From t-jeffp@microsoft.com Tue Jun 16 15:59:30 1998 Received: from burdell.cc.gatech.edu (root@burdell.cc.gatech.edu [130.207.3.207]) by lennon.cc.gatech.edu (8.8.4/8.6.9) with ESMTP id PAA27144 for ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 15:59:28 -0400 (EDT) Received: from wheaten.hitl.washington.edu (HdBE+Y2y4u3/1BpCXqtLJmJ7d7ytZ3dv@[128.95.73.60]) by burdell.cc.gatech.edu (8.8.4/8.6.9) with ESMTP id PAA01381 for ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 15:59:26 -0400 (EDT) Received: from mail2-b.microsoft.com (mail2-b.microsoft.com [131.107.3.124]) by wheaten.hitl.washington.edu (8.8.8/8.6.12) with ESMTP id MAA06071 for <3d-ui@hitl.washington.edu>; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 12:59:20 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail2-b.microsoft.com with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2166.0) id ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 12:58:49 -0700 Message-ID: <61AC5C9A4B9CD11181A200805F57CD5404326B63@red-msg-44.dns.microsoft.com> From: Jeff Pierce To: "'3D UI list'" <3d-ui@hitl.washington.edu> Subject: RE: input devices Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 12:58:45 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2166.0) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-2022-jp" Status: RO > -----Original Message----- > From: Ken Hinckley > Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 11:03 AM > To: Jeff Pierce; 3D UI list > Subject: RE: input devices > > I think the other point that Chris made, that the hand-held > devices allow greater precision of manipulation, is the more > important issue. Even if you actually strap the tracker to > your finger, gloves provide only very coarse manipulation > compared to an object you can tumble in your fingers. Yes, but... (c'mon, you know you saw this coming) the extra precision doesn't matter in all cases. If I'm attempting to create fine art in VR, then yes, I want as much precision as possible. However, how much precision do the tasks we've created in VR really require? - Architectural walkthrough - Entertainment - Simulation I would argue that these are the big three applications where we've demonstrated that 3D/VR is useful. And how much precision is required for these tasks? Let's face it, if you require lots of precision you're probably not working in a virtual environment anyway, you're working on the desktop. > The other key issue, which I don't think anyone mentioned > yet, is that with a glove you absolutely need a clutching > mechanism if you want to orient objects in any direction. > With a hand-held tracker or prop, then a clutch isn't > necessary (but may be desirable depending on the precise task > constraints) -- so as a designer you have another option that > I feel you don't have with gloves. Actually, this isn't true. Given two hands and a single object I can orient that object in any direction in a smooth gesture: hold the object in one hand, "pull out" a lever with the other, then use the lever to orient the object in an arbitrary direction. Since I'm defending gloves here I want to remind everyone that I'm not absolutely pro-glove or pro-prop. Both have their place. In the last implementation of the WIM we actually use both: you've got a hand-held clipboard that the WIM is attached to, and you have a pinch glove on your right hand for reaching in and interacting with the object. Jeff