Virtual Reality: Concepts and Technologies

Book excerpt: A manual for both designers and users, comprehensively presenting the current state of experts' knowledge on virtual reality (VR) in computer science, mechanics, optics, acoustics, physiology, psychology, ergonomics, ethics, and related area. Designed as a reference book and design guide to help the reader develop a VR project, it presents the reader with the importance of the user’s needs and various aspects of the human computer interface (HCI). It further treats technical aspects of VR, hardware and software implementations, and details on the sensory and psycho-sensory interfaces. Providing various concepts and technologies, including mathematics and modelling techniques, it allows the reader to formalize, conceptualize and construct a virtual reality project from original thought to application. This book is intended for engineers, computer scientists and computer game developers working on various VR applications. It can further serve as an educational tool in Virtual Reality courses for senior graduate and postgraduate students.