Csci 394 Virtual Reality Exam #1

5 March 2003

1. (25 points) Virtual Reality has a long way to go before we have something like the Holodeck for people to use. There are many major problems that remain to be solved before we realize this goal. Describe one of the most important problems remaining to be solved. What makes the problem hard? What (if any) partial solutions have been tried? What steps need to be taken in order to arrive at a solution? Do you think you will see the solution in your lifetime?

2. (25 points) There are several basic techniques available for real time tracking of head and other body parts. Name and briefly describe three different techniques. Be sure and give the pro’s and con’s of each, and include any restrictions to their use.

3. (25 points) Vision is perhaps the dominant human sense. Describe three different ways of creating a virtual world visually. Be sure to include the strengths and weaknesses of each method, and describe the types of virtual worlds where each would be most appropriate to use.

4. (10 points) Describe two techniques for interacting with objects in a virtual world (selection, manipulation, etc).

5. (15 points) Fred Brooks says that one reason for the success of flight simulators is their handling of near field haptics. What does this mean, and how do flight simulators implement this? Why can’t we do the same thing for ALL virtual environments?

Bonus: (10 points) At a recent athletics meeting, five old acquaintances: Fred, Greta, Hans, Iolo and Jan met together for the first time since leaving college, so they had a lot of news to catch up on.
It seemed they all lived in different towns: Acton, Buswick, Coalford, Derby and Eccles; and that they all had different jobs which were, in no particular order: an engineer, a lawyer, a teacher, a doctor and a shopkeeper.
To round it off, each one was the winner in just one event at the meeting. These were: 100 metres, 400 metres, 1500 metres, High Jump and Javelin.
The following facts were also known:
1. Hans the shopkeeper from Derby won the High Jump.
2. The lawyer was from Eccles and said he was not a runner.
3. Greta was P.E. teacher from Buswick and won the 1500 metres
4. The doctor, who came from Acton, did not win the 100 metres.
5. The person from Derby was not an engineer.
6. Iolo was an engineer from Coalford and did not win the 400 metres.
7. Jan was not a lawyer, but did win the the 400 metres.
8. Fred did not come from Acton and was not a runner.

(a) Which event did the person from Coalford win?

(b) Which town did Jan come from?

(c) What was the name of the lawyer?

(d) Which event did the engineer win?

(e) Which event did Fred win?