Virtual and Collaborative Design Environments

R. Kriz*, F. Das Neves**, and J. Kelso***University Visualization and Animation Group

* Engineering Science and Mechanics** Computer Science*** Research Division

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Office of Naval ResearchUndersea Weapon Simulation Based Design Workshop

University of Maryland, June 13-15, 2001

Collaborative Design Simulation APIs: EVL’s CAVERNsoft: Limbo / Tandem VT’s DIVERSE VT’s Network Program Interface Builder (NPIB)

Chronology: Collaborative Design VEs @ VT AtomView (NSF PACI: NCSA-VT) Limbo Apps:

CAVE Collaborative Console (CCC) CCC_atom (CCC + AtomView)

DIVERSE Apps: Physics Based Simulations Crane-Ship (ONR-DURIP) Haptic Feedback - Molecular Docking (ASPIRES) NUWC’s CONRAY Undersea Warfare (ONR-NavCIITI) NIST’s RAVE: SmokeView

NPIB: (NSF-CRCD) 20 physics based simulation modules

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Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) used @ VT:

• EVL’s CAVERNsoft: Limbohttp://www.evl.uic.edu/cavern/cavernG2

• VT’s DIVERSEhttp://www.diverse.vt.edu

•VT’s Network Programming Interface Builderhttp://www.jwave.vt.edu/npib

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What is a CAVE?

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Viewer immersed In 3D-structure. Gives viewer unique perspective to study

3D structure / property relationships.

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Advanced Communications &

Information Technology Center

(ACITC)

VT-Collaboration on-campus(Connecting desktop to CAVE was critical)

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University Visualization &Animation Group (UVAG)

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Shared Virtual Environments

CAVERNsoft - Limbo: CAVE Collaborative Console (CCC)http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/cave/

software/ccc/

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World-Wide CollaborationJason Leigh & Andrew Johnson

Electronic Visualization Lab, UIC

• Argonne National Lab• IHPC, Singapore• CRCACS, Australian NU• IML, Tokyo Univ.•CCPO, Old Dominion Unv.•NCSA, UIUC•UVAG, Virginia Tech• Northwestern Univ.

Remote Participants:

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I hear you. You hear me. But where are you and what are you looking at? Collaborative

Awarness Tools

Kevin Curry

Class Project, 1998: Computer- Supported Cooperative Work

M.S. Thesis, 1999: “Supporting Collaborative Awarness in Tele-Immersion”

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Par

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AtomView

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NCSA-VT: J. Shalf / R. Kriz

With AtomView materialscientists can analyze and interpret physics based simulation results

Physics basedSimulation Models

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Two users in CCC_atom viewing a Large Ni-Al B2 simulated structure.

AtomView Modes:• Scale Model• Scale Atoms• Navigate• Play animation

CCC features not shown:•Shared views•Jump next to•Tether to•Record play

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DIVERSE Applications:Physics Based Simulations

Crane Ship 6-DOF I-Dock 6-DOFHaptic Feedback

NUWC/NRL CONRAYUndersea Acoustic 3-DOF

Command & Control n-DOF

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Application of Visualization and Haptic Feedback to Enhance Molecular Docking

D. Bevan, BiochemistyL. Watson, Computer SciR. Kriz & S. Parikh, ESM

http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/cave/resprj/idock/idock.html

Beowulf ClusterFuture Simulations

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ONR-NavCIITI Task2.1 C & C Visualization

CONRAY model

Desktop

CAVE

I-Desk

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ONR-NavCIITI Task2.1 Command & Control Visualization

NUWC: K. Lima, L. Mathews, R. ShellNRL: R. KingVT: R. Kriz, J. Kelso, F. das Neves

ONR Briefing May 24, 2001“Visualization for Multiwarfare

Planning and Execution”

Physics basedsimulation modelof acoustics in a3D world: bottomBounce, etc.

http://www.sv.vt.edu/future/cave/resprj/navciiti/nuwc_task2-1/

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Network Program Interface Builder (NPIB)

Combined Research Curriculum Development

http://www.jwave.vt.edu/crcd

NPIB is a rapid applicationdevelopment tool that researcherscould use to create, maintain, andarchive numerous parametric studies based on their legacy computer simulations

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Example: 3D Wave Surface

Working “Real-Time” Archive

Submit

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Results.html

Results Viewed at Desktop

Results ViewedIn the CAVE

email notifies user simulation completed

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Observations & Conclusions:

• Virtual and collaborative design environments have been at best working prototypes that are too difficult to use by the engineering design community.

• Better API’s are needed so that scientists and engineers can build their own applications based on physics and content.

• The best designed collaborative environments will work only within existing collaborative groups, otherwise the culture must change to reward collaborations not competition.

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Recommendations:• Identify key ONR researchers who have experience in building APIs, who also have advanced degrees in the sciences and engineering with an emphasis on design.

• Build a working collaborative design environment prototype API with participants identified above and select a specific design application as a demonstration project.

• Perform a usability evaluation, upgrade-modify API and improve on demonstration collaborative design application.