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Kenosha VRML Kenosha VRML
A Heads-Up Display and Building Prototyping Interface

The city of Kenosha, Wisconsin hired PlaceVision to develop a full VRML model of their downtown. PlaceVision hired me to consult on interactive additions to a typical VRML viewing experience. I developed a heads-up display to aid situational awareness and allow control over lighting effects. I also added reconfigurable boxes that allow the user to create prototypes of proposed buildings on several potential sites.

Navigation
The heads-up display includes a compass which can be positioned anywhere on the screen. Clicking on the map tab slides up a panel showing a map in the city and an icon representing the real-time position and orientation of the user.
The figure at right shows the user clicking on the map tab. The compass intidates the user is facing almost due north. The map displays a red icon pointed towards the body of water to the north.
HUD Compass and Map

Lighting
The VRML application was developed to aid the urban planning process. Although the browser plug-in used did not support real-time shadows, a tab was included in the heads-up display for controlling the position of the sun. The lighting panel allows the user to adjust the time of day between 6am and 6pm. A separate slider allows the user to adjust the arc of the sun through the sky between winter and summer settings.
The figure at right shows the user adjusting the clock dial to near 6:00pm. The slider adjusting the time of year is set to almost high summer.
HUD Lighting Adjustments

Buildings
The VRML application was developed to aid the urban planning process. Although the browser plug-in used did not support real-time shadows, a tab was included in the heads-up display for controlling the position of the sun. The lighting panel allows the user to adjust the time of day between 6am and 6pm. A separate slider allows the user to adjust the arc of the sun through the sky between winter and summer settings.
The figure at right shows the user adjusting the clock dial to near 6:00pm. The slider adjusting the time of year is set to almost high summer.
Interactive Building Prototyping

RELATED LINKS

Download the video here (MP4 20.5MB)
An image from the model at the Placevision website.

MORE DETAILS

Boxes 2 Boxes 3 Boxes 4
Clicking once on the box shows manipulation handles. A second click on the surface shows rulers for distance. Rulers show both distance from street and number of floors (in red).
Boxes 5 Boxes 6 Boxes 8
Moving the box reveals smaller boxes underneath. These boxes can be adjusted in the same manner. A final click on the surface hides the handles.

Implementation
The manipulation handles are created with touch sensors. Careful manipulation of texture coordinates allows the change in size of the box to reveal more of the texture instead of stretching the texture as usual.