Science fiction becomes reality with invention of 3D virtual system
US scientists have turned science fiction into reality with a wrap-around virtual reality screen.
WASINGTON: (Web Desk) Scientists in the United States have turned science fiction into reality with a wrap-around virtual reality screen where researchers can visualise their data in three dimensions.
Computer scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago have created a real-life holodeck where astronomers can fly over the surface of Mars, and where "Star Trek" fans can walk around a life-size recreation of the Starship Enterprise.
Called CAVE2, it features screens eight feet high wrapped 320 degrees around the viewer.
Its creators predict the CAVE2 virtual world could change the way surgeons are trained and improve patient care.
They suggest the system could also be used to model global weather systems and study the way new drugs bind to proteins in the body, while architects and automakers could use it to create better designs.
The project was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
