From: ejp@world.std.com (Eric J Pierce) Subject: EVENT: BVRG May '97 - Haptic Interfaces with SensAble Technologies Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 00:59:45 GMT Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA ------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY --------------- THE BOSTON VIRTUAL REALITY GROUP (formerly known as the Boston Computer Society Virtual Reality Group) PRESENTS The PHANToM Force Feedback System WITH John Ranta of SensAble Technologies MAY 14, 1997 7:00 PM ROOM 054 MEDIA LABORATORY (BLDG E-15) MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS _____________________________________________________________________ Join the Boston Computer Society Virtual Reality Group for an evening with John Ranta, Director of Business Operations at SensAble Technologies. SensAble is the distributor of the PHANToM Haptic Interface, originally developed at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The PHANToM Haptic Interface represents a revolution in human computer interface technology. Until the PHANToM, computer users only had the capability to interact with the machine through the sense of sight, and more recently, sound. The sense of touch, the most important sense in many tasks, has been conspicuously absent. The PHANToM changes all of this. Just as the monitor enables users to see computer generated images, and audio speakers allow them to hear synthesized sounds, the PHANToM makes it possible for users to touch and manipulate virtual objects. Originally, our meeting with SensAble was scheduled for last month. However, it was pushed forward a month so that we could give everyone enough time to experience this amazing device. Come try it out for yourself! Check out http://www.sensable.com for more! MEETING DETAILS: --------------- When: Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 PM EST Location: Room 054 (unless otherwise posted) MIT Media Lab (Building E-15) 20 Ames Street Cambridge, Massachusetts By T: Get off at the Kendall Square Station on the Red Line. When you come to the surface you will be at the end of Main Street where it is more like a wide bricked pedestrian area in front of the Marriot Hotel. Walking to the end of the block toward Central square will put the Marriot on the right. The corner of the Marriot complex where Legal Seafoods is will be the corner of Main and Ames. Take a left onto Ames Street. The Media Lab is the only silver tiled building on the street and will be on your left. By Car: Ames Street runs between Main street and Memorial Drive, near Kendall Square in Cambridge. It is one-way going from Main to Memorial. Your best bet is to either look for parking near Kendall Sq. and follow walking instructions (By T) above. *OR* you could look for parking along Memorial Drive and walk up Ames Street the other way. If you're interested in coming and don't know how to get to MIT or even Cambridge, MA, instructions from all highways are available upon request via e-mail to ejp@world.std.com. More directions can be found at the following URL: http://casr.www.media.mit.edu/groups/casr/directions.html ======================================================================= Boston VR Group - A Gathering of Minds for Cyberspace Development: The Group meetings are a great way to meet others who are "actually" developing Virtual Environments. Whether you have an interest in the discussions, 3-D modelling, interactively generating and/or coding virtual worlds, or somewhere in between, there lots to do and talk about!!! Boston VR Group Philosophy: The purpose of the Boston Virtual Reality Group is to provide an ongoing venue for developing virtual environments as well as a forum for bringing scientists and developers together with VR enthusiasts/potential users. Through actively exploring both the technology and its cultural implications, exposing each to the other's thoughts and ideas, and "learning from" and "sharing with" industry leaders, we can help shape the future of this medium. ====================================================================== FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: ------------------------------ Director BCS-VRG: Brenden C.Maher Speaker Requests: brenden@media.mit.edu SUBSCRIBE TO OUR E-MAIL ANNOUNCEMENT LIST: ------------------------------------------ To get on our e-mail announcement list, send the following line in the body of an e-mail message to majordomo@world.std.com: subscribe boston-vr-announce This list is moderated and typically only gets one or two messages per month that describe our upcoming meetings.