MechDyne Pushes Limits of 3D Immersion
Mechdyne Corp. has developed technology that makes it possible to produce two distinct user perspectives from a single 3D digital projector.
Mechdyne Corp. has developed technology that makes it possible to produce two distinct user perspectives from a single 3D digital projector. With the company’s new ACE Dual-View technology, two people working in an immersive stereoscopic environment see a different view of 3D images and, because both viewers are motion-tracked separately, the images they see as they interact are unique to their view. Company officials say the technology enables more natural discussion when viewing virtual prototypes or navigating virtual scenes.
Mechdyne says its softwarealso allows each user to see the other user’s position and orientation relative to the virtual world and the objects it contains.
Mechdyne says its first customer for an ACE (Advanced Collaborative Environment) Dual-View capable system is an unnamed U.S. university that will use the new technology in conjunction with a CAVE designed and integrated by Mechdyne.
In nearly all 3D immersive display systems used today, the computer-generated imagery is closely tied to a single, motion-tracked user whose viewpoint and movements dictate what other viewers see. Previous attempts at creating distinct images for different users in the same virtual work space relied on multiple projectors, with higher attendant costs and complexity associated with synchronization of the projectors and related issues, according to the company.
“Dual-View technology is a method of driving one high-end DLP projector at higher refresh rates than standard systems to produce two distinct pairs of left and right eye images, synchronizing the different images for viewing with two separate pairs of electronic 3D glasses and integrating the imaging system with motion tracking,” said Kurt Hoffmeister, vice president of R&D at Mechdyne. “We are very excited about the potential for this technology to benefit a wide range of our customers in scientific and commercial fields.”
For example, according to the company, while designing an automobile interior within a CAVE system, two designers can view the simulation from different positions within the virtual image. One view might be from the driver’s perspective, while the second would be from the passenger seat. In surgical simulations, a doctor may observe or instruct a student in new techniques while facing each other across a virtual surgery table.
Mechdyne implemented its Dual-View technology on its HD ROVR visualization system, using a Digital Projection Titan 3D 1080p projector, an optical motion tracking system, and Mechdyne vGeo software. The company says the Dual-View technology can be incorporated into any of Mechdyne’s projection-based 3D visual environments, including CAVE and FLEX immersive displays, single and multiprojector PowerWalls, PLEX, portable ROVR systems and custom display configurations.
