engleski

Virtual reality in medicine

Virtual reality (VR) is characterized by immersion of user senses in a synthetic computer-generated environment. The real visual, auditory, and tactile cues are replaced by computer generated sensory cues therefore giving the user a sense of presence in a virtual world. VR has found many applications in the field of medicine. The advances in high performance computing, graphics, and networking together with new human-machine interfaces form a technological basis for VR applications. Research in the area of 3-D image analysis, visualization, tissue modelling, and human-machine interfaces provides scientific expertise necessary for developing successful VR applications. Related fields and terminology such as augmented reality, full and partial immersion, wearable computers, heptic interfaces, tele-presence, and tele-medicine will be introduced in the lecture. The aims of the paper are to present the foundations of VR technology, to provide an overview of research activities in medical VR, and to provide practical VR information and research resources. The basic elements of the VR technology are presented such as general information about VR technology, terminology, and application areas. The overview of a number of VR hardware and software components that are required for many VR systems is presented. The relation between VR and Internet will be presented together with basics of the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). An overview of medical VR applications and research areas that will be presented includes: education, surgical planning and simulation, visualization, radiotherapy planning, dentistry, tele-medicine, tissue modeling, human-machine interfaces, and rehabilitation and therapy. The written materials accompanying the lecture will contain extensive bibliography and Internet resources section which VR researchers may find useful.

virtual reality ; VRML ; 3-D image analysis

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