Virtual Reality News: 29th May 2003Virtual Reality News: 29th May 2003
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Luxembourg
Meeting
01 You Still Have Time
Users,
Applications & Projects
02 Emirates Upgrades Flight Simulator
03 3D CAD Environment Brings Benefits
04 Research Demonstrations
Products
& Services
05 Motion Capture by Ascension
06 Glasses-Free 3D Monitors & Player
07 Gemini Launched by Barco
08 Ultra High-Resolution Digital Active Stereoscopic Projection
09 Real-Time 3D Player Supports MPEG-4 and VRML
10 Real-Time 3D Navigation Software
11 New Asylum Graphics Cards
12 PC Built To Deliver 3D Visual Home Entertainment
13 Bonus Tools Pack for Maya
Companies
& Markets
14 400 Jobs to go at SGI
15 Alias|Wavefront & Spatial
16 Alias|Wavefront & Acer
17 PC-cluster system in Europe
18 3D Pipeline Corporation & Univessence Digital Studios
19 Realviz in Ireland
20 Shift into High Gear with 3ds max
21 Visualization R&D
22 Telelogic & Princess Interactive
23 Web Site for Gamers and 3D Graphics Enthusiasts
24 AutoVue with Livelink CADManager
25 UK Reseller for Geomagic Studio
26 CAM Market Estimates
27 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
Events & Calls for Papers
You Still Have Time
If you want to meet potential partners and influence the European Commission's forward thinking on financially supported projects you still have time to register for the meeting on June 24th and 25th in Luxembourg (space permitting). Organizations that have already reserved their places include:
3d web technologies, 3DGI - Aalborg University, Aarhus University, Actif Europe, AFPA, APS, arup, barrass, BRGM, CIANT, contino, Cyber-Wizard Ltd, DATAFLUG Consulting, digital video s.r.l., EADS, Ename Center for Public Archaeology and Heritage Presentation, Engineering Systems Technologies, European Commission - Joint Research, EUROSIS-ETI, FH Konstanz, University of Applied Science, Fraunhofer FIT, Fundación LABEIN, FusionGFX, HLRS, University of Stuttgart, Hochschule Bremen, Hungarian Theatre Portal, ICNM - International Center for New Media, IMATI-GE CNR, INBIS, Infinity Innovations, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Laboratory for Mixed Realities, Logical Events, Lunatic Interactive, Metacognition IT Consulting, MIEM (Technical Univeristy), MOTEK, MPI Informatik, MVA, n_space - Center of Excellence for Nonlinear Media, NavisWorks, NextReality, Orad Hi Tec Systems, ORT France, Politecnico di Bari, project: syntropy GmbH, Pure Digital, Robotics laboratory of Versailles, Ruhr University of Bochum, Salford University, SICROUS, SINTEF Applied Mathematics, SITREC KTH, SYSTEMA TECHNOLOGIES, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Toni Avrame s.a., University Leuven & ETH Zurich, University of Bologna, University of Bonn, University of Teesside, University of Warwick, Virtual Dimension Center, Virtual Reality Centre at Teesside Ltd, VITEC Multimedia, VRcontext, VSP Technology...
You will also have the opportunity to participate in the first European meeting of the 3D Consortium - a not-for-profit Japanese initiative looking for a global presence.
There will be presentations, demonstrations, debate, discussion, scheduled meetings and networking opportunities. It is probably the most cost efficient use of your time in the VR/i3D year - a pan-European tour in two days!
Information: agenda28.htm
Registration: http://www.mvasystra.com/inform/register.asp
229.02 Emirates Upgrades Flight Simulator
Emirates, one of the growing airlines in the world, has selected an Evans & Sutherland-1000CT visual system to upgrade its B777-200 full flight simulator. E&S will replace the existing CAE Maxvue image generator with EP-1000CT, making Emirates the seventh customer in the world and the first customer in the Middle East to choose EP-1000CT. This is the third E&S visual system purchased by Emirates since 1997 and will be installed at their training center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, later this year.
URL: http://www.es.com
229.03 3D CAD Environment Brings Benefits
Riverwood International is to standardize on SolidWorks 3D mechanical design software to improve the design of the machines that corporations around the world will use to package their products. Riverwood will use the software to streamline product design and bring high-quality products to customers more efficiently than with its previous CAD software. Riverwood manufactures the paperboard and containers used for packaging beverage and consumer products goods, as well as the machines that pack these goods. 3D mechanical design allows Riverwood's engineers to more easily generate flexible product designs, such as machinery to pack beverage cans and bottles into the Fridge Vendor carton. This carton is designed to fit in the "dead space" in the average refrigerator and serves as a dispenser for 12-ounce cans or recyclable plastic bottles. According to Steve Ingram, director of product development for the packaging machinery division: "The 3D CAD environment brings benefits throughout the engineering process, from presentation of concepts, improved visualization in design, and communications with manufacturing, to post-shipment support including parts, technical publications, and service." Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Riverwood has annual sales of over $1.2 billion and approximately 4,100 employees.
