IDIA leverages its expertise in visualization, simulation, interface design, games and virtual reality in providing clients custom solutions in a wide range of services and products. Please contact us to discuss your needs.
Virtual Worlds
Virtual worlds are three-dimensional environments that can provide compelling shared experiences for their users. These immersive spaces can connect to social networks, web-services, media and data to bridge into an entire universe of external content. We have developed scores of projects in virtual worlds and game engines including CryEngine, Unity 3D, Blue Mars, Jibe, Second Life, Open Simulator, and Quest 3D.
The virtual world workflow begins in Maya 3D, or other industry standard animation software packages used in visualization industries – where the geometries are proportioned and prepared to receive textures. The models are then brought into Unity 3D or similar game engine where the lighting, textures, real-time shadows, and physics simulations are applied. Any functionality or interactivity is then designed using the game engine’s internal scripting toolsets or external coding.
Virtual worlds and hybrid reality applications have recently been deployable and experienced on both internet browsers and mobile devices such as iPhones, Androids and tablets. As these new virtual capabilities scale down instead of up – their potential to be integrated into other hybrid experiences increases. Mobile devices are used to help us navigate, communicate, stay informed and be entertained – as these ever more powerful devices are embedded into our daily lives – they allow for a single project to be scaled for spectrum of immersive or mobile experiences. The same content from projects can now be realized as an executable, online browser, mobile device or even game consoles such as Nintendo Wii game using one production workflow.
Izapa Group F Ballcourt Solar Simulation
Mayan Solar Simulator Izapa Group F Ballcourt We have applied our Virtual Solar Simulator to a simple white model build of the pre-Columbian ballcourt in Group F at the Izapa site in Chiapas, Mexico. Izapa is considered to be the birthplace of the Mayan Long Count, which ends its cycle today on December 21st, 2012 – […]
Read More About Izapa Group F Ballcourt Solar SimulationVirtual Middletown Living Museum in Blue Mars
The Virtual Middletown Living Museum project in Blue Mars is a simulation of the Ball Glass factory from early 20th century Muncie, Indiana. Life and conditions in the factory were one of the key elements of the Middletown Studies by Robert S. and Helen Merrell Lynd in their landmark studies Middletown (1929) and Middletown in Transition (1937). These in-depth accounts […]
Read More About Virtual Middletown Living Museum in Blue MarsVirtual World/Social Media Mashup: Flickr Gettr v4
IDIA Lab’s new Flickr Gettr launching soon – shared & mobile virtual world mashup artwork – preview Flickr pics here http://bit.ly/bCWQCL Flickr Gettr: Shared and Mobile Media Mashup Artwork Virtual World/Social Media Mashup: Flickr Gettr v4 The Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts (IDIA Lab) at Ball State University IDIA Labs Flickr Gettr connects the social […]
Read More About Virtual World/Social Media Mashup: Flickr Gettr v4Interactive Simulations
Interactive solutions for desktop, internet and mobile applications. Sciences, industry, arts, learning and cultural heritage.
- Live multi-user virtual teaching and learning simulators
- Immersive virtual curriculum (cross platform desktop, internet and mobile)
- Human computer interaction
Final Wisdom I: Interactive Haptic Poetry Installation at SIGGRAPH 2010
Final Wisdom I is an interactive installation engaging viewers in a sensory exploration of temporal and spatialized poetry. Participants manipulate imagery, sound and language through their gesture, touch and proximity. The work is engaged through a framework of cameras and sensors that react to heat, position, and capacitance – presenting a shifting environment of reactive media and haptics. Final Wisdom I is the […]
Read More About Final Wisdom I: Interactive Haptic Poetry Installation at SIGGRAPH 2010Virtual Apollo 15
IDIA Lab’s Virtual Apollo 15 is a simulation of the mission which launched on July 26, 1971 from the Kennedy Space Center, at Cape Canaveral, Florida. During the launch, the S-IC did not completely shut off following staging for four seconds, creating the possibility of the spent stage banging into the S-II engines, damaging them […]
Read More About Virtual Apollo 15Virtual Mosque Demo
Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts at Ball State University (IDIA Lab). A demonstration level featuring architecture of the Mosque. Visit Virtual Mosque Demo in Blue Mars http://blink.bluemars.com/City/IDIA_Mosque/ Virtual Mosque Demo in Blue Mars Video Walkthrough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYS7Zafr0bk
Read More About Virtual Mosque DemoClarian Health VR Simulation
In collaboration with Clarian Health, IDIA has created a training video and interactive media to help facilitate the transition into the Ball Memorial Hospital New South Tower. How can nurses train in a new hospital wing before it is constructed? Or after it’s complete and full of patients? For help addressing the situation, hospital officials […]
Read More About Clarian Health VR SimulationEco-Net
“Eco-Net” is an attempt to connect wireless network data with nature by visualizing that data with plant-like structures and organic motion. Each plant represents a computer connected to the network and each IP address is displayed above the corresponding plant. Collective network activity is displayed as websites are browsed and emails are sent. This piece […]
Read More About Eco-Net3D Visualizations
Animated 3D visualizations for science, cultural heritage, arts and industry.
