Affordable "Virtual Reality" for the PC by John Williamson First, let me congratulate you on wanting to experiment with "virtual reality" with your existing equipment. After working at several of the hottest VR labs in the country and playing with my hacked equipment at home, I can say with some conviction that both approaches are important if VR is to achieve mainstream success. For the time being I am not covering Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) simply because they are too expensive and still quite rare. Although this should change by the summer of 1994 as Victor Max and SEGA should both have HMDs out by then. As numerous people ask about the following issues, I have been asked to assemble a mini-FAQ on these topics: What is a PowerGlove? Where can I get one? How much money do I need? How do I install it? What programs support it? What are the SEGA glasses? Where can I get one? How much money do I need? How do I install it? What programs support it? What other "affordable" stereoscopic 3D options are there? What other "affordable" alternative input devices are there? Suggested Reading/Information Sources What is a PowerGlove? The Powerglove was manufactured by Mattel for use with the original Nintendo 8-bit system. For all practical purposes, it is very much like the glove everyone (with few exceptions) associates with VR. It uses strain gauges to measure finger position and ultra-sonics to measure glove position. It is quite durable, and has a certain clich charm to it. There was only one game designed explicitly with the glove in mind, although it could be used to replace the joystick in most games. Even though it sold hundred of thousands of units, it was quickly discontinued. How much money do I need? Less than $200 should get you started. Where can I get one? As no new gloves have been manufactured in nearly 5 years, the sources of gloves are few and far between now. Ask you neighbor's kids or any of the used game dealers who advertise in the Nintendo Magazines. You can also surf the net, as they are occasionally offered for sale. Two commercial sources are: 3DTV and VRASP (see below). How do I install it? If you buy it from either of the two above commercial sources, you can also buy a circuit board and software, so installation is done for your. You can also find various schematics on the net and in several of the VR books at your local bookstore. What programs support it? REND386, available on the net and in at least one book, is the best program for working with the Powerglove. Various other programs appear on the net from time to time, including "mouse drivers" and a growing number with MIDI support. These allow you to make or controll music with your glove. What are the SEGA glasses? The SEGA glasses are a pair of glasses with two sheets of liquid crystal in the eye pieces. When current is applied the liquid crystals align and essentially turn the eyepiece black. Only one eye is "blacked out" at a time, in sync with the alternating fields on the display. So when the image meant for the right eye is on the screen, the liquid crystal in front of the left eye goes black, assuring that only the right eye sees the image. As this happens at 30 frames/second, the brain sees the images in 3D (provided the appropriate visual stimuli are presented). This was sold with the original 8-bit SEGA system about 5 years ago. At least 5 games were produced to support the glasses. Nintendo also made a similar pair of glasses, although they were apparently released only overseas. How much money do I need? Less than $200 should get you started. Where can I get one? Again, as they haven't been made for several years, they can be difficult to find. The channels listed above are able to keep them in stock. How do I install it? Again, you can find circuits on the net and in several books. Also the above channels also sell complete kits. This circuit is a little more involved than the one for the glove. What programs support it? REND386 and a wide variety of GIF viewers and several FLC animation players. What other "affordable" stereoscopic 3D options are there? As stereoscopic viewing techniques have been around for over 150 years, there are a wide variety that have been applied to computer graphics. With out exception (at the time I am writing this anyway), all of these techniques (save Pulfrich and Anaglyph) will effectively cut your resolution in half as you must display two imges on one screen. Anaglyph: The red/blue (or if your in Europe, red/greed) glasses so often found in 3D comic books. There are great many 3D programs that support this. Many people use Photoshop to create stills. Cost $1 Disadvantages: End up with essentially a B&W image, lots of ghosting. Advantages: Very high resolution images possible, both stills and animation. No new equipment needed. Pulfrich: Uses only one dark filter, needs horizontal movement. Cost $1 Disadvantages: Image must move to obtain depth. Advantages: Very high resolution images possible. No new equipment needed. Side-by-Side: Display the left and right images on the screen simultaneously, just like the antique stereocards. Images can be side-by-side, over under or some variation. Cost $Free to $200. Advantages: Full color images, both stills and animation, no new hardware. Disadvantages: Only one viewer, half resolution. Field sequential: Display the left and the right eye images alternately, as in the SEGA glasses. Cost: $50-$2000. Advantages: Full color, stills and animation. Disadvantage: To reduce the flicker, you need to buy an expensive monitor, resolution is cut in half. Large screen projection is possible, but very expensive. MicroPol: Displays the left and right images simultaneously by interlacing them. Cost $1000-$2000. Advantages: Large screen projection is affordable. System is passive and can be built into a notebook computer. Also supports video, 3D prints, stills and animations. Disadvantages: Limited to LCD flat panel displays. What other "affordable" alternative input devices are there? The Logitech Cyberman is about it. Although the Infra-Red avatar from SEGA may be out soon. In addition, several people have hacked various motion detectors, pressure pads and burglar detectors from Radio Shack to their PC. Suggested Reading/Information Sources This list is by no means complete, nor does inclusion here represent an endorsement. It will provide you with enough sources to answer most of your supply/price questions and leads to any other questions you may have. PCVR: A hands-on guide for PC based virtual reality. Recent articles have covered building an interface for the PowerGlove, the Cyberman, a HMD for under $1000, motion trackers, how to program REND386 and reviews on new technologies and books. Each issues typically includes a disk of examples and demos. It is published 6 times a year. PCVR. PO Box 475, Stoughton, WI 53589. 608-877- 0909. $26 per year. VRASP: Virtual Reality Association of Students and Professionals. Publish a Pix-Elation 6 times a year. Not as technical as PCVR. Also sell a wide variety of gloves, glasses, software, interfaces and more. VRASP, PO Box 4139, Highland Park, NJ 08904. 908-463-VRVR. 3DTV: Also sell SEGA glasses, gloves, software, and 3D movies. 3DTV, PO Box 13059, San Rafael, CA 94913-3059. Stereographics: Sell high end glasses and monitors and projection systems. Stereographics, 2171-H East Fancisco Blvd, San Rafael, CA 94901. 415-459-4500. VRex: Sell 3D displays, 3D cameras, 3D projectors, 3D software, 3D/VR production services. VRex, 8 Skyline Drive, Hawthorne, NY 10532, 914-345-8877. Reel 3D: Source of books, 3D cameras, 3D supplies, 3D glasses. Call for catalog. Reel 3D Enterprises, PO Box 2368, Culver City, CA 90231. 310-837-2368. StereoWorld: Published 6 times year by the National Stereoscopic Association. 99% of every issues is printed in 3D. Excellent source of info on 3D techniques (past and present) and supplies. National Stereoscopic Association, PO Box 14801, Columbus, OH 43214. Subscription is $24. Tektronix: High end systems. Tektronix Display Products, PO Box 500, MS 46-943, Beaverton, OR 97077. 800-835-9433. Simsalbim: Affordable Side by Side viewer and software. Simsalbim, PO Box 4446, Berkeley, CA 94707, 800-338-6329. Internet: alt.3d sci.virtual-worlds have less wasted bandwidth than any of the other usenets groups I have come across. There are also various mailing lists for both 3D and the glove, they seem to appear and disapears as demand comes and goes. THE END