229.04 Research Demonstrations
APS gGmbH, the European Center for Mechatronics, R&D VR Media Lab from Germany is to present a demonstration application showing interactivity between two connected laptop PCs to enable low cost VR via the Internet while at the same time being able to collaborate and interact with other sites. A further demonstration will show low-cost equipment for stereoscopic visualisation of 3D data using polarised light. The demonstrations will take place during the European Commission meeting on 24th and 25th June in Luxembourg.
URL: agenda28.htm
229.05 Motion Capture by Ascension
Ascension Technology has released ReActor 2 (R2), a motion capture system employing digital, active-optical technology. R2's 544 digital detectors are embedded in a 12-bar modular frame for complete tracking coverage. As with its predecessor, R2 offers Instant Marker Recognition to eliminate most occlusion drop-outs. New algorithms improve accuracy, reduce noise and provide consistently clean data throughout the capture space. R2's one-piece frame eliminates tripod alignment headaches and the need for camera calibration and R2's FusionCore software provides complete diagnostics and real-time visualization of system parameters.
229.06 Glasses-Free 3D Monitors & Player
StereoGraphics has launched two new SynthaGram Glasses-Free 3D monitors as well as the SynthaGram Player. StereoGraphics now has four SynthaGram monitors. The SynthaGram Player has the ability to run movies and slide shows. The SynthaGram uses lenticular technology, unlike systems that use raster barriers. The lenticular approach creates images that are brighter and without surface reflections and distracting pattern noise sometimes associated with raster barrier displays. Crisp, bright images and wide viewing angles make the SynthaGram suitable for public display settings. Applications include in store retail displays, arcades, gaming, corporate lobbies, boardrooms, tradeshow booths and kiosks, automotive dealerships, museums, and theme parks. The SynthaGram Player is included with every SynthaGram monitor. SynthaGram suggested retail prices start at $4,495, but there is an introductory price of $2,995.
229.07 Gemini Launched by Barco
Barco has launched its 'Gemini' solution, an entry-level stereoscopic package. Gemini includes two pre-aligned projectors (XGA, SXGA or UXGA), active to passive stereo conversion (Duet II), projection screen (front or rear, wallmounted or selfstanding) and ten matched stereo glasses.
229.08 Ultra High-Resolution Digital Active Stereoscopic Projection
Fakespace Systems has announced the development of an ultra high-resolution, digital, active stereoscopic projection system. The projection technology increases available pixel density up to 1600 x 1200 Ultra XGA (UXGA) resolution, providing an extremely bright and stable display with detail for use in advanced visualization solutions. Fakespace Systems acquired an exclusive worldwide license to manufacture and market this projection technology, which was developed by Dr Karri Palovuori, professor at The Institute of Electronics at Tampere University of Technology. Designed to help leverage the high resolution graphics cards and multi-channel computing power available today, the patent-pending technology provides a number of the benefits of active stereo digital projection, including mirror-bounce configuration to reduce system footprint, gen-locking, and compatibility with edge-blending and distortion correction. It will be available in CAVE, FLEX, CURV and PowerWall visualization environments from Fakespace Systems beginning in August 2003.
229.09 Real-Time 3D Player Supports MPEG-4 and VRML
Octaga, provider of MPEG-4 based technology, has announced its first Octagon Player products. The Octagon Player 1.0 is a real-time 3D player that supports MPEG-4 and VRML. It offers 3D visual features such as particle systems, multi-texturing, environment mapping, real-time shadows, nurbs, layers, X3D and multi-user ready. The Octagon Player+, supporting real-time animation and fast render to video, will be released before the summer. The Octagon Player products are targeting the architectural visualization market. A 21 day trial version is available.
229.10 Real-Time 3D Navigation Software
Iomedia has released its iVISION real-time 3D navigation software for client use. iVISION allows its user to experience a virtual environment in real-time 3D. iVISION's navigation system allows its user to exercise control within a virtual 3D project. iVISION has been implemented on laptop computers for mobile client presentations. Iomedia will use iVISION as a presentation platform for its clients in the architecture, construction, healthcare, and entertainment industries.
229.11 New Asylum Graphics Cards
BFG Technologies, Inc, a supplier of 3D graphics cards for PCs, is to add two Asylum graphics cards to its product line-up based on the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 graphics processing unit (GPU) by NVIDIA Corporation.
