T e c h n o l o g i e s

The Lab has experience in delivering its computer models on a wide range of high-, mid-, and low-end computer and video platforms. The Lab generally creates its 3D models using MultiGen Creator on powerful graphics workstations running Windows. When appropriate, MultiGen files are exported to such rendering programs as Lightscape or 3D Studio Max. MultiGen models can also be run on the SGI Onyx platform for use in realtime applications. They can also be formatted to run on a PC running Windows, Linux, or the Mac o/s. The Lab can output fly-throughs from the Onyx to digital or Beta SP video format; or to MPEG. Models can be made available on the World Wide Web using software such as QuickTime and VRML. Finally, the Lab has extensive experience in using models in TV documentaries.

L a b  U s e

The Lab welcomes inquiries from third parties about possible collaborative research projects, grants, or contracts. Our clients have included universities as well as corporations such as Intel, Microsoft, book publishers, multimedia producers, and TV production companies. Existing models can be licensed, or new models can be commissioned. Contracts can be negotiated with deliverables and deadlines, or a standard fee for services can be paid.

E x a m p l e s

• Real-time applications:
  The Lab's models are created with real-time functionality in mind. "Real-time" means that users have complete freedom of movement through the virtual environment. They can, at will, move up, down, sideways, and they can also change their orientation. Real-time applications can be presented to groups in reality theaters such as the UCLA Visualization Portal, a room seating 40 people with a semi-spherical screen and triple, edge-blended projection. They can also be presented in a CAVE. Individual users can immerse themselves in virtual environments using head mounted displays.
  To see an example of the UCLA Visualization Portal in use, click here
  
  
  
  
  
• Web applications:
  3D assets of all kinds have become common features of Web sites. The Lab's models can be converted to such Internet-capable formats as QuickTime and VRML.
  Click on the images below to see some of our QuickTime VR examples:
  
  
  
  
• TV and Video applications:
  The Lab's models can be outputted as animations in various video formats. They can also be used in a virtual set studio, where live actors are composited in real time with the virtual environment.
  For an example of the latter, click on the image below (40MB QuickTime Movie):
  
  
  

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"...since 'all men by nature desire to know,' and, as in Aristotle's day, learn best through seeing, we can predict that, in comparison with the last ten years, many more of the new virtual worlds waiting to be born in the next 10-year cycle will be scientific, i.e. accurate digital representations of the object they purport to model as authenticated by experts..."

Bernard   Frischer
Founder, UCLA - CVRLab