3D in the Ice Age, Present and Future

[P3D Gabriel Jacob <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While browsing through my hard drive of clutter I ran across this
old piece of information, which I thought was relavent to the
current wish list or discussion about the future and problems
on displaying 3D. Note, this is from last year and I don't know
if the exhibit is currently running.              

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VIRTUAL REALITY FOR THE ICE AGE

Electrohome Projection Systems, a manufacturer of stereoscopic
projectors, in Kitchener, Ontario, has helped to create a
virtual-reality system for displaying Ice Age figurines at the
Canadian Museum of Civilization, in Hull, Quebec. The virtual
exhibit, called the "Mothers of Time, " opened June 29.

Some museums have made available electronic libraries with 2-D
depictions of their exhibits. The Canadian Museum of 
Civilization's virtual exhibit, however, includes 3-D images
captured by a laser camera and processed and transmitted by a
Silicon Graphics Onyx workstation. Such a system displays fine
details, such as brush strokes on paintings and intricate
handwork in carvings, that 2-D libraries cannot.

With the aid of a trackball, museum visitors can manipulate
images of Paleolithic figurines, which measure from 1 to 2.5
inches in height, to view them from any angle. The images are
projected onto a large- screen rear-projection monitor by an
Electrohome Marquee 8000 stereoscopic projector. Passive stereo
glasses are needed to see the images in three dimensions.

The stereoscopic projector used in the application has four
times the resolution of traditional devices. The images' degree
of detail is further increased by the projector's color-digitizing
capabilities. While each color is usually digitized at 8 bits for
a television broadcast, each color is digitized at 15 bits by the
stereoscopic projector. Accuracy is better than 0.001 inch.

Because image files are compressed by the computer, they are
compact enough to be transmitted relatively quickly and easily over
networks. Remote "visitors" to the museum can therefore gain access
to the images from almost anywhere in the world.

Deitz, Dan, Virtual reality for the Ice Age.., Vol. 117, Mechanical
Engineering, 09-01-1995, pp 22.



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