Hobbes Software Architecture for Virtual Environment Interface Development

摘要

This report describes the design and use of the Hobbes system. This system is aframework for rapid interface development for high performance graphics and virtual reality (VR) applications. The design of the system incorporates fundamental features, including: object oriented design, transparency of the underlying windowing system and graphics application program interface (API), transparency of multiprocessing and shared memory systems, and portability and extendibility. The system also supports: (1) creation of real time three dimensional graphics applications; (2) simultaneous, independent use of multiple I/O devices (not limited to mouse and keyboard); and (3) transparent, high throughput use of local or networked I/O devices. The reader of the report will acquire an appreciation of the potential benefits of the Hobbes system as a tool for both development and research, particularly concerning applications that require rapid prototyping of novel human computer interaction (HCI) techniques. The reader will also gain an understanding for how the Hobbes system architecture could evolve to include the functionality of a general virtual environment (VE) testbed. The current C++ implementation of the Hobbes system runs on Silicon Graphics workstations and makes extensive use of the Performer application development environment.