Lower cost spatially immersive visualization for human environments

Access to computer simulation and computer based visualization has dramatically impacted our ability to design complex human environments. Immersive visualization, with its ability to present high quality interactive three-dimensional representations of environments, is the next step in this evolution. This paper explores the development of lower cost modular immersive visualization systems as a way to extend and augment our ability to plan, design and evaluate human environments. Technology now available enables spatially immersive visualization systems created using off the shelf components including high performance, relatively inexpensive, commodity computers, inexpensive commodity projectors and open source software. Flexible modular configurations utilizing polyhedral display surfaces with many identical modular components and networked visual computer clusters is one approach to such systems. Work is underway at the Texas A&M College of Architecture focused on developing and evaluating several prototypes of this new class of systems to determine their practicality and effectiveness. Underlying concepts, issues and trade-offs related to the design and development of these systems are presented. Initial applications using these systems in human environment planning, design and evaluation are discussed.