Commodity clusters for virtual reality

Abstract

Multiprojection Immersive Environments are used in many applications ranging fromscience, engineering and art. Such VR-oriented systems have traditionally been powered byhigh-end graphics workstations or supercomputers, but, recently, clusters of commoditycomputers (such as PCs, Macs, and low cost workstations) have become a practical alternative.The advantages of a commodity cluster include low cost, flexibility, access to technology, andperformance scalability. The workshop will be divided in three parts. An introductory tutorialon VR clustering technologies will cover hardware and software issues and will emphasize freesoftware solutions. The second part will consist of 20-minute presentations on specificcommodity technologies as applied to virtual reality. An open panel discussion will close theworkshop.