MELLANIUM "DE FACTO" AT LAST

There now exists a 24/7 MellaniuM realistic virtual environment that is "actually" here to stay. This showcase illustrates the major concepts we have been attempting to convey for the last four years. The use of exquisitely accurate 3D CAD models with high resolution textures and graphics which allow for monumental sensory experiences. This conceptual combination is essential to produce a significant reduction in cognitive friction which can then lead to an effective suspension of disbelief. In combination with the slick and mind-blowingly simple access provided by NORTEL's web.alive's "one single URL weblink click and you are in world" and the embedded and crystal clear VOIP it is indeed the future method of providing the ultimate virtual experience.

I have to admit that blogging and writing about this MellaniuM/web.alive collaboration is a distant poor second to going online and experiencing the brilliant richness and depth of complexity of the virtual space. So no more long winded descriptions of the potential and possibilities, less of both the blather and bluster just go and try it out for yourself and then ponder quietly and imagine for yourself "If that is possible......." http://furnace.projectchainsaw.com/

Now you must be aware of some of the web.alive features that allow for an infinite array of customizable avatars and the practical proven fact that up to 250 individuals could be concurrently existing in this or any other environment. Portals can be inserted to allow for transport to any linked environments, drag and drop presentations can be co-ordinated and viewed in designated areas. However it is the simple effortless entry and auto-configured flawless audio which should help erase what little resistance to adoption exists in adventurous first-time explorers into the 3D virtual domain.

However I must issue a warning of sorts, since entry into a MellaniuM 3D environment should be approached with a little trepidation. The experience will not leave you unaffected I guarantee. You will forever afterwards be driven to accept nothing less than an"experience" with the same, if not better enhanced realistic immersion. Beware, I say unto thee, you have been warned....

If you are willing to dare the adventure. Climb to the topmost ramp and cast yourself into the fiery furnace through the mouth and check it out inside, quite cool and not a little psychedelic I must say.

MellaniuM: Level Loading

It will come as no surprise to several of you out there that we can now unveil our first globally accessible 3D environment available through the innovative NORTEL web.alive delivery system

Could you ever imagine meeting up with 50,150 or even 500 people in an environment created to contain dimensionally accurate buildings with high resolution graphics and high polygon 3D models? It is now entirely possible to do so at the click of one single solitary URL weblink. The apartments were originally created to prove the viability of importing CAD 3D models into the UNREAL 2.5 platform and have them available for specific projects where the teams would require a download of the the rendering into a copy of the UT 2004. However NORTEL has now provided a compatible, convenient delivery system in a browser embedded client on the web.alive platform which allows for a simple mouse click to enter and meet up with colleagues to discuss the architectural and construction details of the project


If you have followed this blog you must already have a grasp of the implications of this MellaniuM/NORTEL symbiotic relationship. If one deliberates upon the stream of converging utilities and applications the mind does indeed boggle.
The proven use of Creaform 3D scanners to produce virtual replicas and avatars such as "La Fontaine de Tourny" scanned and shown in this YouTube movie, the capability of AI scripting to produce NPC's in archaeological verisimilitudes and the absolute pinnacle of virtual immersion potentiality "the CAVEUT" projection concept using a domed enclosure and single aspherical lens to project can only lead to the oft stated comment "Oh! the possibilities". A deluge of possibilities is opened up by this first extensive MellaniuM/NORTEL development.

Can you ascend to the very top of the angular columns adjacent to the apartments?(as in the above shot) give it a try at http://ec11.projectchainsaw.com

3D IMMERSIVE CONVERGENCE IS NIGH

NORTEL has just launched the Lenovo eLounge, beta prototype of their web.alive browser-based 3D immersive platform. It is based on the UNREAL 2.5 engine and has garnered praise for both the quality of the graphics and the embedded VOIP directional communication system. Mellanium has been generating 3D immersive environments on the very same UNREAL platform and by some stroke of sheer inexplicable co-incidence presently have a database of environments which are wholly compatible with the web.alive functionality.

