[ REQ 5248]: Re: Geomview implementation

[jmg at strauss.udel.edu]

On Wed, 15 Feb 1995, Tamara Munzner wrote:

> Date: Wed, 15 Feb 95 23:08:03 -0600
> From: munzner
> Message-Id: <9502160508.AA05931 at hilbert.geom.umn.edu>
> To: software@geom
> Subject: [ REQ 5233]: Geomview implementation
> 
> >   I am interested in developing a software package for teaching vocal 
> >   pedagogy, including the anatomy and function of the larynx.  It seems 
> >   that Geomview would be useful in this package, to render, rotate and 
> >   animate 3D anatomical images.  I have no experience in 3D rendering, 
> >   however, so I am wondering how difficult it is to create the necessary 
> >   object files, and whether or not Geomview would indeed be appropriate for 
> >   my inteded applications.  Any help and information you could provide 
> >   would be much appreciated.  Thank you.
>
> [snip..] 
> 2. What machine would you be using? Geomview on a very high-end
> Silicon Graphics could handle over objects made from over one hundred
> thousand polygons in the best case, whereas the X version of Geomview
> running on a very old Sun workstation or a PC could be very slow with
> more than a few thousand polygons. (Of course if you're on an old Sun,
> interactive volume rendering is pretty much out of the question.)
> 
> 3. If you do indeed want to see surfaces, then the next issue is how
> to create the object files.  I assume you've got data in some form,
> and need to figure out how to convert it into a form Geomview can
> handle. I need to know what form the data's in before I can answer
> that.

Thanks for your response.  Unfortunately, I really can't tell you any 
more at this point.  This project is still in the 'Can I really do this?' 
stages.  As far as data, a source for that has not been obtained yet, so 
I guess that question is moot until I come up with a data source.  As far 
as system goes, I was hoping to be able to create something that could be 
used by the typical Music Pedagogy program, which probably wouldn't have 
access to a Silicon Graphics workstation.  I guess we're talking a PC 
running X, maybe a UNIX box.  Basically what I wanted to know was if 
Geomview might be a good 3D engine for me, and it seems as if it would.  
Thanks again for your response.  I will definitely be in contact with you 
again when I have a more concrete foundation (and some data) for the project.

Jason Gottshall
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 |) Jason M. Gottshall      "Music is well said to be the speech of angels; in
/|. University of Delaware   fact, nothing among the utterances allowed to man
`j' jmg at strauss.udel.edu     is felt to be so divine."   -Thomas Carlyle