THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 22, Number 3 Thursday, January 26, 2006 Take a Fantastic Voyage into Virtual Reality by Paula McHugh The Beacher took a fantastic voyage into the halls of ivy recently. We of the dinosaur generation— meaning we received our education via blackboards and Coronet films—were to encounter a learning environment at Valparaiso University that promotes new insights for engineering and sci- ence students. It’s called the Vis Lab, short for Scientific Visualization Laboratory, and it is open to the public twice a week for tours and demonstrations. You might at first think when entering the little room in Gellerson Hall that you’ve walked into a state-of-the-art theatre. The “star” of the Vis Lab is the Vis Box, which pro- jects high resolution 3-D images upon a screen. But instead of theatre seating, the student (or visitor) stands on a plat- form directly in front of the screen, and, With a pair of polarized goggles, a student or visitor can visually explore the structure of microbes. donning a pair of polarized goggles, enters the world of Virtual Reality. Vis Lab Director Jeff Will and research assistant Mike Steffen host the regularly-scheduled public open houses for anyone who is curious to see how the advancement of computer technology has changed the world of learning in the 21st century. For a writer depen- dent upon words on a page, the experience was over- whelming. For a molecular biologist or electrical engineer formerly restricted to formulas on a chalk- board, the world of Virtual Reality translates into images that can be observed from any number of different per- spectives. An architectural engineer has the ability to view structural elements the same way—without having to rely on mock-ups or models. Virtual reali- ty, we learned, works as both a tool and as a medium in contemporary learning environments. A display outside the Vis Lab in Gellerson Hall explains the many virtual reality programs available to help students learn. Voyage Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 January 26, 2006 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 Voyage Continued from Page 1 “As a tool virtual reality makes the intuitive exam- ination and manipulation of complex data possible; as a medium it transforms potential products and processes which do not (yet) exist into a visual expe- rience,” according to the IAO, an industrial engi- neering institute based in Germany. Mike and Jeff show The Beacher the computer apparatus used to make the Vis Box operable. It was Greek to us. “walked” through corridors—even “flew” around cor- ners and alleyways, where we could examine the structures of walls or any number of things that caught our (uneducated) eye. The benefit of virtual While Mike watches, Jeff writes out a formula for electromagnetism on a reality makes it possible for engineers to manipulate board. Jeff and Mike can then enter virtual reality via the Vis Box reality in hazardous environments, for example, to “see” the formula—in action. without doing harm to workers. And, of course, the We had the opportunity to experience several learn- high costs associated with making real models are elim- ing modules during our tour. Jeff pointed to an elec- inated. tromagnetic formula he had written on a board, and Anyone who watched the movie Fantastic Voyage then had us put on our goggles to view the same years ago would be intrigued with the virtual reali- equation in virtual reality. Mike used a set of controls ty applications for the medical field today. One mod- to zoom in, out, and around the waves and to watch ule at V.U.’s Vis Lab demonstrates the ability to how the positive charges repelled waves. We admit examine a patient’s skin, bones and muscle (from that this demo would be more meaningful to some- an MRI). But that is just one small example of the many one more learned about electromagnetism, but it applications that virtual reality or Vis Box technol- gave us a sense of how students can more easily see ogy offers researchers today. Vis Lab’s modules include a complex formula come to life in real time. Another learning module had us examining the struc- ture of a virtual motorcycle, where engineers could virtually adjust its components as needed—without getting their hands dirty. The Vis Box makes it pos- sible to simulate an actual ride on a motorcycle, great idea for us non-scientific types and scaredy cats. Another module illustrated how engineers can fine-tune an auto’s dynamic design by troubleshoot- ing wind resistance issues via air flow patterns. “There is no need for engineers to build a wind tun- nel,” Jeff explained, adding that the Vis Lab application eliminates many of the old-fashioned ways of doing things. Vis Lab Director Jeff Will and research assistant Mike Steffen host the bi-weekly open houses for the public at Valparaiso University. Easier for us non-scientists to grasp was an archi- Jeff and Mike are wearing the special goggles needed to tectural engineering application Jeff showed us. We observe phenomena in 3-dimensions. THE January 26, 2006 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the Fashion Conscious Woman [email protected] Women’s Apparel Lucky you - if you’re heading South! Peek in Visitors to the lab need to wear a special pair of polarized. goggles to experience the effect of virtual reality. The glasses do not resemble the old red and blue gel cardboard variety once used at the cinema. on our fabulous learning opportunities for Chemistry students, collection of Cruise Clothes, CAD models for Mechanical Engineering, Vector Calculus, Electronics, Crystallography, Topography, while you pick up a bargain… Linear programming and more. Jeff wants Beacher readers to know that the Vis Lab 40-60% off weekly open houses welcome families with children. Yes, there are virtual reality games that the younger set can enjoy, such as Arkenoid and a Pong-type game. No doubt, those youngsters will feel much more comfortable with this three-dimensional learn- Cruise ing environment as the years pass. And it will be they who come up with new and useful applications for vir- tual reality. Which makes us wonder how far off a sim- Wear ilar Vis Box teaching technology is for K-12 school sys- tems. arriving “The Vis Box technology has become affordable for us,” Jeff said, adding that it cost under $100,000 daily! for V.U. Presently, there are 400 students enrolled in the Department of Engineering, all of whom have the Sizes opportunity to be exposed to the state-of-the art learning tools. PS-XXXL Visitors can experience the Vis Box, which has been conducting open houses for the past three years, on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30, or on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30. The Vis Box is located in room 182 of Gellerson Hall at the southeast corner of Blue Willi's wonderful cable knit sweater with the V.U. campus. For fabric collar and button front. Buttons have rhine- more information, contact Jeff Will at stone detail. Cotton. Pre-washed and dries to avoid shrink- age. Machine wash, tumble dry. $298 the Scientific Vis Lab at 219.464-6875. Fall & Winter Clearance 40-60% off The Scientific Visualization 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 Lab at V.U. offers math and On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway science students a state-of- TurnTurn Rightright on AlexanderAlexander the-art learning technology Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm using virtual reality models. THE Page 4 January 26, 2006 Berrien Artist Guild at the Box Factory Start Your New Year with the The Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad St., Purchase of a Beautiful New Benton Harbor, MI, presents two Gallery Openings: Showplace Kitchen from “The Watercolor Paintings of Dan Tilstra” and “Meet the New 2005 Berrien Artist Guild Members.” Both Duneland Interiors will be on exhibit through Feb. 12 during gallery hours of Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sun., 1-4 p.m. (MI time). Paintings by Dan Tilstra, formerly of Berrien Springs and currently of Florida, will be shown in the Heartha Whitlow Gallery. Box Factory Director Mike Murphy will be the curator for the exhibit. Tilstra’s work is characterized by the use of vibrant colors. Many of the paintings in the exhibit will fea- ture landscapes and people. In the Riverwalk Gallery, the “Meet the New Members” exhibit will showcase work by the members of the Berrien Artist Guild who joined in 2005. The work will include all media and a wide range of styles including; sculpture, drawing, painting, mixed media and ceramics. The work of approximately 20 new members will be featured in the show. “We hope to make this an on-going tradition, using the first gallery show of the year in the Riverwalk Gallery to show off the work of our newest members,” Murphy A BRAND NEW KITCHEN COSTS said.