Virtual Annotation: Verbal Communication in Virtual Reality

Abstract

This paper describes a system that was developed to explore communication in Virtual Reality. The system offers a simple and powerful method to embed verbal communication in simulations and visualizers by means of voice annotation. Our prototype already demonstrates that the addition of verbal communication opens up a range of new uses for virtual environments. A similar voice annotation facility is easily added to existing visualizers and simulations, and it enables reading, writing, and communicating.