ORNL Digital Earth Observatory
ORNL is installing a three-wall-plus-floor virtual reality theatre from Fakespace Systems powered by a 32-processor SGI Origin computer linked with an IR2 four-pipe SGI ONYX2 graphics system and a 400 Terabyte HPSS Storage system. These hardware assets, coupled with an ongoing aggressive collection of data describing the earth atmosphere, surface, oceanic, and subsurface make up the ORNL Digital Earth Observatory. The environment will provide modelers and researchers with an "immersive virtual experience" for a wide range of applications currently performed for DOE, DOT, and DOD.
A person standing in the Digital Earth Observatory will be able to see projected objects as three-dimensional stereo images at high video frame rates (greater frame rates than commercial movies). They will be able to walk around within the observatory and interact with the images using a variety of devices, including voice recognition software.
The primary viewer's position is tracked so that the correct perspective views are generated in real time and any head rotation is used to subtly adjust the perspective. Up to twelve multiple viewers can be accommodated in the theatre and wear LCD shutter glasses to view the 3D stereo projected into the room. Because all viewers can still see their hands, body, and feet, they do not need training to stay oriented in the virtual space.
Initial applications of the ORNL Digital Earth Observatory will include
- A drive through a city for evaluation of transportation models.
- Interaction with autonomous robotic bulldozers clearing land for coal mining with views of changing terrain as new sensor data is collected from the field.
- Evaluation of emergency response measures based on different viewpoints of a plume of hazardous materials being blown through a valley.
- Assessment of potential landscape changes resulting from alternative technology and political options being evaluated.
- Assessment of water table changes following an earthquake.
- Evaluation of trainee stress during virtually simulated exercises.
- Changing climate scenarios being studied by scientists around the world.