a virtual reality applications gallery

A Virtual Reality Applications Gallery:

Towards a More Concrete and Dynamic Relationship Between Architecture and Virtual RealityArchitecture and Virtual Reality

Khaled Ali, Christoph Anthes, Werner Putschögl,Günter Seiringer and Jens Volkert

ARQUITECTURA 3000Barcelona, June 30th to July 3rd , 2004

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AbstractAbstract

The recent interrelationship of Virtual Reality (VR)and Architecture, has created an enormous demandfor exploiting the capabilities of both fields tosupport each other opening the door on unlimited

Virtual Reality Architecturesupport each other, opening the door on unlimitedopportunities, such as:

• Improving virtual environments• Contributing the architectural profession

ImprovingVirtualEnvironments:

Cognition

ContributingArchitecturalProfession:

Vis ali ation

In this paper, capabilities of Architecture have beenclosely integrated with those of VR in order toachieve a menu that houses the accumulation of

g p

• Cognition• Navigation• Way finding

• Visualization• Communication• The rise of VA

achieve a menu that houses the accumulation ofCAVE applications.

As a result, an architecturally designed gallery hasbeen proposed to be simulated and visited in the

An architecturally designedgallery for VR applicationsto be simulated and visited

in the CAVE

been proposed to be simulated and visited in theCAVE. The project incorporates the aspects ofArchitecture and VR to overcome the obstacles ofcurrent menus, aiming at better navigation, and ahigher degree of immersion

A Virtual Reality Applications Gallery: Towards a More Concrete and Dynamic Relationship Between Architecture and Virtual reality

ARQUITECTURA 3000Slide 2/10

higher degree of immersion.

I th t i f l t d k h b i t d d h i i th

Related WorkRelated Work

In the paper, two main groups of related works have been introduced, emphasizing the interrelationship of Architecture and VR.

Group 1 Group 2

1-The ‘collaborative’ architectural design of the newChemical laboratory building at Lund Institute ofTechnology, Lund University, Sweden.

2-Incorporating VR techniques into the architectural

Introducing a number of architectural elements andnavigational tools that to reduce way-finding problemsfor CAVE visitors, such as:

2 Incorporating VR techniques into the architecturaldesign process, at the Human Interface TechnologyLaboratory, at the University of Washington, Seattle. • Signs, landmarks and architectural elements.

• A map study before entering the virtualenvironment.• A dynamically-changing track-up maps thatA dynamically changing track up maps thatrepresent the visitor at the top of the map.•A 3D image of the VE that can be occupied by auser and held in a virtual hand.

The CAVE become an updated version of Architectural elements seemed to enhanceperspectives, and facilitated understanding

and communication


the VE, supporting the demand for better spatialcognition and higher degrees of immersion


Aims and MotivationsAims and Motivations

In general, four main approaches have beenused to present VR applications:1- Command line or text-based menus,similar to the menu used at Kepler University

In Johannes Kepler University, Linz, theaccumulation of VR applications wasrunning at the following rates:• 1999-2001, 2 applications a year.

Current Situations

Current Situations

2- An extendable 2-D Graphics interface,such as:3- Abstract forms, such as the cube-menusused in the Ars Electronica Center, Linz.4- External devices such as:

• 2002-2003, 7-8 applications a year.• Further, about 5 free applications ofother universities were available, raisingthe overall accumulation rate to about:

15 applications a year the Palmist

The SGI Buttonfly Tool

The SGI Buttonfly Tool

Ch ll Ch ll

•Rapidly increasing accumulation rates.

