MRI: Development of a Co-Located Multi-User Immersive Display Instrument

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The goal of this project is the development of a new kind of display system that allows multiple people to experience a virtual world together. The world will be perceived in a spatially consistent manner, combining a shared real space in which people can work, communicate and collaborate, while each maintaining their own personal 3D view. Such virtual reality environment will enable researchers to discuss and solve problems collaboratively without compromising their individual spatial understanding of the problem. This instrument will be used as a test and development platform to better understand effective means to collaboratively use Virtual Reality from a fundamental as well as application-oriented point of view. It will provide new ways to collaborate for applications in areas as diverse as material development, chemistry, molecular biology, archaeology, network analytics and others. The project will engage researchers and students in development of a new visualization instrument.The system will combine existing 3D stereo display components with a new optical design to provide multiple users with their individual 3D view. It takes advantage of high-resolution displays and a custom microlens design that will be developed as part of the project. This includes developing an appropriate simulation system to define and specify the optimal lens sheet design as well as accounting for limitations in manufacturability of microlenses. The goal is to provide a group of 4 or more users with individually separate 3D views of the shared space inside a room-size environment that surrounds them with 3D screens. In addition to the optical design the project will develop the software infrastructure to drive the multi-user display. This includes calculating the correct images so that each user sees the correct views for their current position and orientation as well as fundamental interaction methodologies and methods to enable users from different disciplines to quickly and easily use the system productively to attack their problems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.