EIA-9871058 DeFanti, Thomas A. Brown, Maxine D. University of Illinois Chicago MRI: Instrumentation Development for Human-Centered Tele-Immersion The Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago has developed an aggressive program over the past decade to partner with dozens of computations scientists and engineers all over the Nation. The focus of this effort has been to create visualization and virtual reality (VR) devices and applications for collaborative exploration of scientific and engineering data. Since 1995, the EVL research and development activities have incorporated emerging high bandwidth networks like the vBNS, in an effort now called Tele-Immersion. As a result of past experience in building first and second generation VR devices to support these applications, the EVL now wishes to conduct research in third-generation VR devices to construct variable resolution and desktop/office-sized displays. Since no current technology is yet configurable with ideal resolution and size, there is a need to simulate these devices with available parts, and then build more advanced prototypes. This proposal requests significant equipment funds to buy, evaluate, and integrate a variety of emerging display devices, such as large color plasma displays, LCD projectors, LED panels, Feffo-electric Liquid Crystal displays and Digital Macro Mirror Displays. This proposal also requests funds to purchase new workstations for use by the EVL's 50+ students, and dozen faculty and staff. The proposal aims at long-term, basic display configuration research and development.
