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Cave Automatic Virtual EnvironmentA Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (better known by the recursive acronym CAVE) is an immersive virtual reality environment where projectors are directed to four, five or six of the walls of a room-sized cube. The name is also a reference to The Simile of the Cave in Platos Republic where a philosopher contemplates perception, reality and illusion. The first CAVE The first CAVE was developed in the Electronic Visualization Lab at University of Illinois and was announced and demonstrated at the 1992 SIGGRAPH. It has been used and developed in cooperation with the NCSA, to conduct research in various virtual reality and scientific visualization fields. CAVE is now a registered trademark of Fakespace Systems and is a commercial product. Description of technology A lifelike visual display is created by projectors positioned outside of the cube and controlled by physical movements from a user inside the CAVE. Stereoscopic glasses are used to convey a 3D effect. The glasses rapidly send images to a computer which controls a visual display on the monitors. Since the projectors are positioned outside of the cube, mirrors are used to reduce the distance required from the projectors to the walls. One or more computers, often SGI workstations, drive the projectors. Software and libraries designed specifically for CAVE applications is available. CAVE technology allows users to explore processes and designs that were previously only available through multiple prototypes. At the touch of a button, the virtual image can be altered to reflect a design change or small modification of the environment. Life-size, interactive visualizations can save time and money while increasing knowledge and understanding. Some CAVE environments allow multiple simultaneous users. In such environments, like the CAVE at NCSA, all users wear glasses which allow 3D view. A special pair of tracked glasses interacts with the CAVE system to display the perception of just one user; all users see the display from the tracked glasses. The primary interaction between the user and CAVE system is through a wand which can change the virtual environment at the push of a button. Technology now exists to permit multiple CAVE environments to be linked through a high-speed broadband network. This allows users in multiple locations to work simultaneously on the same visualization. Applications The concept of the original CAVE has been reapplied and is currently being used in a variety of fields. 1.) Construction: Engineers use CAVE technology to collaborate over long distances to solve structural problems using virtual applications. 2.) Medical Research: Scientists use CAVE technology to study a wide array of medical issues including hearts, enzymes, and DNA research 3.) Entertainment: CAVE technology is used to enhance the video gaming experience. External links
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