Eric Wernert
IU lab develops, licenses and deploys a portable virtual environment.
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Indiana University’s Advanced Visualization Lab has developed, licensed and is taking delivery on its first order of eight John-e-Boxes.
A John-e-Box is a portable, large-format, three-dimensional stereo display system that is being used to help scientists and researchers analyze complex data sets and collaborate with colleagues, to help students experience historical spaces and understand important scientific phenomena, and to help artists and designers communicate their innovative concepts and creative experiences.
The 3-D stereo effect of the John-e-Box aids in the understanding of the true structure of scientific data, medical scans, engineering models and virtual environments. The large 4’ x 3’ screen allows the 3-D experience to be shared among small groups of users, while the portability of the system allows it to be deployed wherever researchers, educators and artists need these capabilities.
The John-e-Box is a key component of ongoing plans to deliver the capabilities of advanced visualization displays directly into the labs, classrooms and studios of the university’s researchers, educators and artists, creating a technological bridge to high-end display installations such as the Computer Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) at Lindley Hall in Bloomington (see today’s Friday Flashback on A8).
“Visualization and virtual reality technologies are having broad and significant impacts across IU,” said Eric Wernert, senior scientist and manager of the AVL. “Many of the same basic technologies that have brought about revolutions in the gaming, entertainment and home theater industries are being harnessed to bring about significant improvements in the accessibility and affordability of these technologies to the broader university community. The John-e-Box is an important and innovative realization of this trend.”
“The John-e-Box represents significant steps forward in usability, maintainability and affordability and is an ideal technology for bringing advanced display capabilities to IU’s regional campuses,” said Brad Wheeler, associate vice president for research and academic computing and IUB dean for information technology.
An initial deployment of eight systems is underway on the IUB, IUPUI and IU Northwest campuses as part of a National Science Foundation grant involving faculty, scientific researchers and staff from across the university.
The John-e-Box was developed by John N. Huffman of the AVL, in conjunction with Wernert and John C. Huffman of IU Bloomington’s Department of Chemistry.
The John-e-Box has been licensed to and commercialized by CAE-net, an Indianapolis-based company with interests in computer-aided design, collaborative engineering and video streaming for higher education and distributed learning. Licensing was made possible with help from the IU’s Advanced Research and Technology Institute.
http://www.avl.iu.edu/
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