Promoting VR activity in the U.K.

The desire most often expressed was that much more funding is required for VR work. Respondents felt that VR research in the U.K. is on a par with the United States in terms of quality, but without the same government or research funding agency backing.

In particular, many respondents specifically request increased and targeted funding for academic/industrial collaborations, for example as a special EPSRC programme. This funding should be medium/long term, and not be aimed at short-term `quick' projects.

Other initiatives were suggested:

• Research on the basic concepts of VR.

• The promotion of `real' VR applications, to dispel the hype surrounding the subject, and the emphasis on games (important though the games market may be).

• Joint Research Council initiatives, encouraging workers from different areas to work together on VR.

• A set of VR demonstrator programs for carefully chosen applications.

• The formation of a government-sponsored `VR club', along the lines of the DTI Awareness Clubs. Also national support for existing groups such as the U.K. VR SIG and the Virtual Reality Society.

• The creation of a publicly accessible database for VR-related information.

• Use of SuperJANET for centralisation of powerful VR `server' resources and their remote usage.

• Research on the social issues of VR technology.

• A programme of regular nationwide workshops covering aspects of VR technology and its application.

• More research into rendering algorithms.

• Have high value areas highlighted, and promote them centrally (government/EC) funded research to target getting the U.K./Europe a world lead in those areas.

• VR steering committees with good technical representation.

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