With the advent of consumer-market Virtual Reality (VR) technology, the next revolution in visual entertainment is already on the horizon: real VR will enable us to experience live-action movies, sports broadcasts, concert videos, etc. in true visual (and aural) immersion. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the algorithms and methods that make it possible to immerse into real-world recordings. It brings together the expertise of internationally renowned experts from academia and industry who present the state of the art in this fascinating, interdisciplinary new research field. Written by and for scientists, engineers, and practitioners, this book is the definitive reference for anyone interested in finding out about how to import the real world into head-mounted displays.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, EuroVR 2018, held in London, UK, in October 2018. The 9 full papers and 6 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 39 submissions. The papers are organized in 5topical sections: vision-based motion tracking; 3D acquisition and 3D reconstruction; haptics and 3D audio; perception and cognition; interactive techniques and use-case studies.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, EuroVR 2017, held in Laval, France, in December 2017. The 10 full papers and 2 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 36 submissions. The papers are organized in four topical sections: interaction models and user studies, visual and haptic real-time rendering, perception and cognition, and rehabilitation and safety.

Over 90% of children and adolescents play electronic or computerized games, and 25% play for three hours a day or even longer. Although some degree of video game playing is normal, excessive playing can negatively impact schoolwork, kids' social lives, and even their health. Pause and Reset is aimed at parents concerned about the role of gaming in their children's lives. In this informative, reader-friendly book, addiction expert Dr. Nancy Petry sheds light on what constitutes problematic video gaming and what does not, how to determine whether a child, adolescent or young adult may be "addicted" to gaming or developing problems with it, and when to seek professional help. Setting this book apart from others on the subject, the author also provides accessible explanations of the latest science behind how gaming addiction impacts children, adolescents, and families; she also explores the question of whether gaming may have positive effects in certain situations. Finally, Dr. Petry offers three simple, easy-to-implement steps parents can take to reduce and reverse the harmful effects of gaming: Record, Replace, and Reward. Pause and Reset also provides exercises and worksheets to support parents' efforts to help their kids.

Computer-Generated Images (CGIs) are widely used and accepted in the world of entertainment but the use of the very same visualization techniques in academic research in the Arts and Humanities remains controversial. The techniques and conceptual perspectives on heritage visualization are a subject of an ongoing interdisciplinary debate. By demonstrating scholarly excellence and best technical practice in this area, this volume is concerned with the challenge of providing intellectual transparency and accountability in visualization-based historical research. Addressing a range of cognitive and technological challenges, the authors make a strong case for a wider recognition of three-dimensional visualization as a constructive, intellectual process and valid methodology for historical research and its communication. Intellectual transparency of visualization-based research, the pervading theme of this volume, is addressed from different perspectives reflecting the theory and practice of respective disciplines. The contributors - archaeologists, cultural historians, computer scientists and ICT practitioners - emphasize the importance of reliable tools, in particular documenting the process of interpretation of historical material and hypotheses that arise in the course of research. The discussion of this issue refers to all aspects of the intellectual content of visualization and is centred around the concept of 'paradata'. Paradata document interpretative processes so that a degree of reliability of visualization outcomes can be understood. The disadvantages of not providing this kind of intellectual transparency in the communication of historical content may result in visual products that only convey a small percentage of the knowledge that they embody, thus making research findings not susceptible to peer review and rendering them closed to further discussion. It is argued, therefore, that paradata should be recorded alongside more tangible outcomes of research, preferably as an integral part of virtual models, and sustained beyond the life-span of the technology that underpins visualization.

