Virtual Reality News: 11 July 2002Virtual Reality News: 11 July 2002
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On the closing day of the Siggraph 2002 exhibition, Silicon Graphics will report fourth quarter results that are expected to be $280 million to $290 million less than forecast. An operating loss in excess of £20 million is predicted. VREfresh #200, first published in 1998, will be reporting from Siggraph in San Antonio, Texas. To date, 2,218 registered users have each scheduled attendance at an average of 13 events - the organizers expect "nearly 20,000 computer graphics and interactive technology professionals from six continents" to attend.
Users, Applications
& Projects
01 AIS in $63 million Training Program
02 Ricoh Designs with Solid Edge
Products &
Services
03 Software from StereoGraphics
04 TAN Claims World First
05 Transportable, Immersive Environment from Trimension
06 MicroScribe Connections for Maya
07 ArcView Plug-in for ESRI's GIS Users
08 New Version of SiteBuilder 3D
09 LIPSinc Impersonator
10 ParallelGraphics for Furniture, Interiors & Real Estate
11 Release 6.0 of MYRIAD
12 AutoVue 16.1 fro Cimmetry
13 Electronics Cooling Simulation Software
14 Itanium 2-based Systems from HP
Companies &
Markets
15 Dassault Systemes in India
16 MAXON and Turbo Squid
17 HOOPS License for Okino Graphics
18 Viewpoint in Korea
19 SGDL Raises $6 Million
20 Multimedia Editing Company Launched
21 Single State has 13,000+ SolidWorks 3D Users
Patents, Standards
& Benchmarks
22 World Record Benchmark for HP
23 Patent: DDD Group
24 Patent: Theater Entertainment System
People & Appointments
25 People: President of ACM SIGGRAPH
26 People: Hitachi America, Digital Media Division
27 People: SongPro
Events & Calls
for Papers
28 SIGGRAPH 2002
29 VR World Congress V
30 PRESENCE 2002
31 Collaborative Virtual Environments 2002
32 Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics
Seattle-based Advanced Interactive Systems has been selected by The Boeing Company to provide training to up to 30,000 federal government employees for screening baggage at 438 airports in the United States. Under the terms of the contract, AIS will design, develop and implement a national training program to teach federal baggage handlers how to operate new explosive-detection machines that will be installed at airports nationwide. The award to AIS is estimated to be worth nearly $63 million dollars. AIS is a Seattle, Washington based designer and manufacturer of simulator systems, VR systems, and training facilities worldwide.
Ricoh Company Ltd, one of the world's leading suppliers of office automation equipment, has expanded its use of Solid Edge software for the computer-aided design of printers and copiers at its manufacturing facilities in Japan and other global locations. Ricoh is now using over 100 Solid Edge licenses. "We felt Solid Edge would help us move more quickly to 3D technology than any other system available," said Satoh Toshiaki, Manager, Ricoh Development Process Innovation Department. According to Ricoh Research and Development Engineer, Etsuro Kuretani: "Currently, we must add wiring into the 2D drawing after the product is mostly designed. Now we can save significant time by including wiring and checking for interferences with other parts as a natural step throughout the 3D design process."
URL: http://www.solidedge.com
URL: http://www.eds.com
StereoGraphics has announced immediate availability of Parallax Player, a new software package for viewing stereoscopic images and videos. Parallax Player supports most common stereo file formats and display modes and allows users to convert formats in real time and use any available stereoscopic display mode. Parallax Player will even automatically add a stereo3D effect to any existing image or video file even if it was not created as a stereoscopic image.
Parallax Player allows images and movies formatted in common stereo formats such as above and below, side by side and interlace to be displayed in any available viewing format including anaglyph (requiring red/blue glasses), page-flipping (quad-buffering stereo display), sync-doubling stereo display modes, or even using StereoGraphics Synthagram autostereoscopic display. Supported file formats include .jpg, .jps, .bmp. tga, .gif, .wma, .wmv, .asf, .avi and .mpg. In addition, Parallax Player includes a `stereoize' feature that allows a Stereo3D effect to be applied to non-stereo movies and images allowing them to be viewed stereoscopically. Parallax Player costs $295.
