Transcript Virtual Reality As An Interface to 3D-GIS

Virtual Reality as an Interface for 3D-GIS
Rick Germs, Gert van Maren, Edward Verbree & Erik Jansen
Department of Information Technology & Systems
Department of Civil Engineering & Geosciences
Delft University of Technology
ASCI’99 Conference, June 15-17, Heijen, The Netherlands
3D-GIS & Virtual Reality Project
• LWI-funded project
• developers:
– Delft University of Technology
– CrossWorlds, TNO-FEL, SARA
• end-users:
– Holland Railconsult
– Rijkswaterstaat
3D-GIS & Virtual Reality Project
• Goal:
“To enable (infrastructure) designers to
interactively visualise, manipulate and analyse
(changes in) the landscape and the urban
environment with 3D GIS & VR.”
Overview
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Geographic Information Systems
Virtual Reality
Planning process
Views
Implementation
Future Research
Geographic Information Systems
• Spatial data:
– geometric (points, lines, polygons)
• more and more 3D GIS and CAD information
– thematic (name/address, type, statistics)
• more and more data from analysis and simulation
• Spatial analysis:
– Network analysis (finding routes)
– Spatial queries (finding nearest objects)
Virtual Reality
Desktop VR
ResponsiveWorkbench
CAVE
Planning Process
• Infrastructure Design:
Plan View
• 2D symbolic
visualisation
• Simple GIS functions
• VR `map’ tool:
– Orientation
– Navigation
Model View
• 3D symbolic
visualisation
• Modelling
– arrangement of objects
– geographic constraints
• Virtual Workbench
World View
• 3D “realistic”
visualisation
• Presentation
– non-experts
• immersive VR:
– CAVE
– ImmersaDesk
Implementation “Karma”
• Components:
– VR: WorldToolKit
– GIS: Spatial Database Engine
• Platforms:
– PC
– SGI, CAVE, Responsive Workbench
Current Status
• 2-way coupling VR and 3D
GIS realized.
• Manipulation of GIS objects
– rotate, translate, delete
• GIS analysis
– query, spatial query, identify
• End-users will test the system
in real-life applications
Future Research
• Performance
– dynamic loading
– level of detail (GIS and 3D models)
• Modelling
– geographic constraints
– data enrichment
• Linking existing datasources
– visualising analysis calculations
Delft in the year 1660...