Hiperia3D News: Virtual Reality Interfaces

Labels: Hardware, Tutorials

Although in future posts I may cover deeper these technologies, here I introduce you to some interesting virtual reality hardware that I've found while browsing.

3D Movement Tracking Camera
This is a camera that tracks your movements and moves avatars inside Second Life following your moves. I found this in VirtualWorldNews.
Here's the video:

Virtual 3D Mousepad
It is a virtual mousepad because it doesn't exists. It's a similar solution to the previous, although it is smaller and tracks your hands. Watch the video:

Virtual Walking Simulator
It is a simulator of floor that is used to help avatars walk while real people walk over it. Read the full article
Anyway it seems there are other less enormous solutions...

CAVE
I was introduced to what a CAVE is in a conference and course that I assisted done by Carolina Cruz Neira, that versed about expert tips on virtual reality.
Said with simplicity, a CAVE is a room of screens that surround the virtual world visitors, so you are immersed inside the virtual world without having to wear 3D glasses.
You can read more about CAVEs here: http://www.evl.uic.edu/pape/CAVE/oldCAVE/CAVE.html

This is a CAVE with a virtual world using Quake game engine:

VR Glove
This video shows a glove that you put in your hands and acts like a complex mouse.

There are more gloves and other VR hardware stuff at http://www.vrealities.com/

SpaceNavigator
This is a home virtual reality device that can be used instead a mouse. I find it is a mix of a graphics tablet and a trackball, but much more improved. It deserves a look.

This video is a tutorial on how to use SpaceNavigator for Second Life, but it can also be used for many applications (if not all) to model in 3D.

The SpaceNavigator has been added to Hiperia3D News Store at Amazon. Check its features here. There are pics and explanations on how it works.

This tutorial is done by Torley Linden, a great virtual artist, vital member of the Second Life community . Don't miss his video channel at YouTube or his works at Flickr, specially if you are at Second Life. I hope I can make a deeper review on his work in the future, as I consider Torley a great contributor and creative genius, but for now, enjoy his art and videos.