About the Book
Thorough overview of virtual reality technology fundamentals and latest advances, with coverage of hardware, software, human factors and applications, plus companion Laboratory Manual in Unity 3D.
The Third Edition of the first comprehensive technical book on the subject of virtual reality, Virtual Reality Technology, provides updated and expanded coverage of VR technology, including where it originated, how it has evolved, and where it is going. Its primary objective is to be a complete, up-to-date textbook, as well as a source of information on a rapidly developing field of science and technology with broad societal impact.
The two highly qualified authors cover all of the latest innovations and applications that are making virtual reality more important than ever before. Unlike other books on the subject, the book also includes a chapter on Human Factors, which are very important in designing technology around the human user.
Virtual Reality Technology provides Instructors with a website-accessible Laboratory Manual using the Unity 3D game engine and programming language. Unity 3D is the preferred VR language these days and will prepare the student for the VR gaming and mobile applications industry. For universities Unity 3D is cost-effective as its student license is freely available.
With comprehensive coverage of the subject, Virtual Reality Technology discusses sample topics such as:
Input and output interfaces, including holographic displays, foveated head-mounted displays, neural interfaces, haptic and olfactory feedback
Computing architecture, with emphasis on the rendering pipeline, the graphics processing unit and distributed/edge rendering
Object modeling, including physical and behavioral aspects, Artificial Intelligence controlled characters, and model management techniques
Programming toolkits for virtual reality and the game production pipeline
Human factors issues such as user performance and sensorial conflict, cybersickness and societal impact aspects of VR
Application examples in medical education, virtual rehabilitation, virtual heritage, gaming, and military use of virtual reality.
Virtual Reality Technology provides thorough and complete coverage of an in-demand sector of technology, making it a highly valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate students in computer science, engineering, and science, along with a variety of professionals across many different industries, including but not limited to engineering, gaming, healthcare, and defense.
Table of Contents:
About the Authors xvii
Foreword by Distinguished Professor Henry Fuchs xix
Preface to the 3rd Edition xxiii
About the Companion Instructor Website xxv
1 Introduction 1
1.1 The Three Is of Virtual Reality 3
1.2 Early VR 4
1.3 First Commercial VR 9
1.4 VR at the Turn of the Millennium 13
1.5 VR in the 21st Century 16
1.6 Components of Classical and Modern VR Systems 18
1.7 Review Questions 19
2 Input Devices: Trackers, Navigation, Gesture, and Neural Interfaces 23
2.1 Three-Dimensional Position Trackers 24
2.2 Navigation and Manipulation Interfaces 70
2.3 Gesture Interfaces 86
2.4 Neural Interfaces 101
2.5 Conclusions 108
2.6 Review Questions 109
3 Output Devices: Graphics Displays 119
3.1 The Human Vision System 120
3.2 Graphics Display Characteristics 123
3.3 Display Technologies 126
3.4 Personal Graphics Displays 129
3.5 Large-Volume Displays 160
3.6 Micro-LED Walls and Holographic Displays 176
3.7 Conclusions 180
3.8 Review Questions 180
4 Output Devices: Three-Dimensional Sound, Haptic, and Olfactory Displays 191
4.1 Three-Dimensional Sound Displays 192
4.2 Haptic Displays 206
4.3 Olfactory Displays 231
4.4 Conclusions 241
4.5 Review Questions 241
5 Computing Architectures for Virtual Reality 251
5.1 The Rendering Pipeline 253
5.2 Gaming Desktop Architectures 266
5.3 Graphics Benchmarks 276
5.4 Distributed VR Architectures 283
5.5 Conclusions 302
5.6 Review Questions 302
6 Modeling Virtual Environments 309
6.1 Geometric Modeling 310
6.2 Kinematics Modeling 333
6.3 Physical Modeling 345
6.4 Behavior Modeling 370
6.5 Model Management 377
6.6 Conclusions 393
6.7 Review Questions 393
7 Virtual Reality Programming 405
7.1 Scene Graphs and Toolkits 406
7.2 Toolkits 414
7.3 Unity 3D Game Engine 444
7.4 Conclusions 461
7.5 Review Questions 462
8 Human Factors in Virtual Reality 469
8.1 Methodology and Technology 471
8.2 User Performance Studies 489
8.3 Health and Safety Issues in Virtual Environments 513
8.4 Societal Implications of Virtual Reality 534
8.5 Conclusions 538
8.6 Review Questions 539
9 Applications of Virtual Reality 551
9.1 Medical Applications of Virtual Reality 552
9.2 Virtual Reality in Education, Arts and Entertainment 586
9.3 Military Virtual Reality Applications 618
9.4 Conclusions 638
9.5 Review Questions 638
References 640
Index 657
About the Author :
GRIGORE C. BURDEA is Professor Emeritus at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; he is author of several books on virtual reality and recipient of the prestigious IEEE Virtual Reality Career Award. Burdea is Fellow of the IEEE Virtual Reality Academy and Founder of the International Society on Virtual Rehabilitation.
