CSR: Small: Collaborative Research: EUReCa: Enabling Untethered VR/AR System via Human-centric Graphic Computing and Distributed Data Processing

George Mason University, Fairfax VA

Investigators

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) devices, especially their mobile versions are newly emergent technologies. However, a major challenge that VR/AR technologies faces is the gap between the increasing needs for graphic and data processing and the limited computing capability of the mobile hardware. Two researchers from GMU and Duke form a team to develop an innovative VR/AR system, namely, "EUReCa", which tackles the challenge of human-centric graphic processing and distributed data processing. This research studies VR/AR system design using standard workloads to understand the computation source utilization that leads to development of usage model, and reduces the computation loads via task allocation, thereby enhancing the efficiency and scalability of computation. The research outcomes will benefit both research and industry at large by integrating the innovations of human interaction and advanced data processing technologies. The education plan enhances existing curricula and pedagogy by integrating interdisciplinary modules on computer graphic, embedded systems, and machine learning with newly developed teaching practices, and gives special attention to women and underrepresented minority groups. The project performs three tasks. Task 1 models the computation resource utilization of VR/AR systems by considering the system configuration and dynamics of user operations. Task 2 explores efficient human-centric graphic rendering framework for reducing computation loads of VR/AR systems. Task 3 exploits novel schemes to enhance computation efficiency via balancing the computation loads and data allocations in graphic rendering and deep neural network (DNN) applications. The techniques will be evaluated on mobile devices.