UCSD's StarCAVE Is a Real 3D Super-High-Def Danger Room

[yuriythebest]

http://gizmodo.com/5052552/ucsds-starca ... anger-room


this is the closest thing to a holodeck I've seen thus far (well maybe virtusphere) . Uses polarized glasses too- I love how the review went technical and described how everything works. Can't wait to have one of these at my house in 10-20 or so years.

[Likay]

Droools.... I would be happy just to see it once!

[cybereality]

Man, why can't I be rich?!? I want one in my living room!

[Silversurfer]

this is the closest thing to a holodeck I've seen thus far (well maybe virtusphere).

What a job, I just wouldn't bother going home, LOL -

[Welder]

Wait, UCSD as in.. University of California, San Diego?

If so... That's only about 15 minutes from me

[yuriythebest]

Wait, UCSD as in.. University of California, San Diego?

If so... That's only about 15 minutes from me

well in the full review it does say san diego. Perhaps you can visit it and write a review or something. I'm sure they'll let you in if you give an inspirational speech about the future of stereo3d or something.

[chrisdfw]

I wonder how they keep things polarized when you look up at the ceiling or down at the floor. If you don't keep your head oriented just right, you will lose the 3d effect.

[LukePC1]

Right...
does someone know, if it keeps polarization, when you project at the back of a screen?
I was in a cave (only running 2 DLP projectors) where they used rear projectors. The Floor was no screen, but I think the cealing was...
It needed several rooms for the projectors and even used mirrors to get them to the right spot...

These things are HUGE! And you need a special room for it, so it's not easy to build at home.

[CarlKenner]

If you're building it at home, you just use one large screen, front projector, shutter glasses, and head-tracker.

[LukePC1]

If you're building it at home, you just use one large screen, front projector, shutter glasses, and head-tracker.

Too easy

I think you need to build an extra house to build this thing in. The real one

[yuriythebest]

These things are HUGE! And you need a special room for it, so it's not easy to build at home.

easy- just find a large unused room in your house like a cellar, attic, granary, promenade or a spare maid's quarters and use that.

[Likay]

Right...
does someone know, if it keeps polarization, when you project at the back of a screen?
I was in a cave (only running 2 DLP projectors) where they used rear projectors. The Floor was no screen, but I think the cealing was...
It needed several rooms for the projectors and even used mirrors to get them to the right spot...

These things are HUGE! And you need a special room for it, so it's not easy to build at home.

There are special backprojection materials which is said to preserve polarization better than a silverscreen. I've tried DaLite's "3D Virtual Black" which is said to have splendid stereoscopic qualities. Highest extinction rate which should be 99%. For some reason the sample i've got ghosted slightly more than my silverscreen.. o.O. Was a little curious about using that virtual black to make a big tv using two mirrors to preserve space. Since the mirrors themselves also causes quite some ghosting i put down the project. I guess you can use it with mirrors but then an ordinary dual projector rig with silverscreen gives way better results.

But there is material if you have the space!

[LukePC1]

Interesting to hear that backprojection is still possible for passive rear projectors. I feared they would have to be in the CAVE

These things are HUGE! And you need a special room for it, so it's not easy to build at home.

easy- just find a large unused room in your house like a cellar, attic, granary, promenade or a spare maid's quarters and use that.

I mean
- you need a rom 2-3 meters each direction
- you need 2-3 meters behind each direction when you want to make a rearprojection rig
- you need place for about 6-12 or even 24 computers (connected)

So it's either 2 stories or 3 stories! And if you want goot cooling an extra (cold) room for the computers.

Oh and I forgot: you would have to break holes or create extra walls to build it

[CarlKenner]

Maybe it would be cheaper just to use 50 LCD or plasma screens.

[nubie]

It would be cheapest to use a VR helmet

I like it, I think it might be circular polarized, afaik there is nothing stopping you from circular polarizing a DLP (after all that is what RealD is supposed to do , and they have Journy to the Center of the Earth playing now.)

Very cool on the enhanced resolution, 20:40 is very good, I think even with my glasses I see only 20:35, I wonder what they have for peripheral vision? Or do you just see double? That might be OK, as peripheral isn't the best way to look anyway.

Is this the same room that uses an extra thick plate of glass as the floor so the floor is 3D too? I see an automatic throw up machine being written as I type this , so that is what they mean by "medical" advances . It could be useful for seasickness research though, or vertigo research.

[ngsmith]

Hi Everybody,

I work at Calit2 and one of my fellow grad student's project is currently being implemented in the CAVE. Here is an to answer a couple questions: the CAVE uses circular polorization so you can tilt your head anyway you want. Behind each screen there are two projectors. The screens are clear acrylic with a special aluminized paint that allows the light to pass through it but does not lose its polorization. The floor is projected from the top so it is not transparent. The whole system runs off a game engine designed for the CAVE, so you can create any type of 3D environment you want.

Cheers.

ngsmith

[nubie]

Hi Everybody,

I work at Calit2 and one of my fellow grad student's project is currently being implemented in the CAVE. Here is an to answer a couple questions: the CAVE uses circular polorization so you can tilt your head anyway you want.

Ha! I was right

Behind each screen there are two projectors. The screens are clear acrylic with a special aluminized paint that allows the light to pass through it but does not lose its polorization. The floor is projected from the top so it is not transparent.

Doh! I was wrong I wonder how this works, are the projectors biased off to the side or rear so you can't see your shadow?


This is cool, I wonder when we will have 360° Pixar movies? Maybe as a joke the back half can be camera crew and a studio for some scenes

[ngsmith]

Hi Nubie,

They are rear projection so you can stand in front of the screen without blocking the projector.

[LukePC1]

great. Thanks for the explanations. Can you also tell, what they do with the edges of the Cube? I mean the real world does not consist of a cube, so the projectors have to render the edges invisible. Is it possible or can you recognize the edges when you are at the 'right' position even in 3D mode? I know you see them in 2D, but that's no problem.