A Survey of Virtual Reality in Japan

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive survey of the virtual reality research community in Japan, based on the author's visits to labs and conferences during a cultural exchange program, highlighting the state of VR research in Japan.

Contribution

It offers an in-depth account of Japanese VR research activities, conferences, and labs, serving as a valuable overview for international VR research community.

Findings

Japanese VR research labs are active and diverse.

Key VR conferences in Japan showcase cutting-edge developments.

International collaborations are prominent in Japanese VR research.

Abstract

The NSF Summer Institute in Japan program sends about 60 graduate students of all disciplines to Japan each summer. For two months, students participate in research at host labs, visit conferences and other labs of interest, and receive Japanese language and cultural instruction. Full financial support is provided by the American and Japanese governments. During the summer of 1993, the author participated in this program and took the opportunity to visit the Japanese virtual reality research community. He attended two virtual reality conferences and toured more than a dozen labs. After the program, he made short visits to VR and graphics labs in PR China and South Korea. This paper gives a detailed account of these experiences.