Brave new virtual world
Team of researchers at U. develops project with lots of potential
Charles Fisher stepped onto the white treadmill and strapped on the harness, attaching himself to an advanced motor and pulling device.
He gave the thumbs-up sign to fellow research assistants in the mechanical engineering department at the University of Utah and immediately was immersed in an alternate world. The U. graduate student began running on the treadmill with the wind blowing in his face while a three-screen projection showed his movements in a virtual reality world.
"Instead of sitting on the couch, I can walk through Little Cottonwood Canyon, feel the wind blow, even smell the roses," Fisher said.
Fisher and several graduate students are part of a team of researchers developing a virtual reality world, complete with gravity effects, wind, olfactory senses and environmental fluid dynamics that calculate wind movement.
The million-dollar project, funded by the National Science Foundation, has taken years of work but can now account for gravity by using a device attached to the harness that pulls against users while they're climbing up a hill or push them while heading down.
Although several investors have approached researchers about possible applications, Mark Minor, a co-investigator for the project, said they can't release names just yet.
"One of the driving factors is to understand atmospheric display in virtual reality, but we're also investigating ways to use this for training," said Minor, a mechanical engineering professor at the U. "This could be used by first responders who have to figure out where a chemical source is being released in the city, or for training people to walk and live on Mars."
Neuroworx, a physical therapy clinic out of South Jordan, has already started collaborating with researchers about ways to use the technology to rehabilitate spinal-cord injury patients.
"Some people can learn how to walk again, but they do it in really sterile, clean environments," Minor said. "This gives you visual clues, gives you pressure from gravity and a gust of wind — a more realistic rehabilitation scenario."
The wind streams travel along the sides of the three-part screen until they collide and aim at the viewer so it appears to come from different parts of the virtual world on the screen.
The program still has some glitches, and researchers are trying to integrate other components, including wind rustling on the screen and olfactory senses.
"In the next little while, when you see the graphic world in front of you, you'll see the leaves blowing on the trees," Minor said.
Recent comments
Hey! Keep up the good work Mr. Fisher and Neuroworx. Anything to...
D. Petersen | July 11, 2009 at 7:07 p.m.
OR...you could just go walk through Little Cottonwood Canyon in real...
Anonymous | July 2, 2009 at 6:41 p.m.
You can't have a Brave New World without the feelies. Nothing like...
Oh Ford, this is exciting | June 22, 2009 at 7:01 a.m.
- New plans for Sandy Proscenium land 3:27 p.m.
- Holladay development appeal denied 2:59 p.m.
- BYU bug to aid in soil clean up 2:50 p.m.
- Provo council members say goodbye 2:49 p.m.
- Rancher run over by tractor, injured 2:45 p.m.
- Stronger retail boost stocks 2:44 p.m.
- Snow hampers missing mom search 2:24 p.m.
- Gun laws becoming more loose 2:16 p.m.
- Drug combo improves cancer survival 2:13 p.m.
- Cable falls on I-80; lanes reopened 2:11 p.m.
- Letters: Global warming a lie
272 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
207 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
195 - Palin signs books, chats with fans
169 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
151 - Cougars going back to Vegas
150 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
142 - Nude bathers cited for lewdness
133 - Max Hall wants to look ahead
130 - Jazz fall apart late at L.A.
110
David Rankin, one of Utah's youngest and ablest astrophotographers has...
There was a time when free shipping was rare. This holiday season, you...
Love him or hate him, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch knows how to get attention.
WOW... Another overhaul. Seems like we're overhauling, fundimentally...
I beg to differ. I was there last night and Natalie was terrific. She is...
Tiger Woods is up to 12 women now that came out. Is Wood's a progressive or a...
This was a mistake in my mind. Notre Dame needed to hire a defensive minded...
Just last year eveno admiting t republicans were start that global warming...
I got "sarcasm" for you Pagan...government run healthcare sounds scarier!
Areas of the country that have higher ratios of doctors to population have...
'"Take a min, calm down, relax, and approach it from a fresh perspective".' -...
I bet you said that same thing after they hired Weis...and after they hired...
the global warming alarmists are hiding their true agendas which are...



