Virtual Environments and the CAVE at Virginia Tech:
Collaborative Research, E-commerce, and Distance Learning
Ronald D. Kriz*University Visualization and Animation Group
* Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics
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October 5, 2001, 12:00 NoonRoanoke Higher Education Center
108 N. Jefferson St.Roanoke Virginia
http://www.jwave.vt.edu/~rkriz/Presentations/RHEC_seminar_5oct01.ppt
Virginia Tech Roanoke Research Forum
• Summary of collaborative virtual environments, APIs, and applications developed at Virginia Tech
• Summary of faculty who have participated in developing virtual environment / visualization projects: research and distance learning
Presentation
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Collaborative APIs: EVL’s CAVERNsoft: Limbo / Tandem VT’s DIVERSE VT’s Network Program Interface Builder (NPIB)
Chronology: Collaborative VEs at VT AtomView (NSF PACI: NCSA-VT) Limbo Apps:
CAVE Collaborative Console (CCC) CCC_atom (CCC + AtomView)
DIVERSE Apps: Physics Based Simulations Crane-Ship (ONR-DURIP) Haptic Feedback - Molecular Docking (ASPIRES) NUWC’s CONRAY Undersea Warfare (ONR-NavCIITI) NIST’s RAVE: SmokeView
NPIB: (NSF-CRCD) 20 physics based simulation modules
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Summary of Collaborative VEs APIs,and applications developed at VT
Faculty VE and visualization projects (chronological order starting with the NSF ARI proposal)
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• Initially their where 29 CoPIs on the NSF white paper (1995) to build a CAVE, but more important, to build a VE-visualization group associated with ACITC (Torgersen Hall): (NSF-$890K) + ($530K: 5-Colleges, RGS, AIS). This seminar is about the people who came together as a group which will be the future Center for Virtual Environments and Visualization (CVEV).
• AtomView (1997): John Shalf (NCSA), R. Kriz, D. Farkas• CAVE Collaborative Console (1998): K. Curry, F. Das Neves, J. Kelso, M. Rosson, J. Carroll, and R. Kriz• CCC_atom (1999): G. Edwards, F. Das Neves, and R. Kriz• College of Architecture Viz Lab (1998): R. Schubert and D. Jones
• Interior Design Futures Lab (1998): J. McLain-Kark• Entomology (1998): A. Sharov and T. Mack• Extending CCC for K12 (1999): F. Neves and R. Kriz
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continued:
• Crane Ship (1999): A. Nayfeh, D. Mook, L. Arsenault, R.Williams, R. Kriz: Added motion base to CAVE floor (ONR: $360K) In-kind-labor to move and re-build CAVE ($432K): A. Jarosz, J. Kelso, S. Parkih, C. Logie, R. Kriz• Head Mounted Display VR Lab (2000): D. Bowman (CS Dept. $120K) VR projs. M. Setareh, R. Schubert, J. McLain-Kark• DIVERSE (2000): L. Arsenault, J. Kelso, R. Kriz (NIST $60K)• Plant Pathology (2000): P. Sforza • Molecular Docking (2000): D. Bevan, L.Watson, S. Parkih, R. Kriz• NAVCIITI CONRAY (2000): F. das Neves, J. Kelso, R. Kriz
• NSF CRCD NPIB (2000): R. Levensalor, R. Kriz• Cardio-Vascular flow: P. Vlachos and A. Etabari
• EVL’s CAVERNsoft: Limbohttp://www.evl.uic.edu/cavern/cavernG2
• VT’s DIVERSEhttp://www.diverse.vt.edu
•VT’s Network Programming Interface Builderhttp://www.jwave.vt.edu/npib
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APIs used and developed at VT:
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What is a CAVE?
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Viewer immersed In 3D-structure. Gives viewer unique perspective to study
3D structure / property relationships.
Advanced Communications &
Information Technology Center
(ACITC)
VT-Collaboration on-campus(Connecting desktop to CAVE was critical)
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University Visualization &Animation Group (UVAG)
2100 SF
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Shared Virtual Environments
CAVERNsoft - Limbo: CAVE Collaborative Console (CCC)http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/cave/
software/ccc/
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World-Wide CollaborationJason Leigh & Andrew Johnson
Electronic Visualization Lab, UIC
• Argonne National Lab• IHPC, Singapore• CRCACS, Australian NU• IML, Tokyo Univ.• CCPO, Old Dominion Unv.• NCSA, UIUC• UVAG, Virginia Tech• Northwestern Univ.
Remote Participants:
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I hear you. You hear me. But where are you and what are you looking at?
Collaborative Awareness Tools
Kevin Curry
Class Project, 1998: Rosson: Computer- Supported Cooperative Work
M.S. Thesis, 1999: “Supporting Collaborative
Awareness in Tele-Immersion”
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Par
tici
pant
s
Aw
aren
ess
Recorder
K12 Distance Learning Project: IAETEInstitute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education
AtomView
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NCSA: J. Shalf
VT: R. Kriz / D. Farkas With AtomView materialscientists can analyze and interpret physics based simulation results
Physics based Simulation
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Two users in CCC_atom viewing a Large Ni-Al B2 simulated structure.
