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Virtual Reality, early

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  • Virtual reality: Ralph Hollis, IBM, NY "Feeling" Gold Atoms working with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) (at right) linked to a tele-robotic manipulation system with atomic scale force-feedback. The minute movements of the STM's probe as its traverses the gold sample surface is linked to a force-feedback magic wrist, enabling the scientist, whose hand is in contact with the magic wrist, to feel the texture of the gold atoms. In background is a false-color STM image of the gold surface, revealing the cobbled pattern of individual atoms. The photo was taken at IBM's Thomas Watson Research Centre, Yorktown Heights, New York. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_01_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Ralph Hollis, IBM, NY "Feeling" Gold Atoms working with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) (at right) linked to a tele-robotic manipulation system with atomic scale force-feedback. The minute movements of the STM's probe as its traverses the gold sample surface is linked to a force-feedback magic wrist, enabling the scientist, whose hand is in contact with the magic wrist, to feel the texture of the gold atoms. In background is a false-color STM image of the gold surface, revealing the cobbled pattern of individual atoms. The photo was taken at IBM's Thomas Watson Research Centre, Yorktown Heights, New York. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_02_xs.jpg
  • Myron Kruger and his assistant, Katrin Hinrichsen, 'shooting' at each other with computer-generated sparks. Kruger is a pioneer of artificial reality, a method allowing people to interface directly with computers. In Kruger's method, called VideoPlace, the participants stand in front of a backlit screen. A video camera forms an image of their silhouette; the computer is programmed to respond to particular actions in a particular way. Here the computer sees the operators pointing, and interprets this as fire a spark in this direction. The computer-generated image appears in the background here on a large video screen. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_03_xs.jpg
  • Application of virtual (artificial) reality computer systems in medical diagnostic imaging, showing a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the head next to a scientist wearing a headset. Computer scientists here at the University of North Carolina aim to distill various types of diagnostic images, (X-rays, CT, MRI) into a vivid digital model, that is displayed through the head-mounted displays. Advantages of this type of presentation include not being bound by screen conventions, such as a lack of step back features, wider area views & the need to control a keyboard or mouse. Future uses may exist in the accurate targeting of radiotherapy. Stereo tactic radiotherapy technique. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_04_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality. Harry Marples, Computer Scientist, programming a system that will allow visitors a 3-D guided tour of a new building before it is even built. Plans for a proposed design are fed into a computer, which is capable of displaying them in sophisticated 3-D graphics. Thus the real building is presented by the computer as a virtual one. Visitors wearing special headsets fitted with video goggles and spatial sensors can move from room to room within the virtual space as if they were in the real world. Optical fibers woven into rubber data gloves provide a tactile dimension. Photo taken at the Computer Science Dept., University of North Carolina. Model Released Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_05_xs.jpg
  • Applications of virtual reality systems in medical education. Here, Scott Delp and Scott Fisher are using a system developed at NASA's Ames Research Centre in Menlo Park, California, to study the anatomy of the human leg. They both wear a headset equipped with 3-D video displays to view the computer-generated graphical images - one is shown between the two doctors. Physical exploration of the leg anatomy is afforded by using the data glove, a black rubber glove with woven optical fiber sensors, which relays data on their physical hand movements back to the computer. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_06_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality. Harry Marples, Computer Scientist, programming a system that will allow visitors a 3-D guided tour of a new building before it is even built. Plans for a proposed design are fed into a computer, which is capable of displaying them in sophisticated 3-D graphics. Thus the real building is presented by the computer as a virtual one. Visitors wearing special headsets fitted with video goggles and spatial sensors can move from room to room within the virtual space as if they were in the real world. Optical fibers woven into rubber data gloves provide a tactile dimension. Photo taken at the Computer Science Dept., University of North Carolina. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_07_xs.jpg
  • Virtual sex. Pornographic application of virtual reality, showing a man mauling his virtual conquest provided by his headset and data glove & an unseen computer system. Virtual, in computer parlance, describes equipment or programs that assume one form yet give the illusion of another. Here, the image of the woman is provided by the system through goggles in the head-set; contact is effectively faked by optic-optic sensors in the black, rubber data glove, which relay information on aspect and movement of the man's fingers. Photographed at Autodesk Inc., USA. MODEL RELEASED. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_08_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality in air traffic control (ATC) systems. Bill Wiseman from the University of Washington Human Interface Technology Laboratory, Seattle, demonstrating how ATC might operate in the future. Optical fiber sensors in his black data glove & the pink-rimmed micro-laser scanner glasses connect the operator with a virtual, computer-generated, 3-D image of the airspace he is controlling. Through raising his gloved hand to touch an icon (projected image) of an approaching jet, he is placed in instant voice communication with the pilot. This photograph was taken with the cooperation of SEA/TAC international airport, Seattle. MODEL RELEASED. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_09_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality in air traffic control (ATC) systems. Bill Wiseman from the University of Washington Human Interface Technology Laboratory, Seattle, demonstrating how ATC might operate in the future. Optical fiber sensors in his black data glove & the pink-rimmed micro-laser scanner glasses connect the operator with a virtual, computer-generated, 3-D image of the airspace he is controlling. Through raising his gloved hand to touch an icon (projected image) of an approaching jet, he is placed in instant voice communication with the pilot. This photograph was taken with the cooperation of SEA/TAC international airport, Seattle. MODEL RELEASED. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_10_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality in air traffic control (ATC) systems. Bill Wiseman from the University of Washington Human Interface Technology Laboratory, Seattle, demonstrating how ATC might operate in the future. Optical fiber sensors in his black data glove & the pink-rimmed micro-laser scanner glasses connect the operator with a virtual, computer-generated, 3-D image of the airspace he is controlling. Through raising his gloved hand to touch an icon (projected image) of an approaching jet, he is placed in instant voice communication with the pilot. This photograph was taken with the cooperation of SEA/TAC international airport, Seattle. MODEL RELEASED. