A group of tourists are seen braving opening day on the bow of the Maid of the Mist at the base of the Horseshoe Falls, from Niagara Falls, N.Y. A newly opened virtual reality show delivers a time-lapse lesson about the 10,000-year formation of the natural wonder complete with glacial snow, pelting rain and rumbling erosion, all building to 360-degree helicopter views unavailable from shore.

David Duprey / AP file
NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario - The biggest challenge in creating a new tourist attraction at Niagara Falls is trying to live up to the main event.

Beyond being breathtaking, the waterfalls are free to look at. That means parks officials must respond to the "we've seen the Falls, now what?" question with answers that not only wow, but pay the bills.

A newly opened virtual reality show delivers a time-lapse lesson about the 10,000-year formation of the natural wonder complete with glacial snow, pelting rain and rumbling erosion, all building to 360-degree helicopter views unavailable from shore.

[...]

 
Looking to the future: A visor that gives you reality, but with added extras and info, and an 'augmented reality.'

By Steve Mollman
For CNN
    
(CNN) -- You probably arrived here via a hyperlink. We hardly think about it now, but the hyperlink is a neat trick. It turns a word in a browser into an object that leads to more information. 

Once you start "linking around," it gets addictive. Some suggest that all the hopping from one link to another influences how we think, making it harder to concentrate for long periods. (Read a novel lately?)

Some wish they could link outside of Web browsers. One blogger wrote she wants to "right-click" on people to discreetly learn more about them. (This after an event where she ignored someone she admires, not realizing who he was.)

A few emerging technologies aim to make more objects -- both in real life and in computers -- behave like hyperlinks. An upcoming version of the program Hyperwords, now limited to web browsers, will work with any open window on your computer.

The program is like hyperlinking on steroids -- combined with right-clicking on steroids. For example, highlight "100" and -- within the right-click menu -- convert that figure from miles to kilometers, or Fahrenheit to Celsius. Select the word "camera" for an in-place translation into Korean or French, or be taken to the Wikipedia entry for camera.

You could do all this manually at various web sites, but the program reduces the tedium and thus encourages you to explore.

It "allows all words to be associative in whatever way the reader feels is useful at the time," explains Hyperwords founder Frode Hegland. Hyperwords is a great tool.

But it works only on computers. Why can't real-world objects receive a similar treatment?

[...]

Augmented reality (AR) -- or the "real world Web" -- has been listed by research firm Gartner as one of the most disruptive technologies companies could face over the next few years. The possibilities of AR are impressive.

During a heart transplant, identifier labels can be superimposed over the valves and chambers of a beating heart. On airplane factory floors, AR visors help electricians navigate complex mazes of wiring. Military minds dream up darker uses of AR.

Early on, consumer products might be predominantly entertainment-oriented, available not just on cell phones but also handheld gaming and other devices.

For instance there's the "magic book" idea, where every page can host a virtual 3-D pop-up that's viewable through a visor.

[...]

ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - The development of realistic simulators for various minimally invasive surgery techniques may potentially provide comprehensive training, a method to maintain surgical skills, and evaluation and certification of surgical competence.

Dr. Matsuda reported the correlation of videotape scores (VS) of actual surgical procedures, as assessed by the Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification (ESSQ) System to motion analysis data on the LapMentor system, a virtual reality laparoscopic surgical simulator. There were a total of 43 physicians enrolled in the study with a laparoscopic experience of 20-79 cases. The ESSQ system qualified 26 surgeons (Group Q) whereas 17 surgeons did not qualify (Group NQ). The age, years of experience and number of laparoscopic surgeries between the 2 groups did not show a statistical difference. The analysis of motion scores based on skill task 5 (application of clips) and skill task 8 (cutting of bands) correlated with VS scores. Group Q achieved higher scores than Group NQ.

[...]

By DAVID KOHN THE BALTIMORE SUN
Published Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON — To a soldier who has been in Iraq, the sights, sounds and smells are familiar: the pop of an AK-47, the flash of a bomb, the stench of cordite.

The actual location, however, is not.

