Virtual Reality Techniques Supporting the Product and Process Development

Information technology is more and more used in the product and process development. Especially virtual reality techniques are supporting the man/machine interaction as well as the dialog among the users within the process chain. Co-operation, communication, and co-ordination are calling for support through such techniques to fulfil the requirements of the market in this application area. Modelling with 3D interaction techniques, presentation of simulation results, and virtual environments to experience, analyse, evaluate, and manipulate the products and processes are the major application scenarios today. This paper will introduce to the current state of the art of applying virtual reality techniques to the different aspects of the product development process and give an overview of the corresponding activities at the Fraunhofer-IGD.