Interactive Realities Lab

The Institute for Simulation and Training (see main IST web site) was founded in 1982. The Institute for Simulation and Training is an internationally recognized research institute that focuses on advancing modeling and simulation technology and increasing our understanding of simulation's role in training and education.

Virtual reality research is performed within the Department of Applied Research and Technology. Through the Interactive Realities Laboratory, we focus on distributed, multimodal virtual environments working with human factors experts in their evaluation.

We are home to approximately $900K in research (of IST's total of $7 million), which supports 2 faculty, 1 staff and 5 students. We also work closely with other virtual reality groups across campus (CREAT, Industrial Engineering, and the School of Optics).

Mission

The Interactive Realities Laboratory is a research laboratory within the Institute for Simulation and Training at the University of Central Florida, focused on performing interdisciplinary basic and applied research in dynamic, interactive and collaborative environments. Our mission is to perform effective research in physically-based, multi-user virtual and augmented environments allowing users to interact with each other and the environment; to foster student development by providing a place for applying lessons learned in class and for mentoring; and to provide services to communities and society for applications of interactive realities.

Vision

The Interactive Realities Laboratory will be the leading academic research laboratory for dynamic, interactive and collaborative environments within virtual and augmented reality recognized for its contributions to the research community, its academic growth of students, and its services of research application and knowledge dissemination.

Resources

Equipment resources include:

• Computing
  • PCs (28)
  • PC file server (dual P4 3.4 ghz, 146GB RAID-5)
    
  • PC file server (dual P4 3.4 ghz, 219GB RAID-5)
    
  • PC file server (dual P4 2.6 ghz, 108GB RAID-5)
  • PC web server (dual P4 2.4 ghz, 72 GB RAID-5)
  • PC game server (dual Core2 Quad Core 2.0 ghz, 219GB RAID-5)
    
  • Mac Mini
  • SGI Octane Workstation
  • Thermite TVC-2 wearable computer (3)
    


• Display
  • NVis nVisor ST (see-through)
    
  • Virtual Research V8 HMD (2)
  • Virtual Research V6 HMD
  • Virtual Research VR4 HMD (3)
  • Fake Space BOOM2C
  • Kaiser VIM HMD
  • CrystalEyes shutter glasses (4)


• Tracking and Interaction
  • 3rd Tech Hi-Ball, 4 trackers, 960 sq. ft.
    
  • Phase Space optical system, 40 trackers
  • Ascension Motion Star, 16 trackers
  • Ascension Flock of Birds, 8 trackers
  • Ascension Flock of Birds, 2 trackers
  • Access to Intersense IS-900
  • Polhemus Fastrak (3)
  • Microscribe mechanical tracker
  • Logitech acoustical tracker (2)
  • IST Chord Gloves (4 pair)
  • IST Joystick interface box (2)
  • IST Button box (2)
  • Unwinder joystick interface box (3)
  • Spaceball 3D controller (3)
  • CyberGrasp haptic glove
  • PHANToM haptic stylus device
  • PHANToM Omni haptic stylus device
  • IST VEST
  • ScentAir ScentKiosk olfactory device (2)


• Other Hardware
  • Procomp biofeedback device
  • Color oscilloscope
  • Function generator
    
  • Access to 192-node Beowulf cluster


• Software
  • MultiGen Creator
  • Sensable Technologies Ghost SDK library
  • Sensable Technologies OpenHaptics library
  • 3D Studio Max
  • Adobe Photoshop (multiple licenses)
  • Adobe Illustrator (multiple licenses)
  • Adobe Premiere Pro
    
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Adobe Audition
    
  • Adobe Acrobat (multiple licenses)
  • Microsoft Visual Studio (multiple licenses)
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Corel Draw (multiple licenses)
  • Macromedia Dreamweaver
  • IST Virtual Environment Software Sandbox (VESS)