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Title
Abstract
Introduction
Related Work
Data Flow of Tracking Data
Data Flow Concept
Conclusions and Future Work
References
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Computer Science
Software Engineering

An open software architecture for virtual reality interaction

Profile image of Dieter SchmalstiegDieter Schmalstieg

2001

https://doi.org/10.1145/505008.505018
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9 pages

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Abstract

This article describes OpenTracker, an open software architecture that provides a framework for the different tasks involved in tracking input devices and processing multi-modal input data in virtual environments and augmented reality application. The OpenTracker framework eases the development and maintenance of hardware setups in a more flexible manner than what is typically offered by virtual reality development packages. This goal is achieved by using an object-oriented design based on XML, taking full advantage of this new technology by allowing to use standard XML tools for development, configuration and documentation. The OpenTracker engine is based on a data flow concept for multi-modal events. A multi-threaded execution model takes care of tunable performance. Transparent network access allows easy development of decoupled simulation models. Finally, the application developer's interface features both a time-based and an event based model, that can be used simultaneously, to serve a large range of applications. OpenTracker is a first attempt towards a "write once, input anywhere" approach to virtual reality application development. To support these claims, integration into an existing augmented reality system is demonstrated. We also show how a prototype tracking equipment for mobile augmented reality can be assembled from consumer input devices with the aid of OpenTracker. Once development is sufficiently mature, it is planned to make Open-Tracker available to the public under an open source software license.

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Related topics

  • Mobile Augmented Reality
  • Object Oriented Design
  • Data Flow Diagram

    • Cited by

    DEVAL – A Device Abstraction Layer for VR/AR
    Wolfgang Broll

    Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2007

    While software developers for desktop applications can rely on mouse and keyboard as standard input devices, developers of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications usually have to deal with a large variety of individual interaction devices. Existing device abstraction layers provide a solution to this problem, but are usually limited to a specific set or type of input devices. In this paper we introduce DEVAL-an approach to a device abstraction layer for VR and AR applications. DEVAL is based on a device hierarchy that is not limited to input devices, but naturally extends to output devices.

    View PDFchevron_right
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