In this paper, we propose a new immersive virtual aquarium system that comprises enhanced navigation, shared user experience, and manipulation in virtual reality. The system utilizes a large studio that allows users to walk around naturally and operates as a surrogate for navigation in the virtual aquarium. It also provides an additional view that shows what is happening in the virtual aquarium to observers. The system can be regarded as a form of augmented virtuality as it superimposes a live video avatar of users into the virtual aquarium. In addition, each user can interact with virtual fishes via 3D gestures because the system also utilizes a gesture recognition method that is suitable for the physically large space. These features enable our proposed system to give users and observers a more immersive and novel experience than conventional virtual reality systems.

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We realized a real space-based virtual aquarium equipped with a multiview function that provides images for users and audiences at the same time through motion tracking sensors. A virtual reality system needs more natural and intuitive interfaces so as to enhance users' immersion. We attach markers on users and camera devices in a real space designed in the one-to-one size as the virtual space to trace user and camera motions, which is reflected in real time to generate virtual world images. These images are transmitted to the user's immersing image devices. Also, the system allows audiences to share experiences by providing them with virtual synthetic images from a third-person perspective including a user after taking the user in the real space with a camcorder on which motion tracking markers are attached. For this, the system provides the functions of marker-based motion tracking with sensors, recognition of user's motions, real-time actual image rendering, and multiview to realize a system to simulate more intuitive and natural virtual space interactions, which can be used for the construction of motion-based realistic/experiencing systems, which increasingly attract interest.

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