Project REVES

Interactive Virtual Reality Game

Concept

REVES stands for "Reel Et Virtuel En Symbiose" in French (translation: "Real and Virtual in Symbiosis").

This student project consisted on an interactive game developed using cutting-edge haptic technology. The user drives a “virtual” UFO through a 2D haptic-feedback device (Virtual Technical Trainer or VTT, created for a milling simulator). The user “clones” the targets by hitting them using the UFO. The goal of the game is to obtain the highest score by multiplying the virtual elements. The virtual environment is very simple, but real objects can be placed on the horizontal display screen. The user can effectively feel those objects through the haptic device. Therefore, other spectators can also interact with the player, by modifying the mixed-reality "landscape".

Technical information

Project REVES uses a 2D haptic device and a computer vision in order to create a strong link between real and virtual worlds.
We built a "table-screen" where people can put (real) objects. A camera placed on the top of the system acquires images and the computer detects the contour of the real object (using OpenCV). The controller excursion is blocked by the contour of objects, and so the virtual UFO seems to be blocked by real objects. The UFO can even be caught and moved by hand; the haptic device will move accordingly.

Awards

REVES project won the 1st Prize by IVRC jury at Laval Virtual 2007 (Laval, France) and the 3rd Prize at IVRC 2007 (Gifu, Japan).