PHILIPPE COIFFET was Director of Research at the French National Scientific Research Center and Member of the National Academy for Technology of France. He authored 20 books on robotics and virtual reality, which have been translated into several languages.
Review :
"...Virtual Reality Technology, 3rd Edition by Grigore C. Burdea and Philippe Coiffet is an authoritative and comprehensive textbook on virtual reality (VR), its technological components, and its applications. This third edition builds upon its predecessors by incorporating significant advancements in VR technology, providing an in-depth overview into both theoretical foundations and practical applications. The book is structured to cover a wide array of topics relevant to VR technology including, but not limited to, Input and Output Devices (e.g., trackers, gesture-based inputs, neural interfaces, 3D sound systems, haptic feedback tools); Computing Architectures for VR (i.e., hardware and software architectures necessary to support VR environments); Modeling Virtual Environments (e.g., creation of virtual worlds, design and programming principles that underpin VR applications); and Applications and Human Factors..." (Barnes & Noble, 2024). Please read the full review on the book's Barnes & Noble page! Review of Virtual Reality Technology, 3rd Edition By Professor Paul Richard, University of Angers, France. The first and second editions of “Virtual Reality Technology” (Grigore Burdea and Philippe Coiffet) have established themselves as reference works for both teaching and research laboratories. Given the rapid evolution of this field over the last few years, a third edition was long overdue. This third edition has the potential to attract a varied audience in many fields of application, including students, teachers and researchers interested in using and developing innovative projects based on immersive visualization and 3D interaction. Virtual Reality Technology (3rd edition) covers highly relevant topics such as input and output interfaces used in virtual reality, computer architecture dedicated to virtual reality, 3D object modeling, artificial intelligence-controlled characters, model management techniques, programming tools for virtual reality and the game production pipeline. Human factors and user performance issues, cybersickness and aspects of the societal impact of VR are also covered. Many applications in the fields of education, rehabilitation, video games and defense are cited and analyzed. The introductory chapter is highly relevant. Indeed, it traces the history of VR and goes back over the fundamental definitions of this technology, mentions the first systems, but also speculates on growth trends and the technology's potential. Chapter 2 deals with input device aspects, systems and techniques used for motion capture. Next, systems developed for navigation and manipulation of virtual objects are described, analyzed and compared. The chapter concludes with a look at neural interfaces. Chapter 3 deals with graphics interfaces. It begins with a description of the human visual system, then presents the characteristics of the various virtual reality headsets and holographic displays. Chapter 4 deals with other output interfaces, such as sound immersion devices, olfactory feedback systems and haptic interfaces. Chapter 5 covers computer platforms and architectures specific to virtual reality systems. The various rendering pipelines are defined and compared, and the haptic pipeline is discussed. The chapter concludes with some very interesting aspects concerning distributed architectures and the use of networks and remote servers. Chapter 6 is dedicated to modeling and animation techniques. The authors explain the difference between the various modeling techniques, their use and advantages, including polygon-based models as well as the principles of physical modeling, behavioral modeling and model management. Chapter 7 deals with programming virtual reality applications. It offers excellent explanations of the main limitations, advantages and peculiarities of some of the programming languages in use today. Various development tools are presented and compared, while the stages of producing a videogame are discussed at length. Chapter 8 examines the fundamental aspects of human factors. It explains how experiments should be carried out. Some very interesting experiments are presented and analyzed. Fundamental aspects of health and safety are presented. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the social implications of virtual reality, and in particular the implications for professional and personal life. The final chapter is devoted to applications. It covers a wide range of applications in the medical field, education and vocational training. The military field is also covered, with the presentation of various infantry, aviation and naval simulators. To help professors use this textbook to teach Virtual Reality, the book has a Laboratory Manual (Unity 3D) and several sample lecture presentations (PPT). This book is undoubtedly an indispensable tool for students, researchers and professors working or wishing to work in the field of virtual reality. It traces the history of the field, presents its current state, and provides guidelines for researchers and developers of new projects. One of the most interesting and relatively uncovered coverage concerns neural interfaces, which may constitute the future of the fast-changing field.Review of Virtual Reality Technology, 3rd Edition
By Professor Paul Richard, University of Angers, France.
The first and second editions of “Virtual Reality Technology” (Grigore Burdea and Philippe Coiffet) have established themselves as reference works for both teaching and research laboratories. Given the rapid evolution of this field over the last few years, a third edition was long overdue. This third edition has the potential to attract a varied audience in many fields of application, including students, teachers and researchers interested in using and developing innovative projects based on immersive visualization and 3D interaction. Virtual Reality Technology (3rd edition) covers highly relevant topics such as input and output interfaces used in virtual reality, computer architecture dedicated to virtual reality, 3D object modeling, artificial intelligence-controlled characters, model management techniques, programming tools for virtual reality and the game production pipeline. Human factors and user performance issues, cybersickness and aspects of the societal impact of VR are also covered. Many applications in the fields of education, rehabilitation, video games and defense are cited and analyzed. The introductory chapter is highly relevant. Indeed, it traces the history of VR and goes back over the fundamental definitions of this technology, mentions the first systems, but also speculates on growth trends and the technology's potential. Chapter 2 deals with input device aspects, systems and techniques used for motion capture. Next, systems developed for navigation and manipulation of virtual objects are described, analyzed and compared. The chapter concludes with a look at neural interfaces. Chapter 3 deals with graphics interfaces. It begins with a description of the human visual system, then presents the characteristics of the various virtual reality headsets and holographic displays. Chapter 4 deals with other output interfaces, such as sound immersion devices, olfactory feedback systems and haptic interfaces. Chapter 5 covers computer platforms and architectures specific to virtual reality systems. The various rendering pipelines are defined and compared, and the haptic pipeline is discussed. The chapter concludes with some very interesting aspects concerning distributed architectures and the use of networks and remote servers.
Chapter 6 is dedicated to modeling and animation techniques. The authors explain the difference between the various modeling techniques, their use and advantages, including polygon-based models as well as the principles of physical modeling, behavioral modeling and model management. Chapter 7 deals with programming virtual reality applications. It offers excellent explanations of the main limitations, advantages and peculiarities of some of the programming languages in use today. Various development tools are presented and compared, while the stages of producing a videogame are discussed at length. Chapter 8 examines the fundamental aspects of human factors. It explains how experiments should be carried out. Some very interesting experiments are presented and analyzed. Fundamental aspects of health and safety are presented. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the social implications of virtual reality, and in particular the implications for professional and personal life.
The final chapter is devoted to applications. It covers a wide range of applications in the medical field, education and vocational training. The military field is also covered, with the presentation of various infantry, aviation and naval simulators. To help professors use this textbook to teach Virtual Reality, the book has a Laboratory Manual (Unity 3D) and several sample lecture presentations (PPT). This book is undoubtedly an indispensable tool for students, researchers and professors working or wishing to work in the field of virtual reality. It traces the history of the field, presents its current state, and provides guidelines for researchers and developers of new projects. One of the most interesting and relatively uncovered coverage concerns neural interfaces, which may constitute the future of the fast-changing field.
