Unlocking the potential of virtual reality
Posted on 4 March 2009
Professor David Howard, of the University’s Department of Electronics, led the team which devised The Virtual Cocoon. This is one of the main attractions at Pioneers 09 organised at Olympia by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
We’re focusing on creating ‘real virtuality’ rather than virtual reality
Professor David Howard
The aim is to provide such a fully immersive experience to users, that they cannot tell whether it is real or not. The Virtual Cocoon will stimulate hearing, vision, taste and smell and is complemented by a glove for touch. Potential applications include experiencing living in the past, training for dangerous situations, remote medicine, travel-free tourism, travel-free meetings, sport and other activity training and new ways of learning subjects, such as history, languages and geography.
With scientists at the University of Warwick, Professor Howard has worked on radical ‘real virtuality’ prototypes and evaluating their potential impact on society. The result is a ‘Virtual Cocoon’ which is lighter, more comfortable and significantly less expensive than existing devices.
The research team has achieved a significant cut in costs by developing a substantial reduction in the computing power needed to create realistic virtual environments.
Professor Howard said: "We’re focusing on creating ‘real virtuality’ rather than virtual reality. It’s increasingly recognised that the way forward is the production of highly realistic multi-sensory virtual environments which ‘places’ users elsewhere such that they really believe they have moved. The key is appropriate stimulation of all the senses simultaneously."
The cocoon could help to unlock an enormous number of potential uses of virtual reality devices, such as improved flight simulators, applications in medical training, and a host of education and leisure-related opportunities.
So far the technology has failed to live up to its early promise, partly due to the technical challenges involved in developing devices that are portable, affordable and in which multiple senses are stimulated.
The cocoon may help to change all that.
People in the York area will have the chance to see, hear and debate more about the Virtual Cocoon at a Café Scientifique event at City Screen Cinema, York, on 11 March at 7.30pm.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- More information on the University’s Department of Electronics at www.elec.york.ac.uk/
- ‘Pioneers 09’ at Olympia Conference Centre, Kensington, London, on 4 March is organised by EPSRC and supported by the Confederation of British Industry.
- The hands-on exhibition will include over 20 top UK research groups, arranged in four categories: Great Outdoors; Interactive Home; Rapid Response; and Energy Centre.
- Exhibits include:
- 3D heart scans performed live on volunteers, demonstrating cutting-edge medical imaging techniques.
- Live data feeds from pollution sensors placed around the exhibition area, and from an innovative traffic pollution sensor network in Gateshead.
- Touch-screen demonstrations showing how innovative web technology can help in disaster response situations.
- ‘Smart’ house technologies to help people with dementia live more independently.
- A bucking bronco-style ride that YOU get to control, basing your decisions on the rider’s ever-changing biodata (heart rate, sweat response etc).
- Giant Instrument, Sonic Visualiser and Daisyphone – try out some groundbreaking digital music devices.
- A ‘Jump-o-meter’ measuring landing forces when you dunk a basketball, showing the stresses that next-generation artificial joints will be better at withstanding.