Create web-based VR applications and deploy them to GitHub pages with this short, practical tutorial crammed with hands-on examples. This book covers topics such as VR, the WebVR API, and A-Frame. In Learning Web-based Virtual Reality, you will build a number of 3D VR-based applications. In these apps, you will be able to test the VR environments, walk through the virtual world, interact with the objects, and perceive these virtual realities with the help of Google Cardboard. By the end of the book, you will have a complete understanding of what WebVR is, knowledge of what VR devices are available, and the requirements to start working on WebVR. You will also be comfortable in using A-Frame and its various components to build your own VR projects. What You Will Learn Experience WebVR, the WebVR API, and WebVR libraries Make use of various pieces of VR hardware See popular WebVR projects Use A-Frame to build your own WebVR projects Who This Book Is For Developers who want to build and deploy web-based virtual reality technology. Understanding of HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS is required.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016, held in Los Angeles, CA, USA, in September 2016. The 12 full papers, 18 short papers, and 37 demo and poster papers accepted were carefully reviewed and selected from 81 submissions. IVA 2016 also includes three workshops: Workshop on Chatbots and Conversational Agents (WOCHAT), Can you feel me now? Creating Physiologically Aware Virtual Agents (PAVA), and Graphical and Robotic Embodied Agents for Therapeutic Systems, GREATS16. Intelligent Virtual Aspects (IVAs) are intelligent digital interactive characters that can communicate with humans and other agents using natural human modalities such as facial expressions, speech, gestures, and movement. They are capable of real-time perception, cognition, emotion and action that allow them to participate in dynamic social environments. Constructing and studying IVAs requires tools from a wide range of fields such as computer science, psychology, cognitive science, communication, linguistics, interactive media, human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence.

This is the first book to describe the Microsoft HoloLens wearable augmented reality device and provide step-by-step instructions on how developers can use the HoloLens SDK to create Windows 10 applications that merge holographic virtual reality with the wearer's actual environment. Best-selling author Allen G. Taylor explains how to develop and deliver HoloLens applications via Microsoft's ecosystem for third party apps. Readers will also learn how HoloLens differs from other virtual and augmented reality devices and how to create compelling applications to fully utilize its capabilities. What You Will Learn: The features and capabilities of HoloLens How to build a simple Windows 10 app optimized for HoloLens The tools and resources contained in the HoloLens SDK How to build several HoloLens apps, using the SDK tools

This volume constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th International Conference on HCI in Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality, VAMR 2016, held as part of the 18th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2016, which took place in Toronto, Canada, in July 2016. HCII 2016 received a total of 4354 submissions, of which 1287 papers were accepted for publication after a careful reviewing process. The 70 papers presented in this volume are organized in topical sections named: Usability, User Experience and Design in VAMR, Perception, Cognition, Psychology and Behaviour in VAMR, Multimodal Interaction in VAMR, Novel Devices and Technologies in VAMR, VAMR Applications in Aviation, Space and the Military, Medicine, Health and Well-Being Applications of VAMR, VAMR in Industry, Design and Engineering, Novel Virtual Environments.

Augmented reality takes the real world and through the use of graphics, sound and other effects allows you to enhance the environment. It makes a game more real. Your social media app puts you where want to be or go. Pro iOS 5 Augmented Reality walks you through the foundations of building an augmented reality application for the iPhone or iPad. From using MapKit, to the accelerometer and magnetometer, to integrating facial recognition and Facebook data, you'll learn the building blocks of creating augmented reality applications. Case studies are included in this one-of-a-kind book and you'll learn how to create augmented reality apps that unleash the full potential of the on-board sensors and camera. This book complements other iOS game or social media apps development books available from Apress. After reading Pro iOS 5 Augmented Reality, you'll be able to build augmented reality rich media apps or integrate all the best augmented reality techniques and tools into your existing apps.

The articles by well-known international experts intend to facilitate more elaborate expositions of the research presented at the seminar, and to collect and document the results of the various discussions, including ideas and open problems that were identified. Correspondingly the book will consist of two parts. Part I will consist of extended articles describing research presented at the seminar. This will include papers on tracking, motion capture, displays, cloth simulation, and applications. Part II will consist of articles that capture the results of breakout discussions, describe visions, or advocate particular positions. This will include discussions about system latency, 3D interaction, haptic interfaces, social gaming, perceptual issues, and the fictional "Holodeck."

Automating technologies threaten to usher in a workless future. But this can be a good thing-if we play our cards right. Human obsolescence is imminent. The factories of the future will be dark, staffed by armies of tireless robots. The hospitals of the future will have fewer doctors, depending instead on cloud-based AI to diagnose patients and recommend treatments. The homes of the future will anticipate our wants and needs and provide all the entertainment, food, and distraction we could ever desire. To many, this is a depressing prognosis, an image of civilization replaced by its machines. But what if an automated future is something to be welcomed rather than feared? Work is a source of misery and oppression for most people, so shouldn't we do what we can to hasten its demise? Automation and Utopia makes the case for a world in which, free from need or want, we can spend our time inventing and playing games and exploring virtual realities that are more deeply engaging and absorbing than any we have experienced before, allowing us to achieve idealized forms of human flourishing. The idea that we should "give up" and retreat to the virtual may seem shocking, even distasteful. But John Danaher urges us to embrace the possibilities of this new existence. The rise of automating technologies presents a utopian moment for humankind, providing both the motive and the means to build a better future.

This sweeping introduction to the science of virtual environment technology masterfully integrates research and practical applications culled from a range of disciplines, including psychology, engineering, and computer science. With contributions from the field's foremost researchers and theorists, the book focuses in particular on how virtual technology and interface design can better accommodate human cognitive, motor, and perceptual capabilities. Throughout, it brings the reader up-to-date with the latest design strategies and cutting-edge virtual environments, and points to promising avenues for future development. The book is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the reader to the subject by defining basic terms, identifying key components of the virtual environment, and reviewing the origins and elements of virtual environments. The second part focuses of current technologies used to present visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic information. The book concludes with an in-depth analysis of how environments and human perception are integrated to create effective virtual systems. Comprehensive and splendidly written, Virtual Environmentsand Advanced Interface Design will be the "bible" on the subject for years to come. Students and researchers in computer science, psychology, and cognitive science will all want to have a copy on their shelves.

Look - anyone who invents something really great has a moment where they think it's going to destroy the world. For the first time in her life, Fin is off the network. A few months ago, she was the inventor of a programme so powerful, so unusual that she was untouchable. Until she wasn't. Meanwhile, people have started disappearing from the streets of the city and the technology she created might be implicated. Square Eyes is a graphic novel about a future where the boundaries between memory, dreams and the digital world start to blur. It's a kaleidoscopic mystery story which asks: in a city built on digital illusion, who really holds the power? What is weakness? And when is it most dangerous?

With the advent of the internet and handheld or wearable media systems that plunge the user into 360 video, augmented-or virtual reality-technology is changing how stories are told and created. In this book, John V. Pavlik argues that a new form of mediated communication has emerged: experiential news. Experiential media delivers not just news stories but also news experiences, in which the consumer engages news as a participant or virtual eyewitness in immersive, multisensory, and interactive narratives. Pavlik describes and analyzes new tools and approaches that allow journalists to tell stories that go beyond text and image. He delves into developing forms such as virtual reality, haptic technologies, interactive documentaries, and drone media, presenting the principles of how to design and frame a story using these techniques. Pavlik warns that although experiential news can heighten user engagement and increase understanding, it may also fuel the transformation of fake news into artificial realities, and he discusses the standards of ethics and accuracy needed to build public trust in journalism in the age of virtual reality. Journalism in the Age of Virtual Reality offers important lessons for practitioners seeking to produce quality experiential news and those interested in the ethical considerations that experiential media raise for journalism and the public.

Research on multi-agent systems has provided a promising technology for implementing cognitive intelligent non-playing characters. However, the technologies used in game engines and multi-agent platforms are not readily compatible due to some inherent differences in concerns. Where game engines focus on real-time aspects and thus propagate efficiency and central control, multi-agent platforms assume autonomy of the agents. Increased autonomy and intelligence may offer benefits for a more compelling gameplay and may even be necessary for serious games. However, problems occur when current game design techniques are used to incorporate state-of-the-art multi-agent system technology. A very similar argument can be given for agent-based (social) simulation.

This volume contains the papers presented at AGS 2009, the First International Workshop on Agents for Games and Simulations, held in Budapest on May 11, 2009. The focus of the workshop was on the particular challenges facing those using agent technology for games and simulations, with topics covering the technical, conceptual and design aspects of the field.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2007, held in Paris, France, September 17-19, 2007.

The 19 revised full papers and 12 revised short papers presented together with 5 invited talks and the abstracts of 32 poster papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 100 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on Rendering and Analysis, Culture and Identity, Behavior Models, Feedback Models, Dialogues, Applications, Evaluation, Gaze models and Emotions.

Virtual and Augmented Reality have existed for a long time but were stuck to the research world or to some large manufacturing companies. With the appearance of low-cost devices, it is expected a number of new applications, including for the general audience. This book aims at making a statement about those novelties as well as distinguishing them from the complexes challenges they raise by proposing real use cases, replacing those recent evolutions through the VR/AR dynamic and by providing some perspective for the years to come.

