The Virtual Global Explorer and Observatory (vGeo) is an interactive data fusion and visual analysis tool designed to meet the complex challenges faced by today's scientists, engineers and simulation analysts.
A vGeo user can navigate and interact with a time varying, three-dimensional world constructed from many large, multivariate data sets including observations, computer simulations, images, and model objects.
By taking advantage of the ability to recognize data patterns by seeing them - as animated 3D objects in an immersive environment - users often discover features and relationships that might go otherwise unnoticed.
Key Features
Whatever the type and source of your data, if it's 3D in nature, vGeo offers an easy-to-use, advanced visualization solution at an affordable price.
vGeo is available for IRIX, LINUX, or Windows operating systems. In addition, vGeo can be configured to drive a cluster of PC workstations in support of a multi-wall or multi-tile display system.
To learn more about the specific key features, click on the links below.
vGeo can be used with many system combinations, ranging from desktop workstations to multi-wall displays with tracked input. Hardware requirements vary, depending on local system configuration and data-set complexity. vGeo is compatible with IRIX, Linux, and Windows operating systems.
PC Workstation (Linux & Windows)
Computer platforms:
Intel- or AMD- based processors
Single or dual processors
3.0+ GHz processor recommended
Operating systems
Linux RedHat 8.X and up
Windows XP or 2000
Memory
1 GB recommended
2 GB for complex data sets
Graphics
One of the following graphics cards is recommended:
NVIDIA Quadro4, FX3000
3DLabs Wildcat 6110, 6210, 7110, & 7210
ATI FireGL X1
* Due to rapid changes and advances in hardware, these recommendations may change significantly. Specific recommendations are highly dependent on the complexity of your data sources. Please contact Mechdyne for additional details and recommendations.
The Tracks extension* connects vGeo to a live or archived feed of entity state information, such as ship, aircraft, and ground force location, movement, and identification. Adding to vGeo’s premier capabilities of terrain and environmental data visualization, the new extension is designed to enhance situational awareness in command centers, battle labs, and modeling and simulation activities.
More specifically, the Tracks extension connects vGeo to a Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) data feed which receives real-time updates to Entity State Protocol Data Units (PDUs). The data includes the location and velocity for each entity as well as information identifying its type and classification. Support for HLA-based data feeds is forthcoming.
Capabilites include:
Visualize tracked entities with NTDS symbology or 3D models.
Visualize customized track history over ground.
Display track information such as Name, Force, Country, and Specific Identification.
Display Location Tracking Panel with track position and velocity and inter-track relationships such as relative bearing and range.
* The vGeo Tracks extension is an optional feature and is not included in the base vGeo purchase. For Tracks pricing information, please contact Mechdyne.
Intersection and linked actions
vGeo now supports linking actions to most graphical objects, so intersecting and clicking an
object may spawn any action supported for Taskbar buttons and vGeoAction files. For example,
click on a model file and start animation, play a navigation file, and/or spawn a process to the
operating system. See the new Interaction Tools section of the Reference Manual for complete
details.
New GIS data user interface
New components of the desktop user interface support loading and visualizing GIS data such as
geotifs, DEMs, and shapefiles. The interface includes support for the new GIS Point filter and
color by attribute options. It is no longer necessary to edit text vGeo configuration files in order to
load and visualize these formats; therefore the process of building vGeo worlds is more
interactive and less time-consuming.
New static model user interface
A new user interface has been added for loading static models into vGeo worlds. Real-time
feedback is provided as the position, scale, and orientation are modified interactively. The
process of properly georeferencing models in a geographic environment has also been
automated. See the STATIC_MODEL entry in the Reference Manual for further details.
New GIS location probe
The new location probe provides a simple means for determining locations on georeferenced
images. A simple point-and-click displays a panel with the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the
intersected point. See the new Interaction Tools section of the Reference Manual for more
details.
New GIS plumb-bob
The plumb-bob is a new feature that draws a vertical line from any selected GIS Point to a
configurable reference level. Spheres at the top and bottom of the line highlight the selected GIS
Point and the point of intersection with the reference level. Many configuration options are
available and are described in the new Interaction Tools section of the Reference Manual.
New look to the 3D Panels immersive interface
The look of the immersive “3D panels” interface has been improved with a texture-based font.
Graphical Object Enhancements
GIS “filters”
GIS Point graphical objects now support filtering by attribute. For example, show only cities with
population greater than 100,000. See the GIS_POINT section of the Reference Manual for
details.
GIS color by variable
GIS Point graphical objects may now be colored by mapping an attribute to a color table. For
example, color cities by population. See the GIS_POINT section of the Reference Manual for
details.
GLYPH models
The GLYPHS graphical object now supports using a model file as the glyph, in addition to the
previously available glyphs (cube, pyramid, cross-hair). The model scale may be associated with
an attribute variable. For example, instead of drawing a cube at every data point, now render a
model of a vehicle, and scale the vehicle by its maximum speed. See the GLYPHS entry in the
Reference Manual for complete details.
STATIC_MODEL georeferencing
The STATIC_MODEL graphical object has been enhanced to automate the process of
geolocating and scaling models in a geographic domain. Scales and orientation are automatically
calculated for the model relative to the coordinate system in which it is placed. See the
STATIC_MODEL entry in the Reference Manual for further details.
Platforms
Support is continued for PC-based, 32-bit Windows XP and 32-bit Linux operating systems.
Support has been added for the 64-bit Windows XP operating system.
Support has been discontinued for the SGI-based IRIX operating system.
Support has been discontinued for the Itanium-based SGI Prism.
This two-day course is designed to teach novice and intermediate vGeo users how to:
