MRI: Development of OmegaTable and OmegaDesk - Instruments for Interactive Visual Data Exploration and Collaboration

提案号：CNS 08-21121PI(s): Leigh, Jason Brown, Maxine D.；安德鲁·e·约翰逊；机构：伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校芝加哥，伊利诺伊州60612-7227标题：MRI/Dev；： OmegaTable和OmegaDesk的开发者？交互式可视化数据探索和协作仪器项目建议：该项目开发交互式可视化数据探索和可视化仪器，为科学发现提供强大，易于使用的信息丰富的网络基础设施仪器。先进的可视化仪器作为望远镜或显微镜的目镜，使研究人员能够在网络空间中查看他们的数据，并更好地管理访问和分析数据的规模和复杂性。OmegaTable和OmegaDesk就是这样的目镜。前者支持多名用户坐在或站在一张桌子周围，后者是一种单用户设备，最终将取代办公桌。年代的办公室。两者都统一了超高分辨率计算机增强协作工作空间和具有多点触摸敏感表面的自动立体虚拟环境，以便用户可以直观地指向、书写、触摸和操作显示的信息，并与远程同事交流和共享这些信息。这些仪器就像数字助理一样，预测和支持那些与它们一起工作的人，使全球科学合作受益，并为新的计算机科学研究提供基础。对于UIC的电子可视化实验室（EVL）来说，这些仪器代表了数十年来开发沉浸式环境的经验和专业知识的高潮，从20世纪90年代初的房间大小的CAVE，到1994年的办公室大小的Immersa Desk，再到2000年的gewall，以及最近的超高分辨率Lambda Vision平铺显示墙和自动立体的Varrier平铺显示墙。每一代新显示技术都提供了一些先进的功能。更高的分辨率、无阻碍的自动立体视觉、多千兆网络连接和直观的用户界面——更好地耦合全球科学虚拟组织，更好地将科学工作场所与先进的网络基础设施集成。OmegaTable和omegaddesk将所有这些功能结合在一套仪器中，使社区能够远距离查看和共享高分辨率2D、2.5D和3D立体图像，并通过直观的触摸界面操纵图像。最独特的功能在于它们能够同时显示2D和3D立体图像，而无需用户佩戴3D眼镜或头部跟踪设备。这些仪器为虚拟现实、人机交互、高速网络、科学可视化和网格计算开辟了新的机会。更广泛的影响：该项目使最先进的设备、机会和监督能够加强学生教育（为科学界提供高度集成的虚拟现实协作环境），与工业界合作，将推动科学和工程的新技术商业化，并继续与世界范围内的领域科学家建立持续的伙伴关系。除了加强教育外，该仪器还提供暑期实习机会，并使毕业后就业。这些工具提供的解决复杂的环境、医疗和经济问题的可能性使整个社会受益匪浅。

Proposal #: CNS 08-21121PI(s): Leigh, Jason Brown, Maxine D.; Johnson, Andre E.; Renambot, LucInstitution: University of Illinois - Chicago Chicago, IL 60612-7227Title: MRI/Dev.: Dev. of OmegaTable and OmegaDesk ? Instruments for Interactive Visual Data Exploration and CollaborationProject Proposed:This project, developing instruments for interactive visual data exploration and visualization, provides a powerful, easy-to-use information-rich cyberinfrastructure instrumentation in support of scientific discovery. Advanced visualization instruments serve as the eyepieces of a telescope or microscope, enabling researchers to view their data in cyberspace, and better manage the increased scale and complexity of accessing and analyzing the data. The OmegaTable and OmegaDesk are such eyepieces. The former supports multiple users sitting or standing around a table, and the latter is a single-user device that will ultimately replace the desk in one?s office. Both unify ultra-high resolution computer-enhanced collaboration workspaces and autostereoscopic virtual environments with multi-touch-sensitive surfaces so that users can intuitively point, write, touch, and manipulate the information displayed, and communicate and share this information with remote colleagues. These instruments act as digital assistants, anticipating and enabling those who work with them, benefiting global scientific collaboratories as well as providing a foundation for new computer science research. For the Electronic Visualization Lab (EVL) at UIC, these instruments represent the culmination of decades of experience and expertise developing immersive environments, from the room-size CAVE in the early 1990s, to the office-sized Immersa Desk in 1994, to GeoWall in 2000, and the more recent ultra-high resolution Lambda Vision tiled display wall and autosteoscopic Varrier tiled-display wall. Each new generation of display technology provides some advanced features ? higher resolution, unencumbered autostereoscopic viewing, multi-Gigabit network connectivity, and intuitive user interfaces - better coupling worldwide scientific virtual organizations, and better integrating scientific workplaces with advanced cyberinfrastructure. OmegaTable and OmegaDesk combine all this functionality in one set of instruments, enabling communities to view and share high-resolution 2D, 2.5D, and 3D stereoscopic imagery over distance and to manipulate the imagery with an intuitive touch interface. The most unique capability lies in their ability to display 2D and 3D stereoscopic imagery simultaneously, without users needing to wear 3D glasses of head-tracking equipment. The instruments open new opportunities in virtual reality, human-computer interaction, high-speed networking, scientific visualization, and Grid computing.Broader Impacts: This project enables state-of-the-art equipment, opportunities, and supervision to enhance student education (providing scientific communities with highly integrated virtual-reality collaboration environments), to work with industry to commercialize new technologies that advance science and engineering, and to continue on-going partnerships with domain scientists world-wide. In addition to enhancing education, the instrument provides summer internships and enables jobs upon graduation. Society as a whole has much to gain by the possibilities to solve complex environmental, medical, and economic issues that these instruments offer.