MRI: Development of Spatially Immersive Visualization Facilities

该项目实现并制造了低成本、高性能的相互连接的空间沉浸式可视化设施，完善并利用了沉浸式环境技术。其目标是使用商品元素经济地构建和操作系统，并运行易于支持高度交互的沉浸式应用程序开发的软件。该系统支持跨校园协作，将利用商用计算机、商用投影仪和开源软件。在每个系统中，一个联网的可视计算机集群将驱动由许多相同的模块化组件形成的周围高分辨率多面体显示表面。该设施跨越许多学科，使以下研究活动成为可能：-数据可视化的感知优化，流域洪水模拟，基于重要性的可视化，脑网络可视化，-创造性认知的经验研究，空间超文本，-对曲线几何的稳健操作，4D构造可视化，-建筑设计环境，基于物理的模拟，基于手势的界面，-基础人类交互设计，历史人类学遗址重建，-互动科学教育，社会认知的自我相关性，-听觉/视觉感知整合和理解，和-身临其境的远程办公。广泛的影响：该项目预计将通过构建和运营完全使用商用组件构建的身临其境的系统来显著降低成本。从这个项目中获得的操作经验和设计专业知识应该可以使在拥有更多模式和手段的机构中构建沉浸式可视化系统成为可能。设计指南和软件将通过项目网站提供。沉浸式系统将用于开发非正式教育体验。

This project, enabling and fabricating low-cost, high-performance interconnected spatially immersive visualization facilities, perfects and exploits the technology of immersive environments. The aim is to build and operate systems economically using commodity elements, and to run software that readily supports the development of highly interactive immersive applications. Supporting cross-campus collaboration, the system will utilize commodity computers, commodity projectors, and open source software. In each system, a networked visual computer cluster will drive a surrounding high-resolution polyhedral display surface formed from many identical modular components. Cutting across many disciplines, the facility enables the following research activities:-Perceptual optimization for data visualization, Modeling watershed flooding, -Importance-based visualization, Brain network visualization, -Empirical study of creative cognition, Spatial hypertext,-Robust operation on curved geometry, 4D construction visualization, -Architectural design environments, Physically-based simulation, Gesture-based interfaces, -Fundamental human interaction design, Historic anthropological site reconstruction, -Interactive science education, Self-relevance of social cognition, -Auditory/visual perceptual integrating and comprehension, and -Immersive telecommuting.Broader Impact: The project expects to considerably lower cost by building and operating an immersive system constructed entirely using commodity components. The operating experience and design expertise gained in this project should make construction of immersive visualization systems possible at institutions with more modes means. The design guidelines, and software will be made available through a project website. The immersive systems will be used for the development of informal educational experiences.