From: sheckler@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Craig Sheckler)
Subject: SOS!  Advice wanted...
Date: 11 Nov 91 02:46:04 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania



    I'm a senior computer engineering major at U. Penn. who's looking for
some solid advice.  Currently there is no real research being conducted here
on VR (which I think is a pretty sad statement, especially considering
the fact that we have a very impressive graphics facility).  I'm proposing
to start up work in the field for my senior design project, but I need some
expert opinions on what equipment I might want to look at.

    I would have access to Irises and graphics software...what I'd like to
know is, what input device should I consider and what might I use for
stereo viewing and head-tracking?  I was (of course) thinking about the
Powerglove, since much experimentation seems to have been carried out with
them.  Is there any info available on interfacing a glove to an Iris?
The first thing that came to mind for eyephones was (of course) Sega glasses,
but I've never used them, I don't know how good they are (not very, I take
it), and I'm also not sure how to add head-tracking capability.  

    Dave Stampe, in your article <1991Nov9.061307.25359@watserv1.waterloo.edu>
you wrote:

>>...keep away from the VPL eyephones.
>>You can put your own together for $300 to $600, depending on how
>>much you like color, decent headtracking and other frills.  My
>>own system will be about $800 TOPS, not counting the PC.

Could you, Dave, or anyone else clue me in on the components?  Preference
would be a system with color and acceptable resolution and head-tracking.  
Since I'm working with the University department's budget, there's no 
guarantee how much I'll be granted for the project, but I imagine the
figure will be somewhat less than $1000.  

    Again, if anyone knows of any Iris interface descriptions, circuits, etc.
available for any devices suggested, please let me know.  Thanks a lot 
in advance....

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Craig Sheckler				
University of Pennsylvania		(signature still under repair)
sheckler@eniac.seas.upenn.edu
(215) 387-2857
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