Virtual reality prototyping-a framework for the development of electronics and telecommunication products

Virtual reality prototyping is a promising technology that combines the virtual reality approach to advanced modeling, simulation and user interface techniques. The technology adjoins development models of different engineering disciplines to an executable simulation model of a product. A designer, or a customer, can see, touch, hear and operate a future product before its physical implementation with lower cost and effort than earlier. In this paper, the virtual reality prototyping research in the field of consumer electronics and telecommunications is described. The possibilities and benefits of the technology are presented, and a process and research environment for the development of virtual prototypes is introduced. The environment is demonstrated with a public pilot case-a pen-like wireless cellular phone interface device. Finally, the possibilities of virtual reality prototyping as a comprehensive design framework, including software and hardware simulation features, are considered and the future work is described.