Overview of Virtual Reality

CVrS3: A Collaborative Virtual Reality Simulator for Scoliosis Surgery (inside a CAVE environment)Virtual Reality (VR) technology main goal is to permit a user to interact with a computer simulated environment inspired by or linked with the real world or not. While most current systems primarily generate stereoscopic visual and auditive stimulus, the optimal system is seen a device capable of simulating every human senses. Ivan Sutherland, who is seen by some as the pioneer of virtual reality, best described this particularity in 1965:

The ultimate display would, of course, be a room within which the computer can control the existence of matter. A chair displayed in such a room would be good enough to sit in. Handcuffs displayed in such a room would be confining, and a bullet displayed in such room would be fatal. With appropriate programming such a display could literally be the Wonderland into which Alice walked.

Most current systems use devices like head mounted displays (HMD), stereoscopic projectors/displays, 3d glasses, tracking systems, 3d mouses, VR gloves, speakers and/or headphones to generate 3d graphics and sounds that adapt to the physical actions of a user. Haptics systems and directional treadmills may also be used to simulate the sense of touch via force feedback/vibrations and to permit natural navigational movement. Some researchers are also working on ways to:

• Simulate the sense of smell with smell cannons.
• Simulate the sense of taste with a thin-film force sensor and a tube squirting mixture of flavourings.

Research

Academic Research Labs

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Advanced Man Machine Interface Laboratory (AMMI Lab)

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Description: The laboratory's research activity centers on the development of new man-machine interfaces that allow computer systems to enhance human abilities by adapting to their needs.
Research Topics: TelePresence, Tele-Immersion, Collaborative Virtual Reality Environments (CVE), Scientific Visualization, Medical Training.
Projects: The Immersive Telepresence Room ANd Collaborative Environment (iTRAnCE), Virtualized Reality, Hapto-Visual-Audio-Virtual Environments (HAVE), Range Image Processing, Virtual Wind Tunnel, Spatial Navigation Studies, Image-based Modeling and Rendering with Dynamic Textures, The ANIMUS Project, Music Visualization, Three-Dimensional Gesture Recognition, Project CyberCell, The Global LAMBDA Visualization Facility, ...

Ecole Polytechnique's Virtual Reality Lab

Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Description: Ecole polytechnique de Montreal's research group in virtual reality gathers competences in computer science, computer graphics, mathematics, virtual reality and fluid mechanics. This group works in collaboration with researchers from different fields, from Polytechnique and elsewhere, in fluid mechanics, pharmaceutical chemistry, biomedical engineering, civil engineering, applied mathematics, manufacturing, injection moulding, combustion, structures, etc.
Research Topics: Medical Training, CVE, Scientific Visualization, Design Review.
Projects: Collaborative Virtual Reality Spine Surgery Simulator (CVrS3), MolEdit, ...

Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL)

University of Illinois at Chicago, USA

Description: The Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) is an interdisciplinary graduate research laboratory that combines art and computer science, specializing in advanced visualization and networking technologies. The laboratory is a joint effort of UIC's College of Engineering and The School of Art & Design representing the oldest formal collaboration between engineering and art in the country, offering graduate degrees in electronic visualization (MFA, MS, PhD). Funded research projects include: distributed computing/visualization, collaborative software, the development of viable, scalable, deployable stereo displays and management of next-generation advanced networking initiatives.
Research Topics: Tele-Immersion, Networking, Virtual Reality Devices, Immersive Environments, Learning Environments, Scientific Visualization, CVE, VR Development Tools, VR Art.
Projects: The CAVE® Virtual Reality Theater, CAVERNsoft G2, EMERGE, Virtual Harlem Project, Environmentally Non-Disturbing Under-ice Robotic ANtarctiC Explorer (ENDURANCE), Towards Lifelike Computer Interfaces that Learn, OptiStore, Virtual Driving Simulator, Solar Video Visualization for the NASA/NRL STEREO Satellite Mission, SAGE Display Controller, ...

Human Interface Technology Lab (HITLab)

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

Description: The Human Interface Technology Lab (HITLab) is a multi-disciplinary research and development lab whose work centers around human interface technology. Lab researchers represent a wide range of departments from across the University of Washington campus, including engineering, medicine, education, social sciences, architecture and the design arts.
Research Topics: Cognition, Collaborative Environments, Education, Hardware, Interfaces, Medical, VR Effects.
Projects: Burn Pain Control with VR, fMRI Research on Virtual Reality Analgesia, VR Therapy for Spider Phobia, VR Treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Water-Friendly Virtual Reality, PARVAC, Shared Space, Virtual Playground, GaS Works, Learning in Virtual Environments, Virtual Calakmul, Virtual Puget Sound, Virtual Scalable Basin, Engineering Study of an Endoscope Design, Interactive VRD, Low Vision Aid, Micro-optical fabrication of a fiber scanning system, True 3D Displays, Virtual Retinal Display, VRD Emulator, Wearable Low Vision Aid, Augmented Tangible Molecular Models, HI-SPACE, Multimodal Interfaces, 3D Microscopy for Cancer Screening, Expert Surgical Assistant, Fast Finite Element Modeling for Surgical Simulation, Parkinson's Project, Virtual Prototyping of Medical Robotic Interfaces, Motion Sickness.

MIRALab

University of Geneva, Switzerland

Description: MIRALab was founded in 1989 by Professor Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann. She chairs around 30 researchers coming from as many different fields as Computer Science, Mathematics, Medicine, Telecommunications, Architecture, Fashion Design, Cognitive Science, Haptics, Augmented Reality, etc. This truly interdisciplinary group works in the field of Computer Graphics, Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds. Since 1992, MIRALab has participated in more than 45 European Projects. International conferences such as CASA and CGI are often organized in Switzerland by MIRALab. Actually, Prof. Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann leads 3 ongoing European Research Projects: INTERMEDIA NoE, HAPTEX and 3D ANATOMICAL HUMAN, a Marie Curie Research Training Network. Moreover, MIRALab produces displays for museums, galleries, such as fashion shows or cyberdances with virtual models and clothes.
Research Topics: Virtual Cloning, Facial Animation, Graphics Standardisation, Hair Simulation, Medical, Mixed Realities, Modelling techniques, Motion Capture, Body Animation and Control, CVE, Personality and Emotion Simulation, Real-time Animation, Visualization and Deformation, Virtual Clothing, Virtual Heritage, Web3D.
Projects: 3DAH, AIM@Shape, CADPIPE, CATCH, CO-ME, ENACTIVE, EPOCH, FNRS2006, FRANCOPHONIE, HAPTEX, HUMAINE, INDIGO, INTERMEDIA, INTUITION, LEAPFROG, OPENDANCE, Understanding3D, ...

TACHI Laboratory

University of Tokyo, Japan

Description: Tachi Lab. is a leading laboratory in Virtual Reality and Telexistence.
Research Topics: Telexistence, Teleoperation, Immersive Autostereoscopic Displays, Immersive Displays, Tactile and Haptic Systems, Augmented Reality, Robotic User Interface, Retro-reflective Projection Technology, Head Mounted Projectors, Human Interfaces.
Projects: Mutual Telexistence robot “TELESAR 2”, TWISTER, Optical Camouflage, Tele-Existence Master-Slave System, Tactile Communication System, GelForce, Seelinder, Fibratus Tactile Sensor, ...

Virtual Reality Application Center (VRAC)

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA

Description: Their research centers around developing computer interfaces that integrate virtual environments, wireless networking, pervasive computing and third generation user interface devices to amplify the creativity and productivity of people.
Research Topics: Virtual Environments, Wireless Networking, Pervasive Computing, Third Generation User Interfaces, Teleoperation, Virtual Engineering and Design, Scientific Visualization, VR Development Tools.
Projects: VR Juggler, OpenSG, VE Suite, NIST MEP, Kansei Evaluation Methodology, Product, and Packaging Design for Tostitos Brand…, Virtual Teleoperation for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Using Virtual Engineering Tools to Create an Information Dashboard for Portfolio Management, Mapping Sound to 3-D Virtual Materials: a real-time touch sensitive instrument for Virtual Engineering and Electroacoustic Music, Advanced Systems Design Suite, NSF REU - Modeling 3D Geologic Structures in a Multi-sensory (touch and sound), Interactive Visualization and Analysis of Large Scale Graphs for Biological Network Modeling, Modeling 3D Geologic Structures in a Multi-sensory (Touch and Sound) Virtual Environment, Immersive Combine Simulator, ...

