our hypothesis. Our experimental study has revealed that when a motion based interaction was used, the FOV perceived by the user for the small hand held device was significantly greater than (around 50%) the actual. Other larger display platforms using the conventional button or mouse/keyboard interface did not exhibit such a phenomenon. In addition, the level of user felt presence in the hand‐held platform was higher than or comparable to those in VR platforms with larger displays. We hypothesize that this phenomenon is related to and analogous to the way the human vision system compensates for differences in acuity resolution in the eye/retina through the saccadic activity. The paper demonstrates the distinct possibility of realizing reasonable virtual reality even with devices with a small visual FOV and limited processing power. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From visual simulation to virtual reality to games

During the past decades, the virtual reality community has based its development on a synthesis of earlier work in interactive 3D graphics, user interfaces, and visual simulation. Currently, the VR field is transitioning into work influenced by video games. Because much of the research and development being conducted in the games community parallels the VR community's efforts, it has the potential to affect a greater audience. Given these trends, VR researchers who want their work to remain relevant must realign to focus on game research and development. Leveraging technology from the visual simulation and virtual reality communities, serious games provide a delivery system for organizational video game instruction and training.     

Development of a physically behaved robot work cell in virtual reality for task teaching

Robot task teaching on a real work cell is expensive and sometimes risky. This cost and risk can be avoided by using virtual reality technology. Using the simulated environment in virtual reality (VR), the operator can practise, explore and preview the operations for possible problems that might occur during implementation. It is therefore of practical importance to build the virtual robot work cell in VR that can facilitate the study of the performance of robotic tasks such as robotic assembly. This paper describes our work in incorporating physical behaviours of virtual objects into VR for robot task teaching. To facilitate the task teaching, we developed visual and audio cues which help visualise the dynamic interactions between virtual objects. Dynamic sensing capability is incorporated in the simulated environment. A simplified force sensor is modelled and simulated. The physical behaviours of the virtual objects are simulated using physics-based approach. A virtual robot work cell is built incorporating the developed features and an example for the task teaching is given. The implementation includes view tracking using virtual camera, visual and audio rendering, and the user interface developed in the VR. The current implementation was carried out on a PC-based VR platform, with the programs developed using Watcom C++.     

Virtual reality sports auxiliary training system based on embedded system and computer technology

Virtual Reality technology, the complex environment can be a simulated, traditional sports courses at the stadium, equipment, it is due to limitations such as safety, to provide scientific and accurate teaching and learning's, a complex by visualizing the theoretical knowledge in the abstract sport, you can get more technical knowledge. Compared to the traditional physical education activities, simulate sports scene only by generating VR panoramas that cannot be virtual reality technology. Based on this, you can improve the enthusiasm and athletic ability of students effectively. Because of immaturity and high-priced equipment of VR technology, at present, people that education is using unpopular making, carefully virtual reality technology. In this context, we can apply virtual reality technology to sports training, which can obtain more effective training effect. In the first part of this paper, we talk about the research of virtual reality panorama, the second part about the research of virtual reality video, the third part about the application of virtual reality in physical education teaching, and the fourth part is the conclusion and investigation process. In the study, VR, as a new technology, found that you have the prospect of a wide range of applications. As long as it has been used in scientific and rational, you can VR is to promote the level of improvement and sports greatly sports scene. Users can increase users' interest; it can be immersed in a variety of preset virtual locations. Therefore, in the VR device, which allows the user to improve the experience of the VR device, you can interact well in a virtual scene.     

基于虚拟现实的流程工业过程模拟仿真系统

将虚拟现实技术与系统仿真技术相结合,建立了炼油企业虚拟现实过程模拟仿真平台,分析了仿真平台的结构设计与实现原理。介绍了一种基于虚拟现实的炼油企业过程模拟仿真算法,详细说明了该算法在虚拟现实仿真平台上的应用过程,包括重点装置动态模拟、罐区油品调合仿真、进出厂模拟等。虚拟现实仿真平台通过生产过程与数据的可视化呈现与人机交互以及现场应用,可以为炼油企业流程模拟仿真培训与生产过程三维可视化监控提供有效的支持。     

虚拟现实在体育仿真中的应用综述

对基于虚拟现实的体育(训练)仿真技术的发展现状进行综述，讨论了体育仿真的关键技术，介绍了几个典型应用系统，最后对虚拟现实技术在体育训练仿真中的应用前景进行了讨论。     

Vision‐tangible interactive display method for mixed and virtual reality: Toward the human‐centered editable reality

Building a human‐centered editable world can be fully realized in a virtual environment. Both mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR) are feasible solutions to support the attribute of edition. Based on the current development of MR and VR, we present the vision‐tangible interactive display method and its implementation in both MR and VR. We address the issue of MR and VR together because they are similar regarding the proposed method. The editable mixed and virtual reality system is useful for studies, which exploit it as a platform. In this paper, we construct a virtual reality environment based on the Oculus Rift, and an MR system based on a binocular optical see‐through head‐mounted display. In the MR system about manipulating the Rubik's cube, and the VR system about deforming the virtual objects, the proposed vision‐tangible interactive display method is utilized to provide users with a more immersive environment. Experimental results indicate that the vision‐tangible interactive display method can improve the user experience and can be a promising way to make the virtual environment better.     

