Virtual Environments

Viewpoints Archive

Explorer no longer monitors this technology area.


	2006
Dec/Jan -		2006: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2007
November -		Ambitious Research Efforts in Haptics
October -		Learning and Collaboration Opportunities in Second Life
September -		Recent Developments: Augmenting Diminished Vision and Balance Using Tactile Sensations on the Tongue • Virtual Environments Technology Combined with Video-Game Equipment and Software for Stroke Rehabilitation
August -		Japan Sees Widespread Commercial Deployment of Augmented Reality Recent Developments: CSIRO and Partners Will Commercialize Ear-Surgery–Training System
July -		Virtual Environments for Self-Guided Academic and Professional Learning
June -		Immersive Virtual Environments New Technology Area: Connected Homes
May -		Recent Developments: Experimental Virtual Environment Conveys Perception of Motion without Physical Movement • Augmented Reality System Using infrared Vision May Help Airline Pilots and Motor Vehicle Drivers See Better in Fog and at Night • NeuroSky Develops Nerual-Mapping Chip and Sensors
April -		Reframing Multiplayer Games for Academic Learning and Corporate Training Recent Developments: Specialized Computer-Game Treatment for "Lazy Eye"
March -		Online Earth Visualization and Mapping Tools and Services to Enable Easier Development of Georeferenced Virtual Environments
February -		Recent Developments: Motion Capture for VE-Based Distance Education • Research Prototype for Three-Dimensional Tele-Immersive Videoconferencing • Synergies between Contextual Natural-Language Interfaces and VEs • VirtuSphere Interface for Full-Body Immersion

	2005	Download all 2005 Viewpoints (PDF)
Dec/Jan -		2005: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2006
November -		Blending of Virtual and Real Worlds Raises Financial, Legal, and Property Issues
October -		Virtual-Reality Systems for Medical Rehabilitation and Neurofeedback Recent Developments: Realistic Sound Modeling of Virtual Instruments
September -		Recent Developments: Virtual Environments for Treating Posttraumatic-Stress Syndrome in Soldiers • Machine Vision Technology Used for Augmented Maps and 3-D Representation of Complex Objects
August -		Haptics for Teaching Anatomy, Conducting Virtual Surgery and Telesurgery
July -		Broadband Wireless Networks
June -		Development of Multicore Microprocessor Chips to Enhance Virtual Environments Significantly Recent Developments: Game Controllers Integrate Computer Games, Exercise, and Augmented Reality
May -		Recent Developments: Research on Inexpensive Three-Dimensional Sound and Its Applications • Leading Research on Haptics for Virtual Environments
April -		Recent Developments: Augmented Reality for Education • Augmented Reality Systems Shifting to Enhanced Vision for Commercial Aircraft • Improved Tools for Capturing Images for Virtual-Environment Actors
March -		Areas to Monitor: Commercializing Augmented Reality: Heads-Up Displays in Motor Vehicles • GeoWall Projection System: Inexpensive Three-Dimensional Display
February -		Recent Developments: Microprocessor-Based Holography May Enable Miniature Digital-Video Projectors • University of Texas-Dallas Establishes Motion-Capture and Virtual Reality Laboratory • New Beijing Planetarium Merges Virtual-Reality Technology with Laser Projection • NASA Develops Wireless Augmented-Reality Prototype

	2004	Download all 2004 Viewpoints (PDF)
Dec/Jan -		2004: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2005
November -		Recent Developments: Three-Dimensional Sound over Two Channels • 10-Gigabit-per-Second Infrastructure for Research
October -		Recent Developments: European Commission Funds Project to Create New Media Genre • Virtual Environments Simulate the U.S. Elections
September -		Developments in Virtual-Environment Games
August -		Pervasive and Wearable Computing for Next-Generation Learning Applications
July -		Massively Multiplayer Online Games Grow in Popularity
June -		Virtual Horse Racing Grows in Popularity Recent Develoments: Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology Demonstrates Augmented-Reality Game
May -		Recent Develoments: Researchers Develop the Smell Cannon • Researchers Use VR in Medical Applications
April -		3-D Displays Market
March -		Everyone through the Looking Glass
February -		Intellectual-Property Rights in Virtual Environments

	2003	Download all 2003 Viewpoints (PDF)
Dec/Jan -		2003: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2004
November -		Recent Developments: Human versus Machine in Virtual-Reality Chess Match • Networked Streaming Video for Teleoperated Robotic Surgery Announcement: Next Generation Technologies
October -		Augmented-Reality Developments Recent Developments: Virtual-Reality TV Show
September -		Floating Images
August -		Obtaining Perfect Virtual Humans Recent Developments: Virtual Car Mechanics
July -		Recent Developments: eTravel Takes the Strain Out of Executive Meetings • Researchers Premiere LiveActor Virtual Reality System • Canesta Prepares for Virtual Interface Commercialization
June -		eLearning: Expanding Opportunities for Software-Based Simulation
May -		Recent Developments: Pepsico Looks to the Virtual • Virtual Model Removes the Need to Try Clothes On • Microsoft Researchers Develop New Techniques for Virtual Environments
April -		Recent Developments: 3-D Consortium Formed • Violence in Video Games Creates Controversy • Recognition Technologies Come to the Fore
March -		Delighted Customers, Excellent Service: What Role for VE?
February -		Sony Expands Its Massively Multiplayer Online EverQuest Game Recent Developments: Immersion Corp. Announces New Developments • InPhase Technologies Receives NIST Award • VIZTA3D Launches New 3-D Display Technology

