Reality Theatre

The Reality Theatre is a Virtual Reality setup for interactive 3D presentations to large groups of people. Popular applications include office design, landscape design and other architectural visualizations. 

Interactivity

Unlike a 3D cinema in a theme park, the software driving the Reality Theatre gives the viewers full interactivity. An operator sitting behind the 'console' controls a virtual camera through the 3D world on demand, and can interact with this 3D scene: move objects around, change colours and materials, etc. Recently we added multi touch detection.

touchscreen interaction

Technology

In the Reality Theatre, 3D ('stereoscopic') images are projected onto a super-wide cylindrical screen. An audience of up to 19 viewers can watch 3D images, created in real time by our high-end visualization cluster. The transparent screen is almost 10 metres wide and 2.80 metres high, and surrounds the viewer with a 135 degree field-of-view. Behind the screen are 6 full HD projectors, producing 120 images per second. (that's nearly 1.500.000.000 pixels per second !)

Through the use of shutter glasses, the 3D images have depth and they appear to be 'life size' to the observers.  

A theatre performance in the Reality Theatre

Flexible setup

For most purposes, the audience in the Reality Theatre is seated on a 3-row platform with 19 seats. When required, this platform can easily be removed and replaced by something else.

For example, in office design sessions, it has proven useful to have a setup with meeting tables. Such a configuration gives the members of the audience lots of space for printed 2D drawings, notes, laptop computers, coffee, etc.

Virtual Office Design in the Reality Theatre

Alternatively, the Reality Theatre can be set up for completely different applications, such as a driving simulator or even a virtual theatre performance. For more examples, take a look at our page on Virtual Reality and Visualization.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in using our Reality Theatre.

http://www.rug.nl/cit/hpcv/faciliteiten/RealityTheatre