The concepts and technology of access to the virtual worlds in education, culture and art

Nikitin Alexander, Alexandre Nikitin, Nina Reshetnikova

State Centre of Computer Interactive Simulation

1. The main concepts of the virtual worlds and, in particular, computer (CVW), management and interaction with them, and also main characteristics and means of realization are indicated in /1, 2/.

2. The development of information and communication technologies at the end of XX centuries has generated premises for a new stage of complex study of culture as complex system and place of the person in her. To one from these premises it is possible to attribute understanding of culture as metasystems of independent system formations (economy, policy, science and formation, art,etc.) and metagear as a fundamentals it of regulation /3/. Therefore in connection with mass, partly natural virtualization of community - virtual economy, universities, enterprise, the activity, laboratories, museums, government, war, people, cemetery etc., and also advancing development technical both software of formation and support CVW before understanding of their capabilities and consequences of application, was required philosophical, psychological, technical etc. understanding of this process and it of consequences for the person.
It has formed the basis for consideration by the authors of the report of culture as open functionally - oriented metasystem with separation into cultural formations (system) by the form characteristic of them of submissions of sensory resources of the person and operations with them, functional problems, necessary for the solution.

In the basis CVW the complex of sensations at the person of immersing on certain environment and interactions with objects of this environment with use various it of the characteristics - physical, mental, physiological etc., adequate it of daily life and activity or essentially expanding them lies. Just in a sense of formation and management CVW because of metaphors " a body as the interface " CVW can act as metagear of separate complexes of sensations, characteristic of various cultural formations (is more exact - for various problems).

The study and development is supposed:
· Internal and external gears of result and management CVW.
· Place CVW during the solution by the person of problems in particular data domain of culture.
· Complex model CVW, which should supply adaptive and double-side interaction of the person with appendix.
· Models of virtual environments for formation and art with the purpose of experimental check of model CVW.

It on our sight will promote more steep understanding of operation of culture as complex metasystem (in aspect of understanding of result new, confluence etc. of cultural formations and their elements), place of the person in it and development of purposeful cultural policy in process virtualization of community.

3. In the previous reports of the authors was mentioned, that the system of support CVW should consist of the following main subsystems / 1, 2 / - user interface, management, simulation of environment. For want of it the base level of the user interface should support:
· Level of immersing - three-dimensional world with six degree of freedoms - through a screen of the standard screen monitor;
· Kind of interaction - movement in the three-dimensional world with six degree of freedoms + interaction with objects - by means of the keyboard and mouse.

Therefore for want of creation CVW, taking into account a reached technological level and being available resources, it is possible to begin from a minimum (base) level of immersing and interaction with gradual increase of a degree of immersing and level of interaction, including at the expense of connection of devices such as a helmet, glasses, gloves, generation of odors and taste, etc. / 5-8 /.
Some of understanding of use of the interface of a type " a virtual reality " and " the virtual world " in art - new level of interaction of a skew field of the spectator and work of art - can be found in / 9-13 /.

4. Now efforts of author's collective on realization of the concept of creation CVW are concentrated on the following main directions:
· Development of various resources in the field of formation, science, culture etc.;
· Creation of "large" multi-user virtual environment, within the framework of which the developed resources will be used;
· Adaptation serially produced and development of the new specialized equipment (autonomous and Internet-device) for interaction with CVW.

Taking into account, that creation КВМ process complex, the concept will be realized through fulfilment of the separate projects, some of which are considered below. Common for them the following:
· Virtual world is VRML/X3D - the world.
· User's interface - base level (see item 3).
· Hyper- and multimedia.
· One and multi-user access for want of local and distributed performance.
· Means of delivery of a material to the user - CD ROM, telecommunication or mixed.
· Capability of a population by the characters, including with an intellectual behaviour.
· Platform of support - Intel/Pentium; Windows 98 and is higher; Internet/Intranet; CDROM (HTML/VRML/Java).
· Used telecommunication means for survey of the worlds - browser Internet Explorer 4.0 and is higher with a module for survey of VRML-files, for example, ParallelGraphics Cortona VRML Client.

5. The project " of St. Petersburg - World: educational and scientific resources of higher and other educational institutions of St. Petersburg with use of technologies of the virtual worlds (Higher School of St.-Petersburg in Cyberspace) ".

The project is intended for increase of investment and tourist attractiveness of St.-Petersburg, is dated for celebration of 300-year's anniversary of city both engaging of a russian and international public to it preparation and realization.

The purpose of the project - submission of educational institutions, Council of the rectors, Committee on a science both higher school of administration of St.-Petersburg and other interests, and also their educational, scientific, cultural and other resources with use of technology of the virtual worlds and delivery to various categories of the users by means of compact discs and Internet.

The offered project is a part of the complex project, which purpose - submission of large and significant administrative, cultural, industrial and educational objects of St.-Petersburg in the virtual world.

The related projects - virtual cities and structures, for example, which small part is listed in /14/.

For submission of organizations the following primal problems are decided:
· Forms interactive 2/3 D a card of St.-Petersburg.
· The virtual representations of organizations - appearance, interior of selected divisions are developed.
· Virtual world is occupied by the thematic characters.
· Is made selection existing and the new resources (educational, scientific, cultural etc.) are developed which the virtual representations are filled with.
· Will be organized support of a multi-user mode.
· Is developed representation SPb in the existing international virtual worlds and on the contrary.

Now as an example of typical realization of university SPb the model SPbSUAI is created, within the framework of which the faculty of computing systems and networks SPbSUAI grantives the following resources /1/:
· Education - directories "a Fundamentals of systems of a virtual reality" and "Programming on VRML".
· Science - virtual exhibition "Hardware of a virtual reality".
· Culture - albums "Sounds and images Kalmyk songs" and "of St. Petersburg Puchkin".

6. Project "a Cybernetic bicycle " - hardware-software complex permitting to the cyclist to move in the virtual world (VRML/X3D - the world) and to interact from it by objects /15/.

The user's interface - base level (see item 3) with additional capabilities:
· Level of immersing - through a screen multimedia of a projector;
· Kind of interaction - by means of " a control surface + pedal " of a bicycle + trackball for interaction with objects of the world.

Operational modes - ground (with binding to a relief of district) or the air traveling on autonomous or network (is necessary connection to Internet) for the virtual worlds.

The structure of a base configuration is resulted:
· Fixed a bicycle with installed on him trackball both gauges of a turn angle of a control surface and rotation rate of a sprocket.
· Universal Internet- Ethernet the controller for data transfer between a bicycle and personal computer (protocol UDP/IP, Ethernet 10Base-T).
· Personal computer of a type Wintel (Windows + Intel), Windows 98 or is higher, the browser Internet Explorer 5.0 and is higher with a module Cortona VRML Client ParallelGraphics or Blaxxun.

Perspectives - adding of channels of effect per capita (ventilation by an air, cold / heat, pressure etc.), actuation in an outline of management of parameters of the person (pulse etc.), back and lateral plans, creation of the multi-user worlds.

The related projects - Peloton (Bell Labs), VR Bike (Tectrix Fitness Equipment + CyberGear), NetAthlon (FitCentric Technologies), interactive computer art-installation "Legible City" D.Shou.

7. Used and planned areas of application of outcomes of the projects.
· Education.
· Science.
· Culture, art.
· Presentation systems.
· Entertaining systems.
· Electronic tourism.
· Architecture and municipal economy.
· Transport.
· Electronic trade.
· Sports, improvement of the population, rehabilitation etc.
And other.
Some examples are indicated on http://dept44.aanet.ru - Laboratory of the virtual worlds.

Information Sources

1. M.Ignatiev, A.A.Nikitin, A.V.Nikitin, N.Reshetnikova. THE VIRTUAL WORLDS in CULTURE and EDUCATION. - Proceedings of the International conference EVA'2000 " Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts ", М., 2000, STG, VASARI.
2. M.Ignatiev, A.Nikitin, N.Reshetnikova. About the project "Virtual faculty " (concept of development and experience of realization). - In: Proceedings of the International conference EVA'99 " Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts ", М., November 1999г., STG, VASARI.
3. B.Egorov, M.Ignatiev, J.Lotman. An artificial intelligence as metagear of culture, Russian philology and culture, Russian Studies, 1995, 1-4, page 277-287.
4. V.Abrosimov, N.Nosov. About formation of submissions of virtual realities by means of networks. - In: " Virtual realities ". Proceedings of laboratory virtualization. 4. М., Institute of the person of RAS, 1998, s. 11-13.
5. CD-ROM. Electronic book " Bases of systems of a virtual reality " of a type 3D Web/CD. Under edition A.Nikitin, Centre of CIS. 1999.
6. A.Prohorov. Peripheral units for steep immersing. - Computer, № 4, 2001.
7. A.Zelih. The Internet for a gourmet. - internet.ru, 18.04.2000.
8. D.Dugaev. ISmell: it seems, has begun to smell fried. - internet.ru, 09.12.1999.
9. P. Weibel. Capabilities and conditions of existence of art hereafter. - Media Art. The articles. SPb., New world of art, 2000, s. 6-10.
10. P.Weibel. Knowledge and vision. New interface technologies of perception. - Media Art. The articles. SPb., New world of art, 2000, s. 22-27.
11. L.Manovich. A computer screen: a screen and skew field. - In: " Virtual realities ". Proceedings of laboratory virtualization. 4. М., Institute of the person of RAS, 1998, s. 176-181.
12. Confluence of Art and Technology. Art Practice at the ZKM Institute for Visual Media 1992-1997. Hardware. Software. Artware. - First Edition 2000. 1997 ZKM / Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Gantz Verlag, Ostfildern.
13. D.Shou. A lost frame. - Media Art. The articles. SPb., New world of art, 2000, s. 42-43.
14. A.Fedorov. Virtual cities in Internet. - Computer, № 8, 2000, s. 74-79.
15. M.Ignatiev, A.A.Nikitin, A.V.Nikitin, N.Reshetnikova, M.Sergeev. Cyberbike - dynamic system for immersing in cyberspace and virtual travelings. - Y the International exhibition DIALOGUES, July - August 2001, Committee on culture of Administration SPb., SPb., 2001, s..5.

In the report the outcomes obtained for want of by financial support RFBR - the grant № 01-06-80470 .

About Authors

Alexander V. Nikitin - Director of State Centre of Computer Interactive Simulation, Docent, Candidate of Technical Science.
Adress: Russia 190000 St-Petersburg, 67 Bolshaja Morskaja ulica
E-mail: nikitin@spb.cityline.ru

Alexandre A. Nikitin - the post graduate student

Nina Reshetnikova - Docent, Candidate of Technical Science.

http://www.cl.spb.ru.nikitin.vr