CSAGE - Collaborative Stereoscopic Access Grid Environment

Project title

CSAGE - Collaborative Stereoscopic Access Grid Environment

Start date

1/12/04

End date

31/3/06 Systems on loan/insured 31/12/07

Lead institution

The University of Manchester

Partner institutions

The University of Southampton

Project manager & contact details

Dr Martin J. Turner Tel: 0161 275 0613 Fax: 0161 275 6800 Email: Martin.Turner@manchester.ac.uk

Project web URL

http://www.kato.mvc.mcc.ac.uk/rss-wiki/SAGE

http://www.sve.man.ac.uk/mvc/Research/sage/

Overall description

Name of VRE solution/s

Applying Stereoscopic collaboration within the Access Grid environment, and other research platforms.

  • Hardware stereoscopic construction robust proof of principle (portability units)
  • Software transmission and synchronisation integration - within the Access Grid environment and additional extra annotation system

Dissemination, Tutorial and Loan events

Description of VRE solution/s

Experience from virtual environment construction have developed spaces both hardware and integrated software to aid research dissemination and practice.

50+ dissemination type events have been organised - see wiki (above), with a series of users from the minor occasional users, to the regular larger special events planned.

Primary user group/s

Humanities and Arts: Dance performance for new inspiration in research choreography. Also, display stereoscopic art exhibition promotion.

Science Community: Range of science uses, mainly for dissemination but 10% for inspiration: EPSRC funded viz. elements and other specialists e.g. geoscientists, archaeologists, material scientists etc.

Linguistics: Connection has been exploiting video and audio codec within a purpose built language 'active worlds' clone http://www.mc.manchester.ac.uk/research/projects/virtuallearningspace

Functionality

  • Ideally this system would foster a 'new way of doing research', one of the holy grails of e-Science. For performance dance this involves new modes of choreography.
  • Secondly as a dissemination, analysis, and annotation system for collating and critically reviewing and acting on any 3D objects, scenes and performances.

Benefits

Initially the aims were to aid increasing publicity, enlightenment and awareness.

Subsequently the tools are being modified to create new forms of research in themselves - benefiting the users with increased RAE outcomes and expertise.

A VLE should aid and improve the learning experience; a VRE should aid and improve the research process.

Key workshop performance demonstrator is a new arts piece "Stereo Bodies", http://www.kato.mvc.mcc.ac.uk/rss-wiki/SAGE/StereoBodies

Live performance in September 2006

Current level of maturity

Hardware build is now version 2 - full portable setup (backprojection included) defined and available on loan.

Software JMF being used with Access Grid multiplexing video solutions - proof-of-principle awaiting improved codecs within and from the RTP (vic and rat) communities. (Separately funded project outside of VRE programme)

Annotation system - minimal complete integration, and requires second generation of development required.

Target level of maturity at end of project

Target solution should be implementable by third parties, also aiming at following the evolution of supporting new research methodologies (through the arts and the sciences).

An aim is to maximize number of users by the end of the extended loan and support period.

Design & technical implementation

Technical implementation

Technical issues are based as much as possible on open source or available tools as well as code based on a public open source agreements.

Hardware specifications are posed around best practice guides and best use - based on experience from other fields from the partners, of construction and use in previous projects.

Architecture

Architectural design is both physical and software based on practices with both the Access Grid environment and within Virtual Environment centres use. Full specifications are being written up for an article describing the technical aspects of the StereoBodies dance performance at DRHA'06 and possibly the International Journal Performance Review. http://www.kato.mvc.mcc.ac.uk/rss-wiki/SAGE/StereoBodies

Standards compliance

  • JMF (Java Media Framework) protocols and integration utilities
  • AG public domain codecs, vic and rat including derivatives of RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) standards.
  • Hardware uses COTS products that are easily available.

Software availability

  1. JMF code - stereoscopic multiplexing into Access Grid held at wiki.
  2. Server (grace.mvc.mcc.ac.uk) 300GB Access Grid recording.
  3. 3rd party software suite listed at wiki /Software Solutions
  4. Hardware self-build instructions at wiiki/Hardware Solutions.
  5. Amira/TGS stereoscopic plug-in on SGI system - full code and installation guide available: http://www.sve.man.ac.uk/mvc/Research/rvamira/

Aside: codecs available and developed from the VRE are available for download within the language Virtual Manchester Campus learning space. http://vls.japancentre.man.ac.uk:8180/index.html

Documentation

  1. Self build guides - hardware construction for geowall system.
  2. Software performance recommendations
  3. Self-configuration guide for hardware setup
  4. Self-configuration guide for use including supercomputer transmission.

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