Multisensory VR exploration for computer fluid dynamics in the CoRSAIRe project

In the last 30 years, the evolution of digital data processing in terms of processing power, storage capacity, and algorithmic efficiency in the simulation of physical phenomena has allowed the emergence of the discipline known as computational fluid dynamics or CFD. More recently, virtual reality (VR) systems have proven an interesting alternative to conventional user interfaces, in particular, when exploring complex and massive datasets, such as those encountered in scientific visualization applications. Unfortunately, all too often, VR technologies have proven unsatisfactory in providing a true added value compared to standard interfaces, mostly because insufficient attention was given to the activity and needs of the intended user audience. The present work focuses on the design of a multimodal VR environment dedicated to the analysis of non-stationary flows in CFD. Specifically, we report on the identification of relevant strategies of CFD exploration coupled to adapted VR data representation and interaction techniques. Three different contributions will be highlighted. First, we show how placing the CFD expert user at the heart of the system is accomplished through a formalized analysis of work activity and through system evaluation. Second, auditory outputs providing analysis of time-varying phenomena in a spatialized virtual environment are introduced and evaluated. Finally, specific haptic feedbacks are designed and evaluated to enhance classical visual data exploration of CFD simulations.     

基于VR的驾驶仿真及安全教育系统开发

针对全国道路交通事故高发现状及传统驾驶安全教育方式单一、培训效果差的缺点,基于虚拟现实技术（VR）,在引发交通事故人为因素理论基础上,开发驾驶仿真及安全教育系统。系统基于Unity3D引擎,构建了基于道路实景数据的虚拟场景,并联合SUMO实现了道路交通流仿真,通过VR技术仿真驾驶环境及驾驶行为;基于碰撞检测原理,建立了关卡违规触发机制,编码自定义屏幕空间渲染方式模拟驾驶员视觉效果,并构建了基于图像的交通事故现场三维全景,从认知、感知层面培训驾驶员安全驾驶。实用性测试结果表明,系统实现了不同道路场景、气象条件与交通状况下的驾驶模拟及安全培训,增强了使用者的学习兴趣,提高了使用者驾驶安全素养,具有较强的实用性。     

Dynamic translation for virtual machine based traffic simulation

For virtual machine based traffic simulation platforms, the paper proposes a software framework that performs trace-based dynamic translation. Through monitoring the runtime execution status of bytecodes and translating frequently executed bytecodes, also known as hot spots, into equivalent native machine codes, the framework considerably improves the performance of virtual machine based traffic simulation platforms up to ten times or more, as the experiments showed. For the first time, the presented work clearly exhibits that a seamless combination of the two technologies – dynamic translation and virtual machine could lead to a new generation of applicable traffic simulation platforms. Such a platform not only offers high flexibility in terms of traffic model simulation, but also preserves the ability of conducting numerical computation-intensive simulations generally found in real-life industrial projects.     

Process and Outcome-based Evaluation between Virtual Reality-driven and Traditional Construction Safety Training

The emerging digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR) provide an alternative platform for construction safety training. In order to explore how digital-driven technologies affect the effectiveness of safety training, there is a need to empirically test the differences in performance between digital 3D/VR safety training and traditional 2D/paper approach. This research conducted a performance evaluation that emphasises both the training process and learning outcomes of trainees based on researchers’ self-developed immersive construction safety training platform. Data related to physiological indicators such as skin resistance were collected to measure safety performance before and after the training. The detailed measurement indicators included nine categories (e.g., immersion, inspiration) to form a holistic list of evaluation dimensions. The findings revealed that VR-driven immersive safety training outperformed the traditional way for trainees in terms of both process and outcome-based indicators. Results confirmed that safety training was no longer constrained by understanding or memorizing 2D information (texts and images). Instead, trainees experienced a stronger sense of embodied cognition through the immersive experience and multi-sensory engagement by interacting with the VR-driven system. By engaging the theory of embodied cognition, this research provides both the empirical evidence and in-depth analysis of how immersive virtual safety training outperforms traditional training in terms of both training process and outcomes.     

A large haptic device for aircraft engine maintainability

The virtual reality for maintainability (Revima) VR system supports maintainability simulation in aeronautics. Within this project we have developed and integrated a haptic device, the large haptic interface for aeronautic maintainability (LHIfAM). We use this device to track hand movements and provide force feedback within the large geometric models that describe aircraft engines. The user movements are the same as those that occur when testing physical mock-ups. An integrated haptic device and VR system for testing aircraft engines reduces development costs and avoids the necessity of physical mock-ups formaintainability.     