AtomView Modes:• Scale Model• Scale Atoms• Navigate• Play animation
CCC features not shown:• Shared views• Jump next to• Tether to• Record play
D evice I ndependent V irtual E nvironment: R econfigurable, S calable, E xtensible
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DIVERSE Applications:Physics Based Simulations
Crane Ship 6-DOF I-Dock 6-DOFHaptic Feedback
NUWC/NRL CONRAYUndersea Acoustic 3-DOF
Command & Control n-DOF
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Application of Visualization and Haptic Feedback to Enhance Molecular Docking
D. Bevan, BiochemistyL. Watson, Computer SciR. Kriz & S. Parikh, ESM
(http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/cave/resprj/idock/idock.html)
Beowulf ClusterFuture Simulations
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ONR-NavCIITI Task2.1 C & C Visualization
CONRAY model
Desktop
CAVE
I-Desk
Visualization for MultiwarfarePlanning and Execution
Visualization for MultiwarfarePlanning and Execution
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Collaboration With Virginia Tech
Kenneth M. Lima (PI) Dr. Ron Kriz (POC)
Lauren Mathews (NAVCITTI Supported)
Richard Shell
Naval Research Lab
Robert King (PI)
FY’01 Funding $222K
FY’01 Funding $58K
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ONR-NavCIITI Task2.1 Command & Control Visualization
NUWC: K. Lima, L. Mathews, R. ShellNRL: Larry Rosenblum, Doug MaxwellVT: R. Kriz, J. Kelso, F. das Neves
ONR Briefing May 24, 2001“Visualization for Multiwarfare
Planning and Execution”Top Ranked by ONR
Review Panel
Physics basedsimulation modelof acoustics in a3D world: bottomBounce, etc.
http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/cave/resprj/navciiti/nuwc_task2-1/
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Network Program Interface Builder (NPIB)
Combined Research Curriculum Development
http://www.jwave.vt.edu/crcd
NPIB is a rapid applicationdevelopment tool that researcherscould use to create, maintain, andarchive numerous parametric studies based on their legacy computer simulations
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Example: 3D Wave Surface
Working “Real-Time” Archive
Submit
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Results.html
Results Viewed at Desktop
Results ViewedIn the CAVE
email notifies user simulation completed
Usability and Engineering LabD. Hix and J. Gabbard
Randy LevensalorCS-Masters Thesis
Immersive WorkBench
NAVCIITI: Visualization and HCI: Usability Engineering
Cooperative manipulation PhD work of Marcio Pinho (PUCRS) Can multiple users manipulate the same object at the same time? Separation of DOFs
3D Interaction Grouphttp://www.cs.vt.edu/~bowman/3di/
Immersive structural visualization
Design, simulation, and visualization of building structures
Both 2D and 3D interfaces
Doug Bowman
M. Setareh R. Schubert
SAP5-FEM
Architecture’s RDF VE-Lab
Interior Design Futures Lab(http://filebox.vt.edu/chre/near/vtid/idfl/idfl.html)
Using Virtual Environments to Determine Older Adults’ Preferences and Functioning in Assisted Living Private spaces
(http://filebox.vt.edu/chre/near/jmksite/andrus/AARP01.html)
J. McLain-KarkM. Beamish,K. Roberto
Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science
Virtual Dandelion
Virtual Nematode: P Sforza and J. Eisenback
Pathogenesis of Crown Gall:P. Sforza, D. Tillman, G. Lacy, M. Hansen, and J. Jelesko
(http://www.ppws.vt.edu/~sforza)P. Sforza
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Visualization and Analysis of ComplexFlows in a Cardiovascular System
A Etebari, P. Vlachos, R. KrizEngineering Science and Mechanics
Desk-top, I-Desk, CAVE
stress tensor glyph
Virtual Environment Workshop
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J. Lockhart / R. KrizMultimedia / VRML
HPCS. Varadarajan
HCI 3DID. Bowman/C. Wingrave
HCI UsabilityJ. Gabbard
DIVERSEArsenault / Kelso
Organizer
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Observations & Conclusions:
• Virtual and collaborative design environments have been at best working prototypes that are too difficult to use by the academic community.
• Better API’s are needed so that scientists, engineers, and educators can build their own applications based on the content within their discipline.
• The best designed collaborative environments will work only within existing collaborative groups
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VE-Viz Recommendations:• Identify researchers and educators who have experience in building collaborative applications and their associated APIs.
• Build a working collaborative design environment prototype API with participants identified above and select a specific research and educational demonstration project. Participants should include scientists and engineers depending on target application.• Include in the design a usability evaluation based on a “user-centered-design” philosophy.
University “BIG-Picture” Recommendations:• Differentiate between administrative computing and research & academic computing
• Draft a plan for research and academic computing