The design of a retinal resolution fully immersive VR display

Abstract

We present the design of Brown University's new Cave, which is expected to be fully operational in February 2014. With one arc-minute resolution, 3.8 π steradians of visual surround, head-tracked stereo, and an almost seamless screen, this Cave offers advances to the state-of-the-art virtual reality experience. This improvement is achieved with the installation of 69 high-resolution long throw projectors, a cylindrical screen with conical ceiling, and a 135 square foot rear-projection floor. Though Caves have been around for over 20 years, they have remained impractical for many potential uses due to their limited resolution, brightness, and overall immersion. Brown's new Cave aims to bridge this gap.