Virtual Reality Laboratory

University at Buffalo, New York, USA

Description: The Virtual Reality Laboratory's students and faculty are pioneering the use of VR technology in areas such as surgery, remote robotic control, volcanic simulation and factory design. The faculty involved in their projects pool their expertise from fields as diverse as mathematics, geology, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering and medical sciences. With their unique experience, industry partners and computational resources, the lab is answering the technological challenges of today with VR solutions.
Research Topics: Haptic Device Design, Haptics Input/Output, Virtual Reality for Medicine, Cultural Heritage Reconstruction, Scientific Information/Data Visualization, Industrial Design & Manufacturing, Intelligent Vehicle.
Projects: HAPSTICK, Fingertip Digitizer, Touch-based Interactive NURBS Modeler, ModelGlove, Distributed Data Fusion (DDF) Testbed : Visualization and Simulation Support, Natural or Man-made Post-disaster Visualization, Efficient Visualization of Geo-Physical Mass Flow Simulations, Image Guided Surgery in Neuro-Endovascular Procedures, The Haptic Kymograph, Physically-Based Modeling Through A Dynamic Atomic Unit Approach For Haptic Rendering, ...

Virtual Reality Research Group

University of Oxford, England

Description: The aim of their research is to discover how the visual system represents a 3D scene. They are particularly interested in how this is done when an observer moves around. In this case, there is a lot of information from motion parallax and binocular disparity that must be 'put together' somehow in the brain to yield a coherent, stable representation of the scene. The main advantage of using immersive virtual reality is that the observer can explore their environment freely, while appropriate images are generated for each eye just as if they were viewing a real scene. Until now, most experiments on 3D vision have required the subject to sit with their head fixed. Only recently has it become feasible to carry out similar experiments in freely-moving observers. We need to do this if we are to find out how people represent the 3D world under normal, unrestrained conditions.
Research Topics: Computer Vision, Photogrammetry, 3d Vision, 3d Perception, Visual Psychophysics.
Projects: Expanding room, Object movement yoked to observer movement, Quantifying errors in the head tracker, ...

Development

VR Application Development Frameworks

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CAVELib

Developped by VRCO.
Description: CAVELib is the most widely used Application Programmer's Interface (API) for developing applications for immersive displays. The philosophy of the CAVELib is to let the developer concentrate on their application and let the CAVELib handle the difficulties of VR. The CAVELib's API is simple but powerful, only a fraction of the API's capabilities are required to create an immersive application, yet it has an extensive API to meet even the most advanced developer's needs. The CAVELib API provides the building blocks to handle the intricacies of creating robust applications for Virtual Environments. Some of the items the CAVELib abstracts away for a developer are, window and viewport creation, viewer-centered perspective calculations, displaying to multiple graphics channels, multi-processing and multi-threading, cluster synchronization and data sharing, and stereoscopic viewing. The CAVELib dramatically extends a developer's abilities to create solutions with scalable, immersive 3D representations without having to contend with operating system, display system, and device-level programming details. Furthermore, the CAVELib's networking capabilities allows collaboration, interaction and data sharing with users across the hall or around the world.
License: Commercial

DIVERSE

Virginia Tech, Open Tech, NIST, ONR and other users are actually developing DIVERSE.
Description: DIVERSE is a cross-platform, open source, API for developing virtual reality applications that can run almost anywhere. DIVERSE currently runs on Linux, IRIX. Support for Windows XP and Mac OS X is under development. The goal of DIVERSE is to enable developers to quickly build applications that will run on the desktop as well as various immersive systems. To avoid hindering development DIVERSE is designed without the "center of the universe" paradigm; you only use the parts of DIVERSE that you need. This allows DIVERSE to interact with many other APIs and toolkits like, OpenGL, Open Scene Graph, SGI Open GL Performer, and Coin.
License: Open Source: GNU LGPL and GPL

