Virtual Environments and Advanced Interface Design is a volume of original chapters to introduce the reader to the technology of virtual reality. The research presented in this book examines the impact of the new technology of virtual reality on the field of human factors. The first editor, Barfield, is head of the Human Factor Laboratory at the University of Washington in the USA, and he has assembled contributions from experts in key laboratories around the US to discuss their basic approaches to this new field. Some of the topics discussed are computer graphics, eye tracking, tactile and kinesthetic input, interface design, and applications in medicine and aerospace.

This sweeping introduction to the science of virtual environment technology masterfully integrates research and practical applications culled from a range of disciplines, including psychology, engineering, and computer science. With contributions from the field's foremost researchers and theorists, the book focuses in particular on how virtual technology and interface design can better accommodate human cognitive, motor, and perceptual capabilities. Throughout, it brings the reader up-to-date with the latest design strategies and cutting-edge virtual environments, and points to promising avenues for future development. The book is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the reader to the subject by defining basic terms, identifying key components of the virtual environment, and reviewing the origins and elements of virtual environments. The second part focuses of current technologies used to present visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic information. The book concludes with an in-depth analysis of how environments and human perception are integrated to create effective virtual systems. Comprehensive and splendidly written, Virtual Environments and Advanced Interface Design will be the "bible" on the subject for years to come. Students and researchers in computer science, psychology, and cognitive science will all want to have a copy on their shelves.

The design of various virtual environments should be based on the needs of a diverse population of users around the globe. Interface design should be user centric and should strive for making the user's interaction as simple, meaningful, and efficient as possible. User Interface Design for Virtual Environments: Challenges and Advances focuses on challenges that designers face in creating interfaces for users of various virtual environments. Chapters included in this book address various critical issues that have implications for user interface design from a number of different viewpoints. This book is written for professionals who want to improve their understanding of challenges associated with user interface design issues for globally-dispersed users in various virtual environments.

The previous edition of the International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors made history as the first unified source of reliable information drawn from many realms of science and technology and created specifically with ergonomics professionals in mind. It was also a winner of the Best Reference Award 2002 from the Engineering Libraries

This Handbook, with contributions from leading experts in the field, provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art account of virtual environments (VE). It serves as an invaluable source of reference for practitioners, researchers, and students in this rapidly evolving discipline. It also provides practitioners with a reference source to guide their development efforts and addresses technology concerns, as well as the social and business implications with which those associated with the technology are likely to grapple. While each chapter has a strong theoretical foundation, practical implications are derived and illustrated via the many tables and figures presented throughout the book. The Handbook presents a systematic and extensive coverage of the primary areas of research and development within VE technology. It brings together a comprehensive set of contributed articles that address the principles required to define system requirements and design, build, evaluate, implement, and manage the effective use of VE applications. The contributors provide critical insights and principles associated with their given area of expertise to provide extensive scope and detail on VE technology. After providing an introduction to VE technology, the Handbook organizes the body of knowledge into five main parts: *System Requirements--specifies multimodal system requirements, including physiological characteristics that affect VE system design. *Design Approaches and Implementation Strategies--addresses cognitive design strategies; identifies perceptual illusions that can be leveraged in VE design; discusses navigational issues, such as becoming lost within a virtual world; and provides insights into structured approaches to content design. *Health and Safety Issues--covers direct physiological effects, signs, symptoms, neurophysiology and physiological correlates of motion sickness, perceptual and perceptual-motor adaptation, and social concerns. *Evaluation--addresses VE usability engineering and ergonomics, human performance measurement in VEs, usage protocols; and provides means of measuring and managing visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular aftereffects, as well as measuring and engendering sense of presence. *Selected Applications of Virtual Environments--provides a compendium of VE applications. The Handbook closes with a brief review of the history of VE technology. The final chapter provides information on the VE profession, providing those interested with a number of sources to further their quest for the keys to developing the ultimate virtual world.

Written as the successor to Virtual World Design: Creating Immersive Virtual Environments, this book carries the ideas brought forward in its predecessor to new levels of virtual world design exploration and experimentation. Written by an Emmy award-winning designer with 22 years of experience creating virtual environments for television and online communities, Extending Virtual Worlds: Advanced Design for Virtual Environments explores advanced topics such as multi-regional design, game-based sims, and narrative structure for environments. The book provides bedrock knowledge and practical examples of how to leverage design concepts within the intertwined structures of physics engines, level of detail (LOD) systems, and advanced material editors. It also shows designers new ways to influence the experience of virtual world visitors through immersive narrative and storytelling. With over 150 illustrations and 10 step-by-step projects that include the necessary 3D models and modular components, it delivers hours of stimulating creative challenges for people working in public virtual worlds or on private grids. By using this book, novices and advanced users will deepen their understanding of game design and how it can be applied to creating game-based virtual environments. It also serves as a foundational text for class work in distance learning, simulation, and other learning technologies that use virtual environments.

This book is primarily a summary of research done over 10 years in multimedia and virtual reality, which fits within a wider interest of exploiting psychological theory to improve the process of designing interactive systems. The subject matter lies firmly within the field of HCI, with some cross-referencing to software engineering. Extending Sutcliffe's views on the design process to more complex interfaces that have evolved in recent years, this book: *introduces the background to multisensory user interfaces and surveys the design issues and previous HCI research in these areas; *explains the basic psychology for design of multisensory user interfaces, including the Interactive Cognitive Subsystems cognitive model; *describes elaborations of Norman's models of action for multimedia and VR, relates these models to the ICS cognitive model, and explains how the models can be applied to predict the design features necessary for successful interaction; *provides a design process from requirements, user and domain analysis, to design of representation in media or virtual worlds and facilities for user interaction therein; *covers usability evaluation for multisensory interfaces by extending existing well-known HCI approaches of heuristic evaluation and observational usability testing; and *presents two special application areas for multisensory interfaces: educational applications and virtual prototyping for design refinement.

A new "textual studies" and archival approach to the investigation of works of new media and electronic literature that applies techniques of computer forensics to conduct media-specific readings of William Gibson's electronic poem "Agrippa," Michael Joyce's Afternoon, and the interactive game Mystery House.

The Complete, Up-To-Date Guide to Building Great 3D User Interfaces for Any Application 3D interaction is suddenly everywhere. But simply using 3D input or displays isn’t enough: 3D interfaces must be carefully designed for optimal user experience. 3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice, Second Edition is today’s most comprehensive primary reference to building state-of-the-art 3D user interfaces and interactions. Five pioneering researchers and practitioners cover the full spectrum of emerging applications, techniques, and best practices. The authors combine theoretical foundations, analysis of leading devices, and empirically validated design guidelines. This edition adds two new chapters on human factors and general human-computer interaction—indispensable foundational knowledge for building any 3D user interface. It also demonstrates advanced concepts at work through two running case studies: a first-person VR game and a mobile augmented reality application. Coverage Includes 3D user interfaces: evolution, elements, and roadmaps Key applications: virtual and augmented reality (VR, AR), mobile/wearable devices What 3D UI designers should know about human sensory systems and cognition ergonomics How proven human-computer interaction techniques apply to 3D UIs 3D UI output hardware for visual, auditory, and haptic/ tactile systems Obtaining 3D position, orientation, and motion data for users in physical space 3D object selection and manipulation Navigation and wayfinding techniques for moving through virtual and physical spaces Changing application state with system control techniques, issuing commands, and enabling other forms of user input Strategies for choosing, developing, and evaluating 3D user interfaces Utilizing 2D, “magic,” “natural,” multimodal, and two-handed interaction The future of 3D user interfaces: open research problems and emerging technologies