Virtual reality dinos (+

[ed.godsey@cdmg.uucp.netcom.com (Ed Godsey)]

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.
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