Virtual Reality Design for Science, Fall 2019

** For those considering the Fall 2019 class, consider the following: I suggest reviewing the course website from 2017, especially the calendar page, to see exactly what the class involves. That has all the assignments. The course description in CAB is short, so reviewing this info will make sure that know exactly what you would be doing in taking the course.

** We will provide overrides after the first assignment is handed in. In the past, we have almost always been able to accommodate everyone what was interested, who made it to the classes, and who completed the first assignment. I can't guarantee that will be the case this year, but it has been for the last 10 years.

** For registration, please request an override in CAB and also make sure that the class is in your primary cart. Those steps will keep you on the waiting list and also ensure that you get course emails.

This course explores the visual and human-computer interaction design process for scientific applications in immersive virtual reality. It is cross listed at Brown (as CSCI1370) and RISD (as ILLUS3340) and is co-taught by David Laidlaw from Brown Computer Science, Fritz Drury from RISD Illustration, as well as Stephen Gatesy from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Brandon Li is the TA.

Computer science students learn how to work effectively with each other as well as with artists and designers in creating applications targeting Brown's Caves. A Cave is an immersive virtual reality space whose floor and walls are covered with displays, which we will use to create interactive 3D virtual environments. There are currently two Caves on campus that are managed by the Brown Center for Computation and Visualization (CCV): the YURT, a curved display system with 360-degree field of view located at 180 George St., and it's predecessor an 8'x8'x8' cube display system located at Studio 4 of the Granoff Center.

Artists and designers learn to interact with scientists in designing and realizing applications in this new medium. We study the process of design from several perspectives; learn about some specific scientific problems; study existing applications of scientific visualization and virtual reality; explore the medium of the YURT; create designs for the scientific applications; critique, evaluate, realize, and iterate the designs; and culminate with a demonstration of final projects.


The first class meets Thursday, September 5th at 10am in 180 George St. room 102B.

2019 shoppers, check out the "calendar" page for many details about what the course will involve.