Module: IC52A3 1997/98 Semester I
Title:  Advanced Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality
(Lecture notes are available after each course from NUS CO-OP)

Lectures:    26 hours; 2 hours/week in ISCS DSR, level 3 of S16
Tutorials:   None
Assessment:  Assignments and final examination (11 Dec, pm)

Pre-requisites: Better to take IC2261 Intro. to Comp. Graphics
                (not compulsory)

Aims and Objectives:

IC52A3 is designed to cover various topics of current research 
in the field of computer graphics and virtual reality. This 
semester, the course will focus on virtual environment systems
and VRML 2.0 -- Virtual Reality Modeling Language allows world 
designers to create interactive animated 3D virtual worlds.

Virtual Reality (VR) has been an active research topic of 
Computer Graphics. During this course various VR techniques 
are going to be studied on software system, immersing hardware 
devices, geometric modeling/rendering and VRML standard 
specification.

It is hoped that, after the course, students will have a 
general picture of the current research and development in VR. 
In addition to using VRML and VRML authoring tool, students 
can also learn the method of conducting advanced research.

Considering that the course is at the graduate level and most 
of the course contents are recent research work, the course 
will be a seminar/research course. Active participation of 
every student is expected.

Term project is an important component of the course and each 
student is required to complete a term project individually.

Recommended Textbooks:

[1] Roy WS. Kalawsky, The Science of Virtual Reality and 
    Virtual Environments, Addison-Wesley Publishers Ltd. 
    and Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc., 1993 
    (NUS Science Library, TL 1495 Kal).

[2] David F Rogers and Rae A Earnshaw Eds., State of the Art 
    in Computer Graphics, Visualization and Modeling, 
    Springer-Verlag, 1991 (NUS ISCS TIC, T 385 .ROG4).

[3] Jed Hartman and Josie Wernecke, The VRML 2.0 Handbook,
    Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc., 1996.

Proceedings:

ACM SIGGRAPH Conference Proceedings, COMPUTER GRAPHICS 
Annual Conference Series

Other Course Materials: Lecture notes and papers

Brief Syllabus:

        Contents                      Hours
        -------------------------------------
	Introduction:                 1-2
	VRML 2.0:                     6-8
	Virtual Environment Systems:  4-6
	Geometric Modeling/Rendering: 4-6
        Computer Animation:           2-4
        Presentation/Discussion:      2-4

Assignments/Projects:

[1] To build a compelling VRML world that is:

     . Purposeful
     . Attractive 
     . Easy to Navigate 
     . Fast Loading 
     . Fast Rendering 
     . Interactive

[2] A survey of the current research on virtual
    environment systems: report and presentation