3D Virtualization Edges Toward the Mainstream

Roland Piquepaille writes "With recent improvements in graphic cards and in powerful Linux-based PC clusters, virtual 3D prototypes are rapidly replacing actual physical prototypes in a wide range of industries, including early adopters such as aerospace or car companies. But now, software designers are also incorporating sound and tactile feedbacks to their Virtual Reality (VR) systems for real product development. In this long article, Desktop Engineering gives several examples of these new VR developments. But even if PC clusters and off-the-shelf graphic cards are cheap, a state-of-the-art VR facility such as an immersive CAVE can still cost more than one million dollars, because you need to build the viewing facility and buy expensive projection systems. However, costs are still decreasing and virtual prototyping is reaching the mainstream stage. This overview contains selected excepts and comments."

Comments

ROLAND PIQUEPAILLE

[TrumpetPower!]

Please, people, let's not feed him. We've got enough whores 'round here already.

Cheers,

b&

Re:ROLAND PIQUEPAILLE

[Tim C]

Initially at least, every single story he submitted consisted of a brief overview of the actual story, and a link to his blog. His blog contained a brief overview of the story, and a link to the actual story. Now, after months of complaints, he includes a link to the story in the slashdot summary too. If you google on his name, you'll find that he's made a career out of this; he consults on driving traffic to websites and blogs.

He is whoring for traffic for his blog, plain and simple. That would be fine, but his stories turn up here with such regularity that you could be forgiven for thinking that he works for slashdot. That would *also* be fine, but if it's the case, it really ought to be disclosed.

A lot of people consider his stories (especially in the past, before he linked to the real story instead of just his blog) to be glorified adverts. Understandably, the people who subscribe so they don't have to see ads are a little upset at that.

Finally, attached to every single story of his are a lot of posts complaining about him for the reasons above (amongst others), and yet the slashdot editors remain utterly silent on the matter. Sure, it's their site and we don't have to read it, but it would be nice to at least be acknowleged. No-one likes to feel ignored, especially paying subscribers (not that I am one, of course).

Re:ROLAND PIQUEPAILLE

[demachina]

Here is a pretty good write up about why everyone hates Roland. He is basicly making a living by finding someone elses interesting article, submitting it to Slashdot and using it to generate ad revenue on his web site. He has improved lately since he actually links to the original article first and to his web site second. Used to be you were steered to his web site first I gather.

Haven't checked myself but the writeup indicates that EVERY article he was submitting to Slashdot was being accepted which is a near impossibility unless he is recieving somekind of preferential treatement from Slashdot or its parent company.

The worst case conspiracy theory is he is partnered with Slashdot, or its parent company, or he is sending a kickback from his ad revenues to Slashdot and they are in turn insuring every one of his submissions makes the front page.

The people have spoken. Roland must die

[Anonymous Coward]

Just look at the first 10 or so comments on this story. Slashdot readers clearly want him gone. Editors, LISTEN.

Wow...

[dhakbar]

Only 1 of the first 8 posts didn't have something negative to say about Piquepaille.

Why is that? Slashdot editors, take notice.

3D printers

[wormbin]

VR is cool but don't forget that you can get a similar rapid prototype benefit from 3D printers.

CaveUT

[El_Muerte_TDS]

I always liked CaveUT: http://www.planetjeff.net/ut/CaveUT.html
a CAVE system that uses the UnrealEngine (even UT2004)

The one thing I remember from graphics class

[antifoidulus]

Just make sure your VR has a low latency. If people in a VR world turn but the world does not turn fast enough, a lot of them will vomit.

Article - Roland Piquepaille

[Zakabog]

Here's a link to the article without supporting the whore, errr Roland Piquepaille

Re:toys for the boys?

[pmjordan]

A friend of mine has shutter glasses, and they really didn't do much for me when I tried them. The constant flickering - remember, you now only have half the refresh rate - gave me a headache, and the sense of depth was very weak.

I suggest that before buying shutter glasses, one should check these things. I know I'm very sensitive to flickering, anything below 85Hz is useless to me. In "real-world" seeing I don't work off the stereoscopic vision for depth perception, I expect that this causes the weak improvement. (You can test this easily by closing one eye for an extended period of time. Some people start "grabbing air", while others just carry on as normal)

~phil

Roland

[Lord_Dweomer]

This is a Roland article. Please do not help him generate ad revenue by visiting his site.

Re:toys for the boys?

[Fjornir]

phil,

Very valid points, all of them. It sucks that they didn't work for you, but for me -- the "did it" after a fair amount of tweaking. The pitch-black room was the thing that helped the most for me -- that reduced the sensation of flickering and increased the depth and rise a lot. I actually wish my glasses were full goggles because I think most of the flicker I experience now is because even when my eye is "blacked" I'm still seeing ambient light from the monitor.

Tweaking the refresh rate was very important in my experiments with these too -- the LCDs on the glasses do take time to change state so it's important to find the fastest rate that the glasses can sustain.

Question -- did the glasses you played with support the "blanking-every-other-scanline" feature? I was utterly unimpressed with mine until I found that sweetness.

And a note to everyone else: it seems that the site I mentioned has stopped selling in individual units. Although this is a sadness there are other companies.

And remember: I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together.

--Fjornir

"In this long article"

[tod_miller]

1383 words, by a freelance writer. Support her by reading her own work, not some abridged version. (don't click second link, it is just a traffic drive - if he wants to tell us what he thinks he can post a /. reply and click some /. ads)

Read article un-abridged (it is getting better, the real link was first in the story)

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