Research Themes

AC3D- An interactive virtual world development tool

AC3D is an widely acclaimed tool which supports geometric construction and direct manipulation of virtual worlds. AC3D supports a suite of graphical and geometrical editing functions, and allows behaviours to be associated with objects.

VR mog - A virtual world building tool based on 2D interface builders

This tool is a precursor to AC3D. It allows a designer to produce simple 3D world models by constructing a 2D plan of the world. This is achieved through an interface that is similar to many existing 2D user interface development tools.

Q-PITA 3D Database visualisation tool

The concept of Populated Information Terrains (PITS) aims to extend database technology with key ideas from the new fields of Virtual Reality (VR) and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). We define a PIT to be a virtual data space that may be inhabited by multiple users. The underlying philosophy of PITS is that they should support people in working together within data as opposed to merely with data. Our aim is therefore to explore this notion of PITS both as a means of improving the way in which users browse and interact with data and also as a means of actively supporting cooperative sharing.

RA-VEC - An aid to creating 3D worlds from 2D floorplan drawings

Constructing virtual worlds is a labour intensive task. Many of these worlds are virtual copies of existing buildings and rooms, for which floor plans in electronic or paper format exist. This tool aid in the production of 3D worlds from these plans by 'vectorising' a floor plan. This process converts 2D bitmap information into 2D vectors. These may then be imported into AC3D and 'extruded' to form walls.

Subjective Views - Customising 3D visualisations

Existing Cooperative Virtual Environments present the same shared world to each of the cooperating users. Research in both 2D and 3D multi-user environments has shown the need to support individually tailored views the common shared data. Known as 'coupling' in shared 2D user interfaces, the 3D equivalent 'Subjective Views' supports individual representations of shared virtual words (CVEs).

Research Projects:

eSCAPE - Electronic landSCAPEs

Promoting the inter-connection of heterogeneous electronic landscapes, and involving artists in the design of interactive 3D enironments.
 

COVEN- COllaborative Virtual ENvironments

COVEN is a project of the European Union Advanced Communications Technologies and Services Programme, in the Fourth Framework Programme of research and development (1994-1998). It is a unique project which brings together a wide range of expertise on communication infrastructures, CSCW, Virtual Environments (VEs), Human-Computer Interaction and VR animation to provide support for a European distributed virtual environment. Target key issues are: collaboration support within VEs (including: awareness, communication, and group interaction); corresponding requirements at network and platform levels; and related Human Factors aspects.

DEVRL- Distributed Extensible Virtual Reality Laboratory

An EPSRC ROPA funded project in collaboration with Nottingham University and University College London. The aim of the project is to develop a shared and extensible virtual laboratory. Each partner is concerned with a unique aspect of the shared laboratory. Lancaster is developing a virtual physics laboratory, which demonstrates physical principals in CVEs.

COMIC: Shared Interaction

The work on shared interaction focuses on the sharing of information and the use of shared space. Activities of this project included the development of a spatial model of interaction which allows users to negotiate interaction across multiple media and the construction of information repositories that allow users to work together with shared data.

VirtuOsi- Supporting virtual organisations

The broad aim of this project is to build distributed virtual reality systems to support co-operative working between a number of work groups across geographically dispersed locations.