CS 348C Course format and requirements

CS 348C - Topics in Computer Graphics
Virtual reality
Stanford University

Marc Levoy and Bill Lorensen
Winter, 1996

Reading list

An online reading list lists the papers we will read during the quarter. I welcome suggested additions to or deletions from this list. Each leaf node heading in the list constitutes one topic. We will cover one topic per class meeting. There are 18 class meetings (not including this week).

For each of the 18 topics, we will assign one student to present the topic. Students taking the course for either 1 or 3 credits must present a topic. Everyone is expected to read all papers and participate in class discussions.

Course project

Students taking the course for 3 credits will also undertake a significant project during the quarter. Acceptable projects include but are not limited to implementing (and improving) an algorithm from a paper, writing an in-depth analysis of an algorithm, or building an experimental system that uses one of the virtual reality devices in our research laboratory. Some suggestions for projects are given below.

Students are encouraged to work in teams of two on these projects. Milestones for the project are:

Written project proposal due (1-2 pages): February 13
Proposal meetings with us: February 14-16
Progress meetings (we will expect to see progress!): March 5-8
Public presentation to the class: Monday, March 18
Final writeup due: Wednesday, March 20

Course grades will be based on presentation of papers, participation in class discussions, and (for 3-credit students) the quality of the project.

Equipment available for student projects

The Responsive Workbench, a large-format head-tracked stereo display
The Phantom, a fingertip-delivery force-feedback arm
The Data Glove, a gesture input device
Faro 4'-radius precision digitizing arm
Cyberware 3030 RGB 3D laser range and color scanner
Crystal Eyes stereo graphics system
Two Polhemus 3D digitizers
Panasonic broadcast-quality video camera with a variety of lenses
SGI's Galileo video digitizer and Cosmo real-time JPEG compressor
A computer-controlled motion platform (e.g. for the video camera)
A 9' x 12' borderless screen with high-performance video projector
Abekas A60 digital video animation disk

...plus a variety of high-performance computing and graphics engines. Press here for a more detailed description of our laboratory infrastructure. We are also looking into purchasing an inexpensive head-mounted display in time for student projects this quarter.

Some project ideas

Devise better ways of interacting with objects on the Workbench
Use the Phantom arm to "feel" objects you "see" in stereo on the Workbench
Scan a bumpy surface with the Cyberware and "play it back" on the Phantom arm
Render a scene with the ambient illumination sensed by a video camera
Track your head or gaze direction (for the Workbench) using a video camera
Turn the Workbench into a telepresence system by mounting a camera on the motion platform
Strap a video camera to the Faro arm and use to texture a CG model or build a light field
Gang together an array of cheap 35mm cameras and make a stop-action light field
Implement a head-tracked stereoscopic display for our 12' screen
Put an image on our (borderless) screen that is indistinguishable from the reality around it
Build a two-person VR touchy-feely using the Faro (or Glove) and Phantom

Over the years, many student projects in CS 348C have become published papers. Maybe your project will become a Siggraph '97 paper or a dissertation!

Assigning students to topics

To get started, all students taking the course for credit must send email to Marc Levoy (levoy@cs) by 5:00pm on Thursday giving the following information:

Name
Department
Degree and year
List of graphics courses taken (at Stanford or elsewhere)
Ordered list of five preferred topics from the reading list

On Thursday evening, I will analyze these lists and for each of the 18 class meetings (not including this week) assign one student to present the topic. We are willing to double up on one or two classes, allowing us to accommodate up to 20 or so registered students. If I am forced to cull the class, I will use your list of courses taken, so make that list accurate and complete.

In making your choices, you will undoubtedly want to peruse the papers. Many of them are taken from Siggraph proceedings. Almost all are available in the Math/Computer Science library. I also have copies in notebooks in my office which you are free to borrow for short periods of time (i.e. an hour), but they must stay within the graphics wing of the building.

We must have your list of topics by 5:00pm on Thursday!

levoy@cs.stanford.edu