Fakespace Brings New Type Of Immersive Display To The Desktop
PUSH™ Technology Makes Immersive 3D Feasible For Applications In Engineering, Design; Now Available To Software Firms For Applications Development
Menlo Park, Calif. and Atlanta, Ga. - June 6, 1995 - Fakespace, Inc. is demonstrating a new class of desktop immersive display at A/E/C Systems '95, as part of a program to make cost-effective 3D modeling and simulation systems accessible to engineering professionals. The new display, based on a patent pending approach Fakespace calls PUSH™ technology, delivers workstation-graphics quality stereoscopic image capability in a desktop device that eliminates the learning curve required to navigate and work within 3D computer simulations.
Using PUSH technology, users can navigate within large virtual spaces, or look closely at individual virtual objects from different viewpoints, without physically leaving their desk or even turning in their chairs. Learning to move in the virtual environment is a completely intuitive experience, a significant contrast to the learning curve associated with immersive display technologies that use motion tracking sensors and hand-operated devices such as 3D mice and trackballs. Since no clumsy headgear or costly, multi-screen "caves" are required, Fakespace believes this is the most accessible, instantly productive immersive display ever produced.
PUSH technology displays are presently available only to solutions developers that can integrate the device with applications that leverage the power of immersive visualization, and Fakespace is already working with key vendors in target markets. For A/E/C applications, this includes CADCentre Ltd., Deneb Robotics and Sterling Software, and developers of virtual environment applications at major manufacturing companies. Other markets where "virtual reality"
applications promise significant productivity improvements include, product visualization and design, virtual environment software development, and the current markets for Fakespace high-resolution displays, including scientific visualization and concurrent engineering.
"The desktop accessible display was developed to meet customer requirements for a system that provides an immersive design environment, yet can be used as easily as a standard computer monitor at a cost that allows use on stand-alone graphics workstations," said Mark Bolas, president and CEO of Fakespace. "PUSH technology extends our display product line from systems for scientific visualization labs and supercomputing centers, to individual users in departmental engineering groups and design centers."
At Ford Motor Company, which uses Fakespace displays in its Virtual Reality for Automotive Applications project, Project Leader Ray Byrnes had these comments about the PUSH technology.
"Fakespace's commitment to broadening available options for high-quality immersive display technology is impressive. It's particularly exciting to see a desktop display system like this become available as we proceed with our plans to implement a 'Global Studio' where our engineers and designers work on new designs across a worldwide, networked computer environment."
An Explosion In 'Virtual Design'
PUSH technology displays provide full-color, 1280 X 1024 interlaced pixels per eye resolution using CRTs and high-quality optics in a binocular-like casing that stands about 18-in. high on a sturdy, desktop-mounted base. When released to end-user markets late this year, pricing for the display system is expected to be one-half to one-third the cost of comparable resolution head-mount displays.
"PUSH technology provides an order of magnitude improvement in the usability of truly immersive displays, while significantly lowering the cost of entry into this technology," said David Eggleston, vice president of marketing and sales for Fakespace. "When combined with the constantly improving performance of 3D graphics applications and lower cost computer hardware supporting immersive stereo graphics, we believe the new display will help fuel an explosion in the use of virtual environment technologies for engineering and design."
The Fakespace family of BOOM displays are already used in virtual environment design and engineering programs at aerospace, automotive and naval design/manufacturing organizations. In these and other applications, users praise the combination of high quality optics and easy accessibility to the immersive environment. With PUSH technology displays, users will now be able to make individual systems available for engineering use, while using other BOOM systems for large group presentations and design reviews.
A New Way To Control Virtual Movement
Conceptually, PUSH harnesses natural movements of the human muscle groups which control axial motion. Specifically, these are muscle groups associated with the vertebral column, including the neck and torso muscles that move as people swing their head or upper body to change viewpoints. One advantage of yoking these muscle groups to control a display is that use of the muscles sends perceptual cues that the brain uses to orient itself. Early experience indicates that these cues help reduce the disorientation commonly experienced when flying rapidly through a 3D scene using other types of immersive displays.
Movement around a 3D object or within a 3D environment is accomplished by simply turning to look at a desired viewpoint and gently pushing the binocular-like display in the same direction. For example, a soft forward push would move a user down a virtual road, or zoom the user in closer to a virtual object. Pushing allows the user to pan around an object, allowing easy inspection of complex assemblies.
In initial testing conducted by Fakespace, users ranging from "experts" in the navigation of virtual worlds to complete novices have been asked to navigate through the most commonly available real time 3D simulation of a small town. With practically no coaching, every subject was able to immediately navigate through the simulation; easily starting and stopping movement, turning from side-to-side, and rotating around objects. Fakespace believes this is due to the intuitive nature of movement based on the axial muscle control principle.
Development Tools, Configurations
All application developer systems for PUSH technology displays include Fakespace VLIB™ software, a toolkit for quickly adding stereoscopic, immersive capability to software supporting 3D image generation. Like other Fakespace display systems, the PUSH technology displays are available with a variety of interchangeable optics configurations, including 45 degree, 60 degree or 110 degree (wrap-around) fields-of-view. The computer graphics interface directly supports the RGB sequential output generated by Silicon Graphics Reality Engine systems, and indirectly supports VGA systems with up to 1280 x 1024 resolution.
Fakespace is the leading supplier of three-dimensional (3D) immersive visualization systems used for interacting with virtual environments created for applications in scientific and commercial research, product design and engineering, and location-based entertainment. The company's products include BOOM (Binocular Omni-Orientation Monitor) high-resolution, high-performance immersive displays; PINCH™ hand gesture interface systems; hardware and software for integrating applications into 3D visualization systems; and consulting services for applications development. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., the privately-held company has been profitable since its founding in 1988.
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