Real-time graphics for the Space Station Freedom cupola, developed in the Systems Engineering Simulator

Among the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's responsibilities for Space Station Freedom is the cupola. Attached to the resource node, the cupola is a windowed structure that will serve as the space station's secondary control center. From the cupola, operations involving the mobile service center and orbital maneuvering vehicle will be conducted. The Systems Engineering Simulator (SES), located in building 16, activated a real-time man-in-the-loop cupola simulator in November 1987. The SES cupola is an engineering tool with the flexibility to evolve in both hardware and software as the final cupola design matures. Two workstations are simulated with closed-circuit television monitors, rotational and translational hand controllers, programmable display pushbuttons, and graphics display with trackball and keyboard. The displays and controls of the SES cupola are driven by a Silicon Graphics Integrated Raster Imaging System (IRIS) 4D/70 GT computer. Through the use of an interactive display builder program, SES, cupola display pages consisting of two dimensional and three dimensional graphics are constructed. These display pages interact with the SES via the IRIS real-time graphics interface. The focus is on the real-time graphics interface applications software developed on the IRIS

Computer architectures for computational physics work done by Computational Research and Technology Branch and Advanced Computational Concepts Group

Slides are reproduced that describe the importance of having high performance number crunching and graphics capability. They also indicate the types of research and development underway at Ames Research Center to ensure that, in the near term, Ames is a smart buyer and user, and in the long-term that Ames knows the best possible solutions for number crunching and graphics needs. The drivers for this research are real computational physics applications of interest to Ames and NASA. They are concerned with how to map the applications, and how to maximize the physics learned from the results of the calculations. The computer graphics activities are aimed at getting maximum information from the three-dimensional calculations by using the real time manipulation of three-dimensional data on the Silicon Graphics workstation. Work is underway on new algorithms that will permit the display of experimental results that are sparse and random, the same way that the dense and regular computed results are displayed

Rapid Assessment of Agility for Conceptual Design Synthesis

This project consists of designing and implementing a real-time graphical interface for a workstation-based flight simulator. It is capable of creating a three-dimensional out-the-window scene of the aircraft's flying environment, with extensive information about the aircraft's state displayed in the form of a heads-up-display (HUD) overlay. The code, written in the C programming language, makes calls to Silicon Graphics' Graphics Library (GL) to draw the graphics primitives. Included in this report is a detailed description of the capabilities of the code, including graphical examples, as well as a printout of the code itsel

Evaluation of 3D Voxel Rendering Algorithms for Real-Time Interaction on a SIMD Graphics Processor

The display of three-dimensional medical data is becoming more common, but current hardware and image rendering algorithms do not generally allow real-time interaction with the image by the user. Real-time interactions, such as image rotation, utilize the motion processing capabilities of the human visual system, allowing a better understanding of the structures being imaged. Recent advances in general purpose graphics display equipment could make real-time interaction feasible in clinical setting. We have evaluated the capabilities of one type of advanced display architecture, the PIXAR Imaging Computer, for real-time interaction while displaying three-dimensional medical data as two-dimensional projections. It was discovered during this investigation that most suitable algorithms for implementation were based on the rendering of voxel rather than surface data. Two voxel-based techniques, back-to-front and front-to-back rendering produced acceptable, but not real-time performance. The quality of the images produced was not high, but allowed the determination of an image orientation which could then be used by a later high-quality rendering technique. Two conclusions were reached: first, the current performance of display hardware may allow acceptable interactive performance and produce high-quality images if a scheme of adaptive refinement is used wherein successively higher quality images are generated for the user. Second, the correct algorithm to use for fast rendering of volume data is highly dependent upon the architecture of the display processor, and in particular upon the ability of the processor to randomly access image data. If the processor is constrained to sequential or near sequential access to the voxel data, the choice of algorithms and the utilization of parallel processing is severely limited

Application of Computer Graphics Technique to Computer System Assembling

Computer graphics is the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer using various technology to create and manipulate images (Shirley et.al., 2005). The development of computer graphics has made computer easier to interact with, and better for understanding and interpreting different types of data. Three-Dimensional (3D) computer graphics represent geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purpose of performing calculations and rendering 2D images which may be for lateral display or for real-time viewing. In this work, 3D computer graphic software is used to produce a model of a real - life assembling of computer devices into a full-blown desktop computer. The work is presented in a video viewing format tat will facilitate independent coupling of systems through a ‘watch-and-fix’ paradigm. Keywords: 2D, 3D, IDE, Assembling, Photo-realistic, Data-visualization, Rasterization

3D APIs in Interactive Real-Time Systems: Comparison of OpenGL, Direct3D and Java3D.

Since the first display of a few computer-generated lines on a Cathode-ray tube (CRT) over 40 years ago, graphics has progressed rapidly towards the computer generation of detailed images and interactive environments in real time (Angel, 1997). In the last twenty years a number of Application Programmer's Interfaces (APIs) have been developed to provide access to three-dimensional graphics systems. Currently, there are numerous APIs used for many different types of applications. This paper will look at three of these: OpenGL, Direct3D, and one of the newest entrants, Java3D. They will be discussed in relation to their level of versatility, programability, and how innovative they are in introducing new features and furthering the development of 3D-interactive programming

Sorcerer's apprentice: head-mounted display and wand

technical reportSorcerer's Apprentice is an interactive computer graphics system utilizing a head-mounted display and at three-dimensional wand. The system allows three-dimensional interaction with line drawings which are displayed in real time, that is about 20 frames per second. The display, worn like a pair of eye glasses, gives an illusion to the observer that he is surrounded by three-dimensional, computer-generated objects. The observer's view is continuously modified to compensate for his motion, allowing the objects to appear stationary as he walks among them. A hand-held wand lets the observer interact with the objects by "touching" them, moving them, changing their shapes, or joining them together. With the wand the observer can also create new objects and add to existing ones. The major activity described here dealt with communication from the observer to the computer. Problems inherent to this communication such as sending commands to the computer in a simple yet expandable manner, sensing when the wand is "touching" an object, and real time processing of a changing data base have been solved. In the solutions we have used a wall chart, a hash addressed data structure, and a dual-copy data structure, respectively. Many minor problems s till distract one while using the Sorcerer's Apprentice system, yet the ability to observe and modify three-dimensional objects in real time and in natural manner is very striking and very realistic

Procedurally Generating Everything

This paper investigates using Perlin Noise in a three-dimensional environment. Perlin Noise has been previously used to simulate clouds, marble, wood, and other natural phenomena as well as to model virtual landscapes. The simulation created for the I.S. procedurally generates both static and animated textures and models virtual landscapes to create a virtual world. In order to keep up with the rapidly advancing graphics industry, the OpenGL API is utilized to generate the textures in real-time and to display the final product