LSBU-VR suite

Virtalis PR: Sarah Cockburn-Price, +44 (0)1282 868008 E-mail: sarah@cockburn-price.com www.virtalis.com
LSBU USES VIRTALIS
TECHNOLOGY TO CHALLENGE
TOMORROW’S ENGINEERS
A FAR-REACHING vision by London South Bank
University (LSBU) to get its students learning
interactively has led to the commissioning of a
state-of-the-art Virtual Reality (VR) Suite from
Virtalis. The contract has resulted in the recent
installation of both a VR Auditorium and a Head-
Mounted Display (HMD) Suite, which together
enables four avatars to simultaneously interact
with each other collaboratively and in real-time.
Tony Roberts, Academic Director within the School of Engineering at LSBU, explained: “We
want to give our students a hands-on experience of using VR as a development tool, as we
know that this technology gives engineers a much more realistic insight into how complex
concepts behave in scenarios which are difficult to contemplate using other geometry
visualisation methods. VR changes the way we interact not only with our designs, but with our
colleagues too. So we are using these exciting technologies to challenge the next generation
of engineers to think differently and develop more creative solutions. This is part of a new
chapter of engineering teaching and LSBU is aiming to have a leading position in delivering
the kinds of skills industry needs.”
The VR Auditorium is dominated by an ActiveWall with a 6 m x 3.2 m screen from Da-Lite.
This enables complex engineering data to be projected at 1:1 scale, giving an additional sense
of realism to large scale projects. The ActiveWall is an installed, immersive, interactive 3D
visualisation system and is Virtalis’ best-selling system and probably the best-selling VR
system in the world. High resolution 3D imagery is provided by a Christie Mirage 4k25
projector running at 120Hz. The system is fully tracked and uses Intersense wireless tracking
and navigation is via a wireless MicroTrax controller. The high end Dell Precision workstation
powering the computing element of the ActiveWall uses CUDA and QUADRO graphics
processing solutions by NVIDIA and additionally supports wireless 3D navigation via a 3D
Connexion’s SpaceExplorer. There is also an additional review monitor which enables
operators the flexibility to operate freely within the immersive envelope. In order that large
audiences can be accommodated, Virtalis has supplied 60 ActiveWorks stereo glasses. The
VR Auditorium incorporates an ActiveSpace, Virtalis’ HMD-based system, which is centred on
an nVisor’s ST50 HMD. Both the ActiveWall and the ActiveSpace are tracked under the same
unified tracking volume as the main screen. To increase flexibility of use, this ActiveSpace
can operate independently or collaboratively with the ActiveWall, as it runs from its own PC.

The VR Auditorium is divided from the HMD Suite by
an electrostatic glass wall that can be made opaque at
the flick of a switch; allowing users within that space to
work on individual VR projects or in larger
collaborative groups. The HMD suite is a fully tracked
space large enough to accommodate physical
equipment that can be linked via physical sensors
and/or transducers to the VR environment. The
objective here is to encourage students to explore how
their designs actually work, fit together and can be modified to improve effective operation.
The live link between the HMD suite and the VR Auditorium will enable users to understand
how industry is increasingly using VR in conjunction with high tech physical sensor-based rigs
to develop complex systems with aid of direct user input. The two ActiveSpaces in the HMD
suite, also feature nVisor’s ST50s HMDs driven by Dell Precision workstations.
The Virtalis VR Suite at LSBU will be closely allied to the Project Based Learning Lab – a
purpose built high specification CAD suite equipped with 23 workstations running a range of
CAD software from Autodesk, Ansys and Siemens. The facility is also home to a rapid
prototyping suite with the capability to facilitate both post production and evaluation of
solutions created in the CAD suite. Physical prototyping is available in the form of the 3D
printing solutions from Stratasys, including the Fortus 360mc and the Connex Objet260.
“Our Rapid Prototyping Suite will complement our investment in VR because together they
encompass projects large and small, as well as being a valuable tool for engineers from all
disciplines – Mechanical, Manufacturing and Design, Electrical and Electronic, Chemical and
Process Engineering, said Roberts. “Postgrads, undergrads and even younger students from
our affiliated Academy of Engineering will all benefit from these facilities. We now have a
blank canvas and have numerous opportunities to develop content to enhance the student
experience. We are talking to our industrial partners to help us integrate content into the
curriculum using real life projects. As part of the ongoing development of the facility, we are
particularly keen on exploring how other disciplines, such as Applied Science, Architecture
and the Built Environment could also make use of these technologies and we will be exploring
with Virtalis ways in which this could be made possible.”
LSBU has also invested in Virtalis VR software, with
the installation of Visionary Render, StereoServer
and Virtalis Exchange adapters. This will enable
students to develop their own 3D models and
analyse how understanding and reviewing CAD
data is improved by rendering in 3D to create virtual,
interactive environments at 1:1 scale. Students will

be able to perform detailed design reviews, rehearse in-depth training tasks, validate
maintenance procedures or verify assembly and manufacturing processes. Visionary Render
software is unique in that it delivers advanced rendering of huge models in real-time with ease
of importing from a range of data sources, maintaining naming, hierarchies and the all-
important metadata.
“Virtalis is proud of this unique, flagship installation”, said Paul McColl, Virtalis account
manager. “We are looking forward to collaborating further with them to support their internal
and external projects and partnerships.”
LSBU Web Site www.lsbu.ac.uk
Virtalis Web Site: www.virtalis.com
LSBU PR & Media Manager: Owen Morris
Telephone number: 020 7815 6707/ 07590 418 892
E-mail: omorris@lsbu.ac.uk

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