Christie Demos Personal C.A.V.E.

 August 7, 2012, Siggraph, Los Angeles—We talked with Zoran Veselic from Christie about their HoloStation. The system is intended for scientific visualization and simulation where interactive immersion is needed.

This is a four projector personal-sized CAVE (Computer Assisted Virtual Environment) for users who need a smaller environment than the traditional caves, which are the size of a small room. The system uses active shutter glasses for 3-D visualizations and is powered by short throw projectors so the user doesn’t shadow the images.

The projectors are driven by Nvidia graphics boards and are array locked to create seamless images. The projection surfaces are not mirrored, but the surface reflectivity is critical for the installation. The demonstration was set up in cubicle configuration, causing some issues with the 3-D effects in the corner areas. The projectors can be configured for non-planar surfaces, which would make some visualizations easier on the eyes.

Setup for the system requires calibration of brightness, color, and matching across all four channels. The drivers can adjust the color linearity for a full color space, and the projectors monitor and control the LED temperatures by adjusting air flow over heat pipes. This helps to maintain projector tracking. The projectors have warp correction and blend built in to accommodate non-planar spaces.

This type of visualization system will enable new capabilities and will provide researchers the capability to image their work in a full 3-D environment. The projected images are 1920 x 1200 pixels and the high resolution displays are able to run at frame rates up to 120Hz. The projectors are all synchronized to minimize temporal distortion at the edges. Connections are through DVI connectors and the whole system is designed for maximum image quality.

The system uses infrared for the active shutter sync and also uses IR imagers for the Playstation-like controller. They can integrate gestures into the control system by adding a few accessories. A small-scale cave opens new markets and opportunities for new applications. Now researchers can simulate the effects of “Fantastic Voyage” for themselves. The units are available on full installation basis in the $300,000 range.