Equalizer

Developed by Eyescale Software GmbH and the Visualization and Multimedia Lab, University of Zurich.
Description: Equalizer is an open source programming interface and resource management system for scalable OpenGL applications. An Equalizer application can run unmodified on any visualization system, from a singlepipe workstation to large scale graphics clusters and multi-GPU workstations. Equalizer is built upon a parallel OpenGL-based programming interface solving problems that are common to any multipipe application. The API is minimally invasive, making application porting as easy as possible while delivering maximum performance.
License: Open Source: GNU LGPL
Notice: Commercial support and services for Equalizer developers and users is offered by Eyescale Software GmbH.

Quest3D VR Edition

Developed by Act-3D.
Description: Quest3D VR edition allows users to connect virtual reality hardware and control the environment. Data gloves can be used to simulate hand movement and trackers can be used for motion tracking and in addition multi-screen synchronization.
License: Commercial

Virtools

Developed by Dassault Systèmes.
Description: Virtools technology permits to develop exceptional interactive real-time applications for industry and games production. Whether for online, desktop-based and large-scaled interactive digital mock-ups, Virtools solutions allow creating real-time interactive experiences with superior graphics and complex interactivity.
License: Commercial

Vizard VR Toolkit

Developed by WorldViz.
Description: Vizard Virtual Reality Toolkit permit you to build complete, interactive 3D content. Designed for rapid prototyping, Vizard gets you creating fast and provides the resources to deploy even the most challenging applications. With Vizard, even someone with no programming experience can leap into the world of interactive 3D content and soon discover what it's like to have an untethered imagination.
License: Commercial

VR Juggler

Developed at the Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC) laboratory at the Iowa State University.
Description: The VR Juggler project was started in 1997 by Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira and a team of students at Iowa State University's Virtual Reality Applications Center. This ongoing work has produced a freely available open source, community-oriented virtual reality application development framework. VR Juggler is released under the GNU LGPL and will always be available for anyone and everyone to use free of charge.
License: Open Source: GNU LGPL
Notice: Commercial support and services for VR Juggler's users is offered by the Infiscape Corporation.

Visualization Library

Developed by Michele Bosi
Description: Visualization Library is an open source C++ middleware for 2D/3D graphics applications based on the industry standard OpenGL 2.1, designed to develop professional applications for the Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux/X11 operating systems. Visualization Library alpha 1 supports advanced features like OpenGL Shading Language, Frame Buffer Objects, Multiple Render Targets, Vertex and Pixel Buffer Objects, KdTree/AABB frustum culling, multilingual Unicode-based text engine, advanced texturing, DDS cubemaps, mipmaps, compressed textures and much more. Visualization Library can be especially useful in 3D/2D scientific visualization, virtual reality, augmented reality, visual simulation, data visualization, presentations, multimedia applications, special effects, 3d/2d games.
License: Open Source: GNU GPL 3
Notice: A commercial license is also available for non open source proprietary software.

Equipment

Equipment

Companies

Alchemical Machines

Advanced man-machine interfaces, virtual reality, augmented reality, machine vision and telepresence systems development and consulting services.
Description: Alchemical Machines is a R&D company specialized in developing high-end sensory interactive technologies. We design 3D interactive advertising, art and entertainment systems, virtual and augmented reality applications, immersive environments, telepresence systems, visualization systems, markerless tracking systems and more. As experts in the fields of, Advanced Man-Machine Interfaces, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Machine Vision and TelePresence we offer design and development, and consulting services related to the implementation of any systems belonging to these fields.

Ascension

3D tracking devices manufacturer.
Description: Ascension makes 3D tracking devices for medical guidance, minimally invasive surgery, real-time visualization, and target acquisition. Our position and orientation tracking devices navigate, localize, and guide medical instruments for image-guided procedures. They also digitize real-world objects, track pilot’s helmets, and capture human motions for interaction with 3D graphical worlds. From our pioneering Flock of Birds to our newest 3D Guidance trackers, Ascension's innovative technologies can solve your 3D tracking needs.

