Neat Computer Tricks

Yesterday, I got to go over to the computer center, where they were trying to attract scientists into using 3D projection more. Which is pretty cool -- they had a 'basic' setup, which just used polarization and two projectors to make 3-D projections. (He even took two pictures of the group and projected them in 3-D in the screen), and a really cool one that used three screens to make a projection you could walk through, with the aid of a pointer (kind of like a Wiimote) and a tracking thing on your 3-D glasses (which was broken). Among the uses were visualization of things like proteins, 3-D concept maps, and models of metal crystallization. They also used the Quake gaming engine to turn architectural models into something one could walk through. It was kind of like having a holodeck in one's office.

The weird thing is that I have very poor binocular vision, thanks to crossed eyes as an infant. However, I could really tell things were 3D -- perhaps because I don't normally get binocular vision except in an area directly in front of me, so I really notice the difference. I also discovered that when shown two different images in my eyes, my brain knows exactly what to do -- the computer operator was showing us how far apart he could set the images before our brains refused to make them match. I went seamlessly from seeing both images as a 3D image to seeing only one and ignoring one eye's input. Everyone else got headaches. Go screwy vision, go!

(I was very impressed by the whole thing, as you can tell.)

Today I am voting in the New York primary. Go, democracy in action! (I am not telling who I am voting for, mostly because I care less about Clinton versus Obama than I care about Winner versus Republican Winner.)

Neat Computer Tricks

Yesterday, I got to go over to the computer center, where they were trying to attract scientists into using 3D projection more. Which is pretty cool -- they had a 'basic' setup, which just used polarization and two projectors to make 3-D projections. (He even took two pictures of the group and projected them in 3-D in the screen), and a really cool one that used three screens to make a projection you could walk through, with the aid of a pointer (kind of like a Wiimote) and a tracking thing on your 3-D glasses (which was broken). Among the uses were visualization of things like proteins, 3-D concept maps, and models of metal crystallization. They also used the Quake gaming engine to turn architectural models into something one could walk through. It was kind of like having a holodeck in one's office.

The weird thing is that I have very poor binocular vision, thanks to crossed eyes as an infant. However, I could really tell things were 3D -- perhaps because I don't normally get binocular vision except in an area directly in front of me, so I really notice the difference. I also discovered that when shown two different images in my eyes, my brain knows exactly what to do -- the computer operator was showing us how far apart he could set the images before our brains refused to make them match. I went seamlessly from seeing both images as a 3D image to seeing only one and ignoring one eye's input. Everyone else got headaches. Go screwy vision, go!

(I was very impressed by the whole thing, as you can tell.)

Today I am voting in the New York primary. Go, democracy in action! (I am not telling who I am voting for, mostly because I care less about Clinton versus Obama than I care about Winner versus Republican Winner.)