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Electronic Visualization Laboratory

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The Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) is an interdisciplinary research laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Engineering’s computer science department. EVL specializes in collaborative visualization, virtual reality, visual data science, advanced computing and networking infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI). EVL enables scientists and engineers to manage the scale and complexity of their data uniquely, create information visualizations of multidimensional and multivariate data, explore 3D immersive worlds, juxtapose related yet heterogeneous 2D and 3D datasets, access computer infrastructure for machine learning, and move large datasets over high-speed networks.

History

EVL was founded in 1973 by Tom DeFanti and Dan Sandin. The lab was initially called the Circle Graphics Habitat, a reference to the then-name of UIC, the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (UICC). In 1982, following the decision to rename the university to University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), the Circle Graphics Habitat became the Electronic Visualization Laboratory. In 1973, DeFanti, who had recently graduated from Ohio State University with a PhD in CS, was first hired by the UIC Chemistry department to develop computer-generated instructional techniques. Chemistry owned a Vector General display with analog input devices and a PDP 11/45 computer, similar to what DeFanti used as a graduate student at OSU to develop his Graphics Symbiosis System (GRASS) computer graphics language. Just before arriving in Chicago, DeFanti met Dan Sandin, who taught at UIC’s School of Art & Design. They soon connected the Chemistry department’s PDP-11/Vector General Display running GRASS to the Sandin Image Processor (IP), enabling them to create real-time imagery on a monitor, manipulate it with an array of knobs and sliders, and then colorize it in real time to create artistic effects that were captured on video.[1]

Research

Tom DeFanti demoing early EVL work
The CAVE
  • 1977: In 1976, EVL developed the first dataglove, an inexpensive, lightweight user-interaction device to monitor hand movements as input to their analog system, mimicking a set of sliders. Known as the Sayre Glove, based on an idea from Rich Sayre, it used flexible tubes rather than fiber optics, with a light source at one end and a photocell at the other.[3]
  • 1981: The Z Box hardware and ZGRASS software (based on DeFanti's prior GRASS programming language), an early graphics system for the Bally home computer. This system featured NTSC video output and was used by a number of computer graphics artists of the time.
  • 1997: The STAR TAP project, a linking up of several international high-performance networks. Followed by the StarLight optical networking facility.
  • 2013: SpiderSense, a pioneer project in the field of human augmentics. SpiderSense is a wearable device that integrates ultrasound technology with vibrating hardware, allowing users to have directional awareness and "sense" obstacles in the environment without physically seeing the obstacles.[6]

Art

Highlights of the electronic art work done at EVL include:

  • Electronic Visualization Events (EVE) in the mid 1970s - live, real-time performances featuring computer graphics, video processing, and music.
  • Early computer graphics art videos, created by combining DeFanti's GRASS system on a PDP-11 and the Sandin Image Processor. The video Spiral PTL (1980) was included in the inaugural collection of video art at the Museum of Modern Art.
  • Computer artist Larry Cuba spent time at EVL, using the tools there for his films 3/78 and Calculated Movements, as well as a short special effects sequence for Star Wars.
  • In 1996, EVL installed the first publicly accessible CAVE at the Ars Electronica Center in Austria, and presented a number of virtual reality artworks.

EVL was featured in the Chicago New Media 1973-1992 exhibition centering the artwork that was created with the EVL and a demonstration of CAVE 2 was held during the time of the exhibition.[7] The exhibition was held at UIC's gallery 400, and curated by Jon Cates.[8]

SIGGRAPH

The members of EVL have been involved with the SIGGRAPH organization and conference ever since its inception. DeFanti has served as Secretary (1977-1981) and Chair (1981-1985) of the organization, and 1979 conference chair. Brown has served as Vice Chair for Operations (1985-1987) and Secretary (1981-1985), and chaired the 1992 conference. According to Jim Blinn, the popular Electronic Theatre "started out as a bunch of people crowding into Dan Sandin’s dorm room to watch videotapes."[9] In 1979, DeFanti established the SIGGRAPH Video Review, which has been edited and administered by EVLer Dana Plepys since the mid '80s to present. At SIGGRAPH '92, EVL organized the "Showcase" event, where researchers demonstrated 35 projects in state-of-the-art computational science and scientific visualization. At SIGGRAPH '94, EVL organized the VROOM event, demonstrations of the state of virtual reality technology.

In 1998, Brown received the first ever SIGGRAPH Outstanding Service Award for her contributions to the organization. In 2000, DeFanti and EVL alumna Copper Giloth also received the Outstanding Service Award.

References

  1. ^ Johnson, Andrew E.; Renambot, Luc; Marai, G. Elisabeta; Tsoupikova, Daria; Papka, Michael E.; et al. (24 July 2024). "Electronic Visualization Laboratory's 50th Anniversary Retrospective: Look to the Future, Build on the Past". PRESENCE: Virtual and Augmented Reality. 33: 77–127. doi:10.1162/pres_a_00421. ISSN 1054-7460. This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  2. ^ Sito, Tom (2013). Moving innovation: a history of computer animation. p. 60. ISBN 9780262528405.
  3. ^ Sturman, D.J.; Zeltzer, D. (January 1994). "A survey of glove-based input". IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 14 (1): 30–39. doi:10.1109/38.250916. S2CID 7119184.
  4. ^ Cruz-Neira, C.; Sandin, D.; DeFanti, T.; Kenyon, R.; Hart, J. (1992). "The CAVE: Audio Visual Experience Automatic Virtual Environment". Communications of the ACM. 35 (6): 65–72. doi:10.1145/129888.129892. S2CID 19283900.
  5. ^ DeFanti, T., Foster I., Papka, M., Stevens, R., Kuhfuss, T. (1996). "Overview of the I-WAY: Wide Area Visual Supercomputing". International Journal of Supercomputing Applications. 10 (2): 123–130. doi:10.1177/109434209601000201. S2CID 6422566.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Mateevitsi, V., Haggadone, B., Leigh, J., Kunzer, B., Kenyon, R. (2013). "Sensing the environment through SpiderSense". Proceedings of the 4th Augmented Human International Conference. pp. 51–57. doi:10.1145/2459236.2459246. ISBN 9781450319041. S2CID 1437545.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Parmet, Sharon (October 23, 2018). "UIC Electronic Visualization Lab featured in 'Chicago New Media 1973-1992' exhibit". UIC Today. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  8. ^ Picard, Caroline (November 29, 2018). "'Chicago New Media 1973-1992' pays tribute to the city's contribution to video games and digital art". Chicago Reader. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  9. ^ Blinn, J. (1995). "How to Attend a Siggraph Conference". IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 15 (4): 86–88. doi:10.1109/38.391503.


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