New services offered at U-M Media Union 3-D Lab

The Media Union will unveil two new 3-D hardware systemsa projection system and printerduring a March 7 open house at its reorganized 3-D Lab. The open house will run from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

The Geowall is a low-cost method that creates 3-D images on a polarized screen from twin projectors and a high-end computer. The 3-D Printer turns computer software models into solid objects from starch powder. These additions to the lab will result in greater interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as inspire more creative activities.

The 3-D Lab, which opened last fall on the Media Union's first floor, has resources and services that allow users to explore virtual reality and visualization technologies. The lab offers workshops and, with support from other departments, courses that evolve around these technologies. Students can use the resources for class projects or independent studies or participate in exploratory projects and research conducted by faculty and staff. The lab staff collaborates with private industries, government agencies and other educational institutions to develop virtual reality solutions to virtualization problems.

"The lab provides the U-M community with access to high-end technologies involving computer modeling and visualization of multi-dimensional environments," says Klaus-Peter Beier, 3-D Lab director.

Some additional lab features:

• The Virtual Reality CAVE, (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) features three walls and the floor as projection screens. Users entering the CAVE wear lightweight LCD shutter glasses for stereoscopic viewing

• Modeling and Animation facility allows individuals requiring high-end computer equipment to develop projects

• Render Farm, a sequence of computers connected via local networking to assist in rendering an animation

• Access Grid, a collaborative video conferencing unit that uses high-end computer systems and Internet2 multi-casting networking technology

Visitors can try out a virtual football trainer and feel as if they're playing at Michigan Stadium, surrounded by full-size, moving players. They can navigate computer images of Midfield Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport or the Pyramid of Khufu. Visitors also can enter the CAVE to view an office building and neighborhood before and after an explosion.

The 3-D Lab link is http://www.ummu.umich.edu/mu3d/. For additional information about the Media Union, visit http://www.ummu.umich.edu/intro.html.

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