Abstract: In this paper a virtual reality and multimedia based approach to visual monitoring and telepresence is presented. The traditional monitoring system consists of a large number of instruments and displays and it is difficult, if not imposssible, for the operator to view all of them. In most of the real systems, different signals are correlated. The operator can perceive values of such signals as a pattern on displays. The goal is to design a monitoring system in such a way that the operator can reliably identify patterns in space and time without too much effort or experience. In this paper, application of virtual reality and multimedia technology to this problem is discussed. Basic steps for the construction of such an interface are identified and described. Specific issues regarding the use of specialized equipment (head mounted display, glove, tracking system, etc.) are addressed. The use of stereo vision, gesture recognition and speech recognition to enhance the user interface is illustrated. The construction of video and audio components of a virtual environment is explained. The organization of multimedia database that supports such an interface is discussed. Communication between sensory devices and monitoring system is analyzed. An example of a monitoring system for an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is given.
Kimon P. Valavanis is a Professor at The Center for Advanced Computer Studies of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), and Associate Director for Research of the USL A-CIM Center. Since September, 1994, he has also been the A-CIM/[TC]2/LEQSF Endowed Professor in Manufacturing. Dr. Valavanis' research interests are in the area of Robotics and Automation Systems, Intelligent Machines and Automated Manufacturing Systems. He has published over 140 book chapters, technical journal/transactions and conference papers. He is the co-author of the book (with Dr. G.N. Saridis) Intelligent Robotics Systems: Theory, Design and Applications, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992. He has organized and taught Tutorial Workshops at the IEEE CDC, ACC and IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. He is the Editor-in-chief of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Magazine, and the Book Review Editor of the Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems. Dr. Valavanis is a Senior member of IEEE, a member of Sigma Xi, member of the Academy of Science of New York, ISRA and RIA.
Denis Gracanin was born in Rijeka, Croatia in 1963. He earned a B.S. (1985) and M.S. (1988) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Zagreb and M.S. (1992) and Ph.D. (1994) in Computer Science from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He is currently a research scientist at the A-CIM Center of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette.