Inside Iowa State
Oct. 18, 1996
C2 set to debut
by Skip Derra
"Lights! Action! Rear screen projectors!" This cliche
probably won't be heard in Black Engineering on Oct. 28. But
on that day, the science of virtual reality (and the illusion
of reality) will take a big step forward with the official
opening of C2, Iowa State's computer-driven synthetic
environment.
C2 is the latest generation virtual reality room in which people can experience and interact with computer-generated scenes and achieve "immersion" in the fake environment.
"C2 is an important step forward in virtual reality technology and its use will be geared toward real-world applications," said Jim Bernard, director of the Iowa Center for Emerging Manufacturing Technology and a leader in ISU's virtual reality efforts. "The use of C2 for research and industrial applications makes it unique in the world."
C2 uses several high-speed computers and advanced graphics to achieve the feeling of "immersion," the term used for a person's sense of reality in a virtual environment.
The official opening of C2 on Oct. 28 is an "appreciation day" for all of the people and interested parties who have helped make C2 a reality.
Public tours of the facility will be held the third Friday of each month, beginning in January, Bernard said.
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