Here, in a small, windowless room at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, researchers are using the latest video game technology -- plus a smell machine and a vibration platform -- to help patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Known as "Virtual Iraq," the treatment could help many soldiers who do not find relief from medication or traditional psychotherapy.

"It really jogs their memory," says Col. Michael Roy, who runs the digital therapy program at Walter Reed. "It puts them back there very powerfully and makes them realize a lot of things they had consciously or subconsciously repressed."

Proponents of the new treatment say that once these memories are available, patients can begin to talk with therapists, eventually rendering the phantoms less terrifying.

Nationwide, only about 50 soldiers have undergone the treatment in the past three years -- leading some critics to say the treatment is still unproven.

In Iraq, Lt. Cmdr. Robert McLay, a Navy psychiatrist stationed at Camp Fallujah in Anbar province, has used the treatment on eight soldiers. He says all have gotten better.

"I'm getting very good success," he said.

The number of potential patients is enormous. Experts say post-traumatic stress disorder -- a debilitating ailment that leaves patients panicky, angry and haunted by battle memories -- is or will be a significant problem for many of the 1.7 million soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that between one-quarter and one-third of all veterans from these conflicts will suffer from the disorder and other mental health problems.

In May, the Rand Corp. estimated that as many as 300,000 soldiers will experience post-war mental health problems.

"Virtual Iraq" immerses patients in the harsh world that produced their symptoms. After putting on virtual-reality goggles and earphones, patients are transported to two scenarios: a Humvee convoy through the desert or a foot patrol through a desolate city. They use a video game handset to control their movements, and by turning their heads, they can change what they see within that environment.

The therapist, who controls all variables in the environment except the patient's movement, slowly ratchets up the stress level by adding sirens, sniper fire and explosions.

This digital world is not only full of threats and stressors -- roadside bombs, insurgents firing grenades, a bleeding U.S. soldier slumped in the Humvee's passenger seat -- but also details that evoke everyday life for a soldier in Iraq.

Patients hear the sound of a Muslim prayer call and see Iraqi women walking to market in traditional clothes.

The setup also engages other senses. Under the patient's chair are powerful bass speakers embedded in a platform; when a bomb explodes onscreen, the concussion is palpable. Next to the computer console is a toaster-size odor machine; by inserting pellets, Roy can create a variety of aromas, including sweat, burning trash and Middle Eastern spices. He suspects that the scents and noise might be the most effective elements in evoking Iraq. The brain areas that process odor and sound are networked closely with the regions that play a key role in fear and memory -- two key components of post-traumatic stress.

The originator of "Virtual Iraq" is Albert "Skip" Rizzo, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Southern California. He got interested in the approach 15 years ago, while trying to rehabilitate people who had suffered traumatic brain injuries.

[...]

The proposals must be sent before Thursday, the 31th of July 2008 23:59:59 (UTC)
The rules of the competition are attached to this email, but are also available at this link and of course in the INTUITION website (http://www.intuition-eunetwork.net/)

We look forward to receiving many varied logo designs from all of you!

Yann Jehanneuf, on behalf of the INTUITION team

MetaVR visual systems and 3D virtual terrain are in use at the BC Explorer exhibit on display at the British Columbia, Canada, diplomatic pavilion in Beijing, China, the host of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

The 21,000 square-foot pavilion, which opened on May 22, highlights British Columbia culture, tourism, businesses and innovators, and promotes the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. For the BC Explorer display, the Canadian government purchased 6 MetaVR Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) licenses and 2 Metadesic Compiler terrain generation licenses through Xpletive, which integrated the visual system of this location-based interactive multimedia production.

The visual display, which was designed and supplied by Immersive Display Solutions, includes a 2.0-meter diameter hard-shell hemispherical dome coupled with an OmniFocus HAL-SX3 projection system providing SXGA+ resolution at 3,500 lumens. Spherical projection is enabled by a newly developed VRSG plugin, which provides geometrically-corrected imagery for a 180 x 135-degree field of view. The dome provides visitors with a realistic immersive environment with which they can fly over the terrain.