- Historic recreations
- Medical and scientific visualizations
- Architectural walkthroughs
- Information visualizations
- Scientific, data and cultural heritage animations
Museum Scanning Project
The IDIA Seminar’s current project focuses on virtually recreating the original settings of various sculptures found throughout the Ball State University Museum of Art. The project focused on scanning five different sculptures using a 3D laser scanner. This project has allowed Ball State students to get involved with 3D scanning by learning the method, techniques […]
Read More About Museum Scanning ProjectVirtual Middletown Living Museum in Blue Mars
The Virtual Middletown Living Museum project in Blue Mars is a simulation of the Ball Glass factory from early 20th century Muncie, Indiana. Life and conditions in the factory were one of the key elements of the Middletown Studies by Robert S. and Helen Merrell Lynd in their landmark studies Middletown (1929) and Middletown in Transition (1937). These in-depth accounts […]
Read More About Virtual Middletown Living Museum in Blue Mars3D Point Cloud Laser Scanning
From a seashell to auditorium, laser-scanning can capture the objects and spaces we inhabit and convert them into a digital model. The IDIA scans a range of small or large scale 3D objects using facilities and equipment shared with the SimLab in the College of Architecture and Planning and supported by the Office of Information […]
Read More About 3D Point Cloud Laser ScanningMicrosoft Surface Museum Collection Portal
The IDIA has assembled an interdisciplinary group of students, faculty and industry experts in a significant interactive information portal for the Ball State University Museum of Art (BSUMA). The IDIA team is developing an innovative touch-based interface to navigate the collection, employing and integrating Microsoft Surface with the Museum’s database. The Surface will afford Museum […]
Read More About Microsoft Surface Museum Collection PortalMMFX/IMA Interactive Project
IDIA is creating a media rich interactive digital kiosk for the Digital Fabrication Institute’s MMFX Exhibit hosted by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Students participating in the IDIA Immersion Seminar in Virtual Worlds are developing the interactive interface, which will act as a station within the exhibit where viewers can attain additional biographical and portfolio […]
Read More About MMFX/IMA Interactive ProjectMobile
Launch of Virtual Companion iOS app by IDIA Lab
Learn how modern technology can shape our understanding of the past during a special program at Mounds State Park on Saturday, Nov. 14. Visitors to the 1 p.m. program will join park naturalist Kelley Morgan to learn about modern technologies that help archaeologists and historians bring the past to life. During the second half, director […]
Read More About Launch of Virtual Companion iOS app by IDIA LabBuffalo Bill’s Wild West gets a virtual makeover
Digital artists from Ball State’s IDIA Lab built their virtual simulation of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West with the Unity 3-D gaming platform along with custom software created by the lab. Cowboys and Indians captivated the country when Buffalo Bill’s Wild West rolled through America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. More than a century […]
Read More About Buffalo Bill’s Wild West gets a virtual makeoverDice+
Connecting Dice+ to a Cell Phone The DicePlus (Dice+) can communicate with both iOS and Android devices and has an available SDK for Android, iOS, and Unity. It has capabilities including: return dice number rolled, control of LED’s, magnetometer and accelerometer for orientation and movement, capacitive sensor for proximity and touch, and temperature sensor for […]
Read More About Dice+Mobile Arduino Controller
The Mobile Arduino Controller allows one to access an Arduino board via a mobile friendly website. It’s a website designed for mobile devices for a couple reasons… 1) Allows access from computers, not just smart phones. 2) Easier for the public to access the Arduino or multiple Arduinos for installations without searching for an app […]
Read More About Mobile Arduino ControllerUnity Mobile Controller
The Unity Mobile Controller would allow us to have a Unity project running on a PC, and users would be able to download an app that turns their smart phone into the controller. This allows for the project running on the PC to show the player and the smart to display the controls and other […]
Read More About Unity Mobile ControllerGaming in Virtual Worlds and on Mobile Devices
REAL TIME 3D ENVIRONMENTS Virtual worlds are three-dimensional environments that can provide compelling shared experiences for their users. These media-rich immersive spaces can connect to social networks, web-services, and data to bridge into an entire universe of external content. The IDIA has developed scores of projects in virtual worlds and game environments including Blue Mars, […]
Read More About Gaming in Virtual Worlds and on Mobile Devices