E36MUS (Multimedia and Virtual Reality) - 2007

by Jiri Zara, Czech Technical University in Prague

(e-mail: zara@fel.cvut.cz, home page: http://www.cgg.cvut.cz/~zara)

Although the title contains (from the historical reasons) the term 'Multimedia', the course is actually targeted only to the Virtual Reality, more specifically to Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML).  VRML is the standard file format and the standard descriptive language for 3D on the Web. It brings a real-time 3D presentation to a screen of arbitrary user connected to the Internet. The course covers all parts of VRML starting from basic structure of VRML worlds - geometry, colors, textures, light, sound, and continuing to advanced features like animation, rich interactivity, and simulation. Functionality of VRML can be directly extended using Java and JavaScript - both languages will be briefly introduced, but emphasizing JavaScript due to its simplicity. Combination of HTML, VRML, and Java applets will be also presented.

Participants of the course will be able to design either standalone dynamic virtual worlds or special modules suitable for presentation and visualization of data coming from other systems like databases, simulation programs, GIS, etc.

The lecturer of this course is the author of the book on VRML (in Czech language) and the member of ISO/IEC, committee SC24, in which he participated in publishing VRML as International Standard. Currently he participates on a development of the new version called X3D. He teaches VRML in Prague (CZ) - Czech Technical University, Charles University and in Brno (CZ) - Masaryk University. He held a one semester course on Virtual Reality at the Technical University ITESM in Mexico City (MX). He also presented this topic in form of short intensive 2 day course in "Hochschule fur Technik und Wirtschaft" in Dresden (DE) and "School of Art" in Aix en Provence (FR).

Course schedule

Date Lectures - Wednesday
K228, 12:45-14:15
Exercises - Wednesday
K308, 14:30-16:00
Points
28.2. VRML - Introduction Homework Nr. 1 specification: Navigation modes, static models  
  7.3.Cancelled (lecturer in abroad)Homework Nr. 1: continuation
(individual work without any supervision)
 
14.3.VRML - Static nodes, AnchorHomework Nr. 1: continuation 
21.3. VRML - Prototypes, LOD
VRML - Other nodes
Homework Nr. 1: evaluation
Homework Nr. 2 specification: Dynamic world with animations 
20
28.3. VRML - Events
Homework Nr. 2: continuation
 
  4.4. VRML - Manipulators Homework Nr. 2: continuation

 
11.4. VRML - Script, JavaScript Homework Nr. 2: evaluation
Homework Nr. 3 specification: Interactive world with scripting
20
18.4. External Authoring Interface and Java Homework Nr. 3: continuation  
25.4. Cancelled (lecturer in abroad) Homework Nr. 3: continuation
(individual work without any supervision)
 
  2.5. Next generation of VRML - X3D
GeoVRML, NurbsVRML
Homework Nr. 3: evaluation
Homework Nr. 4 specification: World driven by Java applet
20
  9.5. Cancelled (lecturer in abroad) Homework Nr. 4: continuation
(individual work without any supervision)
 
16.5. Rector's Day (no lecture) Rector's Day (no class)
23.5. Blaxxun, QuickTimeVR and other VR systems
Homework Nr. 4: evaluation
20
30.5. Cancelled (lecturer in abroad) cancelled  

Grade assignment:

  0-59 D-insufficient (4)
60-70 C-satisfactory (3)
71-85 B-very good (2)
86-100 A-excellent (1)

This page has been updated by Jiri Zara - 20.3.2007.