eScience Lectures Notes : .
Promises and Challenges of Networked Virtual Environments
Introduction
What is a networked VE?
Five common features
Component Parts of a Networked Virtual Environment
Challenges in Net-VE Design & Development
Promises and Challenges of Networked Virtual Environments
Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced
daily by billions legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being thaught
mathematical concepts... A graphic representation of data abstracted from the
banks of every computer in the human system.
Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters
and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding...
Neuromancer by William Gibson 1984
From VR to Internetworked VR or Networked Virtual Environment ?
Sandeep Singhal & Michael Zyda "Networked Virtual Environments - Design and Implementation", ACM Press 1999.
What is a networked VE?
A networked virtual environment (net-VE) is a software system in which multiple users interact with each other in real-time, even though those users may be physically located around the world.
Typically, each user accesses his/her own computer workstation or console, using it to provide a user interface to the content of a virtual environment.
These environments usually aim to provide users with a sense of realism by incorporating realistic 3D graphics, spatial sound & other modalities to create an immersive experience.
A networked virtual environment is distinguished by five common features
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A shared sense of space : LU
The virtual world, a common location, real or fictional.
Must present the same characteristics to all participants.
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A shared sense of presence : the avatar
Something will represent the user into the virtual world
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A shared sense of time : T0 or Tn, with n common to all users
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A way to communicate
Gesture, typed text, voice
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A way to share
More than just a video conferencing system !
It must be possible to interact with the virtual world, and this interaction
must be perceptible by other users
Component Parts of a Networked Virtual Environment
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Graphics Engines and Displays
Let's have a look at the Computer Graphics course for some examples
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Control and Communication Devices
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Processing Systems
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Data Network
Should there be a real VR system here ?
Issue : multiplication of the information to share
Challenges in Net-VE Design & Development
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