what looks like a scene out of a science
fiction movie is actually real
scientists from nasa's jet propulsion
laboratory have manipulated spacecraft
data of venus to give a bird's-eye view
of its surface
venus is out there being digitized but
this digital model this virtual reality
of venus is what's actually being
explored on earth
dr michael mcgreevy of nasa's ames
research center has taken the idea of
being there a few steps further
by strapping on 3d visual display
goggles and specially censored gloves
one can be immersed into new worlds what
is unique about virtual reality is that
the user has complete control over the
environment
head or body movements translate
directly into the way a simulated
martian landscape is seen
in another example the task is to
withdraw a square shape from its slot
the operator's glove can be manipulated
to control a robotic arm while sound
cues help with depth perception and
finding proper fit
scientists have also designed a virtual
wing tunnel
the investigator can move anywhere in
the tunnel to study airflow
virtual reality gives the operator
complete choice
and is beginning to be used for a
variety of commercial applications
what sets nasa apart in this uh current
climate is that we aren't looking at the
mainstream applications uh of the this
global activity which tend to be
entertainment and video games we're more
looking to how to use this for
scientific visualization
in particular looking at the detailed
environments of the planets
looking at computational fluid dynamics
models of the air flow over a wing
that sort of thing
virtual reality is an idea that dates
back to the 60s and will be commonplace
by the next decade
already it has been used during the gulf
war to train tank commanders and
soldiers the american backsled team
owned their skills for the olympics with
a form of virtual reality
and the japanese have developed a system
that allows architects to walk clients
through a virtual building before it's
constructed
the dry valleys of antarctica may soon
become a far-reaching outlet for this
technology
scientists have long been interested in
the area because it is so similar to
mars
its frozen lakes contain primitive
microbial gnats that live in the water
below many feet of ice
researchers at nasa ames are planning to
use a form of virtual reality called
telepresence to operate a remote imaging
and sampling vehicle to explore this
bizarre world
dr carol stoker leads this effort
with telepresence we think that that we
can really expand the range of access to
the surface of mars from a scientific
perspective not just in terms of
operating you know relatively uh simple
robots to do things like construction
but but really to do scientific field
work
the potential of virtual reality and
telepresence and planetary exploration
is very promising and earthly
applications derived from this research
may become products we use every day
hmm
so you're going to reach out and
pop up the
visual scene right yeah i'll use the um
the exos d iconifier
okay
let's get this window right here the
icon five good and let's get this window
vehicle
because one is to measure the gestures
of our
folks in the field
and also to transmit those gestures into
the virtual environment and into the
telepresent environment
is the ability to reach down and grab
that rock right there
pick up a piece of that rock
look at it
to check for the glitz and then to take
it and put it into your pack
extract it out that one sort of small
area oh is that right here the walk
around is by rock in this high rock and
the one to the left
you