NOTE: We have amalgamated our Vislab and Meeting Room into a single, shared-use space. The hardware for the two systems will remain separate, with the Vislab's projection screen serving as the projection surface for both systems.

Whilst full functionality of the Vislab has been maintained, please note that some re-arrangement of furniture is now required when preparing the space for visualisation use- so please book in advance whenever possible.

The VisLab is eResearch SA's state-of-the-art visualisation suite.

The VisLab is located at eResearch SA's premises in the Physics Building at the University of Adelaide on North Terrace. It enables users to view data, stills and animations using standard monoscopic projection or in full stereoscopic depth.

Please book the VisLab using the Facilities Booking Form. Charges apply for some VisLab uses.

VisLab contacts

VisLab tel: +61 8 8303 5017

Primary contact: Paddy McGee
Tel: +61 8 8303 6452
Email: padric.mcgee@eresearchsa.edu.au

Secondary contact: Ian West
Tel: +61 8 8303 4306
Email: ian.west@adelaide.edu.au

Facilities

The VisLab employs the Infitec multi-band colour-separation system. Two projectors with filters and matching eyeglasses are used to present the eyes with left-hand and right-hand images—each eye sees only the corresponding side of the stereo pair, giving the illusion of depth.

Computer

A single PC is used. It sends data to the projectors for monoscopic or stereoscopic display of still or video images, and runs various visualisation packages. Video output is via two NVidia Quadro FX4400 cards.

Projection equipment and screen

The projectors are projectiondesign F1+ (resolution: SXGA+ 1400 x 1050 pixels) with inbuilt Infitec filters. The screen is 4m x 3m with folded light path and rear projection.

Audio equipment

The VisLab audio equipment is currently configured as a 5.1 system and includes:
Marantz SR5400 receiver
VAF Research DC-7LE speaker units
Jaycar/Response powered subwoofers

Motion tracking

Flock of Birds hardware is in place, but not yet fully functional.

Software

The software that is used in our facilities falls into several catagories:

• scientific data visualisation
• display of pre-rendered content
• interactive software used primarily for outreach.

At present, the PC may be booted under either Linux or Windows XP Pro. We are currently working on getting stereo display settled under Linux so Windows is preferred at present for general stereo use.

Below is a list of installed applications. If you require access to open-source software, we can generally install it for you; however, we do not purchase commercial software for users.

Linux OS    OpenDX (not stereo), AVS Express
Windows XP Pro    PyMol, Chimera, VMD, POV-Ray, Stereoscopic Player (stereo movie files), Sudden Depth (stereo stills), Visible Human Project Demo

AVS Express

AVS Express is available in both the VisLab and SAVRC under Linux. In both cases, the Developer Edition is used, with the SAVRC also being multipipe-enabled. AVS Express is an advanced and very capable data visualisation package, which can import data in a wide variety of formats, and display those data in a great variety of ways.

Point data, volumetric data, surfaces, meshes and images may be displayed, and the visual output can be saved as image files or movie files. Numerical data processing is done via module networks which are connected graphically, so that for most users no programming is required at this stage for data visualisation.

Display in the VisLab and SAVRC can be in stereo.

OpenDX

OpenDX is an open-source application similar to AVS Express in that data manipulation is achieved by a network of modules that are connected graphically. Many types of data may be imported, and display options are considerable. Interactivity with the displayed data also is readily achieved.

At present, OpenDX has been used only in the VisLab, and only in mono.

Chimera

Chimera is used for visualisation of molecular data in a variety of standard formats. It is available in both the VisLab and the SAVRC, and is stereo-capable.