9512272 DeFanti The main focus of the proposed project is to create virtual-reality and virtual-prototyping instrumentation for viewing scientific and engineering data. The University has been involved in an ongoing development of the CAVE virtual-reality theater, a room-sized, high-resolution, projection-based system that enables users to experience good immersion in full 3D imagery. The goal of this proposed project is to broaden the scope for making the CAVE both smaller and larger. A smaller, software compatible, drafting-table format version, called ImmersaDesk, is being designed. It uses a high-end graphics system and projector for each ImmersaDesk, and a ATM gear to allow remote ImmersaDesk to ImmersaDesk collaborative design sessions. A larger high-resolution (1600 x 2048) stereo screen, called NII/Wall is being developed for large audiences. The NII/Wall will serve as a portal into networked scalable computers located around the country so scientists and engineers can interact with simulations running on distributed clusters of shared-memory processors. ***
