Course Virtual Reality

  • Instructor: Prof. Dr. Bernd Fröhlich
  • Teaching assistants
    • Dipl.-Medsys.wiss. André Kunert
    • Dipl.-Medsys.wiss. Andreas-C. Bernstein
    • Dipl.-Des. Alexander Kulik
  • Lecture schedule 
    • Introduction on 13.10.2015
      • Tuesdays, 3:15 - 4:45 pm
      • Location: Room 013, Bauhausstr 11
    • further lectures only as recorded video-lectures
  • Lab class schedule
    • Friday, 9:30am - 0:30pm, starts 16.10.2015
    • Location: VR-Lab, Room 008, Bauhausstr 11
  • Target audience
    • M.Sc. Medieninformatik/Mediensysteme
    • M.Sc. Computer Science and Media
    • M.Sc. HCI
  • ECTS Credits
    • 4 Credits (Mediensysteme)
    • 4.5 Credits (Medieninformatik, Computer Science and Media, HCI)

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

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 head-mounted display systems.

Prof. Fröhlich will be on sabbatical during the winter semester 2015/16. Thus, this course can only be offered as a sequence of video lectures, which were captured during the 2014 course. The accompanying lab classes would be taught live. However, we strongly encourage students to attend next year’s live lecture during winter semester 2016/17 if there isn’t a strong need to attend the virtual reality course this semester. Please contact André Kunert (andre.kunert [at] uni-weimar.de) during the first week of October if you are planning to attend the VR course this winter semester and discuss if there aren’t any better solutions.

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.

Regelmäßige Übungen im VR-Labor ergänzen die Vorlesung durch praktische Erfahrungen beim Entwurf und der Implementierung von 3D-Interaktionstechniken für moderne VR-Systeme, wie einer 3D-Projektion für mehrere Nutzer und head-mounted Displays.

Da sich Prof. Fröhlich im Wintersemester 2015/16 im Forschungssemester befinden wird, kann die Veranstaltung nur als Reihe von im letzten Jahr aufgezeichneten Videovorträgen mit vor Ort betreuten Übungen angeboten werden. Es wird deshalb dringend empfohlen, die nächste live-Veranstaltung im Wintersemester 2016/17 zu belegen, falls der Scheinerwerb im Wintersemester 2015/16 nicht absolut notwendig ist. Bitte kontaktieren sie André Kunert (andre.kunert [at] uni-weimar.de) in der ersten Oktoberwoche, falls sie die Vorlesung unbedingt besuchen wollen. Vielleicht kann eine alternative Lösung gefunden werden.

NEWS

  • Oral Exam Information available. PDF
    • Exams on April 6, and April 8.
    • Exam Q&A session on April 4, 1-3pm in room 013.
  • A additional lab-class is scheduled on Tuesday 15.12.2015 at 3:15pm in the vr-lab.
  • The consultation on Tuesday 1.12.2015 will be held live 3:15pm in room 013.
  • The consultation on Tuesday 17.11.2015 will be held live 3:15pm in room 013.
  • The lecture on Tuesday 27.10.2015 will be held live 3:15pm in room 013.
  • The lab class starts on Friday 16.10.2015.

Lecture notes (pdf & video)

  • CW 42: Course Organisation
  • CW 43:
    • Introduction: PDF
    • Guacamole - An Extensible Scene Graph and Rendering Framework Based on Deferred Shading: Paper
  • CW 44: Live lecture on 27.10.2015: Graphics Basics and Scenegraphs: PDF, Video
  • CW 45: Stereo Viewing: PDF, Video
  • CW 46: Viewing Setups: PDF, Video
  • CW 47: Live consultation on 17.11.2015
  • CW 48:
  • CW 49: Live consultation on 1.12.2015
  • CW 50:
  • CW 51: Additional lab-class on 15.12.2015 at 3:15pm
  • CW 1: 3DUI - Navigation: PDF, Video
  • CW 2: Live consultation on 11.1.2016
  • CW 3:
    • 3D-Display Technology Basics: PDF, Video
    • Stereoscopic Multi-User Display Technology: PDF, Video
  • CW 4:
  • CW 5: Live consultation on 2.2.2016
  • Oral Exam Information: PDF

    Lab Class

    • CW 42: Lab Introduction
    • CW 43: Avango-Guacamole Introduction
    • CW 44: Hierarchical Structuring: Assignment
    • CW 45: Dataflow & Event-Handling: Presentation, Assignment
    • CW 46: Consultation
    • CW 47: Multi-Level Crane (graded, presentation on 20.11.2015): Assignment
    • CW 48: Object Dragging: Presentation, Assignment
    • CW 49: Consultation
    • CW 50: Transfer-Functions (graded, presentation on 11.12.2015): Assignment
    • CW 51: Tracking Systems Introduction: Assignment
    • CW 1: Consultation
    • CW 2: Remote Manipulation Techniques (graded, presentation on 15.1.2016): Assignment
    • CW 3: Consultation
    • CW 4: Consultation Final-Projects
    • CW 5: Navigation Techniques (graded, presentation on 5.2.2016): Assignment
    • Final Project Instructions

    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%