•VR applications are of various fields, types, scales and objectives.Th d d d

All have proven well and served many purposes but 2 main challenges still exist:

•Obstacles such as: poor orientation &navigation and the low degree of immersionChallenges

(Motivations)Challenges

(Motivations)•The need to re-sort, re-order and re-organize existing applications together with future ones.

navigation, and the low degree of immersion

•Not exploiting neither the CAVE as a display, nor Architecture as contributing tool

The Palmist

The AimThe Aim

The aim is to achieve a menu that integrates VR closely withArchitecture, accomplishing the claimed demands,

and reacting rationally to the imposed challenges



Planning and ImplementationPlanning and Implementation

Step 1Step 1Proposing a number of alternatives of menus

that can do the job

Step 2Step 2Investigating and evaluating the proposed alternatives

(a comparative analysis)

Step 3Step 3The winning alternative; An architecturally designed gallery

that to be visited in the CAVE

R D i A li ti D i•Negotiating the concept of the building•Paper drawings•Room-design details•Sketches are modeled via 3DS Max 5.1

Room Design Application Design

•Proposing the hierarchy of the gallery•Converting the gallery building intoprimary components via C++ andO GL P f

Step 4Step 4 •Adding textures and lights•Discussing the final manifestation

OpenGL Performer•Further details are discussed

The gallery building was initially tested in the CAVEi d f i i k l


Step 5Step 5 environment, and further discussions took place


Room DesignRoom Design

Within the room design, three main objectives have been of central importance: Within the room design, three main objectives have been of central importance:

Expandability

Flexibility To ensure re-arranging rooms to house more VR applications

To ensure displaying future works of students

y

Regularity To support the demanded human cognition and optical qualities

g g pp

ObjectivesObjectives

Classifying current VR applications into 6 groups; and therefore 6 functional areas (rooms)

ProceduresProcedures

Proposing a rectangular modular system to be the grid on which the plan cab be sketched

Layout design: a walkway serving 6 rooms, each houses in average 5 VR applications

Interior design: 6 different interiors are proposed, to support the demanded cognition

3 2 13 2 1

654


ResultsResults Room 1Room 2Room 3Room 4Room 5Room 6


Future ExpansionsFuture Expansions

To house more VR applications (future expansions), 3 main possibilities are available:

Possibility No: 1Adding one, or more, 2D picture,or 3D sculpture to the room; and

Possibility No: 2Adding more rooms to currentgallery building to house new

Possibility No: 3Adding more wings to currentgallery building to house newp ;

therefore one, or more, applicationg y g

groups of VR applicationsg y g

groups of VR applications

3 2 1

654

3 2 1

654

3 2 1

654

3 2 1

654



Application DesignApplication Design

Flexibility

E i T il h dl th di 2D hi th 3D l t

To ensure the re-configuration, by re-editing the configuration file

ObjectivesObjectives Within the room design, two main objectives have been of central importance:Within the room design, two main objectives have been of central importance:

Easiness To easily handle the corresponding 2D graphic or the 3D sculpture

HierarchyHierarchy In the light of the mentioned objectives , the tree structure is developedIn the light of the mentioned objectives , the tree structure is developedGallery: the top element of the scene,

Gallery

Room Room Room Room Room RoomAbstractStructure

y p ,that consists of several rooms.Rooms: organized as a matrix structureto allow flexible configuration, havingno graphical representation of their own.Walls: Using a Boolean value walls

Wall Wall Wall Wall

Structure Walls: Using a Boolean value, wallscan be visible or invisible, having thefunction of grouping 2D graphics, 3Dsculptures, and decorative elements.Sculptures and pictures: used torepresent applications by simply

Applications

DecorationSculpture Picture

ApplicationApplication

VisibleElements

Decorative elements: used to supportthe overall manifestation, and improvehuman cognition. From the software

represent applications by simplygrabbing the corresponding 2D pictureor 3D sculpture.


pppp gengineering aspect, they do not haveany functionality


Testing the GalleryTesting the Gallery

• The gallery building was initially tested in the CAVE environment.• Some shots have been taken:


• Further discussions about the manifestation of the gallery and other details took place


Future WorkFuture Work

Upgrading

• Additional rooms can be designedto house more VR applications, especially when takingthe rapidly increasing accumulation rate into account Upgrading

the currentgallery building

p y g

• Landscape elements can be added to enhance thearchitectural manifestation (optical quality of the gallery)

promoting a higher degree of immersion

Designinga new gallery buildingsimilar to real ones.

• A multi-level architecturally designed gallery that canhouse more applications, simulating physically built galleries,would be the next step to have a gallery of high optical quality

