improving the vr experience - vrst 2012

Improving the VR experience

From the authors to the users

Sébastien KuntzPresident

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience

• Passion• Board member of

• President

• Blog: http://cb.nowan.net/blog• Twitter: @Cb_VRGeek

Sebastien Kuntz

• Founder & President• 10 years adding VR to 3D engines

• - French railways

•

Sebastien Kuntz

FRENCH RAILWAYS - SNCF

• Polhemus magnetic tracker, treadmill, 5DT Glove• C++ / OpenSceneGraph / VRPN / OpenAL

FRENCH RAILWAYS - SNCF

• Polhemus magnetic tracker, treadmill, 5DT Glove• C++ / OpenSceneGraph / VRPN / OpenAL

FRENCH RAILWAYS - SNCF

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience

i’m in!

mersionteraction

Presence

mersionteraction

Presence in a virtual world

Experience of presence

Experience of presenceis in your brain !

Cognitive presence

Cognitive presence

Cognitive presence

Cognitive presence

Cognitive presence

Cognitive presencePerceptive presence

Cognitive presencePerceptive presence

Cognitive presencePerceptive presence

Cognitive presencePerceptive presence

Cognitive presencePerceptive presence

Ridiculous

If it’s real VR, you probably

look ridiculous

Ridiculous

If it’s real VR, you probably

look ridiculous

Ridiculous

If it’s real VR, you probably

look ridiculous

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience

Trends in VR Systems

Trends in VR Systems

6 usersstereoscopy + tracking

• video

Weimar University (DE)

Immersia 3, Irisa - Rennes, France

aixCave, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

Reality Deck, Stony Brook Univ, USA

Barco - RP-360

Why so big ?

Increase immersion

Pushing the limits

Marketing

Generic

Generic

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Generic

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Generic

=

+

Generic

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+

Generic

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+ +

Generic

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+ +

More people can use it (?)

But ...

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

• We need human-centric metrics

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

• We need human-centric metrics• End-to-end latency

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

• We need human-centric metrics• End-to-end latency• Angular resolution

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

• We need human-centric metrics• End-to-end latency• Angular resolution• Tracking: extent, precision

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

• We need human-centric metrics• End-to-end latency• Angular resolution• Tracking: extent, precision• Field of regard

But ...

• Do we really know the systems ?• Can we compare them ?

• We need human-centric metrics• End-to-end latency• Angular resolution• Tracking: extent, precision• Field of regard• Framerate with standard application

But ... Too expensive !

www.Realyz.com

µRV - Insa Rennes

Lycee Couffignal

low-cost VR

VRWall at home

http://cb.nowan.net/blog/2010/07/02/vr-kit-wall-a-dream-come-true/

HMDs are back

HMDs are back

HMDs are back

HMDs are back

HMDs are back

HMDs are back

HMDs are back

low-cost VR

low-cost VR

• As a development platform

low-cost VR

• As a development platform• As a teaching platform

low-cost VR

• As a development platform• As a teaching platform• As a duplicable platform

More people can use VR (!)

Immersion / Money

Immersion / Money

10

Immersion / Money

10

Immersion / Money

10

100

Immersion / Money

10

100

Immersion / Money

10

100

Immersion / Money

10x

10

100

Immersion / Money

10x

2x ?3x ?

So we have a lot of hardware

So we have a lot of hardwareBut ...

So we have a lot of hardwareBut ...

“VR is mainly a software problem”

So we have a lot of hardwareBut ...

“VR is mainly a software problem”

Jaron Lanier

So we have a lot of hardwareBut ...

“VR is mainly a software problem”

Jaron Lanier

“3D user interaction is a hard and unexplored software engineering and ergonomic problem”

So we have a lot of hardwareBut ...

“VR is mainly a software problem”

Jaron Lanier

“3D user interaction is a hard and unexplored software engineering and ergonomic problem”

Chad Wingrave - University of Central Florida

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience

To create and maintain presence,you, the author, need to ...

• Build hardware

To create and maintain presence,you, the author, need to ...

• Build hardware

To create and maintain presence,you, the author, need to ...

• Build software

• Build hardware

To create and maintain presence,you, the author, need to ...

• Build software

• Build hardware

To create and maintain presence,you, the author, need to ...

• Build software

• Build user experience

• Build hardware

To create and maintain presence,you, the author, need to ...

• Build software

• Build user experience

The need for betterVR software tools

The need for betterVR software tools

• Hardware getting cheaper

The need for betterVR software tools

• Hardware getting cheaper• But engineers are not getting cheaper

The need for betterVR software tools

• Hardware getting cheaper• But engineers are not getting cheaper

• Need to be more efficient and spend less time creating apps

The need for betterVR software tools

• Hardware getting cheaper• But engineers are not getting cheaper

• Need to be more efficient and spend less time creating apps

• Democratization

The need for betterVR software tools

• Hardware getting cheaper• But engineers are not getting cheaper

• Need to be more efficient and spend less time creating apps

• Democratization• VR developers are not all engineers anymore

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience

• What is MiddleVR ?• Birth• Goals• Quick tour• Guiding principles• Design

Adding VR

Adding VR

Adding VR

Adding VR

Adding VR

Adding VR

Architecture

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX Network

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX Network

C# Wrapper

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX Network

C# Wrapper

GUI

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX Network

C# Wrapper

GUI Unity

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX Network

C# Wrapper

GUI Unity

Lua Wrapper

Architecture

MiddleVR (C++)