229.12 PC Built To Deliver 3D Visual Home Entertainment
X3D Technologies, a provider of 3D hardware and software products, has shown the X3D PC, a PC built to deliver 3D visual home entertainment. The X3D PC includes a CPU, keyboard, monitor, speakers, cables, printer, and supporting software. The X3D PC System also includes a high-speed DVD drive, Hauppauge! TV tuner card, Gforce 4 graphics card, and 21 game titles covering choices for teens, adults, and children. The PC incorporates X3D's "Extreme 3D" technology that turns a 2D image into 3D on the fly. By wearing wired/wireless liquid crystal glasses before launching a form of entertainment, the user can see images "floating" inside and in front of the monitor screen. The complete X3D PC System, including PC, monitor, speakers, software, and peripheral cards, is priced at $1,599.
229.13 Bonus Tools Pack for Maya
Alias|Wavefront has also announced that the fourth iteration of its Bonus Tools Pack is now available for use with its Maya 5 software. The Bonus Tools Pack, formerly known as the Bonus Games Pack, now combines a consolidated tool set that contains games tools, unsupported plug-ins and development kit tools. It can be downloaded for free.
229.14 400 Jobs to go at SGI
Silicon Graphics Inc (SGI) is cutting 10% of its work force, about 400 jobs, in an effort to match expenses with revenue. The company said the reduction will cut its quarterly expenses by about $10 million--or $40 million a year--starting in its first fiscal quarter ending Sept. 26.
URL: http://www.sgi.com
229.15 Alias|Wavefront & Spatial
Alias|Wavefront, an SGI company, has signed an agreement with Spatial Corp, a Dassault Systemes company, to become a Spatial Component Application Architecture (CAA) V5 Adopter. As a result of this new relationship, Alias|Wavefront will develop software called AliasCATIA V5 Direct Connect to offer efficient exchange of data between certain Alias products and CATIA V5.
URL: http://www.spatial.com
URL: http://www.aliaswavefront.com
229.16 Alias|Wavefront & Acer
Alias|Wavefront is to bundle Alias SketchBook Pro on all Acer Tablet PCs sold worldwide. Combining the features of paint, image processing, viewing, image organization, annotation and presentation, Alias SketchBook Pro allows users to develop and present pen-driven images, ideas and documents from anywhere, at any time.
URL: http://www.aliaswavefront.com
URL: http://www.acer.com/us
229.17 PC-cluster system in Europe
VisionMax International Ltd (VMIL) has introduced its first PC-cluster system in Europe. The VisionMax VM3100NP system, a 3-channel solution, was demonstrated using packages such as TGS AmiraVR by VMIL's newly appointed French partner, Immersion SA, an established French providers of visualization hardware, software and solutions.
229.18 3D Pipeline Corporation & Univessence Digital Studios
3D Pipeline Corporation (3DP) and Univessence Digital Studios (UDS) are to collaborate in the development of photorealistic real-time 3D computer-generated simulation technology and databases of urban environments, suitable for defense, homeland security, and entertainment applications. 3DP's HyperPipe image generator technology enables real-time visualization of high-resolution 3D model databases utilizing texture maps of up to 2k x 2k resolution. HyperPipe supports atmospheric and physical effects including rain, clouds, gas propagation, time of day lighting, weapon effects, wind, and water. UDS' production workforce creates geospecific and geotypical computer-generated 3D model databases of urban environments from satellite, aerial, and ground-level photographic imagery. Model databases are built to any desired degree of detail, from game quality to true photorealism.
URL: http://www.3dpipeline.com
URL: http://www.univessence.com
229.19 Realviz in Ireland
Dublin-based Eurotek Ireland Ltd has been recruited as REALVIZ's master reseller for the Irish Republic and northern Ireland. Eurotek is a privately-owned company specializing in the design and supply of professional and broadcast audio-visual systems and software to the content creation, broadcast, and graphics markets.
URL: http://www.realviz.com
URL: http://www.eurotek.ie/
229.20 Shift into High Gear with 3ds max
Discreet is challenging animators and users of Maya, XSI, Lightwave, and Houdini to "Shift into high gear with 3ds max" in a series of one day workshops. Taking place in Discreet Training Centers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Toronto and Montreal, the workshop offers hands-on training to learn and test drive 3ds max animation, modeling and rendering tools in a one-day session.
