From rick@cs.arizona.edu Thu Jun 1 17:36:25 1995 Subject: ATIP Report: Virtual Reality (VR) Activities in Japan Date: 1 Jun 1995 17:36:10 -0700 Organization: University of Arizona CS Department, Tucson AZ [Copies of previous ATIP reports can be obtained using anonymous FTP from host ftp.cs.arizona.edu, directory japan/ATIP.reports. Copies of earlier reports written by David Kahaner under ONR auspices can be found on the same host, directory japan/kahaner.reports or on the World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.cs.arizona.edu/japan/www/kahaner_reports.html Web pages for the ATIP reports will be forthcoming. ] ========================================================================== ASIAN TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION PROGRAM (ATIP) REPORT: ATIP95.27 : Virtual Reality (VR) Activities in Japan To: Distribution From: D.K.Kahaner, [kahaner@atip.or.jp] Date: 06/01/95 [MM/DD/YY] This is file name ATIP95.27 Tokyo Office: Asian Technology Information Program (ATIP) Harks Roppongi Building 1F 6-15-21 Roppongi Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Tel: +81 3 5411-6670; Fax: +81 3 5411-6671 U.S. Office: Asian Technology Information Program (ATIP) c/o Univeristy of New Mexico US-Japan Center Mechanical Engineering Building, Rm #432 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113 Tel: (505) 277-1490; Fax: (505) 277-1425 For further information Send email to : info@atip.or.jp Access WorldWideWeb Site : http://www.atip.or.jp/ (on-line June 1 1995) ATIP: A collaboration between US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) University of New Mexico (UNM) ========================================================================== [Complete ATIP reports on Asian Science and Technology are available to sponsors and collaborating organizations by direct distribution, or via electronic access. Full reports contain text and (when available) charts, graphs and pictures. Reports for general public distribution may contain summarized, abstracted, or partial contents of full reports. Organizations wishing specific sole-use follow-up information including copies of proceedings, selected papers, exhibition particulars, updates, translations, query searches, etc., are also encouraged to contact ATIP directly at INFO@ATIP.OR.JP] Date: June 1, 1995 REPORT: ATIP95.27 Title: Virtual Reality (VR) Activities in Japan ABSTRACT: Summary of virtual reality activities in Japan, based on a study done by Ivo Kwee. During mid 1994, Ivo M. Kwee, a Dutch physicist was commissioned by the Dutch Embassy in Japan to perform a study on VR (Virtual Reality) research and product development in Japan. Kwee had spent the preceding two years at Hokkaido University engaged in research on optical holography. Kwee's summary covers most of the important R&D projects and many of the products (or soon-to-be products) as of the dates of his study. It represents an excellent resource for those looking into the topic and a wonderful starting point for making further contacts and learning about subsequent work. The complete report contains more than 60 figures, photos, and diagrams (available from ATIP), and over 70 references. VIRTUAL REALITY IN JAPAN IVO M. KWEE TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword 1: Introduction 1.1 About this report 1.2 Present state of Virtual Reality in Japan 1.3 Towards industrial Virtual Reality 1.4 Future expectations of Virtual Reality in Japan 2: Virtual Reality: a new technology? 2.1 History of Virtual Reality 2.2 Virtual Reality pioneers in Japan 2.3 VR evolving from various disciplines 2.4 Classification of Virtual Reality systems 2.5 Autonomy, interaction, and presence 2.6 "Kansei" technology and "human-media" in Japan 3: Government, universities, and national projects 3.1 Government support for Virtual Reality projects in Japan 3.1.1 MITI's leading research for VR technology 3.1.2 Virtual Reality as an Academic Priority Area 3.1.3 Gifu VR-Techno Center Inc. (VRTC) 3.1.4 Removal of Volcanic Material at Mount Unzen Area 3.1.5 The "Green-Space" project 3.1.6 The Intellectually Creative Society of the 21 st Century 3.1.7 Government involvement in other projects 3.2 Universities and National Laboratories 3.2.1 Universities 3.2.2 National Laboratories 3.3 Associations and Academic Societies 3.3.1 Laboratories for Image Science and Technology (LIST) 3.3.2 Japan Technology Transfer Association (JTTAS), and the ICAT 3.3.3 Reed Exhibitions: Industrial VR Conference and Exhibition 3.3.4 Institute for Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE) 3.3.5 Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE) 4: VR products and related technologies 4.1 Computer hardware and VR software 4.1.1 Graphic engines 4.1.2 Software toolkits 4.1.3 Systems 4.2 Tactile, kinesthetic, and haptic displays 4.3 Visual displays 4.3.1 Head Mounted Displays 4.3.2 Lenticular screens 4.3.3 Other 3D display technologies 4.4 Audio and 3D sound 4.5 Gesture recognition 4.5.1 Image processing techniques for gesture recognition 4.5.2 CyberFinger 4.6 Other technologies 4.6.1 The Ultimate Interface: Silent Speech 4.6.2 Tele-existence robots 5: Applications of Virtual Reality 5.1 Tele-existence and bilateral robotics 5.1.1 Tele-existence in "3K" environments 5.1.2 Space tele-robotics 5.2 Amusement and simulators 5.2.1 VR entertainment 5.2.1.1 Amusement theme parks 5.2.1.2 Home entertainment 5.2.2 Simulators 5.2.2.1 Virtual ski 5.2.2.2 Driving simulators 5.3 Interactive CAD design and virtual prototyping 5.3.1 Virtual Kitchen and VSDSS 5.3.2 Virtual Prototyping 5.4 Multi-media and networked VR 5.4.1 Tele-conferencing 5.4.2 Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) 5.5 Artificial Life and cyberspaces 5.5.1 Artificial Life 5.5.2 Cyberspaces: Habitat and InterSpace 5.6 Virtual Reality on the stage 5.6.1 Virtual studio 5.6.2 Virtual actors and real-time animations 5.7 VR in medicine 5.7.1 Laparoscopy, "Nintendo surgery", and medical micro-robots 5.7.2 Surgical planning and high-definition television 5.7.2.1 Surgical planning 5.7.2.2 High definition medical imaging 5.7.3 Rehabilitation and amenity 5.7.4 Virtual hospitals and tele-medicine 5.8 Other applications 5.8.1 Software visualization 5.8.2 Virtual museum 5.9 VR's advertising value List of Interviewees and addresses =====================END OF REPORT ATIP95.27============================