Due to the fact that my uncle works in the IT building on IUPUI's campus, I have been privileged enough to be granted access to the upper level floors. He has even given me a quick tour of several amazing digital technologies. Though I only peeked into the rooms, what I saw was enough to pique my curiosity, and it certainly gave me a renewed sense of wonder.
IT 403 is home to a reconfigurable Virtual Reality Theater - the MOVE Lite system from BARCO's Virtual and Augmented Reality Division. I only glimpsed into the room, which was shadowy and dim because it was not in use. Wanting to find out more about the capabilities of the VR Theater, I looked it up on IUPUI's website. Incredibly, this display provides a bright, high-resolution, immersive experience using four 10' x 7.5' screens featuring 1400 x 1050 pixels at 6000 lumens. It is among the highest resolution and brightest 3D projection systems available anywhere. The side screens are motorized to support flat, panoramic, "L"-shape, and cube configurations. The system is driven by an SGI Onyx4 system as well as an Opteron-based Linux cluster, and features wireless, optical tracking of multiple input devices over a 30' x 10' space. The variety of configurations, computing systems, and input devices allows researchers, educators, and artists to precisely customize the VR Theater for their applications and audiences, and supports scenarios ranging from wide screen design reviews for collaborative teams, to panoramic, semi-immersive visualization for classes, to fully immersive artistic environments for small groups.
IT 403 is home to a reconfigurable Virtual Reality Theater - the MOVE Lite system from BARCO's Virtual and Augmented Reality Division. I only glimpsed into the room, which was shadowy and dim because it was not in use. Wanting to find out more about the capabilities of the VR Theater, I looked it up on IUPUI's website. Incredibly, this display provides a bright, high-resolution, immersive experience using four 10' x 7.5' screens featuring 1400 x 1050 pixels at 6000 lumens. It is among the highest resolution and brightest 3D projection systems available anywhere. The side screens are motorized to support flat, panoramic, "L"-shape, and cube configurations. The system is driven by an SGI Onyx4 system as well as an Opteron-based Linux cluster, and features wireless, optical tracking of multiple input devices over a 30' x 10' space. The variety of configurations, computing systems, and input devices allows researchers, educators, and artists to precisely customize the VR Theater for their applications and audiences, and supports scenarios ranging from wide screen design reviews for collaborative teams, to panoramic, semi-immersive visualization for classes, to fully immersive artistic environments for small groups.
Having read about the VR Theater itself, I was interested in learning more about the company that created the technology in the first place. Since there was a link to Barco, I decided to satisfy my curiosity. What I discovered was not only insightful and informative - it was very interesting.
Barco is a global technology company. They have designed and developed an entire range of visualization solutions that render collaboration processes more efficient, and help enable people 'to make the correct decisions faster'. Their systems display local and networked sources simultaneously on a widescreen Windows desktop, in any combination of 2D and 3D stereo. They market their visualization products for a variety of selected professional markets: medical imaging, media and entertainment, infrastructure and utilities, traffic and transportation, defense and security, education and training, and Pro AV. In 2008 Barco posted sales of 725 million euro. For those of us who are not familiar with the value of Euros, this is the equivalent to 1.068795 billion U.S. dollars. That's right. Billion.
One of Barco's most recent accomplishments was a "Super Bowl" video display, which was featured in China's Opening Ceremony for their 11th National Games. The cylindrical display screen measured 164-ft. in diameter and 85-ft. in height.
“In an era of visually expansive events, today's producers continually seek out new and more dynamic ways to engage and entertain audiences,” says Zhao Gang, executive general director of the Opening Ceremony of the 11th National Games. “More and more, creative direction and conceptual ideas tend to exceed the limitations of traditional lighting solutions, and lighting engineers find themselves challenged to realise clients' grand visions. Barco, as the industry's premier visual solutions provider, remains on the cutting edge of new technologies, continually surpassing the limitations of traditional lighting sources. What they've helped us achieve in the China Games' opening ceremony is nothing short of breathtaking.”
“In an era of visually expansive events, today's producers continually seek out new and more dynamic ways to engage and entertain audiences,” says Zhao Gang, executive general director of the Opening Ceremony of the 11th National Games. “More and more, creative direction and conceptual ideas tend to exceed the limitations of traditional lighting solutions, and lighting engineers find themselves challenged to realise clients' grand visions. Barco, as the industry's premier visual solutions provider, remains on the cutting edge of new technologies, continually surpassing the limitations of traditional lighting sources. What they've helped us achieve in the China Games' opening ceremony is nothing short of breathtaking.”
“Barco has a successful track record in supporting large scale events,” said Frank Christiaens, president of Barco for Greater China. “This success has allowed us to maintain a leading position in the events and staging industry around the world. Here in China, the China National Games is the country's premiere sporting event. Needless to say, we feel it's an honor for us to take part in such a marquee event.I had no idea that this company even existed. Their breakthrough technologies are providing high resolution imaging screens for the medical field. They offer the most advanced, realistic Night Vision Goggles available for the flight training market. Not to mention Virtual Reality Theaters. I don't think it will be long before Barco becomes a common household name. Their success is spreading all over the globe. Barco's visibility remarkable.
Virtual Reality Theater
BARCO
All China Games Opening Ceremony
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