VITAL - The Virtual Environment Interaction Technique Abstraction Layer

Traditionally 3D interaction techniques (3DITs) are implemented inVR applications in a proprietary way on specific target platforms.Mixing 3DIT specific code with application code neither allows forreusability in other applications nor for exchanging 3DITs in a comfortableand flexible way. We propose an additional system softwarelayer called Virtual Environment Interaction Technique AbstractionLayer (VITAL) targeted on platform and application independent(portable) 3DIT implementation. We describe the underlyingconcepts and provide details on how to integrate VITAL in VRframeworks. Furthermore, development mechanisms targeted onportability and general-purpose interfacing techniques with othersystem components are outlined and demonstrated in examples.