导弹追踪攻击虚拟仿真的研究与实现

为了解决动态仿真系统的实时显示问题，利用面向对象的程序设计技术，采用先进高效的虚拟现实开发平台，综合运用多学科技术开发了一个虚拟现实仿真系统，以功能强大且方便快捷的三维视景生成环境Vega作为开发工具，仿真了某型导弹飞行追踪的攻击过程，获得了逼真的效果，大大减少了工作量，提高了开发效率。     

高性能虚拟网络VegaNet

现有网络研究的实验一般在模拟工具或原型系统上完成.然而,这些实验环境与真实网络环境总有较大的差别,主要包括没有真实用户流量、缺乏真实网络中的丰富网络事件、没有运行真正的协议栈软硬件平台等.另一方面,对于运营网络的研究,研究者经常希望分析网络事件发生前后的网络状况,例如更改拓扑或配置,注入网络故障等,显然这些措施难以在真实运营网络中实施.针对上述问题设计了一种为网络研究提供真实实验环境以及对核心网络进行模拟分析的高性能虚拟网络VegaNet(Virtual Gigabit Network).文中详细介绍了VegaNet结构模型及设计实现.目前,已完成VegaNet在CERNET2清华校园网的初步部署.实验表明,VegaNet能提供一个接近于真实网络状况的网络实验环境,并能灵活支持对核心网络的模拟分析.     

Intelligent virtual environments for virtual reality art

The development of virtual reality (VR) art installations is faced with considerable difficulties, especially when one wishes to explore complex notions related to user interaction. We describe the development of a VR platform, which supports the development of such installations, from an art+science perspective. The system is based on a CAVE™-like immersive display using a game engine to support visualisation and interaction, which has been adapted for stereoscopic visualisation and real-time tracking. In addition, some architectural elements of game engines, such as their reliance on event-based systems have been used to support the principled definition of alternative laws of Physics. We illustrate this research through the development of a fully implemented artistic brief that explores the notion of causality in a virtual environment. After describing the hardware architecture supporting immersive visualisation we show how causality can be redefined using artificial intelligence technologies inspired from action representation in planning and how this symbolic definition of behaviour can support new forms of user experience in VR.     

Empirical analysis of consumer reaction to the virtual reality shopping mall

The Internet shopping mall has received wide attention from researchers and practitioners due to the fact that it is one of the most killing applications customers can find on the Internet. Though numerous studies have been performed on various issues of the Internet shopping mall, some research issues relating to the user interface of VR (virtual reality) shopping malls still await further empirical investigation. The objective of this study is to investigate whether the user interface of the VR shopping mall positively affects customer satisfaction in comparison with the ordinary shopping mall. For this purpose, we developed a prototype of the VR shopping mall for which the user interface consists of both 3D graphics and an avatar, using it as an experimental medium. 102 valid questionnaires were gathered from active student users of the ordinary shopping mall, and two research hypotheses were then tested to prove whether the three explanatory variables such as convenience, enjoyment, quality assurance improve in the VR shopping mall, and whether customer satisfaction is also significantly enhanced in the VR shopping mall in comparison with the ordinary shopping mall. Additionally, we conducted the PLS (partial least square) analysis to test whether the customer satisfaction is explained significantly by the three explanatory variables or not.     

悬臂式掘进机虚拟仿真平台设计

悬臂式掘进机广泛应用于煤矿井下巷道施工,掘进机的培训包括传统的书本教学方法和基于井下实际操作的训练方法,但是由于其场地和安全的局限性,无法满足训练要求.针对这一现状,利用虚拟现实技术和交互仿真技术构建了悬臂式掘进机虚拟仿真平台.该平台采用三维建模技术,使用多边形建模方法制作了悬臂式掘进机、转载机、供电系统等三维模型;运用Unity3D引擎驱动三维模型组成的虚拟场景,采用场景优化技术实时渲染出沉浸式的虚拟场景;在脚本语言C#编程环境下实现操作流程顺序控制、操作描述、三维模型驱动等,实现悬臂式掘进机虚拟仿真培训.培训结果表明,沉浸式人机交互可达到与实物培训相类似的效果,提高使用者学习和操作悬臂式掘进机的效率.     

A Network Scheduling Strategy of Android-Based Virtual Reality System

Mobile platform develops rapidly in recent years, with its performance and capacity increasing. A large number of virtual reality applications such as 3D simulation and visualization have appeared on mobile platform. However, due to restrictions, such as the lack of computing resources and the limited network bandwidth, the virtual reality systems on mobile platform could not have comparable performance as their peers on desktop platform. Taking resource restrictions into consideration, trade-offs have been made regarding the display of virtual reality systems. We propose a unified network scheduling strategy based on asynchronous multi-thread, database cache, prioritization and elimination of overdue requests. This strategy has been tested on the prototype system of virtual reality system on Android. The results demonstrate higher network resource utilization and better user experience.