Introduction to building projection-based tiled display systems

This tutorial introduces the concepts and technologies needed to build projector-based display systems. Tiled displays offer scalability, high resolution, and large formats for various applications. Tiled displays are an emerging technology for constructing semi-immersive visualization environments capable of presenting high-resolution images from scientific simulation. The largest impact may well arise from using large-format tiled displays as one of possibly multiple displays in building information or active spaces that surround the user with diverse ways of interacting with data and multimedia information flows. These environments may prove the ultimate successor to the desktop metaphor for information technology work. Several fundamental technological problems must be addressed to make tiled displays practical. These include: the choice of screen materials and support structures; choice of projectors, projector supports, and optional fine positioners; techniques for integrating image tiles into a seamless whole; interface devices for interaction with applications; display generators and interfaces; and the display software environment.