Christie

High-end VR projector manufacturer.
Description: Christie is celebrating its 77th anniversary as a leader in visual solutions for world-class organizations, offering diverse applications for business, entertainment, and industry. With expertise in film projection since 1929 and professional projection systems since 1979, Christie has established a global reputation as the world’s single source manufacturer of a variety of display technologies and solutions for cinema, large audience environments, control rooms, business presentations, training facilities, 3D and virtual reality, simulation, education, media and government. Christie has installed over 75,000 projection solutions worldwide. Christie’s broad range of technologies include DLP Cinema™ projectors, LCD and DLP™ projectors, networking solutions, 35mm film projectors, rear screen projection modules and DLP™ projection cubes, wall display controllers, and cutting edge projection technologies for 3D, virtual reality and simulation. Whatever the application, Christie’s visual solutions are purpose-built to meet unique projection requirements, and are backed by industry-leading service and support ensuring complete customer satisfaction.

eMagin

HMD manufacturer.
Description: eMagin integrates high-resolution OLED microdisplays, magnifying optics, and systems technologies to create a virtual image that appears comparable to that of a computer monitor or a large-screen television. eMagin’s OLED displays have broad market reach and are incorporated into a variety of near-to-eye imaging products by military, industrial and medical and consumer OEMs who choose eMagin’s award-winning technology as a core component for their solutions. eMagin has recently announced its first direct-to-consumer system, the Z800 3DVisor, which provides superb 3D stereovision and headtracking for PC gaming, training and simulation, and business applications.

EON Reality

3D immersive displays and authoring softwares.
Description: With EON’s Virtual Reality software tools and applications, including Interactive Product Content Management (IPCM), Simulation-Based Learning (SBL), Augmented Tele Presence (ATP), Location-Based Experiences and Rich Media Publishing (RMP), users are able to create realistic and authentic product experiences based on 3D visualization technology, delivering versatile productivity to the aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, retail, defense, education and medical sectors. Industry leaders, including Suzuki, Siemens, John Deere, Atlas Copco, Toyota, Tetra Pak, Boeing, Bombardier, Intel, Peterbilt, Lexus, Whirlpool, Honeywell, GE Healthcare and Stryker, use EON solutions to enhance the interactive user experience to effectively increase sales, better communicate product functionality and decrease the cost of service, training and technical support.

Eyescale Software GmbH

VR software development services.
Description: Eyescale provides software consulting services in the domain of 3D visualization, combining open source and commercial technologies. Our main product is Equalizer, a framework for the development and deployment of scalable OpenGL applications.

Immersion

Haptic technologies manufacturer.
Description: Immersion develops, licenses, and markets haptic technologies that bring the sense of touch to the digital world. We help to create levels of realism that allow training environments, digital controls, gaming, and virtual interaction to be more engaging, intuitive, entertaining, or productive.

InterSense

Motion tracking products.
Description: InterSense offers a broad range of products for virtually any motion tracking application. Our miniaturized hybrid technology provides a high degree of precision at an affordable price, and our experts will help you match our products and technology to your application requirements. We offer orientation only or 3 degrees of freedom (3-DOF) tracking products and position & orientation or 6 degrees of freedom (6-DOF) tracking products. We also can configure our product technology to meet your custom or OEM requirements.

KOPIN

HMD manufacturer.
Description: Kopin's CyberDisplay® products are the world's only transmissive LCDs that use high-quality single-crystal silicon transistors. They have the world's highest pixel density, allowing the sharpest resolution for their size. CyberDisplay LCDs are manufactured in a broad range of resolutions, including a high-definition TV resolution display comparable in size to a postage stamp. Using optical magnification, however, the CyberDisplay microdisplays can produce large, vivid images equivalent to those generated from an LCD TV. This concept is the basis for Digital iVisionTM technology, which enables ultra-portable eyewear for mobile video applications. Kopin's CyberDisplay products and applications are protected by more than 100 patents and patents pending.

Mechdyne

Immersive VR environments, projection systems, audio & video systems, VR peripherals, etc.
Description: With over 800 installations in more than 35 countries, Mechdyne is a leader in the development of large-screen 3D and advanced visualization technology. We offer solutions at any scale; from team-room systems and lecture halls to customized interactive and immersive displays to networked and distance-connected visual environments, we can create the perfect visualization solution to meet your requirements.

