Modern scientific, engineering and medical computational simulations, as well as experimental and observational data sensing/measuring devices, produce enormous amounts of data. While statistical analysis provides insight into this data, scientific visualization is tactically important for scientific discovery, product design and data analysis. These benefits are impeded, however, when scientific visualization algorithms are implemented from scratch — a time-consuming and redundant process in immersive application development. This process can greatly benefit from leveraging the state-of-the-art open-source Visualization Toolkit (VTK) and its community. Over the past two (almost three) decades, integrating VTK with a virtual reality (VR) environment has only been attempted to varying degrees of success. In this paper, we demonstrate two new approaches to simplify this amalgamation of an immersive interface with visualization rendering from VTK. In addition, we cover several enhancements to VTK that provide near real-time updates and efficient interaction. Finally, we demonstrate the combination of VTK with both Vrui and OpenVR immersive environments in example applications.

This tutorial introduces basic programming concepts particular to virtual reality. The presentation progresses step-by-step from a very simple world with no interactions (apart from physical immersion), and continues to add features related to 3D user interfaces, interactive rendering and interesting ways to travel through virtual worlds. The presentation includes the opportunity for audience members to follow along with software on their laptops, though the tutorial will also be valuable for those who wish to expressly follow the lectures.

The availability of low-cost virtual reality (VR) systems coupled with a growing population of researchers accustomed to newer interface styles makes this a ripe time to help domain science researchers cross the bridge to utilizing immersive interfaces. The logical next step is for scientists, engineers, doctors, etc. to incorporate immersive visualization into their exploration and analysis workflows. However, from past experience, we know having access to equipment is not sufficient. There are also several software hurdles to overcome. Obstacles must be lowered to provide scientists, engineers, and medical professionals low-risk means of exploring technologies beyond their desktops.

Civil Support Teams (CST) must be ready to respond to a variety of potential situations involving dangerous materials. For many of these materials, standard real-world training methods can be successfully employed. Training involving radiological agents, however, poses a greater challenge than for other agents due to a lack of materials that can suitably mimic the situation without the danger of the real material. To address the need of providing a good training system for learning how to behave when responding to a radiological threat, we have developed a CST immersive training system. Our system simulates a radiological threat in a virtual environment and allows users to practice surveying the threat using virtual representations of the world and necessary equipment. We developed novel multi-user interaction techniques to enable simultaneous training for two CST members. The 92ndCST tested the system and provided feedback throughout the development process. The team learned to use the system with little coaching, quickly learned to navigate and interact via wand controls, and ultimately performed a successful demonstration of a radiological survey using our system for their superior officers.

The four papers in this special section focus on the field of virtual reality. The papers are summarized here.

Wildfires are a frequent summer-time concern for land managers and communities neighboring wildlands throughout the world. Computational simulations have been developed to help analyze and predict wildfire behavior, but the primary visualization of these simulations has been limited to 2-dimensional graphics images. We are currently working with wildfire research groups and those responsible for managing the control of fire and mitigation of the wildfire hazard to develop an immersive visualization and simulation application. In our visualization application, the fire spread model will be graphically illustrated on a realistically rendered terrain created from actual DEM data and satellite photography. We are working to improve and benefit tactical and strategic planning, and provide training for firefighter and public safety with our application

Article Free Access Share on Experiences with virtual reality applications (panel) Authors: William R. Sherman The National Center for Supercomputing Applications The National Center for Supercomputing ApplicationsView Profile , Nina Adams Adams Consulting Group Adams Consulting GroupView Profile , Rita Addison View Profile , R. Bowen Loftin University of Houston and NASA/Johnson Space Center University of Houston and NASA/Johnson Space CenterView Profile , Ben Britton University of Cincinnati University of CincinnatiView Profile , Donna Cox The National Center for Supercomputing Applications The National Center for Supercomputing ApplicationsView Profile , Robert Patterson The National Center for Supercomputing Applications The National Center for Supercomputing ApplicationsView Profile Authors Info & Claims SIGGRAPH '97: Proceedings of the 24th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniquesAugust 1997 Pages 473–476https://doi.org/10.1145/258734.258913Online:03 August 1997Publication History 0citation535DownloadsMetricsTotal Citations0Total Downloads535Last 12 Months4Last 6 weeks1 Get Citation AlertsNew Citation Alert added!This alert has been successfully added and will be sent to:You will be notified whenever a record that you have chosen has been cited.To manage your alert preferences, click on the button below.Manage my AlertsNew Citation Alert!Please log in to your account Save to BinderSave to BinderCreate a New BinderNameCancelCreateExport CitationPublisher SiteeReaderPDF