MRI: Acquisition of an Immersive Virtual Reality System for the South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University

该项目寻求购买一个完全沉浸式，可导航和交互式虚拟现实（VR）系统的支持，通常称为CAVE®，为罗文大学成像和无损评估（NDE）实验室的研究项目提供先进的科学可视化支持。智力价值：我们描述了拟议收购的正在进行的项目活动的两个具体应用领域；(a)为NASA火箭发动机试验台的综合系统健康管理开发虚拟现实平台：我们将扩大与NASA- stennis航天中心的合作，开发3d虚拟现实环境，以支持新型星座火箭系统的测试。我们将开发新的数据融合功能，例如那些需要集成异构传感器数据的功能，以及在VR环境中实时生成沉浸式、交互式和可导航的进化场景显示。这一努力的结果将为地面操作和飞行空间系统提供一个更有用的框架，以更好地满足NASA的人类和机器人技术登月（以及随后的火星）任务。(b)从数值三维形状描述符合成颗粒集料混合物：我们将使用沉浸式和交互式虚拟环境来开发计算效率高的颗粒状土壤混合物的三维数值形状描述符。这些描述符将用于开发捕捉实际土壤形态的现实离散元素模型。从实际的角度来看，这很重要，因为对土壤行为的基本理解支配着任何类型的基础设施项目的基础元素的设计。更广泛的影响：拟议中的沉浸式VR系统计划安装在新建的南泽西科技园，成像和濒死体验实验室设施将搬进该科技园。南泽西科技园是新泽西州和罗文大学之间的一项合作努力，旨在通过科学和技术倡议的综合战略来振兴新泽西州南部地区的经济发展。收购先进的虚拟现实设施，如CAVE®，有可能吸引主要租户入驻该设施，并将在发展高科技劳动力方面对该地区产生重大经济影响。此外，该项目将使工程诊所项目（初中和高中工程设计项目）和工程硕士项目的学生受益，他们将在南泽西科技园共同学习。

This project seeks support to purchase a fully-immersive, navigable and interactive virtual reality (VR) system, commonly known as a CAVE®, for providing advanced scientific visualization support to research projects in the Imaging and Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Laboratory at Rowan University.Intellectual Merit:We describe two specific application areas of ongoing project activity for the proposed acquisition; the intellectual merit associated with each is provided below:(a) Development of VR platforms for the integrated systems health management of NASA's rocket-engine test stands: We will expand our collaborative work with NASA-Stennis Space Center and develop 3-D VR environments in order to support the testing of the new Constellation rocket systems. We will develop novel data fusion capabilities such as those requiring the integration of heterogeneous sensor data and the real-time generation of an immersive, interactive and navigable display of an evolutionary scenario inside the VR environment. The results of this effort will provide a more useful framework for both ground operations and in-flight space systems to better meet NASA's Human & Robotic Technology missions to the Moon (and subsequently, Mars).(b) Synthesis of particle aggregate mixtures from numerical 3-D shape descriptors: We will use the immersive and interactive virtual environment to enable the development of computationally efficient 3-D numerical shape descriptors of granular soil mixtures. These descriptors will be employed in developing realistic discrete element models that capture the actual soil morphology. This is important from a practical viewpoint because a fundamental understanding of soil behavior governs the design of foundation elements for any type of infrastructure project.Broader Impact:The proposed immersive VR system is planned to be installed in the newly constructed South Jersey Technology Park into which the Imaging & NDE lab facility will move. The South Jersey Technology Park is a collaborative effort between the State of New Jersey and Rowan University to revitalize the economic development of the Southern New Jersey region through an integrated strategy of science and technology initiatives. The acquisition of an advanced VR facility such as the CAVE® has the potential to attract anchor tenants to this facility and will have a significant economic impact in the region in terms of the development of a high-technology enabled workforce. Furthermore, this project will benefit students enrolled in the Engineering Clinic program (Junior and Senior engineering design projects) and the MS in Engineering program, who will be co-located at the South Jersey Technology Park.