Integrating Visualization Peripherals into Power-Walls and Similar Tiled Display Environments

1. Integrating Visualization Peripherals into Power-Walls and Similar Tiled Display Environments James Da Cunha Savannah State University Research Alliance in Math and Science National Center for Computational Sciences Mentors: Ross J Toedte http://www.csm.ornl.gov/Internships/rams_05/abstracts/j_dacunha.pdf Tiled displays like the EVEREST facility at ORNL are excellent for visualizing data on a large scale. However, visualization peripherals would aid scientific discovery by enhancing the immersive and collaborative aspects of visualization environments. Tracking is a peripheral that has previously been used in other types of visualization facilities at ORNL. Tracking technology has evolved since this work was performed and it needed to be reevaluated. A number of current computational science applications at ORNL also involve researchers at institutions across the country. To address this, cameras would be a good thing to use during visualization sessions to add external researchers to the scientific discovery process. The EVEREST facility and other tiled-display environments at ORNL were evaluated in terms of how people use them as well as what hardware and software drives them. A number of promising solutions were discovered. Hardware and software for visualization peripherals were then tested on similar computing platforms as those used in the tiled display environments. As a result, the Visualization Task Group can use this research to make purchasing decisions to enhance their facilities. Research Tasks My first task was analysis of the EVEREST facility and understanding its operation. My next step was researching and understanding tracking, and the various types of tracking devices. I then decided what type of device would be best suited to incorporate into the EVEREST facility. I decided to use magnetic tracking because it was previously used at the Visualization Lab. Integrating magnetic tracking is not very cumbersome and will produce accurate results. I researched tracking products from three vendors and then contacted them to further inquire about their merchandise. Demo units were ordered for testing on a similar hardware platform. The demo Ascension 3D Navigator was similar to a component already existing in the Visualization Lab. I tested the older unit to verify that the part was working. Interface modification was required. I also researched several types of cameras to determine which one was best suited to the EVEREST facility. Facility conditions that had to be considered included the high contrast of the 3500-lumen projectors in a black room. The camera also had to be a Web-controllable camera with features such as pan, tilt, and zoom. Research Objectives • Analyze the EVEREST Facility • Research available tracking technology • Determine which systems can be implemented into the EVEREST facility • Establish requirements for tracking in distributed (cluster-driven) visualization environments • Investigate incorporation of video collaboration into the EVEREST facility. Ascension’s 3-D Navigator Inter-Sense IS-900 Polhemus Liberty Latus Marker Polhemus Liberty Latus Test of Ascension’s Flock of Birds (FOB) Ascension’s 3-D Navigator uses one of the same parts as the Ascension’s FOB unit. There was an old FOB unit which I tested to determine whether its Extended Range Controller still works. First there were some hardware modifications to be made. The FOB uses an archaic RS-232 interface. I adapted it to a USB interface. I then modified the USB adapter so that it would fit the computer. The tests I ran returned successful. Host Data Read Block Expected Results • To be able to interact with visualized simulation results such as controlling molecules in VMD with the use of hand held peripherals • To be able to set up video collaboration in high contrast facilities such as EVEREST. This will enable collaboration with researchers from across the United States Researchers Using Hand-Held Tracked Peripherals The Research Alliance in Math and Science program is sponsored by the Mathematical, Information, and Computational Sciences Division, Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research, U.S. Department of Energy. The work was performed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. De-AC05-00OR22725. This work has been authored by a contractor of the U.S. Government, accordingly, the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution , or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. Thanks to Dr. Jacob Barhen, Dr. Vladimir Protopopescu, and Dr. David Reister for their assistance and for the use of their research which aided in the development of my project. Thanks to my colleagues Julien Dahan and Gabriel Amselem for their assistance. I would also like to thank Dr. Z.T. Deng from Alabama A & M University for making me aware of this opportunity and for his help in getting me here. Finally, special thanks to Debbie McCoy, Cheryl Hamby, Kathy Rollow and all others who made provisions for this research experience. OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY