Comparative Testing of Virtual Environment Display Devices for Conceptual Design Reviews

The high cost of designing and prototyping new products and systems, coupled with the need to shrink overall life cycles, requires that organizations become more effective and efficient in managing these processes. To this end, empirical testing of various virtual environment (VE) devices was conducted to evaluate their use during a conceptual design review of a new military vehicle. Test results and analysis indicated that there were significant advantages of some VE technologies during certain phases of the review process, but no single device fully satisfied all individual and team needs. For that reason, a combined technology approach is recommended.