Building new mixed reality devices

Abstract

We present a platform that offers designers flexibility on device design, fast prototyping, and integration of new devices to a mixed reality infrastructure. Our solution is based on the integration of a commercial embedded system, the Qwerk, and the Virtual Reality Peripheral Network (VRPN), a network-transparent interface between applications and typical virtual reality (VR) devices. This solution creates a hardware and software layer between new devices and VR applications that facilitate development. We show here three examples. The first application targets a simple device for object movement on an axis. The second one consists on a device that changes the color of a virtual object based on temperature. Finally, we design, build, and test a new wireless navigation device, our "Light Gloves". © 2008 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.