From: cdwilde@ritchie.waterloo.edu (Chris Wilde)
Subject: Virtual Reality System 
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 18:06:16 GMT


Allright.  I'm putting my money where my mouth is.  My friend (Dave) who
gave the VR demo here at U of Waterloo gave me a personal demonstration
today.  He also gave me permission to describe any hardware he is using, and
since I don't know the software techniques or programming he has done, I
can not describe that.

Hardware

2 small Black and White Monochrome televisions sets ($50 each)
2 VGA Wonder cards (can control TV's due to on card clock: see newspaper for $)
1 B&W mono electronic camera (fits in the palm of your hand for $150)
1 Nintendo Powerglove ( I won't describe adapter: $50)
1 Gravis joystick (probably could use a mouse if you wanted to: $20)
1 Soundblaster (currently unused, $80 or check your paper)
Lots of cables and hardware hacking tools

I haven't gone into how the camera is used since I am uncomfortable telling
too much.
The computer he is using is a 486 at 50MHz.
So, without computer the total cost would come in at under $600.  This is
easily affordable to most hackers out there, especially since parts of it
you already own.  Even with a slower system, degradation can be reduced
through less complex software.

Dave's demo software is incredible.  I noticed no serious screen jumping
(at least no more than the VRS (Virtual Reality Studio) demo has on my 
386/25).  But Dave allows full polygonal objects of any shape (whereas VRS
allows only modified rectangular objects).  He also allows rotation.
2 examples:
	1) a cone on the floor rotating at a constant rate
	2) an object like a cat's head rotating on a side table
Dave also allows objects to be selected (by pointing), moved (by clenching
your fist and moving around), and rotation about all 3 axis (by pinching
and pulling).  My example of this:
	I selected the rotating cone (it now appears with a white outline).
	I then moved it outside (by rising through the roof) and approached
	a pine tree (cone with a trunk).  I flipped the cone upside-down
	so that it was now spinning on its tip and placed the cone directly
	above the pine tree.  And yes, it still spun in the same direction
	in relation to the cone's base.

The head mounted display does have its limits.  I found I had only about
only 30 degrees of movement to either the right or the left, but I didn't
use the head movement that much anyway.  Peripheral vision is just fine
for at a resolution of 320*200.  The field of view was also 180 degrees,
so there wasn't much call for head movement.

Due to the cheap nature of the Nintendo Powerglove, after a period of use,
the metaphysical hand (which is an object in the VR BTW) tends to jump.  A
reset takes care of that.  There really isn't much more of this type on the
market right now so I have no viable complaints.  BTW, the metaphysical
hand emulated the actual hand position very accurately.  I was quite
impressed with the Hand's software.

The 3D effect would have been very good had I been able to wear my glasses.
Unfortunately I have horrible vision, but fortunately I am myopic, so it
made only a slight difference to me.  But that little bit threw me off just
enough, so I don't want to critique this aspect of the system.

Dave has a Soundblaster, but has no real intentions of implementing it in
the system just yet.  When he does he intends full 3D sound, not just the
stereo sound you find on most games these days.

Overall, the entire demo was astounding.  Movement was fluid, the controls
could be gotten used to (I generally don't use a joystick single handed and
never in my left hand, but the Powerglove takes up the right).  Perhaps
a mouse might have been easier.  The demo was of a house with its near
environs.

Disallowing polygons and object manipulation (like VRS) would probably allow
a 386/25 like mine to run the system.

For interested parties, Dave suggests certain things to budding VR geeks.
For hardware training, no Univ. course will cut it.  Hands on experience
is pretty much necessary.  [My note: don't hack hardware on a 486/50.  Find
yourself a cheapoid 8088/86 for $100 to experiment on.]  No Univ. computer
program can adequately prepare any particular individual for the current
of VR.  It requires a wide variety of hardware and software interests (like
graphics, device handlers, database management, etc) and a patience.  It
is not necessary to devote all your free time to the subject to make it work
(he didn't), just a weeknight here, a weekend there.  Dave feels that there
will probably be an affordable head mounted display available before within
the next year [I'm more cynical, I say 2-3].

There you are.  $600 and some free time and you can have your own fully 3D
world.

cdwilde@sunee.waterloo.edu