Virtual Environments M076 / GV07 Course Administration

1. Virtual Environments M076 / GV07Course Administration Anthony Steed Simon Julier Department of Computer Science University College London http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/VE

2. Overview • How the course is conducted • The web pages and the mailing list • What’s happening next week • Coursework • Seminars • Programming for the CAVE

3. Conduct of the Course • Main lecturers • Lecturers: Anthony Steed, Simon Julier • Lab demonstrator: Will Steptoe • Supporting cast: • David Swapp, others ... • Research Fellows will usually do one or two lectures per week • You will do another hour in the form of a group seminar each week.

4. Web Pages & Mailing List • Main web page for the course is • www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/VE • This has vital information – schedules, course notes, coursework, reading. • Module mailing list • You must register for the mailing list • It is the definitive record of all module instructions • Send email to: • MSc VIVE: gv07-request@cs.ucl.ac.uk • 4th years: m076-request@cs.ucl.ac.uk • Use subject ‘join’

5. What’s Happening Next Week • You will experience several demonstrations in UCL’s virtual reality facility • For each demonstration note the reasons why feeling happened worked or didn’t. • How much did I feel as if I had been in that place depicted by the virtual environment? • How much did I act there as if I was visiting such a place for real? • Write an overall report • http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/VE/Coursework/lab.html • Email it to Anthony by the start of Week 7 • Groups will be allocated based on those subscribed to email lists • Should motivate you to sign up!

6. Course Assessment • Written Exam 70% • Answer 3 of 5 essay-type questions • Past papers up on the website for reference • Coursework 30 % • Two parts to coursework • Your group seminar (30%) • Your group programming coursework (70%) • Groups for two parts need not be the same

7. Group Seminars • The seminars will be given in MPEB 1.04 on Wednesdays from 12:00 to 13:00 • They will last for 35 minutes; 15 minutes for questions • Everybody is expected to attend • We will be giving you material to build upon and improve from previous years • Marking: • 40% presentation • 40% slides • 20% new material above what was presented last year

8. Group Seminar Schedule • Weeks 7-9 and 11-15 • Week 7 – Physics systems • Week 8 – Stereo systems • Week 9 – Tracking Technologies • Week 11 – Network Scalability • Week 12 – Human Factors • Week 13 – Representing People • Week 14 – Auditory and Haptic Systems • Week 15 – Mixed and Augmented Reality • Form your groups TODAY • Topics in first-come, first-served order • Order may change but only after week 9.

9. Programming Coursework • In groups of 2-3 people, you will develop an immersive virtual environment that will run in the CAVE • Will be assessed by demonstration and a write-up • Full details on the web page later this week

10. Programming Coursework • The project will be implemented in Anon Platform • Code written on a laptop should “just work” in the CAVE • Check that it does!

11. Labs • Labs will be run on Weds from 1-2pm • Additional session on Wednesdays • Two venues: • 4.17 (PC lab; tutorials) • Ground floor (test with CAVE and trackers) • There will be tutorials in at least some weeks: • Week 7 - Use of Max • Week 8 - Introduction to AnonPlatform

12. Materials • Recommended text: Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design, William R. Sherman, Alan B. Craig • Other materials: • Seminar presenters get copies of papers • All slides on web • Slides and your notes will suffice for revision

13. Office Hours • Anthony & Simon will be available to discuss aspects of the course via office hours • Current tentative time is Tuesdays after the lectures in 6.21 (Anthony) and 6.04 (Simon) • We will see people in the following order: • Emailed to schedule an appointment • First come; first served

14. Summary www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/VE Sign up for the mailing list!!!