Course Syllabus

IND E 543 :  
VIRTUAL INTERFACE TECHNOLOGY (1 or 3 credits)
Spring 2003

DESCRIPTION

This course will explore advanced concepts and technologies for interfacing humans to complex machines, with a focus on virtual interfaces and their potential impact on the way we think about computers and the way we think with them.  Interface design principles will be reviewed from human factors and technological perspectives.  Hardware, software and mindware aspects of virtual interfaces and virtual environments will be investigated and applications postulated and designed in the fields of medicine, education, design and entertainment.

APPROACH

The course will consist of faculty and guest lectures, video presentations and field trips with open discussions in a seminar setting.  The course can be taken for either one credit or three credits.

PREREQUISITES

Students should have a deep interest in human-computer interaction and virtual reality.   Recommended prerequisites include a graduate student standing and a background (or at least introductory courses) in psychology, perception, and physics and electronics.  Waiver of these requirements may be given by permission of the instructor.   Entry code required.  Please contact DJ Miller in the IE department for entry information (ieadvise@u.washington.edu)

DAY/TIME/PLACE

Spring Quarter 2001
Mondays/Wednesday 10:30P-11:50P
Mechanical Engineering MEB 103

CREDITS

Variable credit will be given for this course.  Students may sign up for either 1 or 3 credit hours:

1 credit hour students are required to attend lectures, participate in group discussions, complete class assignments and prepare a short presentation on a topic related to virtual interface technology.  An outline of the presentation and hardcopy of the briefing materials are due the day of the presentation.

3 credit hour students are required to accomplish the above plus conduct a research project to be documented in a written research paper.  This paper will consist of at least 15 typewritten (double-spaced) pages (excluding references).  The paper will be graded on the basis of its scholarship, rigor, critical thinking and completeness.   The research paper is due by 5:00P on 6 June 2003.  There will be no final for this course.

GRADING

The following grading profile will be used in computing the final grade for the course:

1 credit students	3 credit students	
60%--class assignments	25%--class assignments	
10%--student ratings of presentations	10%--student ratings of presentations	
30%--instructor rating of presentations	15%--instructor rating of presentations	
	50%--research report	

FACULTY

Dr. Thomas A. Furness III
Professor, Industrial Engineering
Adjunct Professor, Electrical Engineering
Adjunct Professor, Technical Communications
Director, Human Interface Technology Laboratory
University of Washington
Box 352142
Seattle, WA 98195

Office: AERB 141A   
Office Hours:  Monday/Wednesday 9:30-10:20A  (other times by appt)

Telephone: 		Academic Office: 543-4608
			Human Interface Technology Lab: 685-8626

e-mail:  tfurness@u.washington.edu

Dr. Furness will be assisted by selected staff and students of the Human Interface Technology Laboratory and other guest speakers.

RESOURCES

Virtual Environments and Advanced Interface Design,  Woodrow Barfield & Thomas A. Furness III, editors. Oxford University Press

Virtual Reality...Scientific and Technological Challenges, Nathaniel Durlach & Anne S. Mavor, editors. National Academy Press (recommended)

Virtual Reality Technology,  Grigore Burdea & Phillippe Coiffet  (optional)

Virtual Reality,  Howard Rheingold (optional) 

Course Notes and handouts (available at  the engineering library)

Selected Papers/articles (available at the engineering library)

Human Interface Technology Laboratory Library (for selected use by permission of the instructor) -- http://hitl.washington.edu/

Representative Papers

Ellis, S. R (1991). Nature and Origins of Virtual Environments: A Bibliographical Essay Computing Systems in Engineering, 2(4), 321-347.
Bolt, R.A. Put-that-there: voice and gesture at the graphics interface. Computer Graphics, 14(3), 1980, 262-270. 
Hauptmann, A.G. & McAvinney, P. (1993). Gestures with Speech for Graphics Manipulation. Intl. J. Man-Machine Studies, 38, 231-249.
Azuma, R.T. (1997). A Survey of Augmented Reality Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 6(4), 355-386.