Interactive Computer Graphics, Human Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality and Digital Arts and Sciences Benjamin Lok September 20 th, 2004
Outline Topics Interactive Computer GraphicsInteractive Computer Graphics Human Computer InteractionHuman Computer Interaction Virtual RealityVirtual Reality Jobs Research Skills
Interactive Computer Graphics
Motivation We want to understand how to do:
Motivation
Why should I take this course? An excuse to build that program/game/project you always wanted A Computer Science course that involves a variety of skills (other than coding!) ArtArt PsychologyPsychology SoundSound CreativityCreativity To play with fun toys To show off your projects!
Human Computer Interaction What is a user interface? Why do we care about design? We see this all the time. What’s good about the design of this error box?What’s good about the design of this error box? The user knows there is an error What’s poor about the design of this error box?What’s poor about the design of this error box? Discouraging Not enough information No way to resolve the problem (instructions or contact info)
My Choice iPod by Apple Computers Pros: portableportable powerpower ease of useease of use # of controls# of controls Cons: scratches easilyscratches easily no speech for car useno speech for car use proprietaryproprietary
HCI Community Academics/Industry Research TaxonomiesTaxonomies TheoriesTheories Predictive modelsPredictive models Experimenters Empirical dataEmpirical data Product designProduct design Other areas (Sociologists, anthropologists, managers) MotorMotor PerceptualPerceptual CognitiveCognitive Social, economic, ethicsSocial, economic, ethics
HCI Tools Sound 3D Animation Video Devices Size (small->very large)Size (small->very large) Portable (PDA, phone)Portable (PDA, phone) PlasticityPlasticity Context sensitive/aware Personalizable Ubiquitous
Usability Requirements Goals: UsabilityUsability UniversalityUniversality UsefulnessUsefulness Achieved by: PlanningPlanning Sensitivity to user needsSensitivity to user needs Devotion to requirements analysisDevotion to requirements analysis TestingTesting
Bad Interfaces Encumbering Confusing Slow Trust (ex. windows crashing) What makes it hard? Varies by cultureVaries by culture Multiple platformsMultiple platforms Variety of usersVariety of users Think of a game you’ve played with a bad interface UNIXUNIX
Example Five fastest places to click on for a right-handed user?
Example What affects time?
Virtual Reality Definition What is virtual reality? Virtual –Virtual – Being in essence or effect, but not in fact Example VRAM Reality –Reality – The state or quality of being real. Something that exists independently of ideas concerning it. Something that constitutes a real or actual thing as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.” What was the first VR?What was the first VR?
What was the first VR?
Ivan Sutherland’s The Ultimate Display “Don’t think of that thing as a screen, think of it as a window, a window through which one looks into a virtual world. The challenge to computer graphics is to make that virtual world look real, sound real, move and respond to interaction in real time, and even feel real.”
Key Elements of Virtual Reality Experience Virtual World - content of a given medium screen play, script, etc.screen play, script, etc. actors performing the play allows us to experience the virtual worldactors performing the play allows us to experience the virtual world Immersion – sensation of being in an environment mental immersion – suspension of disbeliefmental immersion – suspension of disbelief physical immersion – bodily entering the mediumphysical immersion – bodily entering the medium Related to presence – (mentally immersed) the participant’s sensation of being in the virtual environment (Slater)Related to presence – (mentally immersed) the participant’s sensation of being in the virtual environment (Slater) Walking Experiment at UNC – Chapel Hill
Augmented Reality A combination of a real scene viewed by a user and a virtual scene generated by a computer that augments the scene with additional information. Ultrasound Visualization Research at UNC – Chapel Hill All Virtual ObjectsAll Real Objects
Immersive Technology Head-mounted Display Optical SystemOptical System Image Source (CRT or LCD)Image Source (CRT or LCD) Mounting ApparatusMounting Apparatus EarphonesEarphones Position TrackerPosition Tracker
Immersive Technology Multi-screen Projection of stereoscopic images (CAVE)
Immersive Technology Single large stereoscopic display Projection-based Head-tracked Possible tracking of hands and arms. Brings virtual objects into the physical world
User’s perspective Setting Objects in world Other participants Active/Passive Factory Simulation Architectural Walkthrough
Research Virtual Characters Diana VideoDiana Video Virtual Reality NASANASA
Skill Set “Oh I don’t want to program, I just want to create stuff” Architect or Car analogy Programming -> tool to create what is in your imagination Programming proficiency goal: be able to code anything that you imagine To do what you saw before we use: C/C++, OpenGL, many different librariesC/C++, OpenGL, many different libraries Math, math, and yet more math!!! Differential equations (simulations, physics engines), linear algebra (transforms, 3D manipulations), statisticsDifferential equations (simulations, physics engines), linear algebra (transforms, 3D manipulations), statistics
Graduate School Programming Team Lead at RockStar Games Worked on Midnight Club 2Worked on Midnight Club 2 Renderman Developer at Pixar Worked on the Jellyfish of Nemo and IncrediblesWorked on the Jellyfish of Nemo and Incredibles Software Engineer for Interactive Media for Disney Worked on Toon Town, online capable titlesWorked on Toon Town, online capable titles Worked at 989 Sports, EA Sports, Freedom Force, etc. What did they all have in common? Published scientific journals in computer sciencePublished scientific journals in computer science Graduate school in computer scienceGraduate school in computer science Worked on efficient collision detection, particle systems, curved surfaces, virtual reality, etc.Worked on efficient collision detection, particle systems, curved surfaces, virtual reality, etc. All hadAll had GRE scores in the top 10% Went to a top graduate school (admission is tough) Strong math and science and coding Why would a CS professor want to work with you?
Interested? Take the following… Computational Structures in Computer Graphics Design and Creation of Virtual Environments Human-Computer Interaction Computational Geometry Computer Simulation Concepts