From: sbrenner@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (scott.d.brenner)
Subject: Comments on VR-based Architectual Design Products?
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1991 15:31:14 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories



On a recent "This Old House," Steve Thomas (the host) went
to a small firm in Massachusetts that used some type of
VR system to assist in the design of the kitchen in a house
that TOH is revamping.  Apparently, Steve provided measurements,
cabinet styles and colors, window type and size, floor type
and color, lighting fixture style, etc.  The VR people used
these inputs to create a "virtual kitchen" which could be
displayed and manipulated on a terminal screen.  The image
was similar to a high-quality photograph.  There were views of 
the kitchen from several vantage points.  With the click of
the mouse, the user was able to change the color of the floor
and walls.  With a few additional keystrokes, he changed the
size of the windows.

Once the design pleased Steve, they made three color photos
that Steve could take back to the homeowner.  He said the cost
for three photos (and I assume the work associated with
producing them) was about $1000.  This is a lot to pay for
just a kitchen remodel, but the system was very impressive.
I can envision a more advanced system where the homeowner
would put on headgear and actually walk through the proposed
design.  He/she could verify that cabinets and appliances were
easily reached and at the correct hights.  He/she could look
out the window in its proposed location to see if the view
is satisfactory.

It seems to me that VR could be very useful in architectual
design applications.  Initially, the costs would be high.
But after the use of these systems became more widespread,
I think the cost/benefit ratio would become appealing to most
people considering building or redesigning a house.

I'd be interested in comments on the specific system I described
from This Old House and on the general use of VR systems
in architectual design.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scott D. Brenner
AT&T Consumer Communications Services
Basking Ridge, NJ
scott@cimu03.att.com  -or-  sbrenner@attmail.com
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[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  Please post as well as email.  This is a topic of
apparently wide concern. -- Bob Jacobson]