We have initiated a program of working closely with NORTEL to test an ever increasing complexity of environments to estimate if there is a practical boundary to the combination of physical size, polygon count and texture intricacy. The main aim of this exercise is to develop a balanced concept which we hope finally to apply to a Museum of Industrial Heritage primarily aimed at incorporating achaeological sites and historical data from the North of the United Kingdom. These sites will include such marvels as the first railway developed for use with steam locomotion. In September, 1825, the Stockton & Darlington Railroad Company began as the first railroad to carry both goods and passengers on regular schedules using locomotives designed by English inventor, George Stephenson. Stephenson's locomotive the "Rocket" pulled six loaded coal cars and 21 passenger cars with 450 passengers over 9 miles in about one hour.

As a first trial to host the MellaniuM environments on the NORTEL web.alive platform we can proudly announce the accessibilty of the "Roth-Holm" virtual residence. Originally this was created as a method of selling real estate by using web UNREAL portals to allow potential buyers the opportunity to visit the residence virtually from anywhere in the world.

SCREENSHOT OF THE "ROTH-HOLM" VIRTUAL RESIDENCE

CLOSE-UP OF THE REALTY SIGN AND SIDE DOOR OF "ROTH-HOLM"

THE KITCHEN INSIDE "ROTH-HOLM"

The combination of this truly brilliant NORTEL web browser accessible web.alive client and the MellaniuM application now leaves only three simple requirements to allow for a web3D to burgeon and explode onto a consumer market: "Content, content and content"

MELLANIUM LAUNCHES DOTVIDI.COM

The premise of dotvidi.com is that it will offer an independent web portal for all of the world’s principal heritage. Contributors, stakeholders and advocates worldwide all combine to develop and sustain life and quality in its content. The portal preserves the most important buildings, artefacts and human achievement forever.
Held in a highly graphic and digital form, the world’s heritage may be viewed by anybody with internet access. A range of supplementary features and services ensures that dotvidi.com becomes a central repository for entertaining, educating and experiencing the finest achievements of modern man for generations to come.

The System
A computer framework is built around a proven set of 3D visualisation software tools. The framework is made available to expert contributors that can model buildings, industrial archaeology and other important creations of human endeavour. Alternatively, a digitising service can be provided to work closely with stakeholders that have an interest in making their particular area of expertise or subject knowledge available to view. Resulting environments are established in true 3D over the internet and any key objects can have associated attributes attached. This means that further action and information can be taken when viewing such as download of supplementary video or online purchasing of facsimiles. Advanced graphical interfaces also mean that delivery can also be made fully immersive such as in a theatre or cut down versions made available for mobile handsets. Hosted on a server farm and deployed over broadband, advanced interface and navigation techniques ensure a pleasurable experience is offered to all participants.

Business Model
The portal is offered free of charge to base users wherever they are. Stakeholders share in the ownership model and contribute financially to running the business. This is supplemented by grants from internationally interested associations. Modelling can be done through various means and independent experts will be encouraged to add content on an ad hoc basis thus retaining variability and return power. Sub-licensing (e.g. to TV), e-commerce and VIP memberships will also add to income streams.

Implementation
Our current plan is to build a business and investment proposition over 4 months triggered in early stages by grant support for our consultant’s costs. We aim on completing phase-1 of our development by Q4 2009 at which point we will have a portal concentrating on industrial archaeology visualisation and limited income streams. Break even is anticipated in year 3.

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STOP THE PRESSES!

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MELLANIUM SCANS THE HORIZON AND SEES AN EVEN BRIGHTER FUTURE

MellaniuM can announce that they have chalked up another technological first in the virtual world arena. During the conference proceedings of VSSM 2008 Marco St.Pierre , HANDYSCAN 3D Director at CREAFORM3D, who markets hand held scanners for generating 3D models met with Ken Rigby of MellaniuM who are producing virtual realistic environments in the UNREAL platform. The UNREAL platform has some unique attributes for developing environments with per-pixel shading, lighting and particle effects. He enquired about the potential for importing scanned museum assets into the environments generated in the UNREAL platform by the MellaniuM application. We obviously saw a huge potential for any collaboration that could yield virtual environments festooned with realistic replicas of entire famous museum collections from around the world. Within the week we received from CREAFORM3D a Chinese mask model reminiscent of an Easter Island profile with a floral, jade green texture overlay and a bird themed headpiece.
The 3D model itself was a relatively high polygon sample which was intended to test the MellaniuM application to some extent. However the final model was successfully imported into UNREAL and looks identical to the as scanned actual mask.

