Lew DeWitt
August 29, 2004
Visual Simulation
1965
NASA Electronic Scene Generator Surface Scanner - The first Image Generator contract for the NASA Electronic Scene Generator Surface Scanner in 1962. This system was delivered to NASA facility in Houston about the time the Advanced Electronics Center at Ithaca closed and the group transferred to Elab. The original NASA Scene generator provided simulated out the window visuals with a single textured surface in perspective with stylized symbols to represent runways and other visual cues used for engineering tests in Houston. Modifications were made twice between 1962 and 1972 to add three dimensional features and more processing capability. NASA integrated the visual system with several other computers in their research facility and used the 3D capability to simulate the moon surface for engineering studies for the window placement and fuel consumption in the Lunar Lander.
Joint Army Navy Aircraft Instrumentation Research Program (JANAIR) There was another Digital Contact Analog designed at about the same time for the Joint Army Navy Aircraft Instrumentation Research Program (JANAIR). Both the NASA and the JANAIR systems were used for system engineering rather than training. This system started life in Ithaca also but was moved to Elab in 1965 and spent another year or two in completion.
Computed Display Research Facility (1971) This system consisted of a Scientific Data Systems General Purpose (later Xerox Data Systems) computer, a special purpose processor to generate 24 edges at a 60 Hz frame rate and a Data Disk 72 track storage disk. The system was not sold to any customers but a copy was built for ACD Binghampton N.Y. and one for E-Lab in Syracuse N.Y.
The units stored the 3-D models along with viewpoint and channel data in the GP computer memory. Each processing cycle, the GP computer generated the coefficients of the edge equations that defined the appropriate subset of the whole scene. The raster image of the 24 edges was stored on the Data Disk to build up the complete scene. The scene buildup was completed by use of a 16 MM Arriflex stop action film camera which recorded each complete scene. The system used Binary Separation Planes and computed the polygons in proper priority order.
E Lab contracted with NASA to make some promotional footage of the proposed space shuttle to use in selling the space shuttle program and concept. The final promotional footage which was very impressive and professional used a technique that Bob Schumacker developed to provide edge smoothing . Bob Schumacker and Pete Doenges who eventualy transferred to Evans and Sutherland Co. developed the software that was used to control the entire process. The filming took quite a long time and often was run overnight, with a quick run to the film print shop in morning to obtain the results.
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Figure 1: Ed Wild (back) and Lew DeWitt |
Figure 2: IG texture about 1965 |
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Figure 3: IG texture about 1965 |
Figure 4: Bill Purdy NASA 1 IG at NASA Houston |
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Figure 5: Jim Smith and C.J. Settles and ? at NASA |
Figure 6: Ron Halstead and ? on left and Bob Schumacker |
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Figure 7: NASA Houston 1965 |
Figure 8: NASA 2 IG Scene |
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Figure 9: NASA 2 IG Scene |
Figure 10: NASA 2 IG Scene |
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Figure 11: NASA 2 Upgrade |
Figure 12: NASA 2 Upgrade 1972 |
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Figure 13: Image from Computed Display Research Facility |
Figure 14: Image from Computed Display Research Facility |
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Figure 15: Image from Computed Display Research Facility |
Figure 16: Image from Computed Display Research Facility |
