TO: VT-CAVE Steering Committee
FROM: Ron Kriz
Date: August 31, 1998
Subject: VT-CAVE Laboratory Report
Action Items: 1. Renewing John Kelso's research appointment for 2nd year. Please
come prepared to make a contribution for John's reappointment.
2. Approving hourly rates.
3. Approve continuing VT-CAVE past November 1, 1998.
Quick Overview:
1) How the VT-CAVE relates to the "Update to the University Plan 1996-2001" (Strategy
3.4 and Tasks: 3.4f.1, 3.4f.3 and 3.4f.4), see attachment (A);
2) NSF-ARI CAVE proposal was submitted in early 1996; Management Plan see attachment (B);
3) CAVE proposal was funded in September 1996 and the CAVE computer was operational
November 1996. The CAVE system was first operational December 17, 1997;
4) CAVE configuration completed and accessible by faculty and students for development
late January 1998. Statistics: 800 scheduled CAVE reservations including 150
unattended after hour visits. Approximately 280 tours given to approximately 5000
visitors since December 1997;
5) Over the last seven months there has been significant progress (Report on
visualization to CCICICT, see attachment (C) ) in Architecture, Interior Design,
Material Science (Atomview), Mechanics (ONR-MURI), Entomology (USDA), Vet-Med (DICOM->
Crumbs), Biochemistry (VMD), and Human Computer Interaction (ONR/NRL);
6) Current operating budget is $30,485.79, ends November 1.
PROGRESS REPORT
A) Summary of John Kelso's accomplishments for the first year, see attachment (D):
http://www.cave.vt.edu/~kelso/CAVEwork.html
B) Major CAVE-Projects:
1) NSF CAVE-ARI: The CAVE CoPIs Kriz, Farkas, David Bevan, Debby Hix and their
graduate students have all made significant progress the first year. Bill
Curtin has left Virginia Tech.
- Atomview (Kriz/Shalf(NCSA)/Farkas): CAVE application for viewing complex 3D
crystal structures of supercomputing models was featured both by PACI and HPCWire.
Atomview is being routinely used by Professors Farkas and Kriz in their research
and educational projects. Atomview is now for the 1999 Demonstration Project. See
attachment (E).
- VMD (Visual Molecular Dynamics) (Kelso/Bevan/SARA/Kriz): CAVE application for
viewing biochemical structures connects the desktop workstation to the CAVE. SARA
and VT-CAVE modified VMD to work in the CAVE. SARA (Stichting Academisch
Rekencentrum Amsterdam) is a center of expertise in computers, networks, and
state-of-the-art information technology, see attachment (F). VT-CAVE and SARA
will continue to modify VMD to include simple CAVE navigation using Performer.
This will complete the tasks needed for the January 1999 NSF Demonstration Project.
- Composite Failure Models (Curtin): No progress since Bill has left Virginia Tech.
Since Scott Case has been funded on an ASPIRES grant to model complex 3D composite
fracture structures in the CAVE , Scott may have some results available by January.
2) NSF NCSA-PACI: The CAVE CoPIs Kriz, Carroll, Reifsnider have been funded the
second year with an additional $25K to continue development of CAVE Limbo Awareness
Tools in collaboration with Old Dominion University on developing CAVE-6D. The
majority of these funds will go to two GRA's who started this project in their CSCW
class in CS.
- Summary on the PACI Alliance Quarterly Report, June 22, 1998 / Summary of LIMBO
awareness tools are posted at http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/paci/paci.html . Our
progress on this research has to date had the most significant impact on how the
CAVE at Virginia Tech will be used as a distributed collaborative tool, see
attachment (G). Specifically the VDOE and Virginia Governors Schools have
responded by submitting proposals to use these collaborative tools for distance
education projects.
- VT-CAVE was recognized by Larry Smarr, NCSA Director, as one of six major VR
Developer sites, see attached national network map, see attachment (H).
