ABSTRACT
Virtual environments created through computer graphics are communications media. They have both physical and abstract components like other media. A well designed human-machine interface affords the user an efficient and effortless flow of information between the device and its human operator. Successful interface design should strive to reduce this adaptation period by analysis of the users’ task and their performance limitations and strengths. Virtual environment displays represent a three-dimensional generalization of the two-dimensional desk-top metaphor. Successful synthesis of an environment requires some analysis of the parts that make up the environment. The objects and actors in the environment are its content. These objects may be described by vectors which identify their position, orientation, velocity, and acceleration in the environmental space, as well as other distinguishing characteristics such as their colour, texture, and energy. The geometry is a description of the environmental field of action.
