Despite widespread interest in virtual reality, research and development efforts in synthetic environments (SE)?the field encompassing virtual environments, teleoperation, and hybrids?have remained fragmented. Virtual Reality is the first integrated treatment of the topic, presenting current knowledge along with thought-provoking vignettes about a future where SE is commonplace. This volume discusses all aspects of creating a system that will allow human operators to see, hear, smell, taste, move about, give commands, respond to conditions, and manipulate objects effectively in a real or virtual environment. The committee of computer scientists, engineers, and psychologists on the leading edge of SE development explores the potential applications of SE in the areas of manufacturing, medicine, education, training, scientific visualization, and teleoperation in hazardous environments. The committee also offers recommendations for development of improved SE technology, needed studies of human behavior and evaluation of SE systems, and government policy and infrastructure. Table of Contents FRONT MATTER Executive Summary PART I OVERVIEW PART II RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 1 Some Psychological Considerations 2 The Visual Channel 3 The Auditory Channel 4 Haptic Interfaces 5 Position Tracking and Mapping 6 Whole-Body Motion, Motion Sickness, and Locomotion Interfaces 7 Speech, Physiology, and Other Interface Components 8 Computer Hardware and Software for the Generation of Virtual Environments 9 Telerobotics 10 Networking and Communications 11 Evaluation of Synthetic Environment Systems PART III APPLICATIONS 12 Specific Applications of SE Systems References APPENDIXES A Biographical Sketches B Contributors Index