Subject

Virtual reality

Course Title

Virtual reality
Virtual Reality

Code

F23L3S083

Study Programme

—

Organizer of the study programme (unit, institute, department or division)

Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering

Degree level (first, second, third cycle)

First Cycle

Academic year / semester

8 / Summer

Number of ECTS credits

Teacher

Katarina Troyanets Dineva, Suzana Loshkova

Prerequisites for enrolling in the course

Algorithms and Data Structures or Applied Algorithms and Data Structures

10.

Objectives of the course programme (competences)

The course should familiarize students with the concept of virtual reality, its different
types of virtual environments, input-output devices, as well as basic programming techniques for designing and
development of virtual environments. Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to understand the concept of
virtual reality, to be able to describe the characteristics of the different types of virtual
environments and have basic knowledge of designing and developing virtual worlds.

11.

Course content

Lectures:
1. Introduction. Terminology. Examples.
2. Input devices. Types of input devices. Head-position tracking devices.
3. Input devices. Hand-tracking devices. Platforms. World-tracking devices. Criteria for evaluating tracking devices.
4. Output devices. Types. Video output devices. Spatial viewing. Techniques for 3D viewing. Types of devices. Examples.
5. Output devices. Audio devices. Achieving 3D sound. Stationary and non-stationary devices. Examples.
6. Input-output devices. Tactile devices. Forms of tactile perception. Characteristics. Touch devices.
7. Tactile devices. Use of robotic arms. Devices based on magnetic levitation. Use of sound to simulate touch.
8. Output devices for other senses. Smell. Taste.
9. Representation of a virtual world. Types of representation. Use of simplified symbols. Realism and degrees of realism. Techniques for representing video, audio, and tactile signals.
10. Rendering of virtual worlds. Surface and volume rendering of video information. Rendering of complex scenes and resource optimization. Scene graph. Rendering of audio and tactile signals.
11. User Interaction. Manipulation of objects in the virtual world. Manipulation methods. Object selection techniques. Entering commands in the virtual world.
12. Navigation in a virtual world. Pathfinding. Pathfinding assistance. Traveling in a virtual world. Methods of travel in a virtual world.

Practical Classes:
1. Introduction to technologies that support the creation of a virtual environment.
2. Additional capabilities of technologies that support the creation of a virtual environment.
3. Creating a simple virtual environment.
4. Implementation of examples for working with input devices and tracking head position in a virtual reality environment.
5. Implementation of additional examples for working with different input devices
6. Implementation of examples adapted for different output devices.
7. Implementation of examples for working with tactile devices.
8. Implementation of additional examples for working with tactile devices.
9. Examples of different types of representation of the virtual world. Use of different techniques for sound representation.
10. Implementation of more complex scenes. Resource management.
11. Implementation of various ways of interacting with the user. Examples involving manipulation of objects in the virtual world.
12. Implementation of navigation. Examples of different travel methods in the virtual environment.

12.

Learning methods

Lectures using presentations, interactive lectures, exercises (using equipment and software packages), teamwork, case studies, guest lecturers, independent preparation and defense of a project assignment and a seminar paper.

13.

Total available time

6 ECTS x 30 hours = 180 hours

14.

Distribution of available time

30 + 45 + 15 + 15 + 75 = 180 hours

15.

Forms of teaching activities

15.1.	Lectures - theoretical instruction	30 hours
15.2.	Exercises (laboratory, auditory), seminars, teamwork	45 hours

16.

Other forms of activities

16.1.	Project assignments	15 hours
16.2.	Independent assignments	15 hours
16.3.	Home study	75 hours

17.

Assessment method

17.1.	Tests	0 points
17.2.	Seminar paper / project (presentation: written and oral)	15 points
17.3.	Activities and learning	10 points
17.4.	Final exam	50 points

18.

Grading criteria (points / grade)

up to 50 points	5 (five) (F)
from 51 to 60 points	6 (six) (E)
from 61 to 70 points	7 (seven) (D)
from 71 to 80 points	8 (eight) (C)
from 81 to 90 points	9 (nine) (B)
from 91 to 100 points	10 (ten) (A)

19.

Requirement for obtaining a signature and taking the final exam

Activities Implemented 15.2

20.

Language of instruction

Macedonian and English

21.

Method for monitoring the quality of teaching

internal evaluation and survey mechanism

22.

Literature

22.1.

Required literature

1. William R. Sherman & Alan B. Craig | Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design | Morgan Kaufmann | 2003
2. Jason Jerald | The VR Book: Human-Centered Design for Virtual Reality | Association for Computing Machinery and Morgan & Claypool Publishers | 2016
3. Steve Aukstakalnis | Practical Augmented Reality: A Guide to the Technologies, Applications, and Human Factors for AR and VR (Usability) | Addison-Wesley Professional | 2016

22.2.

Additional literature

No. Author Title Publisher Year