	2002	Download Aug.–Dec. 2002 Viewpoints (PDF)
Dec/Jan -		2002: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2003
November -		Recent Developments: Ilixco's Joint Ventures Introduce a New Display System and 3-D DVD Movies • Essential Reality Launches Its P5 Computer Glove • E Ink Demonstrates Color Electronic Paper • Volvo Develops Virtual Pregnant Crash Test Dummy • Players Unveil New Developments on Eye-Tracking Technology
October -		Value in Non-Command-Based User Interfaces Recent Developments: Virtual Environments and Intraocular Surgery
September -		Virtual Realities and Smart Mobs
August -		Recent Developments: Real Homes, Virtual Environments • Smart Textiles
July -		Recent Developments: Truth and Lies on Video • "Touching" the Unborn Fetus • Holographic Storage Developments
June -		Virtual Cues, Virtual Rewards, Real Rats Explorer Announcement
May -		Recent Developments: Changing Human-Machine Interface • Getting Chipped: Human Silicon Implants
April -		Recent Developments: Image-Based Rendering • Mobile Augmented-Reality Systems • Virtual World, Real Economy
March -		Recent Developments: Virtual Stunt Characters • Electronic-Ink Displays
February -		Recent Developments: Virtual Horse-Racing • True 3-D Volumetric Display • U.S. Military Money for Ve?

	2001
Dec/Jan -		2001: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2002
November -		New Opportunities for VE?
October -		Virtual Reality from Technology to Culture to Economics: The Role of Attendants Recent Developments: "Natural Voices" Text-to-Speech System
September -		Recent Developments: Retinal Scanning Display-Based HMD • Nanobots and Virtual Environments
August -		Recent Developments: Clash of Realities • Men and Women in Cyberspace
July -		Recent Developments: VR Meets Motion • Cybernet's Gesture-Recognition Technology
June -		Recent Developments: Web-Based Product Simulations • A Head on the Net
May -		Recent Developments: Virtual Characters in Your Face • New MPEG-4 Standard • Rich Media 3D Standardization Initiative from Web3D Consortium
April -		Virtual Cybercourts for the Future
March -		Recent Developments: ITU Has a New Broadband Standard • Broadband Hits Home • Fiber Optic Sees Light • Broadband Wireless Is High Flying
February -		Recent Developments: Personalization Payoff • 3-D Web Interfaces

	2000
Dec/Jan -		2000: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2001
November -		Recent Developments: 5-D TV in Korea • 3-D Stereoscopic Display from Christie • The Pulse of Human Attention? • Faster 3-D Web Development from CYBERWORLD
October -		Tele-Immersion Stretching Internet2
September -		Recent Developments: Virtual Fearlessness • Virtual Hypnosis • Virtual Symptoms
August -		Recent Developments: Virtual Pet Lovers • Japanese Regulation of Virtual Environments? • Online Therapy in Virtual Environments
July -		Recent Developments: Driving with Force • Phantom Force • Sweet Smell of Success?
June -		Recent Developments: Avatars as Newsreaders • Mass Market for Immersive VR? • New Hope for 3-D Imaging?
May -		3-D e-Commerce Heats Up Recent Developments: Augmenting Reality
April -		Recent Developments: Tomorrow's Virtual Environment via Korean TV • Collaborative Work Environment from France Telecom • Sense of Motion without Moving
March -		3-D Technology in Brick-and-Mortar Retail Recent Developments: Augmented Reality for Modification of Pipelines at Industrial Plants • Signs of a Strengthening Market for VR in the United Kingdom
February -		Virtual Prototyping Recent Developments: Virtual Prototyping for Automobile Applications • Geographic Feature Generation for 3-D Scenes • 3-D Television Heralded by New Techniques for 3-D Image Capture?

