In their introduction to the new field of virtual reality, Kevin Teixeira and Ken Pimentel begin with an informative, yet refreshingly nontechnical, overview of the field. They explain what VR is and how it works, how it has evolved from early post-war flight simulators to today's widely diverse research efforts, and what cultural and ethical questions are posed by the implementation of computer-simulated worlds. The book focuses, however, on practical applications that will soon be available to the general public. The potential of PC-based VR systems for transforming society is also examined in detail, with a discussion of how VR technology can benefit education, business, medicine, architecture, science, entertainment, and other fields. Finally, readers get a behind-the-scene look at the next generation of VR tools for personal computers, including microprocessors that will be available to the VR community in the 21st century.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Virtual reality allows users to immerse themselves in a computer-generated alternative world. The worlds can entertain, such as the holodeck on television's Star Trek: The New Generation ; or provide instruction, as in flight simulators for airline pilots. The joint efforts of Pimentel, a working designer in the field, and Teixeira, a writer and marketing spokesperson, make the writing current and accessible to nonspecialists. An overview and history of this exciting technology is provided, as well as definitions of the component parts needed to design a virtual reality environment. There is even a chapter on how to construct a system on the PC at home (provided you have $20,000 lying around). The most spellbinding part of the book is the account of the possible and actual applications of virtual reality. While Howard Rheingold's Virtual Reality ( LJ 6/1/91) appeared in 1991, the field is moving so fast that Rheingold's book is already dated. Recommended for popular technology and science collections.
- J. Sara Paulk, Concord P.L., N.H.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- J. Sara Paulk, Concord P.L., N.H.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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