Initiated Use of VR-FAST within ESS Investigator Community

Objective: Develop methods to analyze high rate/high volume data generated by ESS Grand Challenges.

Approach:

• Investigate turn-key virtual environment compatible with existing NASA science community visualization methods and software.
• Chose to adapt Flow Analysis Software Tool kit (FAST) developed and maintained by NAS/ARC to a virtual environment.

Accomplishments:

• Received delivery of SGI Onyx (2 processors, 2 Reality Engine graphics subsystems) and Fakespace BOOM 3C at GSFC.
• Ported Virtual Reality FAST (VR-FAST) to SGI Onyx and incorporated useoof BOOM.
• Initiated use of VR-FAST within the ESS investigator community (e.g., Richard Rood from the GSFC Laboratory for Atmospheres, Michele Rienecker from the GSFC Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes)
• Acquired GSFC expertise of VR-FAST and associated devices to allowffor quick modifications initiated through investigator responses.
• Initiated use of virtual environment devices with VIS-5D, a visualization package developed at the University of Wisconsin with support from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
• Demonstrated VR-FAST to John Klineberg/GSFC Center Director, Lee Holcomb/Code R, and France Cordova/NASA Chief Scientist.

Significance: The job of the NASA scientist increasingly involves sifting through mountains of acquired and computationally generated data. The essence of virtual reality is to deal with the data in the same way that you deal with the actual world - through the visual cortex and motor responses, rather than through artificial interfaces. The creation of an operational virtual reality environment for rapid data searching and manipulation is required to validate the theory and transfer it to the NASA science community.

Status/Plans: Phase II of the VR FAST project is currently being planned and will be implemented in the upcoming year. This phase will bring a marked increase in the capabilities available to investigators using VR FAST. Specific plans include the following:

• Incorporate additional data exploratory capabilities within VR-FAST to enhance scientific discovery opportunities.
• Continue to receive and incorporate feedback from ESS investigators for the purpose of evaluating and enhancing VR FAST and virtual environments in general.
• Receive virtual instrument and gesture glove at GSFC to allow access to additional VR FAST capabilities.
• Continue to analyze the application of virtual environment technology to other data analysis software (e.g., VIS-5D, SGI Explorer).

Point of Contact:

Dr. Horace Mitchell
Goddard Space Flight Center/Code 932
hmitchel@vlasov.gsfc.nasa.gov
(301) 286-4030

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