Brings together some of the leading practitioners in the field of virtual reality and explores some of the main issues in the area. The book outlines the main components of the current generation of virtual reality systems, and the major recent developments of systems are discussed.

VRST '16: 22th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology Nov 02, 2016-Nov 04, 2016 Munich, Germany. You can view more information about this proceeding and all of ACM�s other published conference proceedings from the ACM Digital Library: http://www.acm.org/dl.

Few technologies in recent years have attracted as much scientific, media and public attention as Virtual Reality. By providing a profoundly new paradigm for human-computer interaction, it is fundamentally changing the way people use and think about computers. Despite being in its infancy, Virtual Reality has found applications in such varied fields as entertainment, interactive arts, medicine, architecture, security, education, and financial analysis.The articles collected here were selected after thorough review and describe the state-of-the-art in Virtual Reality software and technology. Included are the latest results in software architectures, interaction techniques and devices, modeling techniques, and applications.

Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design, Second Edition arrives at a time when the technologies behind virtual reality have advanced dramatically. The book helps users take advantage of the ways they can identify and prepare for the applications of VR in their field. By approaching VR as a communications medium, the authors have created a resource that will remain relevant even as underlying technologies evolve. Included are a history of VR, systems currently in use, the application of VR, and the many issues that arise in application design and implementation, including hardware requirements, system integration, interaction techniques and usability. - Features substantive, illuminating coverage designed for technical or business readers and the classroom - Examines VR's constituent technologies, drawn from visualization, representation, graphics, human-computer interaction and other fields - Provides (via a companion website) additional case studies, tutorials, instructional materials, and a link to an open-source VR programming system - Includes updated perception material and new sections on game engines, optical tracking, VR visual interface software, and a new glossary with pictures

For the last decade, virtual reality has been utilized in diverse fields such as entertainment, medicine, and industry. Recently, virtual reality has been applied in educational settings in order to transform student learning and experiences through such methods as building prototypes using digital devices or exploring new cultures through immersive interactions. Teachers who can incorporate virtual reality into their classrooms can provide their students with more meaningful learning experiences and can witness higher engagement. Current and Prospective Applications of Virtual Reality in Higher Education is a cutting-edge academic research book that provides comprehensive research on the integration of virtual reality in education programs and establishes foundations for course design, program development, and institutional strategic planning. The book covers an overall understanding and approach to virtual reality in education, specific applications of using virtual reality in higher education, and prospects and issues of virtual reality in the future. Highlighting a wide range of topics such as gamification, teacher training, and virtual reality, this book is ideal for teachers, instructional designers, curriculum developers, academicians, program developers, administrators, educational software developers, policymakers, researchers, education professionals, and students.

A groundbreaking Virtual Reality textbook is now even better Virtual reality is a very powerful and compelling computer application by which humans can interface and interact with computer-generated environments in a way that mimics real life and engages all the senses. Although its most widely known application is in the entertainment industry, the real promise of virtual reality lies in such fields as medicine, engineering, oil exploration and the military, to name just a few. Through virtual reality scientists can triple the rate of oil discovery, pilots can dogfight numerically-superior "bandits," and surgeons can improve their skills on virtual (rather than real) patients. This Second Edition of the first comprehensive technical book on the subject of virtual reality provides updated and expanded coverage of the technology--where it originated, how it has evolved, and where it is going. The authors cover all of the latest innovations and applications that are making virtual reality more important than ever before, including: * Coverage on input and output interfaces including touch and force feedback * Computing architecture (with emphasis on the rendering pipeline and task distribution) * Object modeling (including physical and behavioral aspects) * Programming for virtual reality * An in-depth look at human factors issues, user performance, and * sensorial conflict aspects of VR * Traditional and emerging VR applications The new edition of Virtual Reality Technology is specifically designed for use as a textbook. Thus it includes definitions, review questions, and a Laboratory Manual with homework and programming assignments. The accompanying CD-ROM also contains video clips that reinforce the topics covered in the textbook. The Second Edition will serve as a state-of-the-art resource for both graduate and undergraduate students in engineering, computer science, and other disciplines. GRIGORE C. BURDEA is a professor at Rutgers-the State University of New Jersey, and author of the book Force and Touch Feedback for Virtual Reality, also published by Wiley. PHILIPPE COIFFET is a Director of Research at CNRS (French National Scientific Research Center) and Member of the National Academy of Technologies of France. He authored 20 books on Robotics and VR translated into several languages.

Virtual reality is the next frontier of communication. As technology exponentially evolves, so do the ways in which humans interact and depend upon it. It only follows that to educate and stimulate the next generation of industry leaders, one must use the most innovative tools available. By coupling education with the most immersive technology available, teachers may inspire students in exciting new ways. Emerging Tools and Applications of Virtual Reality in Education explores the potential and practical uses of virtual reality in classrooms with a focus on pedagogical and instructional outcomes and strategies. This title features current experiments in the use of augmented reality in teaching and highlights the effects it had on students. The authors also illustrate the use of technology in teaching the humanities, as students well-rounded in the fields of technology and communication are covetable in the workforce. This book will inspire educators, administrators, librarians, students of education, and virtual reality software developers to push the limits of their craft.