Drivers OpenGL DirectX Network

C# Wrapper

GUI Unity

Lua WrapperPython

Wrapper

Birth / Reason

Wanted to use best tools in VR

Goals

• Simplifying VR

Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Accelerate deployement of VR applications

Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Accelerate deployement of VR applications

• Create new VR tools

Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Accelerate deployement of VR applications

• Create new VR tools

• Adapt existing 3D applications

Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Accelerate deployement of VR applications

• Create new VR tools

• Adapt existing 3D applications

• (Prototype VR systems)

Goals

• What is MiddleVR ?• Birth• Goals• Quick tour• Guiding principles• Design

Simply configure your system

Viewports management

http://youtu.be/EEKH-1EilXs

Guiding principles

Guiding principles

•Simplicity

Guiding principles

•Simplicity•Empathy

Simplicity

Simplicity

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing

left to take away”

Simplicity

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing

left to take away”

Antoine de St Exupery

Simplicity

Simplicity

Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”

Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” DaVinci

Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” DaVinci

Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” DaVinci

Need to work hard to make things simple

Empathy

Empathy

“The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”

Empathy

“The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”

Empathy

“The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”

Test with users

• Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Accelerate deployment of VR applications

• Create new VR tools

• Adapt existing 3D applications

Design

• Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Simplicity of integrating VR into application

• High-level tools

• Interactions: Selection, Manipulation, Navigation

• Simplicity of programming interface

• Accelerate deployment of VR applications

• Create new VR tools

• Adapt existing 3D applications

Design

MiddleVR

• Goals

• Simplifying VR

• Accelerate development of VR applications

• Accelerate deployment of VR applications

• GUI to configure VR systems

• Dynamic reconfiguration of application

• Ship with standard configurations

• Abstractions

• Create new VR tools

• Adapt existing 3D applications

Design

Abstractions for portability

• Devices• User

Device abstraction

Driver 1

Virtual Device Application

Device abstraction

Driver 1

Virtual Device ApplicationDriver 2

Device abstraction

Driver 1

Virtual Device ApplicationDriver 3

Driver 2

Device abstraction

Driver 1

Virtual Device ApplicationDriver 3

Driver 2

Network

User abstraction

User abstraction

User abstraction

Virtual Device 1

Node 3D ApplicationVirtual Device 2

Virtual Device 3

• Create new VR tools

• Adapt existing 3D applications

• Genericity• C++• Simple but complete

Design

http://www.imin-vr.com/download30 days free trial

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience

Improving the user’s experience

Improving the user’s experience

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve cognitive presence

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve cognitive presence• Make sure world is plausible, coherent

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve cognitive presence• Make sure world is plausible, coherent• Improve 3D user interactions

Improving the user’s experience

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve perceptive presence

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve perceptive presence• Fooling your senses

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve perceptive presence• Fooling your senses

• Know how senses work individually

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve perceptive presence• Fooling your senses

• Know how senses work individually• Know how senses work together

Improving the user’s experience

• Improve perceptive presence• Fooling your senses

• Know how senses work individually• Know how senses work together• Know how attention modifies perception

know how senses work individually

know how senses work individually

know how senses work individually

know how senses work individually

MP3

MP3

• Algorithm for sound compression

MP3

• Algorithm for sound compression

• “Reducing accuracy of (...) sounds that are (...) beyond the auditory resolution ability of most people.” -- Wikipedia

How senses work together

How senses work togetherRedirected walking

How senses work together

(c) Franck Steinicke - Wurzburg University

Redirected walking

Senses dominated by vision

Senses dominated by vision

Follow the coin

Did you notice the Green pepper ?

Did you notice the Green pepper ?

Perceptive IllusionsChange Blindess

(c) Evan Suma - USCT/ICT

MP3 for reality ?

MP3 for reality ?

MP3 for reality ?

• Cheaper VR systems

MP3 for reality ?

• Cheaper VR systems• More computer resources

MP3 for reality ?

• Cheaper VR systems• More computer resources

• for shaders, physics, sound etc.

MP3 for reality ?

• Cheaper VR systems• More computer resources

• for shaders, physics, sound etc.• Everybody designing VR app should know about

those rules !

MP3 for reality ?

• Cheaper VR systems• More computer resources

• for shaders, physics, sound etc.• Everybody designing VR app should know about

those rules !• Need to know the system you are working with

MP3 for reality ?

• Need more research• VR Knowledge Base

• http://knowledgebase.cs.vt.edu

Plan

• Introduction• (My) definition of VR• Trends in system design• Improving the authors’ experience

• MiddleVR• Improving the users’ experience• Conclusion

Messages

Messages

• Your homework

Messages

• Your homework• Measure

Messages

• Your homework• Measure

• Latency, Angular resolution, Tracking, Field of regard, Framerate

Messages

• Your homework• Measure

• Latency, Angular resolution, Tracking, Field of regard, Framerate

• Try MiddleVR

Messages

• Your homework• Measure

• Latency, Angular resolution, Tracking, Field of regard, Framerate

• Try MiddleVR• Learn about perception

Make great experiences !

Thank you !Questions ?

Sebastien.Kuntz@imin-vr.comwww.imin-vr.com