From dupontp@division.co.uk Fri May 19 11:26:02 1995 Return-Path: Received: from mx5.u.washington.edu by stein2.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW95.05/UW-NDC Revision: 2.33 ) id AA21513; Fri, 19 May 95 11:26:02 -0700 Received: from mailgate.division.co.uk by mx5.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW95.05/UW-NDC Revision: 2.31 ) id AA26230; Fri, 19 May 95 11:25:38 -0700 Received: from pierre (pierre.division.co.uk) by shallow.division.co.uk with SMTP id AA14930 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for scivw@u.washington.edu); Fri, 19 May 1995 18:24:47 GMT Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 18:24:47 GMT Message-Id: <199505191824.AA14930@shallow.division.co.uk> X-Sender: pierre@shallow.division.co.uk Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: scivw@u.washington.edu, ukvrsig@mailbase.ac.uk, VRASP , Virtual Reality Magazine , VR Montly , Indian VR-SIG , The HITLab , pcmike@aol.com, Andrew Moulden <100071.116@compuserve.com>, cp@atma.it, galbiata@atma.it, Virtual Reality Society (Macredie) , Virtual Magazine Italy , Diego Montefusco From: dupontp@division.co.uk (Pierre duPont) Subject: PRESS: New Software from Division X-Mailer: Status: OR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Photos available upon request Division Announces Major New Releases of VR Development and Run-time Software dVS 3.0 introduces multi-user networking and greater motion realism; increases performance of multiple-server architecture dVISE expands tools for non-programmers, including new interface, expanded event and action functions, and additional CAD/CAM translators CHAPEL HILL, N.C., May 19, 1995 -- Division Inc. announces major new software releases that allow faster and easier development of sophisticated virtual reality (VR) environments for professional applications. Division's new dVS 3.0 run-time software and its dVISE 3.0 authoring system are available on Hewlett-Packard and Silicon Graphics workstations, as well as Division's ProVision line of VR systems. "Until now, if you wanted to develop realistic virtual worlds, you either had to be an expert programmer or you had to settle for the limited capabilities available with interactive PC-based programs," says Charles Grimsdale, Division's CEO. "dVS and dVISE change that: they make the most advanced VR functions accessible to non-programmers. VR users can now take advantage of the same user-friendly interface and shrink-wrapped functionality found in 3D CAD and computer animation packages." Leading companies use dVS and dVISE to develop professional virtual reality applications. Division analyzed existing applications and used customer feedback to provide more functional and easy-to-use tools for rapid development of realistic, compelling virtual worlds. "The new releases of dVS and dVISE add tremendous new capabilities for our next generation of VR applications," says Andy Connell, chief VR researcher at InSys Ltd., Europe's leading VR applications development company. "These new tools will make our virtual world-building task much easier -- a lot of our work has been done for us." dVS, Division's distributed VR run-time environment, has been used in design, engineering, research and other areas for more than three years. It is the only VR run-time software that runs in parallel with user applications, making it easier and faster for users to develop virtual worlds. dVS' multiple-server architecture provides device- independent servers for image generation, spatialized audio, collision detection, input/output device control, object motion constraints and physical simulation. Increased Performance, New Capabilities With its release of dVS 3.0, Division offers two capabilities that are new to the VR industry: multi-user networking for collaborative virtual environments, and simulation of Newtonian physics for more realistic object motions and reactions. dVS 3.0 allows multiple users to work together simultaneously in a virtual world, interacting in real time with the virtual environment and with one another. Users connected by a local- or wide-area network (LAN or WAN), for example, can enter the virtual world and work interactively to solve engineering problems or to collaborate on the simulation of a maintenance procedure. dVS' multiple-server architecture also allows a user application to run in parallel with the virtual environment. This gives users the ability to feed continuous data into dVS and see the visual results in real time. In the 3.0 release, Division has increased the performance of each device-independent server within dVS' multiple-server architecture. Simplified Interface and New Tools dVISE, Division's interactive VR authoring tool for creating sophisticated VR environments without programming, offers these new capabilities in version 3.0: - A simpler, icon-based user interface that allows access to all dVISE functions from a windows-based graphical user interface (GUI). - A set of 3D tools that gives users the flexibility to put on a head-mounted display and change a virtual environment interactively while being fully immersed in it. - 3D zone management that reduces database complexity and increases overall system performance. - Thirty preprogrammed event types (such as touch, collide, create, etc.) that can trigger more than 70 built-in action functions, such as motion, visual changes, animation and special effects. - Keyframe animation that allows users to create animated sequences to run in conjunction with selected events in the virtual environment. dVISE 3.0 also offers greater CAD/CAM data exchange capabilities. Translators are now available for Intergraph EMS and Bentley Microstation, ComputerVision CADDS 4/5x, Dassault CATIA .fic, and the industry-standard IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification). The new translators expand the number of data formats that can be imported into the dVISE environment, which also supports AutoCAD .dxf, MultiGen/ModelGen .flt, 3dstudio .3ds and Wavefront Technologies .obj files. Division plans to support STEP and Ford PGDS in future releases. "We now provide interfaces to the world's leading CAD packages and standard data formats," says Grimsdale. "This makes serious VR accessible to designers and engineers for the first time." Real-World Applications dVS and dVISE are used in engineering, training, simulation, education and promotion by these and other customers: - McDonnell Douglas for engineering design and evaluation of aircraft engine housings - BNR for visualizing telephone switching system installations - GDE and the Army Research Lab for mechanical design analysis and training simulations of military weapons systems - Gulfstream for trade show visualizations of executive jet interiors - Electrolux for point-of-sale marketing of kitchen appliances - The University of Dayton Research Institute for training handicapped students to ride public buses - The University of Washington HIT Lab and the U S WEST Foundation for mobile high-school science education - Matsushita for architectural design of homes and functional analysis of heating and cooling systems - Electronic Data Systems and Bechtel Corp. for visualizing complex wind-flow patterns in proposed new building designs. "These customers, as well as other existing and future customers, will benefit from new dVS and dVISE capabilities such as multi-user networked VR, physical simulation, expanded event and action functions, and overall greater performance," says Grimsdale. Availability Division's dVS and dVISE software are available for Hewlett- Packard Series 9000 workstations, Silicon Graphics workstations and Division's ProVision line of VR systems. Division Inc. develops and markets virtual reality systems for professional applications. The company has U.S. headquarters in Chapel Hill, N.C. Division also has U.S. offices in San Diego, Calif., Redwood City, Calif., and Detroit, Mich., as well as offices and distributors worldwide. Division customers include McDonnell Douglas, NASA, Nynex, DoD, Glaxo, Matsushita, GEC, British Telecom, GTE and Sandia National Labs. ### For more information, contact: Doug Schiff, Division Inc, +1 919-968-7797 schiffd@division.com Pierre duPont, Division Ltd, +44 1454-615554 dupontp@division.co.uk or come see dVS and dVISE 3.0 at VR World in San Jose, 23 May 1995. >--------------------------------------------------< Pierre duPont, Marketing Director, Division Limited 19 Apex Court, Woodlands, Bristol UK BS12 4JT phone: +44 1454 615554 fax: +44 1454 615532 >--------------------------------------------------<