Polhemus

Motion tracking and scanning systems manufacturer.
Description: Polhemus is a provider of 3D position/orientation tracking systems, digitizing technology solutions, eye-tracking systems and handheld three-dimensional scanners. These products are used for the medical industry, university research, military training and simulation industry, and the computer-aided design industry.

Sensics

HMD manufacturer.
Description: Based on patented technology developed over nearly a decade of research, Sensics delivers upgradeable, lightweight, panoramic head-mounted displays that combine ultra-wide field of view and high resolution. Covering a wide range of performance and budget requirements, Sensics enables a new generation of virtual prototyping, training, visualization, entertainment, and remote presence applications. Sensics is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

SENSIO

Stereoscopic technologies for advanced and immersive cinematographic experience.
Description: SENSIO® aim to develop its horizons by placing people at the « heart of the action » and by allowing them to experience an immersive event filled with sense and emotion. Therefore, SENSIO®’s mission is to develop and market, under licence, new technological solutions that will allow the recreation of the most immersive cinematographic and entertainment experiences available, especially in the 3D industry.

VirTra Systems

VR training simulators.
Description: VirTra Systems manufactures the only 360-degree capable, high-definition firearms training simulator systems for military, police, law enforcement, and security agencies. Lethal threats can come from any direction. Your use-of-force training system should also prepare you for all directions. VirTra Systems has developed the world’s first firearms training system that includes a completely immersive, 360-degree environment, incorporating the realistic sensations of sight, touch, sound, and smell. For more than ten years, VirTra Systems has developed and manufactured advanced virtual reality products. With products that have withstood throughput of over 1.5 million persons, VirTra Systems understands technology, durability, low maintenance, and trainee uptime.

VSTEP

VR training simulators.
Description: Real-life experience is the best way to learn. Unfortunately, this is often too expensive, too dangerous or simply not possible. VSTEP creates serious games and simulators that allow people to train for real-life situations safely, on-demand and at significantly lower cost.

Events

Here's a list of VR related conferences, seminars, symposiums and workshops in inverse chronological order:

IEEE Virtual Reality 2008

March 8-12, 2008

Reno, Nevada, USA

Description: The brightest minds, the most innovative research, the leading companies, and the most stimulating discussions in the fields of virtual environments, augmented reality, and 3D user interfaces. You will find them all at IEEE Virtual Reality 2008, March 8-12 in Reno, Nevada, USA. We invite you to submit your work, show your products, and join us for a fascinating week of presentations, exhibits, workshops, and special events.

Telepresence World 2008

February 26-27, 2008

London, England

Description: This landmark summit, a high-level conference and trade exhibition, will bring together telepresence, presence, and unified communications industry leaders and major end-users from around the globe. Each will have the opportunity to debate and discuss the revolutionary technological developments that have brought telepresence from the realm of science fiction to the reality of everyday business. Through your sponsorship of this event, we invite you to be a catalyst, as, for example, corporate CEO’s and CIO’s exchange ideas, counter challenges, and shape a vision for implementation throughout the business and consumer worlds. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate and set your company apart, by becoming a key player in helping to set the course for these key industries.

Medicine Meets Virtual Reality 16 (MMVR16)

January 30 - February 1, 2008

Long Beach, CA, USA

Description: MMVR is the premier conference on emerging data-centered technologies for medical care and education. MMVR is an interdisciplinary, vanguard community of computer scientists and engineers, physicians and surgeons, medical educators and students, military medicine specialists, and biomedical futurists. At MMVR, developers and end users collaborate to design the next in medicine. MMVR offers a critical review of current progress: from initial vision and prototypes, through assessment and validation, to clinical and academic utilization and commercialization. Extrapolating from the state of the art, MMVR examines and guides the future of healthcare.

The Engineering Reality of Virtual Reality 2008

January 27-31, 2008

San Jose, CA, USA

Description: Virtual and augmented reality systems are evolving. In addition to research, the trend toward real applications continues and practitioners find that technologies and disciplines must be tailored and integrated for specific visualization and interactive applications. This conference serves as a forum where advances and practical advice toward this end is presented and discussed, and where research results can be presented.

