By Mike Alger
Video References: http://aperturesciencellc.com/vr/refe…
Corresponding Writeup: http://aperturesciencellc.com/vr/Visu…
Previous Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=n3b8hZ5NV2E
Virtual reality provides new opportunities for user interactions with computer applications. The process of designing a comprehensive interaction paradigm will require a significant amount of consideration and development. My work outlines a few beginning design considerations related to zones for content, types of interaction, and interface design methods. With a mass of resources and time including teams of developers, I have no doubt that a full virtual reality operating system could be created using existing technology.
Selected Commentary:
7. I don’t mean any disrespect to Doom & Quake as they were obviously enormous steps for video games and extremely popular as “killer apps” in their own right. I just mean to point out that productivity tools became the main reason the general public decided to buy PCs.
9. It can also be said that Ivan Sutherland’s “Sketchpad” (1963) or Douglas Engelbart’s “On-line System” (1968) were GUIs, but I am referring to the window, icon, menu, pointer (WIMP) desktop style GUI for which Xerox PARC’s Alto was first.
18. The idea of associating persistent menu items or actions with body parts is to take advantage of motor memory in relation with proprioception.
22. I’m getting these numbers from the Oculus Unity integration package, in which the cameras’ field of view is 106.09° vertically and 94.16° horizontally for the DK2. I realize that it is marketed colloquially as having about a 100° field of view, but I assume this is just an estimated median between the two that is easier to refer to. For content and ergonomics, I would prefer to err on the side of safety and go with the smaller circular diameter.
24. The reality of this near area is tricky, as it’s a sort of gradient of discomfort. Within that nearest meter, how much strain is too much strain is a matter of opinion.
43. Microsoft has not yet detailed specifications for the hololens head mounted display. However, much can be extrapolated from the technologies in use and the experiences of others. It is very possible that a later consumer version may have higher resolutions, wider fields of view, and/or ways to display black pixels with varying opacity, but the current demo version appears to have the properties explained in the video.
46. This interface previsualization was created for an upcoming product. However, I have omitted most of the interface and features at the request of the creators since it is still in development.
54. Gaming consoles are examples of computers that are constantly doing complex rendering, so it’s definitely possible with current tech. What I was thinking of is how you won’t have a video for your current desktop or many users would disable the “aero” transparency in Windows because it’s taxing to performance including frame rate. Since VR has to maintain upwards of 75-90 frames per second, much of the complex multitasking we’re used to may be curbed in these first years if it was being additionally represented as meshes and materials with lighting. It is still definitely possible, though.
All other commentary and references can be found at http://aperturesciencellc.com/vr/refe…