Networked virtual reality applications

Virtual reality in the early 1990s has many themes, but one which is becoming particularly significant is the networking of multi-user applications; real tasks can be accomplished by geographically dispersed participants linked via telecommunications networks. Whether these tasks represent work or leisure is not the issue; both are valid uses of networked virtual reality and both may have a significant impact on society. The aim of the author is to consider these applications, with particular reference to their impact on current and planned telecommunications networks. Some experimental work at Hirst Research Centre (HRC) on the time series characteristics of VR applications is also presented