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Mechdyne and SGI Visualization System Strengthens Canada’s Commanding Presence in New Media Industry MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa - July 15, 2002 - Mechdyne Corporation, of Marshalltown, Iowa – along with SGI (NYSE: SGI), of Mountain View, California – announced today that it has completed a cutting-edge large-scale visualization system (an MD Flx™) for New Media Innovation Centre (NewMIC) in Vancouver, British Columbia. Funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada, it is one of the most sophisticated visualization systems in Western Canada. The system will provide a key platform for research in electronic gaming, networking, and web design and creation. NewMIC anticipates that the system will also further strengthen British Columbia’s commanding presence as the home to world-leading companies and researchers in gaming and entertainment applications of new media as well as in electronic commerce, the Internet, wireless applications and design. "This state-of-the-art visualization system by Mechdyne will establish NewMIC as a leading-edge research and development facility – one that will attract researchers, engineers, animators, applications developers, filmmakers and other leading minds from the new media field to Vancouver while positioning Canada at the forefront of the multibillion dollar new media industry," said Dr. Shahid Hussain, NewMIC's President and CEO. A uniquely designed visualization system developed and marketed exclusively by Mechdyne, the MD Flex™ system is the world's first commercially available reconfigurable large-scale visualization solution. NewMIC's MD Flex™ features three 10' x 8' vertical panels and a floor projection surface that can be quickly and easily configured as a fully immersive walk-in environment, an angled, interactive theater, or a single, flat display wall. An SGI® Onyx® 3200 visualization system with two InfiniteReality3™ graphics pipes generates high-fidelity 2D and 3D images, which are projected onto the walls and floor by four CRT projectors, immersing users in the virtual environment. Afshad Mistri, SGI marketing manager for Reality Center facilities, comments, "As a partner with Mechdyne, we're pleased to support NewMIC's research and business endeavors. Together, SGI's powerful graphics technology and Mechdyne's innovative and flexible immersive system will serve the most demanding visualization requirements." To further maximize system versatility and return on investment, the system also includes several customized features. A "surround sound" audio system provides lifelike audio cues to transport users into the virtual world, allowing individuals to feel less like viewers and more like active participants. A sophisticated tracking system tracks the position of a user's head and hand (using an interactive glove) and subsequently displays the correct scenery for that user's point of view. A wireless control system allows complete control of the system's many components from a single touch pad. Finally, an additional LCD projector delivers the extra brightness favorable for A/V presentations, and wireless microphones enable easy audience interaction. "NewMIC is a perfect example of the customer for whom Mechdyne developed the MD Flex™," said John Bethel, Mechdyne's Director of Business Development. "Because the system will be used by not only NewMIC researchers but outside organizations as well, it needed to be suitable for a wide array of applications and users. It needed to utilize only the most advanced technology to create the optimal tool for developing new media innovations. Finally, it needed to be robust, easy to use, and easy to maintain. The MD Flex™ is the perfect solution, offering three configuration possibilities in one system, cutting-edge computing, projection, and auxiliary technology, and exclusive Mechdyne structural features that optimize system quality and maintainability." Mechdyne will be demonstrating an immersive visualization system in booth #13071 at SIGGRAPH 2002 in San Antonio, July 23-25. SGI will be demonstrating SGI Reality Center technology in booth #13063 as it continues its next 20 years of graphics leadership. ### About Mechdyne Corporation Mechdyne Corporation is the world’s largest company dedicated to consulting and development of immersive, networked and collaborative visualization systems. The company addresses complex projects where an in-depth understanding of user requirements leads to the development of products and customized solutions involving elements of visual, software and support systems. Mechdyne’s product divisions provide advanced display technology, audio/visual systems design, and implementation services, as well as immersive and interactive software development and support. Headquartered in Marshalltown, Iowa, Mechdyne’s customers include leading government laboratories, military research programs, energy companies and a variety of ‘edutainment,’ manufacturing, and other users of visualization technology. More information is available at www.mechdyne.com. About SGI Celebrating its 20th year, SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics, Inc., is the world’s leader in high-performance computing, visualization and the management of complex data. SGI® products, services and solutions enable its technical and creative customers to gain strategic and competitive advantages in their core businesses. Whether being used to design and build safer cars and airplanes, discover new medications and oil reserves, predict the weather, entertain us with thrilling movie special effects or provide missioncritical support for government and defense, SGI systems and expertise are empowering a world of innovation and discovery. The company, located on the Web at www.sgi.com, is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and has offices worldwide. About NewMIC The New Media Innovation Centre (NewMIC) is a groundbreaking collaboration between industry, academia and government that focuses on the research, development and commercialization of cutting-edge new media and multimedia technologies and applications. NewMIC is an interdisciplinary centre at which players in the new media industry can share resources, learn from one another and push the boundaries of how we think about new media. Sustaining Members are Electronic Arts, IBM, Nortel Networks, Sierra Wireless, Sony, and TELUS. Academic Members include The Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and University of Victoria. Government Members are the Government of British Columbia, the National Research Council of Canada and Western Economic Diversification Canada. Partnership Members include BC Advanced Systems Institute and TRLabs. NewMIC also has close to twenty-five affiliates, a group that includes emerging new media technology businesses and professional service providers. For a complete listing, please visit www.newmic.com. Mechdyne Press Contact Jeff Brum Matt Schmidt |
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