[ieee 2009 international symposium on ubiquitous virtual reality (isuvr) - gist, guangju, korea...

4
Research on VRI: Virtual World and Real World Interface Muhammad Rusdi Syamsuddin Korea Institute of Science & Technology, Seoul, Korea [email protected] Chang Hyeon Lee Korea Institute of Science & Technology, Seoul, Korea [email protected] Yong-Moo Kwon Korea Institute of Science & Technology, Seoul, Korea [email protected] Abstract Many virtual worlds and interaction devices (in Real World) have been developed and used. However, each virtual world developed specific interface layer for each device. This paper aims to discuss about general interface layer that can bridge between Virtual Worlds and Real World, so that a virtual world can communicate with many devices, also in vice versa. The main idea of this paper is to make virtual worlds or interaction devices can be configured in the standard format. 1. Introduction As the fast growing of technology and the Internet, Virtual World is one of emerging technologies which grow rapidly and tend to have more influences to real world. Virtual World refers to a synchronous, persistent network of people that represented as avatars, and facilitated by networked computers [1]. Many virtual worlds are developed and being improved all the time, such as, Second Life [2], Wonderland [3], Croquet [4], etc. The way to navigate or doing manipulation inside a virtual world is through some interaction device. Almost virtual worlds use keyboard and mouse for interaction device. Some of them have support other interaction device such as joystick. Unfortunately, if we want to use interaction device like WiiMote [5], or any kind Haptic device, users need to build new interface in the virtual world to handle that kind device. In this paper, we introduce the concept of Virtual World and Real World Interface (VRI). VRI is a general interface layer that can bridge between Virtual Worlds and Real World. The goal is to make users can access any virtual world using many interaction devices, also in vice versa; an interaction device can be used in many virtual worlds. The main idea on this research is to make virtual worlds or interaction devices can be configured in the standard format. In this paper we explain the definition of virtual worlds and kind of interaction device that they can support. In next section we explain briefly about our motivation and the concept of VRI. The last section shows the conclusion of this research. 2. Background 2.1. Virtual World Virtual World indicates a synchronous, persistent network of people that represented as avatars, and facilitated by networked computers [1]. In more detail, we can say they are synchronous as real time. A non- real-time-virtual-space is more like a delayed-email- thread. Persistent describes a virtual world that cannot be paused. Network of people means participants communicate and interact with each other and the environment. People is represented as avatar which is defined as any digital representation (graphical or textual), beyond a simple label or name, that has agency (an ability to perform actions) and is controlled by a human agent in real time. Avatars function is similar to user-controlled puppets. Users command the actions of the avatar, but it is the avatar itself that performs the action. Event forms of communication which come directly from the user, such as voice chat, are presented as actions taken by the avatar. Facilitated by networked computers means the data management of all objects, environments, interactions, and transactions are all stored indefinitely, that is possible through networked computers. Also, the computer keeps track of all conversations, social connections, and networks of people that allow people to have instant communication across national and geographical boundaries. 2009 International Symposium on Ubiquitous Virtual Reality 978-0-7695-3704-7/09 $25.00 © 2009 IEEE DOI 10.1109/ISUVR.2009.17 72

Upload: yong-moo

Post on 17-Mar-2017

216 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

TRANSCRIPT

Research on VRI: Virtual World and Real World Interface

Muhammad Rusdi Syamsuddin Korea Institute of Science & Technology, Seoul, Korea [email protected]

Chang Hyeon Lee Korea Institute of Science & Technology, Seoul, Korea [email protected]

Yong-Moo Kwon Korea Institute of Science & Technology, Seoul, Korea

[email protected]

Abstract

Many virtual worlds and interaction devices (in Real World) have been developed and used. However, each virtual world developed specific interface layer for each device. This paper aims to discuss about general interface layer that can bridge between Virtual Worlds and Real World, so that a virtual world can communicate with many devices, also in vice versa. The main idea of this paper is to make virtual worlds or interaction devices can be configured in the standard format.

1. Introduction

As the fast growing of technology and the Internet, Virtual World is one of emerging technologies which grow rapidly and tend to have more influences to real world. Virtual World refers to a synchronous, persistent network of people that represented as avatars, and facilitated by networked computers [1].

Many virtual worlds are developed and being improved all the time, such as, Second Life [2], Wonderland [3], Croquet [4], etc.

