From: boney@dircon.co.uk
Subject: TECH: telerobotic/presence application questions
Date: 25 Aug 1996 22:27:57 GMT
Message-ID: <4vqk1d$4an@newsgate.dircon.co.uk>
Organization: Direct Connection


Hi there.

If anyone has experience in this field (telerobtics/presence), would
you know of suitable HMDs (assuming CRT based)? Obviously to be fed
with mono/dual video sources... I am considering the FS5 or Datavisor
at the moment. Any any other choices?

Also, as regards vergence of stereoscopic video sources, has any
company made a stereoscopic LENS..? It seems to me (perhaps wrongly!)
that, say, a C/CS mount stereo wide-angle lens (ie two 90 degree
lenses coupled) with shuttering fed to a vid-cam of the user's choice
would be quite useful. Any thoughts? The user would simply wear
shutter glasses under the HMD to get 3D.. And as for vergence...
after what distance does it become unnecessary to verge the sources
onto the subject.. pls let me know!

OK, yes, so it's a long winded approach. And there is the prob of
syncing the shutters remotely. But it IS flexible. Especially since
most HMDs are geared towards graphical output, and most people in
telerobotics need to experiment with video/lens combos.

Of course it would be possible to use two cams, but in terms of remote
operation, it is far cheaper and easier to use one video transmitter,
especially when you go microwave, and espeically if you're paying for
Y/C. I have heard of Upol(?) technology but this doesn't seem to help
a head-tracking applic (which lamentably, mine is).

Anyway, I'd be glad to hear from anyone encountering similar
difficulties:)

Anthony Webber
Pagan Film Productions UK
Boney@dircon.co.uk