Configuring a CAVE Environment

You can view objects in a configurable CAVE or head mounted display (HMD) environment with stereo and/or hand tracking. The environment is configured through an XML file containing the descriptions of the different screens used in the environment as well as stereo and head tracking options.

Before you begin:
  • To activate stereoscopy, you need to follow the graphics card driver instruction.
  • Appropriate licenses are required, otherwise a 2D watermark is rendered above the object.
  • Depending on the applied predefined ambience, there might be a price to pay in performance. Note that the Basic ambience is not supported because its light sources are linked to the camera.
  • To improve performance, run the following two commands:
    • View Modes... and make sure the No edges option is activated, and the Axes and Points options are cleared.
    • Visual Quality... and tune the appropriate options for pixel culling, occlusion, anti-aliasing and shadows.
See Also
About XML Configuration Files
  1. Open a scene.
  2. From the AR-VR section of the action bar, click CAVE Configuration .
    This command lets you configure your scenario only once; you can then activate or deactivate it when needed through the CAVE command.
  3. In the Immersive Environments Files area, use the plus (+) or minus (-) signs to add or remove configuration files from the list.

    Configuration files contain information about the immersive reality environment such as the display on each physical screen, the stereoscopy mode (active or passive), or the device management (head tracking, and so on).

    When a configuration file has been specified, the rendering engine is configured to render the scene currently displayed in the active viewer on the different screens with the appropriate viewpoints. For instance, if head tracking is activated, the viewpoints are adjusted according to head movements.

    This file also lets you define the camera navigation and some performance options.

    Important:
    • Samples of XML configuration files (names starting with "CAVE_") are provided in C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B424\win_b64\resources\xml.
    • The structure of the XML configuration file must follow the IVConfiguration.xsd file.
    • The configuration file list is stored in the preferences files and is retrieved next time you access the CAVE Configuration dialog box.

  4. In the Display area, set the distance between the two eyes (in millimeters).

    By default, it is set to 65 mm. The measured interpupillary distance (IPD) is then applied to the stereoscopic rendering process to ensure the best visual comfort when displaying the scene.

  5. In the Navigation area, set the speed factor to be applied to accelerating or decelerating translations.

    This lets you define how fast you want to move in the space.

    Note: This option does not apply to rotations and is relevant only if such navigation types have been defined in the XML configuration file.

  6. In the Scenario area, select the appropriate mode to specify the relation between the console screen (referred to as the "controller") and the CAVE screens.
    OptionDescription
    Auditorium All navigation modes are deactivated and only the controller directs the scenario. Therefore, any modification of the viewpoint is reflected on the cave screens. For instance, if Automatic Scale is selected in the Model Scale area, any scale modification is displayed on the screens.
    Immersive The controller has no impact on the scenario. The mouse cannot be used to navigate and you cannot select the Automatic Scale option.
  7. In the Model Scale area, define the scale of the model on the CAVE screens.
    OptionDescription
    Automatic Scale To be used when the Auditorium mode is selected in the Scenario area. In that case, translation, rotation and zoom are passed on.
    Custom Scale Lets you define your own model scale by moving the slider. The default scale is 1 which means a real-size scale.
  8. From the AR-VR section of the action bar, click CAVE to run your scenario.
  9. Navigate in your model.

    You can use devices such as a gamepad provided that gamepad navigation is defined in the XML configuration file.

  10. Click CAVE to quit the command.