Virtual and Augmented Reality

With suitable preparation and visualization of data, this technology enhances the user's view with computer-generated virtual objects so that product and process information can be used much more directly.

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Virtual technologies - virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) - offer great potential for innovative solutions in the value adding chains of hightech sectors (e.g. automotive engineering and aircraft construction). There is great potential, for supporting industrial work processes, for example. The use of virtual and augmented reality techniques offers innovation leaps for both production and product-related services that can benefit many sectors of industry.

The functions of technical systems are characterized by growing complexity, with a dramatic increase in the corresponding demands made on the developers, manufacturers and users of these systems. The integration of virtual technologies into product lifecycles will in the longterm help to cope with this complexity. Research into virtual reality has become established in recent years and has been partially integrated into standard technology. By contrast, the investigation and use of augmented reality is still a relatively young area that has had some initial breakthroughs and can profit from the investigation of virtual reality. Together, these two areas harbour extensive potential for research and implementation in the coming years.

Research topics

• Development of software components for VR/AR together with hardware development and corresponding interaction
• Funding for integrating VR/AR into various applications with increased funding for interdisciplinary research into computational science & engineering
• Interactive VR/AR-based worker and service support in various applications (e.g. automotive engineering, aviation, machine and plant construction) together with VR-based learning and training systems
• Virtual interactive prototypes for the development and validation of human/machine interfaces and user interaction in immersive environments
• Mixed reality systems (e.g. combining real control components with a virtually represented machine) to support product development and user training
• Funding for innovative research with the aim of handling extremely large quantities of data

• Multi-modal and perceptive user interfaces with the integration of voice, gesture and tactile aspects for interaction with virtual worlds

• Extending activities into non-technical areas with the aim of investigating or permitting use of the technology for applications in the social sciences, the arts and the humanities