229.21 Visualization R&D
EON Reality and their UK distributor, Design Academy, are hosting a series of 3D visualization R&D events in the UK during June. EON is working with channel partners to develop several 'Visualization R&D' (VRD) Centers in Europe, similar to those they have established in North America and Asia. This initiative is focused on setting up a limited number of strategic universities around the UK as Visualization R&D' Centers and is seen as a collaborative venture, with EON and Design Academy co-investing in each of the UK based VRD Centers. Each UK based VRD Centre will have access to EON's industrial application library (over 1600 applications, frameworks, models and templates) for industrial, vehicle, power, retail, computer electronics, education, art & history, defense, architecture, construction and medical.
229.22 Telelogic & Princess Interactive
Telelogic, a provider of solutions for advanced systems and software development, are cooperating with Princess Interactive to pursue new clients and new business prospects with an end-to-end tools suite for design and development of Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). The integrated solution is intended to help automotive manufacturers design advanced and easy-to-use dashboard and information systems and facilitate close cooperation and communication between manufacturer and suppliers. The visual development and simulation platform has been achieved by seamless integration of Telelogic DOORS, a solution for requirements management, Telelogic Tau Generation2, a UML 2.0 based modeling and development tool and Princess Interactive INSIDES for 3D virtual prototyping of HMIs. Automotive industry analysts have estimated that the market for telematics will grow to approximately US$8 billion by 2003.
URL: http://www.princess-interactive.com
URL: http://www.telelogic.com
229.23 Web Site for Gamers and 3D Graphics Enthusiasts
NVIDIA Corporation has unveiled NVIDIA nZone, a dedicated Web site for gamers and 3D graphics enthusiasts. NVIDIA nZone presents a range of 3D content, while providing a glimpse of the cinematic gaming experiences to come. NVIDIA nZone is dedicated to delivering a information on PC games and 3D applications through reviews, interviews, software downloads, and more, to showcase the power of 3D.
229.24 AutoVue with Livelink CADManager
Cimmetry Systems' AutoVue now integrates seamlessly with Livelink CADManager, a new solution announced by Open Text this week to provide integrated collaboration and knowledge management to CAD applications. Livelink CADManager for AutoCAD provides a structure in the Livelink repository to manage complex relationships between CAD drawings.
229.25 UK Reseller for Geomagic Studio
Concurrent Design Group (CDG) is to be the UK reseller of Geomagic Studio reverse-engineering software and Geomagic Qualify computer-aided inspection software. Geomagic software processes scan data from a physical part to generate accurate polygon and parametric surface models. It enables manufacturers to move between the physical part or mold and its digital model, resulting in greater speed, accuracy and reliability.
229.26 CAM Market Estimates
CIMdata has produced worldwide estimates based on end-user payments for computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software and services that show the market in 2000 at $1.19bn, falling to $1.13bn in 2001 and $1.06bn in 2002. The company is forecasting growth for 2003.
229.27 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
Computer and video games software sales numbered 221m in 2002 and grew 8% by value to $6.9bn. Of the estimated 1300 products shown for the first time at E3, 57% are for video game consoles, 27% for PCs, 9% for handheld devices and 5% for PDAs and mobile/cell telephones (the mobile games market is predicted by Strategy Analytics Inc to reach over $2bn by 2004 and $7bn by 2008). By category, 20% were action games, 16% sports and driving games and educational games just 5%.
In IT, what is true for the USA today will be the case for the rest of the world tomorrow. 60% of Americans aged over six years play computer and video games. The average age of a game player is 28 years and more than 90% of games are purchased by adults over 18 years. 43% of game players are female.
Discreet was at E3 to showcase its 3D animation, modeling, character design, rendering and game modification software and integrated partner software demonstrations. The company ran educational "how to" sessions on rapid game development for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Game Cube and mobile games Discreet's 3D software is used by over 70% of the world's top-selling game developers such as Ubi Soft Entertainment, Digital Illusion, Microsoft, SEGA Corporation and Midway Games. 3ds max is available worldwide in English, French, Italian, German and Japanese. A full-featured 30-day trial version of 3ds max software is available. Discreet used E3 to unveil game initiatives to publishers and game developers showing their link between Hollywood visual effects for motion pictures and the video game industries (Matrix Reloaded and its sequel had a $100m budget for computer effects).
Statistics were mostly provided courtesy of the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) and are appreciatively acknowledged.
229.00 Events
For details of the following events, see the VREfresh web site.
June 3-5: EurographicsUK 2003, Birmingham, England
June 24-25: EC Meeting, Luxembourg
July 10-11: Vision, Video and Graphics 2003, Bath, UK
July 14-18: CREATE, New York, USA
July 27 - 31: Siggraph 2003, San Diego, California, USA
September 1-6: Eurographics 2003, Granada, Spain
September 15-17: IVA 2003, Germany
October 15-17: VSMM 2003, Montreal, Canada
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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