stereo image 3D

Sep 22, 2005 11 Replies

Hi all,



A quick search on comp.cad.solidworks doesn't show that many people are looking into using stereo in solidworks.



I heard that sw2006 has this capability in-built? Is this true?



Can anyone shed some light on the subject? Personally, I think it would be very immersive and err.. fun... Weather or not it makes me a better designer remains to be seen.



go to SW discussion forum and do a search for 'stereo'....

I've played with it a bit in 2004. I had an NVIDIA video card, which has the necessary drivers to enable you to use generic LCD shutter glasses with it. It is essentially transparent to the CAD system, because the video card gets all the 3D data from the application. It is up to the video card to do the work for stereo, and it can be set in the card's drivers.

Apparently newer versions of SW have some features to help with the process, but I don't know what those features are. A way to input some head tracking info would be nice.

The way I faked head tracking in my SolidWorks experiment is as follows; I installed the CAM2PAN video/mouse software, and made some adjustments to the sensitivity and direction of movement. Then I initiated the view rotate command, and click my mouse down in the center of the model. As I moved my head left and right, the model would rotate on the screen (though it was certainly a sloppy correlation between my head movement and movement of the model). The concept of viewing a virtual world on a computer monitor is called "Fish tank VR."

My method above is a bit cumbersome, but I think it shows how cheaply VR can be done. [in my method the only hardware outside of my existing computer setup was the stereo glasses - $50)

Joe Dunfee

Watch for the "flicker"... set your monitor to 60 Hz and see how long it takes before your head explodes... then put on some ill-fitting glasses that make everything darken and try it...

Not ready for prime time...

Mike Tripoli

why would you set 60hz Mike?? you should be setting to 100 or 120hz on a CRT... and yes it will be semi dark in operation because of the view swap... that's the nature of the LCD method...glasses vary in quality see

formatting link
for some reviews and info.

I was being facetious (hard to deliver a line with text)... I was pointing out that FOR EXAPLE, if one were to set their monitor to 60 Hz and stare at it, this is ROUGHLY what wearing LCD shutter glasses is like (I would have said 30Hz to drive the point home, but that's not an option with monitors)... the same with the "darkening" effect.

Regardless of the glasses used, I feel like the effect is always the same.

Also, for the record, I've designed shutter glasses for a few applications; still wouldn't use the things...

Mike Tripoli

'I was being facetious' ok sorry missed it :o) I read with an accent and sit upside down in this time zone...

"I...sit upside down..."

Maybe that has something to do with it?!? :-)))

WT

Please, Neil, try to be more professional. We prefer 'recto-cranial inversion'.

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

I see...well my sincere apologies to all for my retro cranial perversion I honestly thought I was an Australian prime minister in the moment. New Zealanders of course shy and extremely professional at all times. ;o) enjoy your weekend all

You, too!

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required