texture mapping and ray tracing in virtual reality environments

Creating three-dimensional images of things can be achieved via the representation of their surfaces. Surface texture, shading, and reflected lighting provide important cues for 3D sensation. Two-dimensional texture shadings are applied to surfaces in a process called "texture mapping." These surfaces may then be shaded and improved with light reflection to improve depth perception. We all are most familiar with objects lit from a single light source above, so shading and light reflection based on an overhead light source gives strong cues for detail perception. Among the more difficult ways of illuminating virtual elements ofvolves tracing the rays of solitary beams of light as they are reflected and refracted from the objects. This is called "ray tracing." See related material at The NPSNET Research Group .

Vision is probably the single most important sense through which people learn about their setting, but interaction is a two-way street. Not only do people receive information from their world, but people also modify their world. This is the case in virtual worlds as well as the real world. Vision may be paramount in communication from computers to people, but touch and motion (called "haptics") currently have top priority with respect to interaction from human beings to computing systems. Human-to-computer communication built on hand and body motion is much farther developed than information transmission from humans to computers based on eye motion. Continued technical discussion at Virtual Tours Overland Park, Kansas .

Linked page Virtual Movies also has developments on VR.