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Texas A&M’s Dr. Scotty Schaefer has just received the NSF CAREER Award for his work on “Parameterization and Tessellation for Computer Graphics”.  With the award he’ll be continuing his work through 2017, investigating the relationships between surface shape and quality to parameterization.

“Project outcomes will significantly advance the state of the art not only in computer graphics and geometric modeling, but also in other areas of applied mathematics and computer science where the representation and precise control of smooth freeform shapes play a key role,” Schaefer said.

via Schaefer receives prestigious NSF CAREER Award | News | 2012 | 01 | 20 | College of Engineering.

Science award, nsf, research, texasa&m

One of the few areas left where immersive environments like the CAVE still are useful, other than as a tour stop, is in the field of Architectural Visualization.  Today at 4pm, Texas A&M’s Langford Architecture Center will be holding a grant opening of their newest immersive environment: An impressive 12-screen curved wall with support for most mainstream BIM tools like RevIt.

The new 12-display array, realized by a $50,000 gift from the Department of Construction Science Industry Advisory Council, is the second version of the immersive visualization system. The first iteration, a three-screen setup, was created with discretionary funds from the College of Architecture.

Kang said the new facility has already captured the attention of two construction companies engaged in campus building projects that wish to use the BIM CAVE for coordination meetings with subcontractors.

via archone..

Hardware cave, immersive, revit, texasa&m

Over the last several years, Tiled Displays have slowly transitioned from costly blended-projection systems to LCD walls.  The LCD walls are typically cheaper to build and maintain, but the bezels are a common source of complaints.  Two visualization professors at Texas A&M University are finally going to settle the debate between the two technologies to see if there really is any perceivable benefit to one vs the other.

McNamara and Parke are in the right place to do the research, they say. Texas A&M’s Halbouty Geosciences Building houses the Immersive Visualization Center (IVC), a 25-foot by 8-foot curved screen that uses three rear projectors to provide a seamless display. The IVC provides advanced visualization capabilities to researchers at Texas A&M through its capability to display images of very large datasets from disciplines such as geophysics, life and physical sciences, engineering and architecture.  During the study, in addition to showing test subjects the IVC’s seamless images, the researchers will use the IVC’s software to introduce seams into the images measuring .75, 1.25 and 2.50 inches wide.

“We want to ascertain if the physical presence of seams actually aids performance,” said McNamara. The researchers will be able to compare any differences viewers experience with the 1.25-inch virtual seams test subjects encounter on the IVC display.

If their hypothesis is proven correct, researchers and educators in many fields, said McNamara, can proceed with the knowledge that using the far more affordable flat-panel screen system will provide viewers with the same experience as the high-end, seamless displays.

I look forward to seeing the results when the study is finished.  Read the full announcement after the break.

Read more…

Science immersive, projection, research, texasa&m, tiled

If you happen to be near Texas A&M tomorrow, then you might want to stop by the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering for a seminar from Dr. Richard T. Stone.  He’ll be talking about the use of augmented reality devices for enhancing human performance in landmine detection.

Stone has developed the Augmented Multisensory Interface Design (AMID) method to direct the design of AR devices by incorporating elements of perception, cognitive engineering, task analysis, system engineering, design process and experimental design principles. During the talk, Stone will detail the experimental process used in his study, including the design of multiples AR devices, a functional landmine detection robot and control system.

Iowa State professor to give talk on using augmented reality in landmine detection | Texas A&M Engineering News | Texas A&M University.

Science augmented reality, military, texasa&m

This week is the VizaGoGo Exhibition at the Rudder Exhibit Hall at Texas A&M.  This is the 16th annual exhibition, but the first since visualization became a department within the university.  Stop by all this week to see stereo images, animated videos, games, and interactive simulations.

Aside from looking at and appreciating the work of the visual artists spectators will be given an opportunity to participate the games and interactive programs such as an adaptation of ping pong – body pong. “Some games you play with your whole body and some games you play by sitting at a computer and working with an interface ” Hillier said. Huebel said that each year s VizaGoGo has a different theme and this year s is Superheroes vs. Supervillians. They have developed a story line that will be revealed piece by piece over the course of the exhibit.

via Don’t forego VizaGoGo – Features.

Graphics exhibition, museum, texasa&m, vizagogo