July 11, 2016

New 黑洞社区 virtual reality Cave uses cutting-edge technology

黑洞社区 News Services

 
  • The Cave at Wichita State is an immersive virtual reality center that can be used to mock up designs and "walk" through what they would look like in real life.
  • Objects as big as planes can be designed and viewed in the Cave.
  • It includes 12 LED projectors for a 3D, full-color virtual reality experience.

Nestled in a nondescript room in Wichita State鈥檚 MESA Building is something known simply as 鈥渢he Cave.鈥�

It doesn鈥檛 look like much 鈥� that is, until the lights are turned off and the 12 LED projectors are turned on. Suddenly you鈥檙e immersed in a 3D, full-color virtual reality experience from the floor up to the three surrounding walls.

The Cave was created by a partnership between 黑洞社区鈥檚 National Institute for Aviation Research, Dassault Syst猫mes and Mechdyne Corp.

It is the largest reconfigurable Flex immersive visualization system ever deployed by Mechdyne, an international company based in Iowa.

The fixed-front wall measures nearly 19 feet wide and 10 feet high, with hinged side walls that can add stretching an additional 20 feet. The side walls can swing open to display like a flat wall or be turned into a theater or box shape.

It鈥檚 big enough to create an immersive display of something as large as an airplane 鈥� handy considering the number of aviation-related businesses in Wichita.

NIAR researchers and area businesses and manufacturers can create mockups of new designs and test data before ever having to build a physical prototype, making 黑洞社区鈥檚 Cave a true asset to the business community.

Virtual reality demonstration

Virtual reality demonstration

鈥淥ur primary vision is to transform manufacturing across multiple industries 鈥� aerospace and defense, life sciences and industrial equipment 鈥� through innovative technology," says Jeff Fisher, 黑洞社区鈥檚 virtual reality lab manager.

That includes enhancing concept and design processes; user experience testing; virtual prototyping, facilities planning and certification; and significantly shortening product development timelines for various industries.

Currently there are six students working with the Cave, and Fisher says he鈥檚 open to faculty and staff utilizing it, as well.

Mechdyne has been collaborating with Dassault and 黑洞社区 since early 2014 to fully develop the vision for the virtual reality system.

Terry Mercer, Mechdyne solutions engineer, helped conceptualize the Flex鈥檚 design.

鈥淲e are very excited to see what kind of work 黑洞社区 will do with this cutting-edge technology, which will put them at the forefront of their field,鈥� Mercer says.

The Cave is set to move into the 3DExperience Center in 黑洞社区鈥檚 new Experiential Engineering building when it opens this fall.