A comprehensive overview of developments in augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality-and how they could affect every part of our lives. After years of hype, extended reality-augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR)-has entered the mainstream. Commercially available, relatively inexpensive VR headsets transport wearers to other realities-fantasy worlds, faraway countries, sporting events-in ways that even the most ultra-high-definition screen cannot. AR glasses receive data in visual and auditory forms that are more useful than any laptop or smartphone can deliver. Immersive MR environments blend physical and virtual reality to create a new reality. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, technology writer Samuel Greengard offers an accessible overview of developments in extended reality, explaining the technology, considering the social and psychological ramifications, and discussing possible future directions. Greengard describes the history and technological development of augmented and virtual realities, including the latest research in the field, and surveys the various shapes and forms of VR, AR, and MR, including head-mounted displays, mobile systems, and goggles. He examines the way these technologies are shaping and reshaping some professions and industries, and explores how extended reality affects psychology, morality, law, and social constructs. It's not a question of whether extended reality will become a standard part of our world, he argues, but how, when, and where these technologies will take hold. Will extended reality help create a better world? Will it benefit society as a whole? Or will it merely provide financial windfalls for a select few? Greengard's account equips us to ask the right questions about a transformative technology.

Has the virtual invaded the realm of the real, or has the real expanded its definition to include what once was characterized as virtual? With the continual evolution of digital technology, this distinction grows increasingly hazy. But perhaps the distinction has become obsolete; perhaps it is time to pay attention to the intersections, mutations, and transmigrations of the virtual and the real. Certainly it is time to reinterpret the practice and study of music. The Oxford Handbook of Music and Virtuality, edited by Sheila Whiteley and Shara Rambarran, is the first book to offer a kaleidoscope of interdisciplinary perspectives from scholars around the globe on the way in which virtuality mediates the dissemination, acquisition, performance, creation, and reimagining of music. The Oxford Handbook of Music and Virtuality addresses eight themes that often overlap and interact with one another. Questions of the role of the audience, artistic agency, individual and communal identity, subjectivity, and spatiality repeatedly arise. Authors specifically explore phenomena including holographic musicians and virtual bands, and the benefits and detriments surrounding the free circulation of music on the internet. In addition, the book investigates the way in which fans and musicians negotiate gender identities as well as the dynamics of audience participation and community building in a virtual environment. The handbook rehistoricizes the virtual by tracing its progression from cartoons in the 1950s to current industry innovations and changes in practice. Well-grounded and wide-reaching, this is a book that students of any number of disciplines, from Music to Cultural Studies, have awaited.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Conference on Augmented and Virtual Reality, AVR 2015, held in Lecce, Italy, in September 2015. The 32 papers and 8 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 82 submissions. The SALENTO AVR 2015 conference brings together a community of researchers from academia and industry, computer scientists, engineers, and physicians in order to share points of views, knowledge, experiences, and scientific and technical results related to state-of-the-art solutions and technologies on virtual and augmented reality applications for medicine, cultural heritage, education, industrial sectors, as well as the demonstration of advanced products and technologies.

An accessible, nontechnical overview of active touch sensing, from sensory receptors in the skin to tactile surfaces on flat screen displays. Haptics, or haptic sensing, refers to the ability to identify and perceive objects through touch. This is active touch, involving exploration of an object with the hand rather than the passive sensing of a vibration or force on the skin. The development of new technologies, including prosthetic hands and tactile surfaces for flat screen displays, depends on our knowledge of haptics. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Lynette Jones offers an accessible overview of haptics, or active touch sensing, and its applications. Jones explains that haptics involves integrating information from touch and kinesthesia-that is, information both from sensors in the skin and from sensors in muscles, tendons, and joints. The challenge for technology is to reproduce in a virtual world some of the sensations associated with physical interactions with the environment. Jones maps the building blocks of the tactile system, the receptors in the skin and the skin itself, and how information is processed at this interface with the external world. She describes haptic perception, the processing of haptic information in the brain; haptic illusions, or distorted perceptions of objects and the body itself; tactile and haptic displays, from braille to robotic systems; tactile compensation for other sensory impairments; surface haptics, which creates virtual haptic effects on physical surfaces such as touch screens; and the development of robotic and prosthetic hands that mimic the properties of human hands.