Course Virtual Reality

  • Instructor: Prof. Dr. Bernd Fröhlich
  • Teaching assistants
    • Dipl.-Medsys.wiss. André Kunert
    • Dipl.-Medsys.wiss. Andreas Bernstein
  • Lecture schedule 
    • Tuesdays, 15:30-17:00
    • Location: Room 015, Bauhausstr 11
  • Lab class schedule 
    • Group A: Monday,  1:30 - 3:00 pm
    • Group B: Thursday,  1:30 - 3:00 pm
    • Location: VR-Lab, Room 008, Bauhausstr 11
  • Office hours by appointment only
  • Target audience
    • M.Sc. Medieninformatik/Mediensysteme
    • M.Sc. Computer Science and Media
  • ECTS Credits
    • 4 Credits (Mediensysteme)
    • 4.5 Credits (Medieninformatik, Computer Science and Media)

Course Description

This course presents the theoretical, technical and applied foundations of modern virtual reality systems, 3D TV, 3D Cinema, stereoscopic gaming and 3D user interfaces. The course focuses on the following topics:

  • Scenegraph technology
  • 3D viewing
  • 3D perception
  • Stereoscopic single- and multi-viewer display technology
  • Three-dimensional user interfaces and interaction techniques

Virtual reality experts from other labs will be invited for guest lectures throughout the course.

The accompanying lab classes allow students to implement a set of 3D interaction techniques in stereoscopic environments and a project of their own choice. The VR lab provides access to the newest virtual reality technology such as multi-viewer 3D projections and Oculus Rift systems.

German Course Description

Die Vorlesung stellt die aktuellen Technologien und Techniken zu den Gebieten "Virtuelle Umgebungen" und "Virtuelle Realität" vor. Regelmäßige Übungen im VR-Labor ergänzen die Vorlesung durch praktische Erfahrung mit modernen VR-Systemen. Die konkreten Themen der Vorlesung:

  • Szenengraphen
  • 3D Viewing Setups 
  • 3D Wahrnehmung
  • Stereoskopische Single- und Multi-Viewer-Systeme
  • 3D-Eingabegeräte und Interaktionstechniken

Diese Vorlesung wird englischsprachig angeboten.

NEWS

  • 12. November 2013: Johannes Behr, Fraunhofer IGD: Adapting X3D for VR/AR environments
  • 7. January 2014, 11:30h, VR-Lab: Talk by Jean-Baptiste de la Rivière, Immersion SAS
  • 14. January 2014: Matthias Harders, University of Sheffield: Introduction to Haptics
  • 28.01.2014: Gerd Bruder, University of Würzburg: Natural Exploration of Virtual Environments: Perception, Redirection, and Illusions
  • Thursday, 6.02.2014: Lab Class, Talk by André Kunert on Photoportals and Q&A session for exam preparation in R015, B11
  • Oral exams on March 26. If you cannot make this exam, there will be one more possibility on April 16. Please sign up with Mrs. Hansens (maria-theresa.hansens at uni-weimar.de).

     

Lecture notes (pdf)

The documents from the 2011 course serve as a basis and will be further developed.

(accessible only from within the university network)

Lab Class

  • Guacamole Introduction: Group A 11.11.2013 1:30pm, Group B 14.11.2013 1:30pm
  • Hierarchical Modeling: Group A 18.11.2013 1:30pm, Group B 21.11.2013 1:30pm
  • Input Mapping: Group A 25.11.2013 1:30pm, Group B 28.11.2013 1:30pm
  • Event-Handling & Dataflow: Group: A 2.12.2013 1:30pm, Group B 5.12.2013 1:30pm
  • Tracking Systems & Virtual Pointing: Group: A 16.12.2013 1:30pm, Group B 19.12.2013 1:30pm
  • Viewing Setup: Group A 6.1.2014 1:30pm, Group B 9.1.2014 1:30pm
  • PRISM Technique (graded): result presentation Group A 13.1.2014 1:30pm, result presentation Group B 16.1.2014 1:30pm
  • Remote Manipulation (graded): result presentation Group A 27.1.2014 1:30pm, result presentation Group B 30.1.2014 1:30pm
  • Navigation (graded): result presentation by not later than 14.2.2014

Final Project

  • Requirements
    • Design and implementation of a small virtual reality project
    • Reappraisal of the concepts presented during the course
  • Procedure
    • Development by individuals or in groups of two
    • Development effort: about one week
  • Presentation
    • Demonstration of the project, supported where possible by a small presentation of the implemented concepts

Grading

     

  • The final exam will be an oral exam covering all topics of the course
  • Appointments for oral examination can be made with the computer science secretaries (R112, B11) at the end of course.

    •  

  • Requirements for admittance to the final exam
    • At least 50% of the points need to be achieved in the assignments and the final project.
    • The following scheme lists the grades depending on the percentage of the achieved points (assignments + final project):
      • 1.0   >=95.0
      • 1.1   [93.5-95.0)
      • 1.2   [92.0-93.5)
      • 1.3   [90.5-92.0)
      • 1.4   [89.0-90.5)
      • 1.5   [87.5-89.0)
      • 1.6   [86.0-87.5)
      • 1.7   [84.5-86.0)
      • 1.8   [83.0-84.5)
      • 1.9   [81.5-83.0)
      • 2.0   [80.0-81.5)
      • 2.1   [78.5-80.0)
      • 2.2   [77.0-78.5)
      • 2.3   [75.5-77.0)
      • 2.4   [74.0-75.5)
      • 2.5   [72.5-74.0)
      • ...
      • 3.0   [65.0-66.5)
      • ...
      • 4.0   [50.0-51.5)
      • Less than 50% is insufficient for an admission to the oral exam.
  • Contributions to the final grade
    • assignments: 20%
    • final project:   30%
    • final exam:     50%