James M. Ragusa

Collaborative Virtual Design Environments: Introduction

Computer-generated animated and enhanced movies and training simulations are now commonplace because of an exponential increase in cost-effective computer power and software robustness. Today, pilots and astronauts routinely train and practice normal and emergency scenarios much as they would in a real vehicle in an operational environment. As entertainment-seeking consumers, we regularly find ourselves viewing movies, TV, and games containing imaginary dinosaurs, aircraft dogfights, monsters, and voyages to other planets and galaxies.

Study results: the use of virtual environments for product design

Today, many product development organizations are investigating the use of multi-functional teams coupled with emerging interactive virtual environment technologies to create more robust, collaborative virtual design environments. Within these environments design team mates could simultaneously enter a virtual product design, and jointly evaluate design issues, ideas, and parameters-each from their own experience, perspective, viewpoint and functional responsibility. However, the proliferation and variety of commercially available virtual environment systems has complicated system selection. This paper presents results of a study that investigated the use of four commercial visual displays on the design review process. Study results indicated that the sense of presence experienced while conducting a design review plays an important role in improving design review practices and that some devices are considerably better than others.

Integrating virtual 3-D display systems into product design reviews: some insights from empirical testing

The infusion of virtual three-dimensional (3-D) display systems into the product design and development process has intrigued researchers and practitioners in recent years. However, the variety of commercially available devices has complicated system selection and use for this application. This paper presents results of a study designed to determine if virtual display systems contribute to cross-functional team collaboration during product design reviews. The research conducted at a US Army design facility investigates design team use of virtual environments (VEs) for evaluation of a new armoured vehicle-refuelling concept. Study results indicated that teams detect more design errors when using stereoscopic glasses or conventional monoscopic cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor systems, they detect design errors faster using a head mounted display (HMD), and no differences were found for the time to resolve identified design problems. Subjective perceptions and preferences data analyses indicated that HMD and CRT monitor systems were liked best.

Models and applications of multimedia, hypermedia, and intellimedia integration with expert systems

Abstract As is widely recognized, information in a variety of media forms (text, data, graphics, still images, animation, full-motion video, speech, and nonspeech audio) is expanding at an accelerated rate. It is also recognized that present methods of information processing are not adequate to cope with either this glut or with increasing user needs. New designs and synergistic methods of intelligent interactive information management are needed, including the integration of expert systems (ES) with various media forms. This article explores the integration of ES with multimedia, hypermedia, and intellimedia—the latter being an advanced intelligent media concept identified by the author. Furthermore, it describes and discusses integration models, application domains, emerging integrated applications, and research issues.

Improving Integrated Project Team Interaction Through Virtual (3D) Collaboration

Abstract: To shrink the cost and protracted length of total system and product development life cycles (DLCs), many organizations (including the U.S. military) have moved away from serial to concurrent collaboration through the use of cross-functional, integrated project/product teams (IPTs). In addition and more recently, a growing number of commercial organizations are using life-size three-dimensional (3D) virtual collaborative environments (VCEs). These information systems-based, project-orientated enabling technologies provide individuals and IPTs with views almost as realistic as full-scale physical prototypes, and offer the capability to rapidly change perspectives to view the outside, inside, top, and underside of large and small synthetic product models. In this article we identify some VCE advantages, application areas, and success factors and research issues for those planning on venturing into and using VCEs. We also provide a basis and answer to a central research question asked: Do 3D VCEs provide an improved environment for IPT interaction and results? The answer is: Yes, they do!

Virtual (3D) collaborative environments: an improved environment for integrated product team interaction?

To shrink the cost and protracted length of total system and product development life cycles (DLCs), many organizations (including the U.S. Army) have moved away from serial to concurrent collaboration through the use of cross-functional, integrated product teams (IPTs). In addition and more recently, a growing number of these organizations are also using life size three-dimensional (3D) virtual collaborative environments (VCEs). This enabling technology provides individuals and IPTs with views almost as realistic as physical prototypes, and offers the capability to rapidly change perspectives to view the outside, inside, top, and underside of synthetic system and product model(s) - even full scale. This paper addresses and provides an answer to a central research question: do 3D VCEs provide an improved environment for IPT team interaction? The answer is yes, they do!.

Virtual collaborative design environments: a review, issues, some research, and the future

Innovative private and public sector organizations are now using virtual collaborative design environments (VCDEs) to develop new products and weapon systems as part of their technology management initiatives. This paper reviews several commercially available virtual technologies, operational and research issues, empirical testing results comparing a CAVE automatic virtual environment (CAVE) to a traditional concept design review, and identifies future needs.

Using a 3D virtual collaborative design environment for an advanced vehicle concept review: some test results

This paper briefly describes several first- and second-generation virtual environment (VE) systems, and the results of US Army empirical testing of one second-generation system - the CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE). Compared in the test with the CAVE was the Armys traditional and proven method of reviewing advanced vehicle concepts - a PowerPoint™ briefing. Test results indicated several advantages for the VE that should be of interest to any organisation facing the need to shrink development life cycles, reduce costs, and improve product and system utility. A conclusion reached is that additional research and testing are needed to provide additional insights into the use of VE technologies to improve and support collaborative product and system development, design, and acquisition.