Virtual environments, also called virtual reality systems, are computational environments that incorporate a style of Human-Computer interaction in which the signs to which human beings are exposed, are generated by the computer in accordance with the "point ofview" of an individual participant. Early directed to scientific applications and to high-cost simulators, nowadays the virtual environments are broadly applied to fields such as architecture, medicine, entertainment, education, psychotherapy, visualization, digital modeling ofmanufactures, communication and even in arts because of the confluence of 3 factors: the decrease in the cost of computational resources, the increase in the performance of processors and the development of efficient and robust algorithms for graphics and sound processing. Research on virtual environments has so far put a focus on the improvement of performance and quality of the response from the system. Concem with the design of the interaction of the human being in virtual environments in a broad way is recent. Having as a background the Semiotics of Pierce, this thesis deals with the design of interaction of the human being in virtual environments proposing the understanding of these environments and of the design itself as a sign. We aimed primarily the development of a conceptual model for the interaction in virtual environments, the estabiishment of interaction design principies and the creation of a design method for such environments. Secondariiy, we anaiyzed the potentiai that the proposed conceptuai modei in being applied to other software classes and how the design principies proposed may be used in a framework of!ogicai inference related to questions that have to do with virtual environments. A virtual environment prototype which allows children the development and the acting in theater plays was developed to illustrate the discussed concepts and to exemplify by practice the application of these concepts.vi
AgradecimentosHá em cada palavra e em cada frase desta tese um sentimento de profunda gratidão que precisa ser destacado. Graças à confiança que a professora M.Cecília C. Baranauskas depositou em meu trabalho, tive a oportunidade e o privilégio de participar sob sua orientação deste maravilhoso ambiente de estudo, de constmção do conhecimento e de amor ao saber que é o Instituto de Computação da Unicamp. Com a Prof.a Cecília tenho uma dívida pela aprendizagem, pela orientação ativa e participativa, pela valorização das minhas idéias, pelos caminhos apontados, pela díscussão atenta e inteligente e pela incansável motivação a este trabalho. Se algum día eu vier a ter a responsabilidade da orientação de algum estudante, vou tentar me espelhar no perfil desta magnífica professora e, com admiração, me lembrarei do seu espírito de generosidade, do seu rigor teórico, da aoálise paciente e criteriosa que faz do objeto de estudo, da sua concentração no trabalho e da sua dísponibilidade e ânimo para a díscussão e para respostas a dúvidas. Sou duplamente grato à Comissão de Pós-g...