International Simulation Industry Exhibition & Conference 2007

December 5-7, 2007

Shanghai, China

Description: The International Simulation Industry Exhibition & Conference in Shanghai, China 2007 (ISEC2007) is the only exhibition and conference in China dedicated to simulation industry and virtual reality. Showcasing products and service from simulation industry and virtual reality leaders. ISEC2007 offers a word of opportunity with visitors from different countries. Reach a business audience and deliver your product to the people who need it! This is the only Chinese event where you can exhibit your products and services to a large and high level audience of business decision makers and consultants – keen to see the latest and greatest solutions available. Attend ISEC 2007 to keep ahead of your competition in China and up to speed with your stomers.

Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2007

November 26-29, 2007

Orlando, FL, USA

Description: The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) promotes cooperation among the Armed Services, Industry, Academia and various Government agencies in pursuit of improved training and education programs, identification of common training issues and development of multiservice programs. Initiated in 1966 as the Naval Training Device Center/Industry Conference, the conference has evolved and expanded through increased participation by the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Industry. In 1979 it became known as the Interservice/Industry Training Equipment Conference.

ACM Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) 2007

November 5-7, 2007

Fairmont Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, USA

Description: The ACM Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) is an annual conference devoted to the technical aspects of virtual reality. The first VRST was held in Singapore in 1994 and since then it has been held in Japan, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Taiwan, England, Korea, Canada and the United States. This will be the fourteenth VRST annual conference to be held in Newport Beach, California.

ETSA Seminar: Using games technology and methodology to improve training & education - the opportunities and the issues

October 17, 2007

London, England

Description: Serious Games has become a high profile term, however what constitutes a serious game, what different genres exist, what is their value to organisations, trainers and learners? Isn’t it about time we took a practical, pragmatic and research based view on the usefulness of this technology to the learning landscape. This seminar will set the scene, give clear academic rigour to the area, including pedagogical relevance, and with delegate input and practical case studies show examples and identify opportunities. It will give a workable and useful definition of Serious Games; an understanding of the pedagogical principles and ideas as to where learning professionals should focus. It will identify the research base supporting Serious Games; outline why games and pedagogy need to be thought of together and also examine different ways of approaching the topic but with differing benefits and differing budgets. A speaker will outline his research publication and give an understanding of how large the user base is now. Case studies, from both games and simulation companies, will give short, quick-fire explanations as to what they did, using actual examples, how they did it and the results. Delegates will have the opportunity to ask questions and join in a debate. The seminar will conclude with predictions as to where Serious Games will go in next three years.

20th ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2007

October 7-10, 2007

Newport, RI, USA

Description: UIST (ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology) is the premier forum for innovations in the software and technology of human-computer interfaces. Sponsored by ACM's special interest groups on computer-human interaction (SIGCHI) and computer graphics (SIGGRAPH), UIST brings together researchers and practitioners from diverse areas that include traditional graphical & web user interfaces, tangible & ubiquitous computing, virtual & augmented reality, multimedia, new input & output devices, and CSCW. The intimate size, the single track, and comfortable surroundings make this symposium an ideal opportunity to exchange research results and implementation experiences.

International Workshop VIRTUAL REALITY IN REHABILITATION MEDICINE (VRRM) 2007

September 24-25, 2007

"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania

Description: This interdisciplinary Workshop objective is the exchange of research results as well as the presentation of practical systems using Virtual Reality in Medicine and Rehabilitation. VRRM 2007 will promote international collaboration in the fields of medicine, rehabilitation science, technology, engineering and computer science/IT&C.

7th International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agent

September 17-19, 2007

Paris, France

Description: Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) are autonomous, graphically embodied agents in an interactive, 2D or 3D virtual environment. They are able to interact intelligently with the environment, other IVAs, and especially with human users. The conference is an interdisciplinary forum for researchers and practitioners in computer graphics, animation, computer games, virtual environments, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, cognitive modeling, human-computer interaction and artificial life. Since the first IVA back in 1999, firm lines of research have been established but there is much that the graphics and AI communities can learn from each other.

Art

Art