This paper describes an environmental feedback device (EFD) control system aimed at simplifying the VR development cycle. Programmable Immersive Peripheral Environmental System (PIPES) affords VR developers a custom approach to programming and controlling EFD behaviors while relaxing the required knowledge and expertise of electronic systems. PIPES has been implemented for the Unity engine and features EFD control using the Arduino integrated development environment. PIPES was installed and tested on two VR systems, a large format CAVE system and an Oculus Rift HMD system. A photocell based end-to-end latency experiment was conducted to measure latency within the system. This work extends previously unpublished prototypes of a similar design. Development and experiments described in this paper are part of the VR community goal to understand and apply environment effects to VEs that ultimately add to users’ perceived presence.

Date Published: 17 March 2015
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9392, The Engineering Reality of Virtual Reality 2015, 939209 (17 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2083410

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9392:
The Engineering Reality of Virtual Reality 2015
Margaret Dolinsky; Ian E. McDowall, Editor(s)