Data Visualization by Video See-Through Head Mounted Display

Abstract

Recent advances in head mounted display (HMD) systems, specifically those demonstrated by the Oculus Rift, provide a new platform for three-dimensional scientific visualization. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we have constructed a cost-effective video see-through visualization system by combining a stereoscopic camera system and an Oculus Rift device. The see-through HMD system enables a researcher to analyze numerical data in a virtual reality space, with keeping visual communication with nearby collaborators in real space. We have ported our visualization software for CAVE systems, VFIVE, to the HMD system. The ported software enables its user to analyze three-dimensional scalar/vector fields in a virtual reality space while simultaneously being able to view the natural surroundings.