TAN Projektionstechnologie is claiming a world first with an automatically driven combined mechanism for polarization filter (linear or circular) and INFITEC. This system is for use in passive-stereo projection in the virtual simulation area. Until now passive stereo projection systems could be either equipped with linear/circular polarization filters or with INFITEC filters. Linear and circular polarization filters can reproduce an optimal image quality and color accuracy, but not at the same time an accurate channel separation, which can be achieved with the INFITEC technology, TAN has developed a system whereby both filter technologies can be used in only one projection system. This allows the user a 100% channel separation or an optimal image quality and color accuracy (polarization technology). The switching between installed filter technologies is achieved with a motor. INFITEC is a trademark of DaimlerChrysler AG.
At CeBIT 2002 TAN demonstrated the TAN STEREOVIEW-LCD-U7700. This is an ultra high resolution LCD projector to display mono (using 1 projector) and passive stereo signals (using 2 projectors). The LCD-U7700 has a contrast ratio of 800:1 and a brightness of 7700 ANSI lumens allowing use of the projector without having to darken the projection room and so saving on energy costs.
URL: http://www.tan.de
Trimension Systems, a division of SEOS Limited, has launched an addition to their family of Reality Rooms - the R3-Interactive (R3-I), a multipurpose, transportable, immersive environment. The Scorpion media management system, delivers a seamless, scaleable desktop on to multiple screen displays, permitting the integration of video inputs, such as VCR, DVD, camera, PC and UNIX-based media during a presentation environment. With a semi-rigid cylindrical screen the R3-I is compatible with CRT, LCD and DLP projectors. The R3-I seats up to 25 people with approximately 6 people being fully immersed.
URL: http://www.seos.com
Immersion Corporation, a developer of 3D and force-feedback products and technologies, has announced MicroScribe Connections for Maya software, a digitizing plug-in product intended to streamline workflow and increase design performance and productivity. MicroScribe Connections for Maya is the first in a new series of plug-ins for animators, game developers, and industrial designers who use both Maya and MicroScribe to digitize and render 3D models, animated characters and digital content. MicroScribe Connections for Maya costs $495.
3Dconnexion, a Logitech Company, has developed the ArcView plug-in for users of ESRI's GIS software. The new plug-in will enable ArcView users to take advantage of 3Dconnexion's SpaceMouse and SpaceBall's real-time 3D visualization and navigation features. The SpaceMouse and SpaceBall plug-in for ArcView will be available at the end of Q3, 2002.
MultiGen-Paradigm has announced version 1.1 of SiteBuilder 3D, an extension to ESRI's ArcView GIS desktop mapping program. SiteBuilder 3D is designed to allow users to transform 2D map data into interactive 3D scenes. In addition, the company is announcing the initial release of ModelBuilder 3D, an optional authoring software toolset that allows users to generate 3D models of real-world buildings, objects and vegetation for incorporation into 3D scenes generated by SiteBuilder 3D.
LIPSinc has launched LIPSinc Impersonator, a software tool created specifically for game developers, which automatically creates animation data files for talking characters by using an audio file as the only input. These data files are interpreted by the game engine at runtime and played in synch with the audio. The system enables more convincing game characters with realistic facial animation. The product also has a character-rigging component as a plug-in for leading animation software packages. This provides an accurate way to construct bones- or morph-based characters for use in the game.
ParallelGraphics has released Outline3D v 3.0 that enables furniture suppliers, interior designers, and real estate firms to present a complete product range to clients over the Internet and Intranet. The new version of Outline3D introduces support for parametric objects and support for object-to-object collision detection.
Informative Graphics Corporation (IGC) has released MYRIAD 6.0, the latest version of its view and redline desktop software. MYRIAD is a full-feature, multiple format, 3D/2D CAD viewer that includes document and drawing support and is less than $200/seat.
Cimmetry Systems has announced the availability of AutoVue 16.1. New features and enhancements include 3D Markup of parts and assemblies.
Fluent Inc has released version 4.0 of its Icepak electronics cooling simulation software. The new version of Icepak delivers fast time-to-solution through its combination of non-conformal meshing and unstructured meshing strategies, including assembly meshing. These technologies let the designer build a more computationally-efficient and accurate model. Icepak 4.0 also introduces a new intuitive user environment, which features a model manager, advanced object wizards, alignment tools and four-window simultaneous views.
