VR Design for Science: Calendar, Fall 2008

Note that the readings listed for each day should be read in preparation for that day's class meeting. That means that you should look ahead each week to the next class and do the reading for it before class meets.

If you need help with an assignment, please check out the wiki! It's constantly being updated and has information about using CavePainting, what to do if things go wrong, and who to contact if you can't fix stuff yourself. If you sign up for a wiki user name using the link in the upper-right corner, you can edit pages and create new ones to share information with your classmates.

Another bit of useful information for you might be the answers your classmates handed in for questions on previous assignments.

Assignment Overview

The upcoming class section is highlighted in the table below.

Date 9/16 9/23 9/30 10/7 10/14 10/21 10/28 11/4 11/11 11/18 11/25 12/2 12/9 12/16
Due   1A, 1B 1C 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B, 6.0 6.1 6.2 Final
Assigned 1   2   3   4   5 6        

Tues 9/16: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

Introduction to Scientific Visualization and the Cave

  • the class
  • the scientific method
  • tips on reading scientific papers
  • the history of the scientific image
  • digital visualization
  • virtual reality visualization
  • animal locomotion
  • bats
  • design paradigm for the cave: sensory perception and comprehension
  • limitations of textures, animations, etc.
  • nature and geometry
  • the computer scientist as a toolsmith
  • scientific questions at different levels
  • hypothesis generation
Visuals microworlds, electron micro, fluid images, Char Davies, body without organs, bat wings
Readings
  • Read Form, Shape and Mass Chapter 3., pp 57-85, from Abstraction in Art and Nature by Nathan Cabot Hale. Look at the images.
  • Read Sensitive Chaos by Schwenk.
  • Read Patterns in Nature by Peter Stevens for topics relevant to your assignment hypothesis. Also, skim the full book, which is in the Cave room (please, the book should not leave that room.)
Slides

Tues 9/23: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

The Science Behind Bat Flight

and

Design Principles: Process and Communication

  • sketch techniques, critique, and revision
  • design vocabulary, visual metaphor, and narrative
  • principles of perceptual relativity
  • qualities and dimensions of visual objects

HELP SESSION: Using the CAVE

  • access to the CAVE
  • working at the CAVE
  • CAVE calendar
  • Your account
  • Devices & Tracking
  • CavePainting introduction
Group Crit Force and Form: Design and two-minute presentations
Visuals Gestalt Form, Brancusi, Pollock, natural metaphor
Readings
  • Read original Cave paper. Spend about 15-30 minutes on it. This is for historical context about the Cave and to give a feel for some of the trade-offs of a Cave compared to other kinds of virtual reality environments. Concentrate on sections 1.1, 1.2, 6, and 7. Section 3 mentions some of the physical design issues that might be interesting. This paper is 15 years old, so some parts may seem out of date.
Slides  

HELP SESSION: class wiki, Introduction to the Cave, and the CavePainting Manual.

Tues 9/30: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

Gradients and Textures
Group Crit Force and Form: Cave designs
Visuals  
Readings
Slides

Tues 10/7: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

2D Visualization
Group Crit Gradient designs
Visuals  
Readings
Slides

Tues 10/14: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

3D Fluid Flow
Group Crit 2D fluid flow visualization designs
Visuals 3D Fluid Flow, aerodynamics, windtunnel, physical models
Readings
Slides

Tues 10/21: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

Bat Anatomy
Group Crit 3D flow designs
Visuals Bat Anatomy
Readings
Slides

Tues 10/28: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

The Physics of Bat Flight
Group Crit 3D flow examples
Visuals Bat flight videos: smoke, wind tunnel, turn
Readings
Slides  

Tues 11/4: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

Bat Wings
Group Crit Wing Structure Illustration
Visuals Map of bat markers used in the Cave
Readings  
Slides  

Tues 11/11: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

User Interfaces
Group Crit Wing Stroke Sequence
Visuals Menus/Interface from previous students, storyboard design
Readings
Slides  

Tues 11/18: CIT 477

TopicSectionsAssignments

Sketching User Interfaces
Group Crit Interaction storyboards
Visuals  
Readings  
Slides  

Tues 11/25: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

Sketching User Interfaces
Group Crit Interaction Cave Illustrations
Visuals  
Readings  
Slides  

Tues 12/2: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

Final Project Progress
Group Crit Final project Cave sketches and storyboards
Visuals  
Readings  
Slides  

Tues 12/9: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

Class Review

  • Fill out course review forms
Group Crit Final project sequences
Visuals  
Readings  
Slides  

Tues 12/16: Cave (180 George St.)

TopicSectionsAssignments

Final Project Presentations
Group Crit Final Projects
Visuals  
Readings  
Slides