Working with Xpletive, MetaVR built the 3D terrain of British Columbia for this project, primarily using the Metadesic Compiler. Coastal regions of the terrain were built with MetaVR's new Terrain Tools for ArcGIS, with which coastlines can be digitized and cut out from geospecific imagery. The 3D terrain was built from source imagery of 15-meter and 5-meter resolution with 1-meter insets, and 25-meter post elevation data of the whole province.

MetaVR appreciates that the Canadian Government had many options to choose from when deciding upon a visualization solution for this exhibit. MetaVR is honored to be chosen to participate in the delivery of this showcase simulation.

We are pleased to let you know that Remo 3D v1.4.5 is now available for downloading and purchasing from our website (http://www.remograph.com). Remo 3D v1.4.5 contains a number of improvements, mainly bug-fixes and performance improvements, but also a couple of new features. The full list of new features and improvements can be found in the release notes on our website.

Remo 3D is an effective tool for creating and modifying 3D models intended for realtime visualization. The primary file format is OpenFlight®. Remo 3D is currently available for Microsoft® Windows® XP/2000 and Linux.

About Remograph:

Remograph provides products and services for the 3D modeling, computer graphics and visual simulation industries. Our ambition is to develop advanced and cost-effective solutions for end-users and developers of e.g. visual simulation systems, visual databases or virtual reality applications.

Remograph is situated in Linköping, Sweden.
All trademarks referenced are properties of their respective owners.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.remograph.com/ or contact Remograph at: info@remograph.com

FingerTPS(TM) Put Comfortable Tactile Sensors at Your Fingertips, Literally

LOS ANGELES, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Pressure Profile Systems, Inc. (PPS) today announces their innovative new wireless FingerTPS(TM) (Finger Tactile Pressure Sensing) system for immediate sale worldwide. FingerTPS sensors are soft, flexible sensors worn on the hand that transmit accurate, repeatable tactile force data to a PC via wireless Bluetooth connection. FingerTPS tactile data with integrated video provides a complete representation of user interaction with tools, sports equipment, new product designs, or medical applications.

"The FingerTPS concept was originally funded by DARPA research grants to capture the forces of a skilled surgeon for developing virtual surgical simulation systems. After a decade of numerous iterations, we finally have a system that is easy to use," said Dr. Jae Son, CEO of PPS.

The wireless FingerTPS system was unveiled to the public at the IVR Industrial Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, Japan on June 25-27, 2008. "The wireless capability and the simple, one-touch calibration were the most exciting features among attending engineers and researchers from hundreds of leading firms," said David Ables, CTO of PPS.

[...]

25 June 2008
Perth, Australia

Immersive Technologies' breakthrough technology continues to lead the way in training simulation technology with the launch of the mining industry's first four wheel drive (4WD) Light Vehicle Conversion Kit® to address the industry's training and safety needs.

Used in conjunction with the company's Advanced Equipment (AE) Simulator, the Light Vehicle Conversion Kit® is a realistic training tool which replicates the driving characteristics and handling of "Off-highway" road conditions found within mine site environments.

Based on customer demand and feedback, the Light Vehicle Conversion Kit® was developed in response to industry statistics which show that one of the main causes of injury and fatalities on mine sites involved light vehicles. The Light Vehicle Conversion Kit® will play a key role in addressing HR/occupational health and safety requirements faced by global mining companies for operators who drive on site.

Built to operate as either a right or left hand drive, the product includes a fully operational manual transmission and features operating controls common in 4WD vehicles. Particular attention has been placed on recognizing and avoiding visual blind spots using unique visual aids which can be activated to demonstrate the inability of haul truck drivers to see the light vehicle when in close proximity.

The Light Vehicle Simulator also instructs trainees on how to respond to emergency situations, incorporates highly realistic off-road conditions and simulated landscapes and environments for all scenarios, including night operations and driving in rain or dust.

Due to inherent risks associated with driving light vehicles on mine sites, the Light Vehicle Conversion Kit® will be an essential training tool on mine sites worldwide and also where many local residents are unable to drive any type of vehicle, as experienced in some Asian and African regions. Used to train these drivers, the Conversion Kit® will help address the skills shortages presently faced by mining companies as well as the safety issues associated with unskilled drivers.

