Abstract: Using the latest technology, we can safely hijack your most trusted
senses, thereby fooling your brain into believing you are in another
world. Virtual reality (VR) has been around for a long time, but due
to the recent convergence of sensing, display, and computation
technologies, there is an unprecedented opportunity to explore this
form of human augmentation with lightweight, low-cost materials and
simple software platforms. This is an intense form of human-computer
interaction (HCI) that requires re-examining core engineering
principles with a direct infusion of perceptual psychology
research. Developing systems that optimize classical criteria might
lead to overcomplicated solutions that are too slow or costly in
practice, and yet could make no perceptible difference to users.
Simple adaptation of techniques that were developed for on-screen
viewing, such as cinematography and first-person shooter game play,
often lead to unpleasent VR experiences due the presentation of
unusual stimuli or due to mismatches between the human vestibular
system and other senses. With the rapid rise in consumer VR,
fundamental research questions are popping up everywhere, slicing
across numerous disciplines from engineering to socialogy to film to
medicine. This talk will provide some perspective on where we have
been and where we might be going next.
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