Virtual planning of exhibition stands

Set designers and trade-fair planners increasingly use simulation based on virtual-reality technologies. Directors and customers thus gain a three-dimensional impression of their designs, helping to prevent time-consuming and costly errors in design.

Time is money - in the construction of trade fair stands as well as the set design for theaters and television studios. Many designers still draw their designs on paper. In my experience, however, hardly any customers want to admit that they cannot really envisage the end result of a large stand from a two-dimensional plan, says Peter Brüggemann, chairman of the Berlin company ideea Messe- und Dekorationsbau GmbH. Which is why a rude awakening sometimes comes late in the construction phase, just before the trade fair opens. The same applies to the work of set designers: The director cannot decide if everything fulfills his expectations until the complete stage set is built - costly alterations must always be expected.
Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology FIRST in Berlin have developed a new way of presenting designs in three dimensions. With the X-Rooms virtual reality system, we can create, scale and project 3D models onto one or several screens of various sizes, explains head of division Herbert Rüsseler. The breakthrough feature is that tasks which once required expensive mainframe computers can now be performed using standard PCs. Our low-cost technology is therefore suitable for design studios, too.
Ideea uses this new method in its own company showroom. Using several scenographs, produced using conventional design programs, the system calculates the three-dimensional structure based on several perspectives, and projects detail views for visualizing on the screen. Thanks to special eyewear, customers see the virtual stand in 3D and can move around in it by means of a joystick. Requests for change can be quickly incorporated. The technology has already gained the approval of many customers. For example, the chief designer from Samsung proclaimed on first visiting his real trade-fair stand: It comes as no surprise - I know this stand because Ive already been there.
Theaters will also benefit from the new technology, since it will soon speed up and facilitate the planning of productions. Were working on the development of interactive input devices, which allow stage set designs to be virtually implemented, quickly and easily, Rüsseler reveals. With automatic interconnection of several projectors, we can show large-scale images of stage sets. By using three-dimensional digitalized movements of the actors, virtual theater performances could be executed and experienced in a completely new way.,For further information:,Herbert Russeler ,Telefon: +49 30 / 63 92-17 80 ,Fax: +49 30 / 63 92-18 05 ,E-mail: [e-mail]
Fraunhofer-Institut fur Rechnerarchitektur und Softwaretechnik FIRST ,Kekulestra?e 7 ,D-12489 Berlin ,http://www.first.fraunhofer.de/german/profile/institute/first/
Peter Bruggemann ,Telefon: +49 30 / 67 04-47 50 ,Fax: +49 30 / 67 04-41 77 ,E-mail: [e-mail]
Links: ,FIRST: Pressemeldung Juni 2002 ,http://www.first.gmd.de/german/profile/institute/first/first_months_june_01.html#a6
ideea ,http://www.ideea.de/

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