Virtual reality dinos (+

[psparks@CERF.NET (paul sparks)]

Actually I did't say the first paragraph, but... see below
                                            =20
>PS>From: psparks@CERF.NET (paul sparks)
>PS>>  Dr. Tony DeRose, professor of computer science and engineering at the
>PS>>University of Washington in Seattle, has refined a computer/laser
>PS>>scanner/software package that scans 3D surface outlines of any physical
>PS>>object, even complex ones with curves and multiple edges or planes. =
 The
>PS>>software then reconstructs the image in 3D-space in computer memory.
>PS>>Virtual reality software can rotate the image in any direction for any
>PS>>perspective.
>PS>Therefore I would think that it would have a pretty good chance of=
 success.
>PS>I'd want to get the thinking machine people on it as well as some good=
 data
>PS>reduction/compression folks as well. ARPA might be a good source of=
 funds
>PS>for this also and they have done some very good computer science.  The
>PS>National Labs (in DOE) are looking for this sort of thing esp Los=
 Alamos.
>
>Paul, I seem to recall a proposal and research some years ago by Dr.
>George Gerholt(sp?) at W. Wash. U to place several hundred or thousand
>images of mineral crystal specimens with supporting data on a laser disk
>(not CDROM) for use by educators, museums, and collectors.  For whatever
>reasons the economics didn't work out and/or the grant was not given.
>Perhaps with the 7GB CDROMs now in development the 3D technology
>described above would become economical.
>
>Maybe a lurker from WWU could ask Dr. Gerholt about any current project
>along these lines.
>
> * OLX 2.1 TD * Washington State - Original source for Okanoganite.
>---
> =FE CDMG ONLINE BBS # Sacramento, California # (916) 327-1208
>
I think that seven years ago the problem was three orders of magnitude, now
its only one order of magnitude. I had an estimate of a 50 gigabyte T. rex
which seemed reasonable to me. Anyone care to comment.  I am not in a
position to try to put something together as I am now physically retired
(hopefully not mentally) but I was in this sort of thing and did work with
ARPA quite a lot so I think that I know what they might like. Ihave to admit
(gulp) that I am a physist.   I suggested Thinking Machines because they
have the most mature connection device.  The national labs (Low Alamos in
particular) are looking for this sort of thing and they have the largest
core of comuting power and very good software engineers to look at hard
problems.  It sounds like all the pieces are there and just need to be put
together.

When I was thinkang about this and part of the emphsis was describibg the
actual bones, I was amazed that the AMNH was bragging in their literature
that over 80% of their exhibits weere real bones.  Seems that they were
going backwards or did I misunderstand???

paul w. sparks  Psparks@cerfnet.com
"over the heather the wet wind blows
I've lice in my tunic and a cold in my nose."
anon