Enabling closed-source applications for virtual reality via OpenGL intercept-based techniques

Everyday, people use numerous high-quality commercial software packages on desktop systems. Many times, these software packages are not able to access specialized virtual reality (VR) display and input devices, which can enhance interaction and visualization. To address this limitation, we have been using the well-known OpenGL intercept concept to insert middleware at runtime between the application and the graphics card. In this paper, we motivate the use of OpenGL intercept techniques and present three intercept-based techniques that enable closed-source applications to be used with VR systems. To demonstrate the usefulness of these intercept-based techniques, we describe two case studies. In the first case study, we enabled MotionBuilder, a commercial motion capture and animation software, to work with the Oculus Rift, a consumer-level head-mounted display (HMD). In the second case study, we enabled MATLAB, a commercial mathematics and simulation software, to run in the Duke immersive Virtual Environment (DiVE), six-sided CAVE-like system. In both cases, display and interaction are successfully handled by intercept-based techniques.