The way to navigate or doing manipulation inside a virtual world is through some interaction device. Almost virtual worlds use keyboard and mouse for interaction device. Some of them have support other interaction device such as joystick. Unfortunately, if we want to use interaction device like WiiMote [5], or any kind Haptic device, users need to build new interface in the virtual world to handle that kind device.

In this paper, we introduce the concept of Virtual World and Real World Interface (VRI). VRI is a general interface layer that can bridge between Virtual Worlds and Real World. The goal is to make users can access any virtual world using many interaction devices, also in vice versa; an interaction device can be used in many virtual worlds.

The main idea on this research is to make virtual worlds or interaction devices can be configured in the standard format.

In this paper we explain the definition of virtual worlds and kind of interaction device that they can support. In next section we explain briefly about our motivation and the concept of VRI. The last section shows the conclusion of this research.

2. Background

2.1. Virtual World

Virtual World indicates a synchronous, persistent network of people that represented as avatars, and facilitated by networked computers [1]. In more detail, we can say they are synchronous as real time. A non-real-time-virtual-space is more like a delayed-email-thread. Persistent describes a virtual world that cannot be paused. Network of people means participants communicate and interact with each other and the environment. People is represented as avatar which is defined as any digital representation (graphical or textual), beyond a simple label or name, that has agency (an ability to perform actions) and is controlled by a human agent in real time. Avatars function is similar to user-controlled puppets. Users command the actions of the avatar, but it is the avatar itself that performs the action. Event forms of communication which come directly from the user, such as voice chat, are presented as actions taken by the avatar. Facilitated by networked computers means the data management of all objects, environments, interactions, and transactions are all stored indefinitely, that is possible through networked computers. Also, the computer keeps track of all conversations, social connections, and networks of people that allow people to have instant communication across national and geographical boundaries.

2009 International Symposium on Ubiquitous Virtual Reality

978-0-7695-3704-7/09 $25.00 © 2009 IEEE

DOI 10.1109/ISUVR.2009.17

72

The difference between virtual worlds against virtual reality or virtual environments is that the term of virtual worlds have been applied to persistent online social spaces. Virtual worlds mean virtual environments that people experience as ongoing over time and that have large populations which they experience together with others as a world for social interaction [6].

There are many researchers have been developed existing virtual worlds, such as Second Life [2], Wonderland [3], Croquet [4], etc. Not only interaction between multi users in gaming, these virtual worlds become space for education or training, business activities, team working, hobbies, and another interaction and collaboration activities.

2.2. Interaction Devices

The way to navigate or interact inside virtual world from real world is through some interaction devices. Interaction devices can be keyboard, mouse, joystick, WiiMote [5], Haptic device (i.e. Novint Falcon [7], Phantom [8]), etc.

Table 1 shows us such kind of virtual worlds and their support on several interaction devices. In this research we compare three virtual worlds from different programming language. We choose Second Life (C++), Croquet (Squeak), and Wonderland (Java)

In the Table 1, we use ‘supported’, ‘need modification’, and ‘not supported’ as values.

‘Supported’ value means that interaction device is default supported by the virtual world.

‘Need modification’ value means that interaction device is not default supported, but some users had used the device by doing some modification on the source code of the virtual world. For example in case of WiiMote, actually Second Life does not support this device, but some users build Wii4SL [9], the version of Second Life Viewer that can support WiiMote device.

‘Not supported’ value means that the device is not default supported by the virtual world and there is no one modifying the virtual world to support the device.

From Table 1 we can see that all virtual worlds are supporting mouse and keyboard device [10][11][12]. But not all virtual worlds supported joystick. Wonderland is not default supported joystick but some user has modified Wonderland source code so that can support joystick [14]. In case of WiiMote and Haptic device, users need to build new interface layer in virtual world to handle the WiiMote [14][15][16] or the Haptic device [17][18].

Table 1. Relationship between virtual worlds and interaction devices

2.3. Our Motivation

From Table 1 we can conclude that there is no virtual world can support many interaction devices. If developers of virtual world want to make any device can be supported by their virtual world, they need to make new interface layer to handle each interaction device.

Therefore, in this research we introduce a general interface that can bridge many virtual worlds and many interaction devices. We want each device can be configured in the standard format, so that many virtual world can communicate with that format.