HP has announced the worldwide roll out of a portfolio of Intel Itanium 2-based systems, integrated solutions and comprehensive services. Systems include the HP Workstation zx2000, the industry's first Itanium 2-based 900 MHz uni-processor workstation with 2D and 3D AGP graphics priced at an estimated $4,500 and the HP Server rx5670, a four-way entry-level server, supporting up to 4 processors, 900 MHz and 1 GHz starting at $23,400. "Using the Itanium architecture, HP's engineers worked closely with PNNL to apply computational science to key scientific challenges," said David Dixon, associate director for theory, modeling and simulation at the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy scientific user facility at PNNL. The HP and Intel Solution Centers located in Grenoble, France and Cupertino, California provide customer access to HP and Intel expertise and now offer a range of Itanium 2-based systems and a complete Internet data center environment to facilitate integration into existing architectures.
URL: http://www.hp.com
Geometric Software Solutions Co Ltd and Dassault Systemes have formed a worldwide Consulting and Services partnership for Dassault Systemes' 3D PLM solutions. Under the agreement, Geometric will provide services and support around Dassault Systemes' 3D PLM software suite including CATIA, ENOVIA, DELMIA, and SMARTEAM. Based in India, Geometric will work primarily through existing Dassault Systemes sales and service partners to provide support, services, and training to Dassault Systemes customers and software partners. Earlier this year, the two companies formed a joint venture called "3D PLM Software Solutions Ltd." in which Geometric provides software development services for Dassault Systemes.
URL: http://www.geometricsoftware.com/
URL: http://www.dsweb.com
MAXON and Turbo Squid have joined forces to make it easy for CINEMA 4D users to buy, sell and exchange 3D models via the Internet. The Turbo Squid website is now host to a fledgling CINEMA 4D community, where models are traded in the native .c4d format and can be downloaded for immediate use.
Okino Graphics has licensed the HOOPS Stream Toolkit from Tech Soft America (TSA), which aids in the concise export of HSF formatted 3D files. HSF is the format at the center of the OpenHSF Initiative, an effort to establish a common visualization format.
URL: http://www.okino.com
URL: http://www.hoops3d.com
URL: http://www.opehhsf.org
Viewpoint has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Eversoft Co of Korea that should further Viewpoint's influence in the Asian market. Eversoft is a Korean software service provider, specializing in 3D visualization and advanced systems integration for clients such as Korean National Housing Company, Korean Power Corporation and other businesses in South Korea. Under the agreement, Viewpoint is guaranteed minimum payments and a share of Eversoft's Viewpoint-related revenues in exchange for Eversoft's exclusive right to license Viewpoint technology in Korea.
SGDL Systems, a Montreal, Canada company pioneering in 3D technology, has secured six million dollars in investments granted by the Solidarity Fund QFL ($3 million), Innovatech du Grand Montréal ($1.5 million) and a group of private investors ($1.5 million). SGDL Systems has developed a universal programming environment for modeling, visualizing and transmitting complex 3D scenes and objects. This technology features solid 3D models with exact geometry, extremely compact file size and multi-platform portability.
URL: http://www.sgdl-sys.com
URL: http://www.fondsftg.com
URL: http://www.innovatech.qc.ca
Contour A/V Solutions Inc, a privately held company, has been launched to focus on the design and development of multimedia editing devices including ShuttlePRO Multimedia Jog & Shuttle controller. Contour A/V Solutions, founded in May of 2002 as a spin-off from Contour Design, Inc., has facilities in the USA, the United Kingdom and Taiwan.
More than 13,000 product designers in California use SolidWorks 3D CAD software, the company has announced. Juniper Networks, Teradyne, Fairchild Fasteners, TRW Astro Aerospace, Hobie Cat, and Delta Design are among the more than 3,000 businesses in the state that use SolidWorks to design everything from spacecraft systems to semiconductor equipment to catamarans.
HP has achieved world-record performance for Java applications on the SPECjbb2000 benchmark. The 64-way HP Superdome server with the newly announced PA-8700+ processor secured the world's best SPECjbb200 result submitted to date, scoring 614,538 Java applications per second.
