Immersive visualization enables researchers to experience simulations of natural or human-engineered phenomena in a way that provides new insights and understanding. Often eliminating the need for physical models, work within virtual environments has been shown to save time and resources in both commercial and scientific research.

    In its efforts to serve science and development, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina installed a CAVE (Computer Aided Virtual Environment) system known as VISTA (Virtual Immersive Science and Technology Applications) to meet the digital challenges of today. This walk-in virtual reality system enables interactive work within three-dimensional computer-generated models and environments.

    The system is ideal in a vast number of applications in fields as diverse as medicine, engineering, architecture, socio-economic analysis, seismic interpretation and well planning, biotechnology research, manufacturing and design, fluid dynamics, and chemistry.

A pioneering endeavor

     Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the first in Africa and the Middle East to provide researchers with such advanced visualization tools. Introducing this technology in the region will provide researchers with the infrastructure they need to cooperate and work closely with researchers from all over the world and will pave the way towards future collaboration. R&D environment will thus be enhanced as the strategic means to securing sustainable development and growth in Egypt and the region.

On-going Projects

    VMD As part of the international DIVERSE commununity, the Vista team is currently developing a version of the VMD which allows for using DIVERSE (which is an opensource application). This version will allow VMD to be totally opensource in both desktop and CAVE modes.
Medical Visualization The Vista team is currently collaborating with a group of Egyptians doctors and physicians to investigate how virtually immersive technology can be of use to Egyptian physicians and medical researchers.

Launched Projects

    Socio-Economic Data Visualization This application proposes a new visualization technique for multi-dimensional numerical data. The case study uses data provided by the UN. This data includes health care, life duration expectancy and literacy rate over a 25 year period in some countries.

    BA ModelThe team is creating a virtual model that is completely identical to the Library. The model will include the Library’s main building, planetarium, study rooms…etc and even the Library’s furniture will be seen clearly and accurately in this demo.

Sphinx

    This project is a collaborative work between IBM and Bibliotheca Alexandrina based on a research work conducted in IBM center for Advanced Studies in Cairo (CAS). The VISTA team has implemented the visualization of the simulation results, provided by CAS, on the CAVE system to provide new insights and better understanding. The visualization involves several visualization algorithms.

Theory Visualization

    The Losch theory application is an example of theory visualization developed by the VISTA team. This theory deals with the natural development of settlements into farms, villages, towns, etc. Using the VISTA, researchers are now able to virtually view the growth of these settlements.

Website: http://vista.bibalex.org