FAKESPACE SYSTEMS of Marshalltown, Iowa, announced completion of the world's first reconfigurable immersive visualization system that includes the use of both active and passive stereoscopic technology. Designed specifically to meet the requirements for PURDUE UNIVERSITY's new ENVISION CENTER FOR DATA PERCEPTUALIZATION, the custom solution was developed using Fakespace's reconfigurable Flex platform. In addition to the custom FLEX display, the Envision Center also includes a dual channel PowerWall from Fakespace.
The Envision Center is a 5,600-ft theatre that can seat up to 50 people for review of large-scale, terabyte-sized computer-generated models. The Flex environment enables design, engineering and research teams to collaborate on a broad range of projects including simulation of the movement of the Earth's mantle, interplanetary exploration, storm system analysis, and virtual walk-throughs of building models prior to their construction.
Flex technology incorporates digital projection that generates slightly different images for the left and right eyes with refresh rates fast enough for active stereo. For passive stereo, an electronic polarizing shutter is placed in front of the projection lens rather than at the users' glasses to filter left and right eye images. Fakespace specified a combination of screen and other technologies that will produce bright, high quality three-dimensional visualizations regardless of which viewing mode is selected.
Fakespace also integrated a wireless motion tracking system to enable precise movement and data manipulation, providing the sensation of complete immersion within the data sets. The image generators include both an Onyx4 and a Tezro workstation from SGI.
For further information about the Envision Center, go to www.itap.purdue.edu/envision, or for more information on immersive visualization and solutions from Fakespace Systems, visit www.fakespace.com.
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