Student created simulation technology make blueprints come to life
Taking apart a turbine engine and exploring MRI and CT scans of a man's skull are only a few of the things a student-built virtual reality room can do.
The Computer Aided Virtual Environment allows students to explore the applications of virtual reality programs. The room was built under the leadership of Science and Engineering faculty member Emadeddin Tanbour.
"The (CAVE) program and virtual reality can be utilized for many different purposes. We can use a bio-medical algorithm for surgical simulations to improve patient safety and help with doctors understanding of the patient," Tanbour said. "We can build virtual prototypes of buildings to do life size trial and errors without spending any money on materials."
The CAVE isn't limited to medical use, however. Tanbour said he hopes to expand the program to analyze diagnostics for cars.
"We have plans for using the virtual reality to improve the engineering and mechanical dynamics of machines and use the virtual reality for automotive and interior designs for automobiles," he said.
"I have been working on anatomical models of CT and MRI scans of my own body," said Rockford senior Cameron Lacurt. "Virtual reality has great opportunities to help medical doctors who would be able to visualize and interact with the areas of the patient they are looking at."
The virtual reality program requires a physical model to be done before it is put through a series of several programs before it is able to be put up and displayed on the screen. Students have worked on every step of production involved with the cave.
"Dr. Tanbour was my professor and I wanted to research with him because I like the projects he was working on," said Mary-MaRae Baker, a junior from Cadillac. "The CAVE has many application because we can do various design models with very little cost."
With plans to upgrade the processing power of their computers and launch there own website, the virtual reality lab known as the CAVE continues to grow.
