DiVE Experience

Experiencing the Duke Immersive Virtual Environment was really fun and informative and it was interesting to see how such technology which is usually viewed as being used for games and entertainment, can also be utilized for educational and practical uses as well.  Rachael Brady took us through many different applications, some of which were cool little games to mess around and play with, and others which were useful applications that could translate to real life.  I was surprised when we entered the virtual cathedral that Charles Sparkman built using the DiVE software, and we were able to fly around the place and explore every inch of the virtual cathedral.  There were also other buildings that we went through, and it was easy to see how this kind of technology could really help an architect or people that deal with environments like that, because one can build and explore places in greater detail than before.  There was also another program that was kind of like a visual database that mapped different companies and inventors with their innovations with computers and technology.  The user could interact with the data and visualize information that way.  I also read here about other programs and applications that had been created, such as a virtual forest that studies how wind affects seed dispersal and a giant simulated heart that biomedical engineers can crawl through.  

The only question I have is related to the cost versus the benefit of technology like this.  Rachael Brady described to us the hassle of having to design and build a structure like that, and how difficult it is just to ship and deliver specialized parts.  Maybe in the future they will be able to create less costly forms of the DiVE, but for now it is hard to imagine any company or organization (besides for research) that would be able to justify the creation of such a laboratory for the amount of money it would cost.  Also, its really easy to get dizzy with those goggles on...

Google SketchUp

This is an image of a 3D model I made with Google SketchUp.  I entitled the model, Autumn Sunday Afternoons, because this is the setting where you can find most men at that particular time.  It took a while to get used to the controls and figure out what to do, but once I got the hang of it, it gets pretty easy to manipulate.  I also thought it was really cool how you can import images as textures, which is how I created the Coke can.   I think that Google SketchUp can be a very useful and innovative tool that can open up another dimension of creativity (no pun intended).  It seems to be very useful for architects and people that must design in 3D environments and virtual reality worlds.  It is being used by Google Maps to create realistic models of actual places and buildings in order to take virtual tours of the place.  The places can actually be located and visited on Google Earth.  Many people are also using almost as a hobby, like a virtual version of building model airplanes and ships.  Many different models and buildings can be seen at the Google 3D Warehouse.