FIRST VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE DEVELOPED IN STEREO 3D TO REHEARSE REPAIR OF HUBBLE
TELESCOPE

Lockheed's Computerized Virtual Reality Prototype Of COSTAR Eliminates Need
for Physical Prototypes and Is Faster to Develop, More Accurate and Cost
Effective

San Rafael, CA -- November 9, 1993 - The first known optomechanical virtual
prototype, developed entirely in virtual reality for NASA/Goddard's
December 1993 service mission to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope, was
announced by Lockheed Research Labs, Palo Alto, Calif. This virtual
prototype enabled scientists to test the deployment of the COSTAR
(Corrective Optics for the Space Telescope Axial Replacement) assembly
without developing physical prototypes or models. The full-color,
three-dimensional COSTAR prototype exists solely in a synthetically
generated interactive workstation environment that is viewed in stereo
depth through StereoGraphics' CrystalEyes liquid crystal eyewear.

StereoGraphics Corporation is the world's largest supplier of electronic
stereo (three-dimensional) display equipment. While wearing CrystalEyes,
scientists enjoy unrestricted movement to any vantage point in and around
stereo representations of COSTAR and Hubble displayed on their
workstations.

Dennis Hancock, senior scientist and a member of Lockheed's Optical Design
Group, said, "One of the key lessons we learned from developing this
application is that virtual reality need not be done at the multi-million
dollar level to realize useful results. This first optomechanical virtual
prototype was developed in less than four months, and cost hundreds of
thousands of dollars less than a comparable physical prototype. Because of
stereo depth, we are able to correct several problems prior to final
assembly of COSTAR that were not obvious on a two-dimensional wireframe
simulation."

Virtual prototyping has potential applications across a wide range of
industries. For example, design teams in the automotive industry can use
virtual prototyping to study the visibility a driver will have from a
newly designed vehicle. An entire submarine with all functioning systems,
including hydraulics, power, piping, life support and physical structures,
can be constructed as a virtual prototype. Some architects have
experimented with virtual prototypes that allow clients to "walk through"
a building while it is still in the design phase.
Wil Cochran, vice president of sales and marketing for StereoGraphics,
said, "There is no limit to the practical application of virtual
prototypes and stereo viewing. The savings to every industry now using
physical models will be virtually priceless."

StereoGraphics products produce stereo images by replicating the way people
view their surroundings in the real world. Because the eyes are positioned
a few inches apart, each sees the world from a slightly different
perspective. The brain then fuses these images into a single image that
has true stereo depth -- an effect known as "stereopsis."

StereoGraphics' CrystalEyes viewing system enables users to see computer
and video images in true stereo 3D, an image that is similar to that of a
high-quality color hologram.. Next to full-scale physical models, color
stereo images give users the best sense of spatial relationships because
they provide true stereo depth. In addition to virtual prototyping,
CrystalEyes applications include scientific visualization, medical
imaging, molecular modeling, photogrammetry, motion simulation, inspection
systems, remote vehicle control, MCAD/CAE and training. Using
three-dimensional images reduces design costs and development cycles,
improves accuracy, and makes complex concepts easier to understand,
manipulate and implement.

StereoGraphics also produces CrystalEyes VR systems, which enable the
viewer to see the stereo image through the CrystalEyes stereo eyewear via
a computer-directed ultrasound head-tracking device supporting all six
degrees of head movement. As the user's head moves from side to side,
closer to or further away from the monitor, the image on the display
changes its perspective, giving the convincing illusion that the image is
a real object. CrystalEyes VR is also offered with software for VR
developers and is easily ported to SGI and Sun workstations and IBM PC
systems and compatibles.

StereoGraphics Corp., founded in 1980 and the world's leading manufacturer
of stereo viewing systems, invented and developed the market for modern
stereo imaging hardware. Due to its capability, reasonable price and
state-of-the-art technology backed by 15 patents, CrystalEyes stereo
viewing systems are accepted as the industry standard for stereo viewing.
StereoGraphics is located at 2171 East Francisco Boulevard, San Rafael,
California 94901, phone 415/459-4500, fax 415/4593020.

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