We hope by using this kind interface many developers of virtual world can be focus on developing their virtual world. They do not need to make new interface layer for each interaction device again.

Moreover, users of virtual world also can get new experience by using any kind interaction device on virtual world or navigate/interact in any kind virtual world by one interaction device.

3. Virtual World and Real World Interface (VRI)

Virtual World and Real World Interface (VRI) is a general interface layer that can bridge between Virtual Worlds and Real World. The main idea on VRI is to make virtual worlds or interaction devices can be configured in the standard format. Therefore, users can access any virtual world using many interaction devices, also in vice versa; an interaction device can be used in many virtual worlds.

73

3.1. Design Concept

Figure 1 shows us the design concept of VRI. In this design there are three main parts: VRI Format, VRI Parser, and Interface Adaptor on each virtual world.

VRI format is the format that interfacing data between real world (VRI Adaptor) and virtual world. Any data from real world or virtual world will be represented in this format. This format is based on XML language.

Another part is a VRI Adaptor. This part is handling interpretation and building of VRI format from or to interaction device.

The last part is an Interface Adaptor on each virtual world. This part is handling interpretation and building of VRI format from or to virtual world.

3.2. Example

There is a lot of information inside VRI. Figure 2 shows some example of information inside VRI format of Haptic device interface. At least, there are two information blocks that need it for doing interaction or manipulation of 3D object in the virtual world: Physical Information Block and Functional Information Block.

Physical Information Block consist of information such as mass (m), acceleration (a), orientation (o), etc. Information of mass and acceleration is needed to compute the force that is produced from the Haptic device.

Functional Information Blocks consist of information such as grab (gr), release (rl), move (mv), etc. This kind information explains the status of haptic device.

Figure 1. Design Concept of VRI

Figure 2. Example Information of Haptic Device interface

74

4. Conclusion

Virtual World and Real World Interface (VRI) is an interface between Virtual World and Real World which main idea is to make virtual worlds or interaction devices can be configured in the standard format. This VRI concept consists of three parts: General Interface Format (VRI Format), Interface Adaptor on each virtual world, and Interface Adaptor on each interaction device.

Acknowledgements This work is supported by KIST Tangible Web (TW) project.

References

[1] Bell, Mark W.. "Toward a Definition of Virtual World" Journal of Virtual Worlds Research [Online], Volume 1 Number 1 (1 July 2008)

[2] Second Life http://secondlife.com

[3] Wonderland, https://lg3d-wonderland.dev.java.net/

[4] Croquet, http://www.opencroquet.org/index.php/Main_Page

[5] Official Wii Website, www.wii.com

[6] Schroeder, Ralph. "Defining Virtual Worlds and Virtual Environments" Journal of Virtual Worlds Research [Online], Volume 1 Number 1 (1 July 2008)

[7] Novint, http://home.novint.com/

[8] PHANTOM Desktop Haptic Device, http://www.sensable.com/haptic-phantom-desktop.htm

[9] WiiController4SecondLife, http://sourceforge.net/projects/wii4sl

[10] Second Life, Keyboard Navigation, http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Keyboard_Navigation

[11] Croquet SDK, http://www.opencroquet.org/index.php/Croquet_SDK

[12] Wonderland User's Guide, https://lg3d-wonderland.dev.java.net/user-guide-0.4-toc.html

[13] Second Life, SpaceNavigator, http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/SpaceNavigator

[14] Gadepalli, Khrisna. ”Using Gamepads, Joysticks and even the Wiimote with Project Wonderland”, java.net Forums,http://forums.java.net/jive/thread.jspa?messageID=203680&tstart=0

[15] Forrest, Brady. “Wii for Second Life”, O'Reilly Radar,http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/07/wii-for-second-life.html

[16] Wang, Tim. “Navigating Arts Metaverse Using Wii Remote - Croquet and Wii Remote”, Tim Wang's eLearning Blog,http://blog.loaz.com/timwang/index.php/2007/06/20/navigating_arts_metaverse_using_wii_remo

[17] Pascale, M. de, Mulatto, S., Prattichizzo, D.. “Bringing Haptics to Second Life for Visually Impaired People”, EuroHaptics 2008, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2008, pp. 896-905.

[18] Haptic Virtual Worlds - Novint Falcon and Croquet, Youtube,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5h4owxpHcI

75