R. Bowen Loftin

Professor of Computer Science and Director

Virtual Environments Research Institute

University of Houston

Thursday, June 17, 1999

2:00-3:00 pm

CSB 232

Refreshments served at 1:45

Abstract of Presentation:

Virtual Environments (aka, "Virtual Realities" or "Synthetic Environments") have the potential to provide an intuitive human-computer interface of unprecedented power. These environments are visually immersive and can be multi-sensory in nature. Virtual Environment technologies now have reached sufficient maturity to enable the development of useful applications. Work at the University of Houston and the NASA/Johnson Space Center has focused on the creation of Virtual Environments for training astronauts and ground support personnel. In addition, efforts are underway to provide training for defense personnel in peacekeeping operations using this approach. At the same time, research on the efficacy of Virtual Environment technologies in education and in scientific/engineering data visualization are in progress. This talk will provide an overview of many of the applications that have been developed as well as some of the research and engineering issues that are still outstanding. Finally, a projection of near and intermediate term advances in these technologies and their applications will be presented.

Presenter’s Biography:

R. Bowen Loftin is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Houston, Professor of Physics at the University of Houston-Downtown, and Director of the NASA/University of Houston Virtual Environments Research Institute. He holds a B.S. in physics from Texas A&M University as well as both the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Rice University, also in physics. He serves as Principal Investigator for Advanced Training Technologies at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. During the past four years, Dr. Loftin has been active in the development of advanced visualization technologies for use in health care and in the oil and gas industry. As a researcher in the use of advanced technologies in training, education, and data visualization, Dr. Loftin has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the NASA Public Service Medal, the 1995 NASA Invention of the Year Award, and the NASA Space Act Award. He is the author of more than one hundred technical publications.