Visualization Lab Quick Reference

General Questions

• Where is the Vislab located?
• Who can use the Vislab?
• Can I bring a class in to use the lab?
• What can I do in the Vislab that I can't do on my PC?
• What Vislab assistance is available?
• What software is available on the lab computers?

Stereo Specific Troubleshooting

• I am sitting in front of the desktop computer, where did my mouse go?
• I am using the projection system and opened a dialog box, but I am not able to see it.
• My application is supposed to have sound with the visuals, why am I not able to hear anything from the main speakers?
• I am in front of a Sun workstation and using the CrystalEyes, but I don't see stereo.
• The image on the desktop machine looked 3-dimensional but I am not able to see anything on the projection.
• I am in front of a desktop machine and the glasses are flickering randomly. What does this mean?
• My wireless keyboard or mouse is not working.

 

General

Where is the Vislab located?

The Vislab is located in Tech MG51, in the Technological Instisute on the Evanston campus. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tours and demonstrations are available by appointment.

Who can use the Vislab?

The NUIT Visualization Lab (Vislab) is available to all Northwestern University faculty and students. The lab can be used for faculty or student research. It also can be used for student class projects. There are four stereo workstations for individual use. The stereo output of the workstations can be routed to a large stereo wall for individual immersive visualization or group projects. Small classes or seminars that require stereo display can use the lab.

Can I bring a class in to use the lab?

The Vislab is available for small classes. The space and setting in the room is limited. For classes, the maximum number of people is about eight. The use of the lab can be coordinated with one of the nearby classrooms if desktop space is required.

What can I do in the Vislab that I can't do on my PC?

All the computers in the lab can display stereo video. That is, they display a separate image to the right and left eye, which allows the user to easily see 3-dimensional information. All the computers can do this stereo display to a desktop CRT monitor using LCD shutter glasses. The output of any computer can be routed to a large (10-foot by 8-foot) stereo projection display. By using lightweight, polarized glasses, a single user or group can see data in stereo.

What Vislab assistance is available?

The staff of the lab can provide training to use the desktop and group visualization systems. If you need to use non-commercial software, you may request to have it installed on the computers. Software consultation is also available on how to use existing software as well as recommendations for the type of software for use to carry out your visualization projects. If a project requires significant software development, we will contribute to preparing grant proposals to support such development.

What software is available on the lab computers?

The software installed on Vislab computers is categorized into general areas of astronomy, chemistry and general visualization. We do not limit our software to any academic discipline; astronomy and chemistry are our first research areas we have dealt with. Let us know what you need and we can add a new area for you or your group. Currently, we have computer hardware systems that run Sun Solaris, Windows XP and Red Hat Linux.

Stereo Specific

I am sitting in front of the desktop computer, where did my mouse go?

All computers in the Vislab are setup with a virtual desktop with two parts. The left part is displayed on the CRT monitors by each computer and the right part is sent to the projection system. If you are working in front of the computer and move your mouse beyond the right part of the desktop it will be on the part that is displayed on by the projectors. If the projectors aren't turned on or the video switcher isn't set to display your computer, you can't see the cursor (or anything that goes on in that window). You have to move the cursor back to the left hand part of the desktop to see it.

I am using the projection system and opened a dialog box, but I am not able to see it.

On the PC's, if you move an application to the right hand side and open a dialog box (i.e., a pop up graphical interface) it may show up back on the left hand side of the desktop, which is displayed on the monitor. You will have to either go to the desktop machine and move the box to the projector part on the right hand side or interact with the dialog box at the desktop. If this action causes you too much trouble to move back and forth, see one of the Vislab staff to a workaround. On the Sun workstations, once an application opens on the right hand side (i.e., the projectors) all pop up boxes will open on that side as well, so there shouldn't be such a problem.

My application is supposed to have sound with the visuals, why am I not able to hear anything from the main speakers?

Audio and video are switched separately. Additionally, the audio needs the receiver to be on and the audio switcher to be set to the correct input. Please refer to item 4 in the Projection Stereo instructions.

I am in front of a Sun workstation and using the CrystalEyes, but I am not able to see stereo.

First make sure you are using the Crystal Eyes (these are larger than the StereoEyes, which are for the PC's). Secondly, make sure the infrared emitter (the box on top of the workstation) is turned on. If you are using the gray colored glasses, you need to turn them on by pressing the rubber button on the left temple of the glasses. If all else fails, the batteries could need to be replaced. Please see one of the Vislab staff for assistance to do this.

The image on desktop machine looked 3-dimensional but on the projectors I am not able to see anything in stereo.

The left and right images could be swapped. You need to make sure the stereo images are calibrated (i.e., left image to the left projector); the calibration test should be done every time the video source is switched as there is a 50/50 chance of having the left and right images reversed after switching inputs. Please refer to item 6 in the Projection Stereo instructions.

I am in front of a desktop machine and the glasses are flickering randomly. What does this mean?

The infrared emitters are interfering with each other. The emitters on the Suns should be off (unless someone is using them of course). the emitters on the PC's are always on, but if they are not being used, the can be moved out of your line of sight (i.e., behind a monitor).

My wireless keyboard or mouse does not work.

Each computer is paired to a particular wireless keyboard or mouse. Make sure that the label of your keyboard or mouse matches the computer you are using. Keyboards are labeled on the upper right and mice are labeled on the bottom.