A Method of Constructing a Telexistence Visual System Using Fixed Screens

Projection-based visual display systems are expected to be effective platforms for VR applications, in which the displayed images are generated by computer graphics using three-dimensional models of virtual worlds. However, these kinds of visual displays, as well as other kinds of fixed-screen-based displays such as various head-tracked displays (HTD) and conventional CRT displays, have not been utilized to achieve precise telexistence in a real environment, which requires appropriate stereoscopic video images corresponding to the operator’s head motion. We found that the time-varying, offaxis projection required in these systems has prevented fixed-screen-based displays from being used for telexistence, as ordinary cameras only have fixed and symmetric fields of view about the optical axis. After evaluating the problem, a method to realize a live-video-based telexistence system with a fixed screen is proposed, aiming to provide the operator with a natural three-dimensional sensation of presence. The key component of our method is a feature that keeps the orientation of the cameras fixed regardless of the operator’s head motion. Such a feature was implemented by designing a constantorientation link mechanism.