MRI: Development of the Allosphere, an Immersive Instrument for Scientific Exploration

提案#：CNS08-21858PI(S)：土耳其，Matthew Hollerer，Tobias H.；Hu，Evelyn L.；Kuchera-Morin，JoAnn C.；Wolski，RichardInstitution：加州大学？圣巴巴拉圣巴巴拉，CA 93106-205标题：核磁共振/开发：开发为科学探索项目提供沉浸式仪器的阿洛球体的工作人员建议：该项目有助于开发先进的多媒体沉浸式环境以及用于大规模数据可视化和探索的科学仪器，旨在提供对复杂的多维数据进行详细分析、综合和操作的强大方法，其中观察到的现象从非常大到非常小都有。该仪器将大规模数据的多模式表示与人类规模的可视化和交互技术结合在一起，形成了一种新的沉浸式环境，即所谓的阿洛球体。在新的加州纳米系统研究所里，阿洛球体是一个三层的立方体空间，里面有一个巨大的穿孔金属球体，用作展示表面。一座可容纳25名参与者的桥从二楼穿过球体的中心。最终的allSphere仪器设计预计将包括14个分辨率的立体视频投影仪来照亮整个球面显示表面，256个分布在室外的扬声器来提供高质量的空间声音，一套传感器和交互设备来使用户能够与数据和模拟进行丰富的交互，以及计算基础设施来实现为用户提供丰富的视觉、听觉和交互体验所需的高容量计算。当完全建成后，阿洛球体有望成为世界上最大的科学仪器之一。它将作为科学可视化、数值模拟、大规模传感器网络、高性能计算、数据挖掘、知识发现、多媒体系统和人机交互的持续研究试验台。这一独特的沉浸式探索环境，拥有高质量立体视频和空间声音的全环绕球体，以及丰富互动的用户跟踪，将支持丰富的互动和探索。与几个学科的教师合作，它还将成为探索分子动力学、脑成像、纳米材料、地球科学和许多其他科学领域的关键工具。例如，浏览fMRI数据和探索实时地理空间数据集。广泛影响：该项目使许多具有广泛社会影响的重要领域受益。该项目将向该机构以外的研究人员和合作伙伴提供，并将利用当地的推广计划来吸引K-12年级的学生，让他们尽早参与利用环境的科学探索项目。对于各个年龄段和不同兴趣的学生来说，这款游戏很可能会吸引他们的目光。

Proposal #: CNS 08-21858PI(s): Turk, Matthew Hollerer, Tobias H.; Hu, Evelyn L.; Kuchera-Morin, JoAnn C.; Wolski, RichardInstitution: University of California ? Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2050Title: MRI/Dev.: Dev. of the Allosphere, an Immersive Instrument for Scientific Exploration Project Proposed:This project, contributing in the development of an advanced multimedia immersive environment and scientific instrument for large-scale data visualization and exploration, aims to provide powerful methods for detail analysis, synthesis, and manipulation of complex multi-dimensional data where the observed phenomena range from the very big to the very small. The instrument integrates the multimodal representation of large-scale data with human-scale visualization and interaction techniques in a novel immersive environment known as the Allosphere. The Allosphere is a three-story cubic space in the new California NanoSystems Institute, housing a large perforated metal sphere that serves as a display surface. A bridge that can hold 25 participants cuts through the center of the sphere from the second floor. The final Allosphere instrumentation design is expected to include 14 resolution stereo video projectors to light up the complete spherical display surface, 256 speakers distributed outside to provide high quality spatial sounds, a suite of sensors and interaction devices to enable rich user interaction with the data and simulations, and the computing infrastructure to enable the high volume computations necessary to provide a rich visual, aural, and interactive experience for the user. When fully constructed, the Allosphere is expected to be one of the largest scientific instruments in the world. It will serve as an ongoing research testbed for scientific visualization, numerical simulations, large-scale sensor networks, high-performance computing, data mining, knowledge discovery, multimedia systems, and human-computer interaction. This unique immersive exploration environment, with a full surrounding sphere of high quality stereo video and spatial sound and user tracking for rich interaction will support rich interaction and exploration. Partnering with faculty from several disciplines, it will also serve as a key tool for exploration in molecular dynamics, brain imaging, nanomaterials, earth science, and many other scientific fields. For example, navigating through fMRI data and exploring live geospatial datasets.Broader Impacts: This project benefits many important fields that have wide impact on society. The Allosphere will be made available to researchers and partners beyond the institution and will leverage local outreach programs to attract K-12 students involving them early in scientific exploration projects that utilize the environment. The Allosphere is likely to draw students of all ages and interests.