Flight simulation in synthetic environments

The Virtual Reality Applications Center at Iowa State University, VRAC, has the mission of applying virtual reality technology to the challenges of en gineering and science. We typically create virtual worlds that allow the us er to interact with 3D real-time graphics. We refer to the virtual worlds e nabling this interaction as synthetic environments. A synthetic environment produces sufficient sensory cues to make users beli eve they are in a different geographic location with a different velocity a nd orientation than they have in the real world. These cues may include a l arge field of view real-time stereoscopic visual display, surround sound di gital audio, and haptic interactions. The user's head is tracked to enable the appropriate viewpoint for the stereoscopic display, and other parts of the user's body may be tracked to enable interaction with the environment a nd haptic feedback. Classical flight simulators are a subset of synthetic environments. Althoug h they do not usually use stereoscopic displays, they do use large field of view visual systems, digital audio, force feedback via the flight controls , and force feedback on the simulator as a whole via a motion base. We beli eve the addition of stereoscopic 3D graphics will be particularly valuable in hovering, formation flying, and landing. VRAC uses two surround screen environments, the C2 and the C6. The C2 came on line in 1995. It is a room with four projected surfaces, three walls and the floor. The C6, which came on line in June 2000, is a cube-shaped room, the first of its kind in the US, with 3D graphics projected on all four wa lls, the floor, and the ceiling. The C2 and C6 are linked by a dedicated fi ber network. This will enable collaboration between geographically separate d virtual worlds. Many researchers believe that collaboration between geographically separate synthetic environments is the key to future breakthroughs in the use of SE technology. The C2/C6 combination will be an ideal testbed to support this kind of collaboration. In addition, the C2 and C6 are connected to a 250-p erson auditorium that has dual screens capable of simultaneously displaying real-time images from two sources. Our vision is simultaneous display of r eal-time graphics from the C2 and the C6 in the auditorium, enabling up to 250 people to study and, perhaps, participate in the real-time interactions . As quality of service, bandwidth, and latency challenges are met by emerg ing technology, we also look forward to interconnecting the C2, the C6, and the auditorium with off campus simulators.