VIRTUAL REALITY -- VIRTUAL REALITY -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- Chapter 1 SECOND LIFE AS EDUCATIONAL SPACE FOR THE SIMULATION OF ENTERPRISES' START UP AND FOR MANAGERIAL CULTURE DEVELOPMENT -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND ON SECOND LIFE AS EDUCATIONAL SPACE -- 3. THE METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK -- 4. THE ENTERPRISE SIMULATION METHODOLOGY APPLIED IN BOLOGNA UNIVERSITY LABORATORY -- 5. THE ENTERPRISE SIMULATION IN REAL ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE KK PERSONAL ROBE -- 6. THE ENTERPRISE SIMULATION IN SECOND LIFE: THE CASE NEW FASHION PERSPECTIVES -- 7. THE RESEARCH RESULTS -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 2 AN INTUITIVE 3D INTERFACE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR VIRTUAL REALITY APPLICATIONS -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 1.1. The Virtual Reality Application Interfaces -- 1.2. The Current Trend of Interface Development -- 1.2.1. The 2D Multi-Touch Technology -- 1.2.2. Body Motion Control in Gaming Industry -- 1.3. The CAVE System and Intuitive Interface -- 1.3.1. The CAVE System -- 1.3.2. Major Challenges -- 2. LITERATURE REVIEW -- 2.1. Device-Based Interfaces -- 2.1.1. 3D mouse -- 2.1.2. Traditional Generic Devices -- 2.1.3. Customized Devices -- 2.1.4. Data-Gloves -- 2.2. Gesture-Based Interfaces -- 2.2.1. Visual Recognition -- 2.2.2. Marker System -- 2.3. Biological Tracking Systems -- 3. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION -- 3.1. Control Model Design -- 3.1.1. From 2D Multi-Touch to 3D Hand Input -- 3.1.2. From 3D Hand Input to Intelligent Interface -- 3.2. Hardware Implementation -- 3.2.1. IR Motion Capture System -- 3.2.2. The imseCAVE -- 3.2.3. Calibration of IR Motion Tracking System in Imsecave -- 3.2.4. Hand-Input Model Implementation -- 3.2.5. Implementation of a Hand Tracking Framework in Virtools -- 3.3. Limitations of the Tracking System.

4. CASE STUDY - A CAVE-BASED VR FORKLIFT TRUCK SIMULATION SYSTEM FOR SAFETY ENHANCEMENT -- 4.1. Background -- 4.2. Enhanced Head Tracking -- 4.3. Intuitive Menu Operation -- 4.4. Implementation Results -- CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK -- REFERENCE -- Chapter 3 REVERSE ENGINEERING TOOLS IN AUGMENTED REALITY TO SUPPORT ACQUISITION, PROCESSING AND INTERACTIVE STUDY OF CULTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SETUP -- 2.1. Collimation between Measurement and Visualization -- 3. INTERACTIVE STUDY OF REAL OBJECTS -- 3.1.Brief Recalls on Curves and Surfaces Representation -- 3.2. Acquisition of Curves and Surfaces of Archeological Fragment -- 3.3. Geometrical Analysis of Fragments -- 3.3.1. Study of Revolved Surfaces -- 3.3.2. Matching of Profiles -- 3.3.3. Profile Recognition and DatabaseComparison -- 4. INTERACTIVE MANIPULATION OF VIRTUALOBJECTS -- 4.1. Adding Virtual Entities -- 4.2. Scaling and Magnifying Virtual Objects -- 4.3. Interactive Live Sectioning of Virtual Objects -- 4.4. Free Moving and Rotating of Virtual Objects -- 4.5. Functional Constraints and Moving Partially Constrained Objects -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 4 PRESENCE IN VIRTUAL REALITY: IMPORTANCE AND METHODS TO INCREASE IT -- ABSTRACT -- PRESENCE -- IMPORTANCE OF PRESENCE -- FACTORS INFLUENCING PRESENCE -- User Variables -- Level of Anxiety -- Sensory Processing -- Interaction Variables -- Degree of Relevance/Meaning -- SUMMARY -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 5 VIRTUAL REALITY IN TEXTILE FIELD -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- VIRTUAL REALITY -- BASIC OF TEXTILES -- Simple Theory -- Fabrics Classification -- Real Textiles -- APPLICATION OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN TEXTILES -- Realized Systems -- Simple Application -- Commercial Systems -- TEXTILE COMPOSITES -- Composite Volume Structure -- Voids in Composite -- CONCLUSION.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 6 VIRTUAL REALITY AS A TOOL FOR MACHINING-PROCESSES SIMULATION AND EVALUATION -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2.VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT SYSTEMS FOR MACHINING PROCESSES SIMULATION -- 3.METHODOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR 3 AXIS MILLING PROCESS SIMULATION -- 3.1. Cutter Path Determination -- 3.2. Three Dimensional Geometrical Models -- 3.3. Workpiece Material Removal Simulation -- 3.4. Quantitative Data Parameters Determination in Machining Processes -- 4. THE PROPOSED VIRTUAL MACHINING PROCESS SIMULATION SYSTEM -- 5. VERIFICATION OF THE DEVELOPED MODEL FOR MACHINING PROCESSES QUANTITATIVE DATA CALCULATION -- CONCLUSIONS -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 7 VIRTUAL REALITY AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM AND LEARNING DIFFICULTIES -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- AUTISM AND LEARNING DIFFICULTIES -- BACKGROUND -- ADVANTAGES OF VR TOOLS FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM AND LEARNING DIFFICULTIES -- Environment Understanding -- From Literality to Symbolism -- Social Abilities -- DESCRIPTION OF VIRTUAL REALITY APPLICATIONS -- Virtual Supermarket -- Virtual School -- DEVELOPMENT -- EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT -- SOME RESULTS -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- INDEX -- Blank Page.