Page 349 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

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Virtual reality—Fig. 3
Hardware
Several hardware items, in addition to the programming, are required
for VR.
Computer: For VR to be possible, even in the simplest form, a computer
is necessary. The amount of computer power required depends on the
sophistication of the VR session. Passive VR requires the least computer
power, while exploratory VR needs more, and interactive VR takes even
more.A high-end personal computer can provide passive and exploratory
VR with moderate image resolution and speed. Larger computers, such
as those used in file servers or that employ parallel processing (more than
one microprocessor operating on a given task), are necessary for high-
resolution, high-speed, and vivid interactive VR. The best interactive VR
equipment is too expensive for most personal-computer users.
Robot: If the VR is intended to portray and facilitate the operation of a
remotely controlled robot or telechir, that robot must have certain charac-
teristics. In low-level VR, the telechir can be a simple vehicle that rolls on
wheels or a track drive. In the most sophisticated VR telepresence systems,
the telechir must be an android (humanoid robot).
Video system: This can be a simple monitor, a big screen, a set of several
monitors,or a head-mounted display (HMD). The HMD gives a spectacular
show, with binocular vision and sharp colors. Some HMDs shut out the
operator’s view of the real world; others let the operator see the virtual

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