Oye Obe, Executive Vice President Business Development at Immersive Technologies says: "The Light Vehicle Conversion Kit® has been designed and manufactured from the ground up to address the specific needs of the mining industry. It allows operators to train safely in a simulated mining environment and all of its associated hazards, before being placed in a real light vehicle on-site."

The Light Vehicle Simulator allows accurate screening, training and up-skilling of operators in a safe environment, coupled with the high quality simulation for which Immersive Technologies is renowned.

###

About Immersive Technologies
Immersive Technologies is the world's leading supplier of operator training simulators used in the mining and earthmoving industries. We have 380 simulator modules at 155 locations in 23 countries. Our Advanced Equipment (AE) Simulators are considered vital to many of the world's leading mining companies such as BHP Billiton, and CVRD. From the Congo to northern Canada, mines are increasing safety and reducing their cost per tonne by using our simulators daily to train and test their operators.

We have exclusive licensing and technical information alliances with the leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), including: Komatsu, Caterpillar, Liebherr, Hitachi and Bucyrus.

Our customer support offices are located in Perth and Brisbane Australia, Salt Lake City USA, Johannesburg South Africa, and Santiago Chile.

NEWS RELEASE

Corporate Contact:
Scott Ariotti, Director Sales & Marketing
DiSTI
407.206.3390 ext. 25
sariotti@disti.com

DiSTI on Winning Team for Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Aircraft Systems Maintenance Trainer Development

DiSTI’s Next Generation Virtual Maintenance Training Technology will be used on the Next Generation Strike Fighter

Orlando, FL June 12, 2008 – DiSTI, a global leader in Human Machine Interface (HMI) development, announced today that their next generation 3-D virtual maintenance training technology was selected by AAI Services Corporation for development of the F-35 Lightning II Aircraft Systems Maintenance Trainer (ASMT). The ASMT is one element of the F-35 Training System, a family of training devices that is being developed by Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training & Support. The ASMT will provide training for student maintainers on ground operation, maintenance, and testing procedures for the F-35 aircraft systems.

DiSTI has been a pioneer in the development of virtual maintenance training environments since 2001 by leveraging its award winning GL Studio toolkit into a process with other commercial off the shelf tools to yield 3-D virtual training environments. The technology has been used in the delivery of a variety of high profile, complex, 3-D virtual maintenance training environments for platforms including the F/A-18 jet fighter, U.S. Navy landing craft, and diesel engines produced by Caterpillar and Cummins. DiSTI’s latest software tools and processes streamline the conversion of Computer Aided Design (CAD) data to produce a high-fidelity, interactive virtual maintenance training environment for the F-35 ASMT application. The application will be driven by AAI Services’ realistic F-35 aircraft simulation, yielding a maintenance training solution with high physical and functional fidelity.

“DiSTI’s virtual maintenance training technology, and AAI’s rich history in the development of innovative training product and service solutions, formed the symbiotic basis for this winning team”, said DiSTI President Joe Swinski. “Our exceptional past performance on numerous high profile programs for the U.S. and foreign militaries has solidified DiSTI’s position as the leader in virtual maintenance training technology”.
DiSTI will be producing the virtual environment in Orlando, Fla., and delivering the content to AAI Services Corporation’s Training and Simulation Center in Charleston, S.C., for final integration and testing. The training devices will be delivered to the Integrated Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base, FL.

# # #

About DiSTI
DiSTI is a global leader in the development of Human Machine Interface software for businesses, governments and the military. The company’s flagship products, GL Studio and GL Studio for Java, enable programmers and developers to build high-fidelity graphics, 3D simulations and fully interactive controls into their models, enhancing the level of realism and sophistication, while improving learning and retention.

More than 400 customers worldwide including BAE Systems, Boeing, FedEx, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Raytheon and Thales use DiSTI solutions to build maintenance trainers, create PC and Internet-based courseware and to develop components for safety-critical applications. As a full service provider, DiSTI offers a complement of custom programming and development services, and is the recognized leader in training solutions for the global simulation and training community. For more information, visit www.disti.com.