DDD Group has received notification of allowance of a US patent covering "Dynamic Depth Cueing" ("DDC"), a core DDD technology that enables existing film or video images to be converted for display in stereo 3D. The new US patent extends DDD's coverage of technologies that allow the conversion of existing 2D content libraries to 3D and their delivery in a format that remains compatible with today's 2D televisions. The DDC patents have ramifications for enabling a range of mass market 3D applications including the conversion of existing film and video libraries for viewing on the emerging generation of 3D 'without glasses' LCD and plasma televisions via a single DVD or television broadcast.
URL: http://www.ddd.com
A US Patent, number 6409599, for an interactive virtual reality performance theater entertainment system has been granted:
"The present invention relates to a novel interactive virtual reality (VR) performance theater and environment in which a plurality of participants enjoy an entertainment and/or educational experience. The performance is viewed by the participants through VR display devices such as a head mounted display, wherein both an immersive graphical environment and live and/or pre-recorded performers are viewed. The participants exert limited control over the content and outcome of the performance through the use of input devices, such as hand held input devices having a plurality of buttons, and/or voice communications, while viewing the live or pre-recorded performers whom are mixed within the immersive VR environment. The system uses interconnected computers, video and audio processing devices, and furthermore includes a network interconnecting the computers, participants, and live/pre-recorded performers for video, audio, and graphics transmission."
Alain Chesnais, VP of Engineering of TrueSpectra, has been appointed as President of ACM SIGGRAPH, the Special Interest Group for Computer Graphics and Interactive Technologies. Prior to TrueSpectra, he was the Director of Engineering and Business Manager for Design Visualization Solutions at Alias|wavefront.
URL: http://www.truespectra.com
URL: http://www.acm.org
URL: http://www.siggraph.org
Hitachi America Ltd, Digital Media Division (DMD) has been formed. The DMD will be headed by Jiro Katsura as senior vice president and general manager. Mr. Katsura has also been named head of the Hitachi America, Home Electronics Division. The new division of Hitachi America will comprise the branded and OEM multimedia products businesses of the Computer Division, including plasma displays, LCD projects and other display products targeting digital signage solutions. Mr Katsura joined Hitachi in 1974.
Jon Richmond, former president of News Digital Media, the digital arm of News Corp., and Dr. Marc Hannah, a co-founder of SGI, have been appointed as CEO and CTO respectively of SongPro. The SongPro device opens a channel for secure digital content distribution targeted at the coveted, yet difficult-to-reach, youth market and the 125 million users of Nintendo Game Boy. SongPro's technology allows companies to imbed advertising within SPA tracks, enabling content distribution to be ad supported, similar to traditional TV or radio models.
199.28 SIGGRAPH 2002
ACM SIGGRAPH is dedicated to the generation and dissemination of information on computer graphics and interactive techniques: San Antonio, Texas, USA - July 21-26, 2002 (exhibition 23-25).
199.29 VR World Congress V
VR World Congress V will be held in Paris, France on September 9th and 10th, 2002 and offers an exceptional opportunity to identify project partners to make proposals to the European Commission's Sixth Framework Programme (the budget for the 5th was $3.5bn). A copy of the current working draft agenda is available. The delegate fee for this not-for-profit event is just $150 and, as numbers are limited, early registration will be essential.
199.30 PRESENCE 2002
PRESENCE 2002, Portugal on October 9-11, 2002
URL: http://www.presence-research.org
199.31 Collaborative Virtual Environments 2002
ACM Collaborative Virtual Environments 2002: Bonn, Germany - September 30-October 2, 2002. CVE 2002 is a conference dedicated to the design, development and use of collaborative virtual environments (CVEs).
199.32 Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics
2003 Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics: California, USA - April 27 to 30, 2003. Papers Deadline: 15 September 2002
URL: http://movesinstitute.org/I3D.html
For extensive information about events relevant to the European VR/i3D community, see the events pages on El.pub: for Europe: base05.htm, for the rest of the world: connone.htm
| About VREfresh news Each edition of virtual reality news is now published on a separate page, ensuring that links (particularly from VREfresh) continue to remain current. To view news from previous issues, please use the navigation buttons below. |
VREfresh Email alerter of news items and associated URLs, send an email with your name, organisation, country (and for the US a zip code) to the Editor via the link above. |
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