	1999
Dec/Jan -		1999: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 2000
November -		Virtual Environments in Retail
October -		Virtual Command Post for Military Operations Recent Developments: 3-D Web Browser for Health-Care Applications • Fakespace-Pyramid Merger and Immersive WorkWall
September -		Research and Applications of Virtual Humans
August -		Explorer Technology Charts
*Before August 1999, the Explorer service was called TechMonitoring, and Viewpoints* were TechLinks.**
July -		New VR Training Tool for Arson Investigators Recent Developments: Canada's Virtual Environment Technologies Center • Displaying Real Estate in 3-D on the Internet • Size of VR Market
June -		Recent Developments: Boeing Using VR for Planning Maintenance of New Aircraft • Simulating Air Traffic Control in VR • VR for Medical Simulations • VR on the Web Boosted by AT&T/MediaOne Merger • First VR World Congress to be in July
May -		Effects of Company Mergers on Virtual-Reality Standards Recent Developments: VR Visualization Centers • GM's Virtual Car Show Rooms
April -		Latest Research on Physical Effects of VR on the Body Recent Developments: VR Standards • Two New Books on VR
March -		A Big Year for Wearable Computing Recent Developments: 3-D Shopping Malls on the Internet • 3-D Ultrasound Product for the Medical Market • Company Merger Trend in VR Field • VRML on the Internet?
February -		New 3-D Content on Web Prompts Change in VR Standards

	1998
Dec/Jan -		1998: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 1999
November -		Business Applications for Less-Immersive, Low-Cost VR Systems Recent Developments: VR for Business Presentations • Converting Business Spreadsheets into VR Landscapes • Graphics-Based Web Browser • More Deals in Large-Format 3-D Entertainment
October -		Advanced 3-D Entertainment Centers Recent Developments: New Study to Gauge Size of Worldwide VR Market • More Military Uses for VR Simulations • 3-D Issue from National Geographic Magazine
September -		Important VR Items from SIGGRAPH '98 Recent Developments: Planning the International Space Station with Synthetic Environments • MUSE's VR Office of the Future
August -		3-D Chat Rooms in the University and the Workplace Recent Developments: New Devices for Adding Touch to Virtual Worlds • VR Training for Semiconductor Machinery Technicians • More Wearable Computers and Components
July -		New VR Methods for Displaying Economic Data • Distribution Alliance between n-Vision Inc. and Prosolvia Clarus • Pioneering VR Consulting Firm to Asymetrix
June -		Wearable Computing Edges toward the Mainstream Applications: Canon Uses 3-D Simulations to Train Workers
May -		VRML Consortium Plans Direction for 3-D Internet Recent Developments: Lockheed Martin Spins Off Its Simulation Subsidiary • VR Simulators Work for Medical Training • TomTec Displays Its 3-D Ultrasound Technology • Company Launches 3-D Games Web Site • CNN Adds 3-D Globe to Its Web Site • Travel Industry Uses 3-D Web Sites
April -		Sun Microsystems Buys VPL Patents Recent Developments: Sales of Graphics Controller Chips Are Increasing • PC's 3-D Graphics Performance on the Web Is Measurable • Magazine Sponsors VRML Image Contest • MOOSE Software Aims to be First Step Beyond VRML
March -		Sales and Advertising in Virtual Environments Recent Developments: New Products from Recently Sold VR Company • VRML Standards: More Universal
February -		Industrial Use of Large-Screen Immersive Displays

	1997
Dec/Jan -		1997: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 1998
November -		Museum Exhibits and 3-D Theaters and VR Recent Developments: More Revivals of Dead and Near-Dead VR Companies • 3-D Model House Plans for the Consumer Market • System Requirements for Picture This! and Dream Home Designer • Opening of VR Competence Center at Virginia Tech
October -		Recent Developments: Disney to Open VR Entertainment Centers in Florida and Chicago • Night of the Living HMD Company--Virtual i-O's Product Line Revived • Seeing the Forest for the Trees with VR: NEC's Tractor Simulator
September -		Announcements from SIGGRAPH '97
August -		Mars Mission Showcases VR Capabilities for Enhanced Telepresence
July -		Virtual Reality and Smell
June -		Increasing Use of VR for Industrial and Military Training Programs
May -		Growing Uses of VR for Corporate Training Programs
April -		Continued Downturns in VR Industry
March -		Adapting Virtual Environments for Educational Use
February -		Movements toward a 3-D Web

	1996
Dec/Jan -		1996: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 1997
November -		Simulating Surgery with Virtual Reality
October -		Live Theater Meets Virtual Reality
September -		Web Site Ranks VR Firms According to Revenue
August -		Graphical MUDs
July -		Worlds around the World • Welcome to OZ • War Games • Increasing Military Simulations • Neural-Network Simulations • Modeling Tool • Sensors from Data Deck • VE Software for the PC
June -		Experiencing Games in a Virtual Environment
May -		Trends in Displays
April -		3-D Graphics on the Desktop
March -		Virtual Reality Mall • Medical Fly-Through • Virtual Tours • Robot Design • Real-Time Chat Service • 3-D Website Builder • Operator Training Tool • VisNet from Superscape
February -		Force Feedback Device • Ford's VE Center • Visualizing Smells • Dismantling Atomic Bomb Factories • HMD Product Line • TV HMD • Sense8 European Headquarters • IBM and Superscape Marketing Deal • Netscape to Acquire 3-D Software Maker
Dec/Jan -		1995: The Year in Review Look for These Developments in 1996