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_11_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Warren Robinett wears a prototype (1st generation) headset. Virtual environments are generated by computer systems to allow users to interact with in similar ways as they might with a real environment. The computer environments are displayed to their users using sophisticated graphics projected through small video monitors mounted on the headset. In addition, some headsets have a sensor which instructs the computer of the wearer's spatial aspect, that is, in 3-D. This particular model features displays with half-silvered mirrors that allow the user to see the computer image & look ahead. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_14_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality in air traffic control (ATC) systems. Bill Wiseman from the University of Washington Human Interface Technology Laboratory, Seattle, demonstrating how ATC might operate in the future. Optical fiber sensors in his black data glove & the pink-rimmed micro-laser scanner glasses connect the operator with a virtual, computer-generated, 3-D image of the airspace he is controlling. Through raising his gloved hand to touch an icon (projected image) of an approaching jet, he is placed in instant voice communication with the pilot. This photograph was taken with the cooperation of SEA/TAC international airport, Seattle. MODEL RELEASED. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_12_xs.jpg
  • Cyberspace hi-cycle: Carolyn Hedrich pedals an exercise bike through a virtual, computer generated landscape, projected into her eyes through two video screens in her headset. Riders are encouraged to pedal as fast as they are capable, because, on reaching a certain pedal speed, the computer creates the impression of take-off and flight. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_15_xs.jpg
  • Cyberspace hi-cycle: Carolyn Hedrich pedals an exercise bike through a virtual, computer generated landscape, projected into her eyes through two video screens in her headset. Riders are encouraged to pedal as fast as they are capable, because, on reaching a certain pedal speed, the computer creates the impression of take-off and flight. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_16_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Lewis Hitchner manipulates a pair of video images of the Valles Marineris of the planet Mars, computer-generated from data provided by the Viking spacecraft at NASA's Ames Research Centre, California. Sophisticated computers & sensors provide the user with a telepresence in the virtual world, through small video screens mounted in goggles on a headset, whilst a spherical joystick controls movement through the virtual landscape. One future Martian application of this system might be in gathering geological samples by remote control using a rover robot. A sensor in the geologist's headset could direct the robot at specific sample targets. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_17_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Rich Holloway wears prototype headset which employs half-silvered mirrors to enable the user to view a projected image of a virtual environment (and thus exist in virtual reality) and also see in front of his nose. A virtual environment is one created by a computer. A person entering such an environment does so with the aid of such a headset, which displays virtual imagery. Tactile interaction with the environment may be made using a data glove, a Spandex garment wired with sensors, which relays movement of the hand & fingers to the virtual environment. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_13_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality & the home computer. Home-based computer scientist, John Schultz, plays a 3-D video game in 3-D stereo sound featuring space-planes dog-fighting, which he wrote for his home computer. Entitled The Event Horizon Simulator the game runs on an Atari 2000 computer, using conventional stereo headphones and a basic LCD headset. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_18_xs.jpg
  • Myron Kruger jumps in front of a VideoPlace screen. Kruger designed this system to allow people to interface directly with computers. The operator stands in front of this large, backlit screen. A video camera is used to form an image of the silhouette - the computer then interprets different poses or actions as different commands. The results are displayed on an equally- large video screen, the image of the operator being manipulated in response to the commands. Kruger was the first to use the term 'artificial reality' for this concept. Model released. (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_19_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Jaron Lanier, head of VPL Research of Redwood City, California. Fiber- optic sensors in the black rubber glove Lanier is wearing transmit a user's movements into the computer-generated virtual environment. A user's view of such a world is projected by the computer into 2 eye phones mounted on a headset. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_23_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality. Appearing to be supported by a high-tech Zimmer frame, computer scientist, John Airey uses a steer-able treadmill to progress on a walk- through tour of a virtual image of a church hall. As he paces on the real treadmill, so he moves towards the altar of the 3-D computer-generated image of the church. Such software packages would be invaluable to architects in judging how their designs may be received by the people who will use them, perhaps well in advance of any real foundations being laid. This photo was taken in the Computer Science Department at the University of North Carolina. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_20_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Jaron Lanier, head of VPL Research of Redwood City, California. Fiber- optic sensors in the black rubber glove Lanier is wearing transmit a user's movements into the computer-generated virtual environment. A user's view of such a world is projected by the computer into 2 eye phones mounted on a headset. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_22_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Jaron Lanier, head of VPL Research of Redwood City, California, photographed surrounded by demonstration images of the virtual, non-real worlds that VPL have created. Fiber- optic sensors in the black rubber glove Lanier is wearing transmit a user's movements into the computer-generated virtual environment. A user's view of such a world is projected by the computer into 2 eye phones mounted on a headset. Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_25_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Jaron Lanier, head of VPL Research of Redwood City, California, photographed surrounded by demonstration images of the virtual, non-real worlds that VPL have created. Fiber- optic sensors in the black rubber glove Lanier is wearing transmit a user's movements into the computer-generated virtual environment. A user's view of such a world is projected by the computer into 2 eye phones mounted on a headset (seen unworn at left, on top of the computer monitor). Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_24_xs.jpg
  • Virtual reality: Jaron Lanier, head of VPL Research of Redwood City, California, photographed surrounded by demonstration images of the virtual, non-real worlds that VPL have created. Fiber- optic sensors in the black rubber glove Lanier is wearing tranmsit a user's movements into the computer-generated virtual environment. A user's view of such a world is projected by the computer into 2 eyephones mounted on a headset (seen unworn at left, on top of the computer monitor). Model Released (1990)
    USA_SCI_VR_21_xs.jpg
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Peter Menzel Photography

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