NPS Distinguished Lecturer Series

[michael zyda]

The Naval Postgraduate School's
Computer Science Distinguished Speaker Series Presents

INTERACTIVE 3D DISPLAYS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY:
Beyond the Desktop Metaphor

Professor Henry Fuchs
Department of Computer Science
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Date:          	October 19, 1989
Time:           3:10 - 4:00 pm
Place:          Spanagel 421
Host:           Associate Professor Michael J. Zyda

Abstract

The direct manipulation WYSIWYG interface popularized by the Apple Macintosh 
is fine for most 2D applications but inadequate for most 3D ones.  Described 
in this talk is work at UNC-Chapel Hill on a direct manipulation interactive 
3D system based on Ivan Sutherland's head-mounted display ideas of the 1960's.
In order to have a usefully-effective system of this kind, several major 
problems need to be solved: 1) absolutely real-time image generation with 
minimal lag, 2) precise but minimally obtrusive tracking of the user's head 
and hand, 3) generation of a comfortable and effective head-mounted display, 
and 4) development of new human-machine interaction protocols that work for 
real applications.  At UNC-Chapel Hill we have been working on most of these 
problems:  a) a new graphics system, Pixel-Planes 5, that should generate 
over 1 million polygons per second (about 10 times that of current top-of-
the-line graphics workstations), b) a real-time head-tracking device that 
can determine the user's position in a large room by imaging LEDs on the 
ceiling with a small head-worn camera, and 3) interaction protocols for 
architectural and medical applications using this system in which the 
user can visualize, move about, and interact with a virtual 3D environment 
in a natural WYSIWYG fashion.  A videotape sequence shows the current 
state of these various systems.   Difficult remaining problems are described.

About the Speaker

Henry Fuchs is Federico Gil professor of computer science and adjunct 
professor of radiation oncology at the University of North Carolina 
at Chapel Hill.  He received a BA in Information and Computer Science 
from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1970 and a PhD in 
computer science from the University of Utah in 1975.  He has been 
an associate editor of ACM Transactions on Graphics (1983-1988) and 
the guest editor of its first issue.  He was the technical program chair 
for ACM Siggraph'81 Conference, chairman of the 1985 Chapel Hill 
Conference on Advanced Research in VLSI, and chairman of the 1986 
Chapel Hill Workshop on Interactive 3D Graphics.  He serves on various 
advisory committees, including that of NSF's Division of Microelectronic 
Information Processing Systems and Stellar Computer's Technical Advisory 
Board.

Attendance Notes

This presentation is open to the public.

The Naval Postgraduate School is adjacent to Highway 1 and is one
of the first Monterey exits. The lecture will be held in
Spanagel Hall 421. Spanagel Hall is the highest building
on campus and is visible from Highway 1 as the 6 story building
with all the antennas on top. Exit Highway 1 on Camino Aguajito.
Take Camino Aguajito West (right off the Highway) to 7th St.
Turn North on 7th (right turn). Take 7th to Sloat. Turn
right on Sloat and take the first left into the school
(at 9th St.). Spanagel Hall is in front of you, on your
left. Park in a brown space, if possible.

If you need telephone directions, contact the departmental office
at (408) 646-2449.