3) ONR: 1) High Performance Interactive Visualization (AVS) in the CAVE, see
attachment (I) and 2) Development of a CAVE Eye-tracking System for Evaluation of
Human Computer Interface Development in Virtual Environments, Hix.
4) Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology: Infrastructure and Development and
Planning Project to Explore the Benefits of a Collaborative Virtual Environment
in Virginia Universities and Businesses ($29K). See attachment (J).
C) Significant VT-CAVE Remote Sites and other VT-CAVE activities:
1) New remote site graphic labs that consider themselves as partners or remote site
CAVE labs: Architecture / Interior Design / Material Science / Entomology: see
attachment (K)
http://www.caus.vt.edu/CAUS/FACILITIES/VELab/partner/partner.htm
http://www.chre.vt.edu/~/hidm/id/idflcave.html
http://www.cmsms.vt.edu/
http://everest.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html
2) VT-CAVE Student Led Users Group (SLUGs): Created CAVE.net Networking Sub-group
who created the LIMBO Awareness Collaborative VE Tools which is now the focus of
Virginia Tech's PACI project with Old Dominion University as well as other
proposals related to distance education.
3) Numerous ASPIRES proposals that are using the CAVE as a resource.
D) Pending CAVE proposals with significant funding:
1) NAVCIITI ($3M ACITIC / $512K for CAVE): see attached
2) ONR - DURIP ( $1.2M ESM / $60K for CAVE): see attached
3) Sandia Labs ASCII Project ( $200 STL / $30K for CAVE) significant funds pending.
E) Other Significant Items:
1) Software: AVS and MSI software has been installed in the CAVE. MSE software is
mostly used by David Bevan in Biochemistry and Diana Farkas in Material Science.
AVS is used mostly by fluid dynamics researchers on campus. Recently researchers
from NRL visited the CAVE and installed a performer based interface that allows
AVS to run in the CAVE from the CAVE computer console. John Kelso also installed
and instructed CAVE users how to use Vanilla Sound Server (VSS) which were
implemented in a number of CAVE applications. Hardware: John Kelso installed the
CAVE sound systems and a structure to control noise, see attachment (D).
2) Academic:
- Fall 1997, ESM4984 Visual Data Analysis, Kriz, included an introduction to CAVE
programming. Four of the eight class projects were CAVE projects. You can view
project at http://www.sv.vt.edu/class/Student_Proj/class97/Class97.html .
- Spring 1998, HIDM6004 Advanced Topics: Modeling, McClain-Kark used resources in
the Interior Design Futures Lab together with the VT-CAVE. on five student
projects.
- Fall 1998, NSF Combined Research and Curriculum Development, ESM/MSE 4984,
Computer Simulation of Material Behavior From Atomistic to the Continuum, Batra,
Farkas, Kriz, students run simulations and view their 3D atomic structures in the
CAVE using VRML at their desk and Atomview in the CAVE..
- Spring 1999, ESM4714 Visual Data Analysis, Kriz, will include CAVE programming.
- Spring 1999, NEID4144, Advanced CAD.
- Ph.D Dissertation, Defense October 1998, J. Lee, "Comparing the Effectiveness of
Computer Simulation on Computer Monitor vs. Virtual Reality as Communication Tools
in Interior Design", Department of Near Environments, College of Human Resources
and Education
3) PACI Visit: John Toole, Coordinator / Director of NSF NCSA PACI, visited VT-CAVE
with our ODU Partners, Glen Wheless and Cathy Lascara to discuss future PACI
collaborations, summer 1998.
4) George Francis, Math Professor at U of I and CAVE Pioneer at NCSA, gave a
seminar and worked VT-CAVE staff for two days.
F) Recommendations:
1) Extend John Kelso's position into the second year.
2) Create state-wide distributed Virtual Environment CIT Center.
3) Create ACITC-UVAG Governing Constitution.
4) Support the creation of a School of Information Technology that will integrate
various ACITC activities and also offer a degree in Information Technology.
=============================== END OF PROGRESS REPORT ====================================