Virtual Environment Lab (V-Lab)
Created on Oct 1, 2009, the Virtual Environment Lab (V-Lab) is funded through the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) award by the U.S. Army Research Office (ARO).
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Doctoral student Henry Li getting ready to enter into the virtual world.
When you step into the darkened Virtual Environment Lab (V-Lab), the first thing that draws your attention would be the gigantic 72-in Digital Liquid Plasma High-Definition TV! While the size of the HDTV may impressed many students, just wait till you put on the 3D (stereoscopic) shutter glasses, because all of a sudden, you are no longer on this side of reality but are instantly transported into an immersive 3D virtual world!
Nothing can fully prepare a person for what it feels like. Not only will you ‘see’ yourself walking, running, in a strange yet familiar world… but you can also explore your surroundings and even engage enemies in hand-to-hand combat! Before long, the distinction between the real and the virtual worlds began to blur… and time stood still as all sense of reality faded into oblivion… Dr. Loh explained, “The HDTV is just a ‘window’ to the virtual world; and in one moment, you step through reality…”
Multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) research projects are currently underway. If you are interested in participating, please contact Dr. Loh! [csloh /at/siu\dot\edu]