Chinese Mask scanned with the VIUSCAN from

CREAFORM3D and imported into UNREAL

The VIUSCAN hand-held device is capable of scanning objects as big as a car and has been used successfully to reproduce a digital copy of a fountain (in the order of 6-7 metres high). The possibilities are enormous with respect to recreating archaeological reconstructions which we are positing in our new business concept dotVidi.com. It is entirely possible at this present moment to import 3D interpretations of the ancient buildings of, lets say for example, Athens or Rome into an interactive, multi-user domain. However, more importantly, an impressive, immersive experience of the elaborate décor can now be reproduced by importing the digital representations of the furniture, statues and fountains into the monumental digital recreation. The assets required to realize this dream actually exist on digital storage devices all over the globe we only need the collective will and enthusiasm to develop the vision into an astounding, virtual, ancient panoply for all to experience together over the Internet.

MELLANIUM: INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY

Granite Batholith under Cornwall

Could you imagine that MellaniuM virtual realistic environments would ever connect industrial cultural heritage and a massive intrusion of granite under the South-West tip of England?

Well MellaniuM will be participating in the VAST 2008 workshop “Serious Games and Cultural Heritage”. As an example of virtual engineering we have recently finalised the replica of a famous old steam locomotive 0-6-0 “Jinty” 47279 designed originally in the early 20th century and still running at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

MellaniuM's 0-6-0 Jinty

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

We are hoping to stimulate some discussion on the potential of using the MellaniuM application for “Industrial Archaeology” in Cultural Heritage. It has been suggested to us personally by Prof. Bob Stone of Birmingham University that virtual replicas of the remarkable inventions as developed at the advent of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain at the start of the 18th century would clearly enhance the cultural landscape. Technological marvels such as the first iron bridge or steam-driven beam pumping engines would lend themselves ideally to the importation of CAD models into the UNREAL platform.

First Ironbridge and Beam Engine Pump

Strangely enough, however, it has been argued that the British Isles was also at the core of the technological revolution of the Bronze Age over 3500 years ago. It has been posited that the rich tin mines of Cornwall, in the far-west corner of England, was the invaluable prize for which the Trojan War was fought. Bronze, an alloy of tin and copper was the most important commodity of its time and there is evidence of a tremendous battle between Celtic princes on the Gog Magog hills near Cambridge at a city called Troad around 1200 BC.

Many of the geographical features which surround the epic battle site on the Gog Magog hills can be matched to Homer’s “Iliad” written around 300 BC and historians have theorized that the Greeks simply wrote down for the first time what had been passed down orally in the Celtic epic stories.

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The mines in Cornwall were continually worked throughout the Bronze Age and the span of the Roman Empire and later until the mines extended under the ocean and simple animal and water power could not deal practically with flooding. Surprisingly enough though the invention of the first industrial commercial beam pumps driven by atmospheric steam engines allowed efficient removal of the flood water and the mines could be driven deeper underground. Even now plans are afoot to open flooded mines which penetrate thousands of feet under the Cornwall coast.

Cornish Tin Mine Ruins

The overall historically significant reconstruction of the tin mines of Cornwall could indeed involve delving into the depths of the Bronze Age over 3500 years ago and navigating a continuous history to the present day.

In fact the application of a virtual realistic reconstruction of the cultural heritage of “TIN, As a Cultural Metaphor”, as suggested by the first question of this monograph, could indeed even encompass the mineralogical formation of the tin deposits by hydrothermal solutions enriched by high pressure vapour leaching from a massive granite intrusion cooling over millions of years under the tip of South-West England.

MELLANIUM CAVEUT WORKSHOP AT UCLAN

In collaboration with ADSIP (Applied Digital Signal and Image Processing Research Centre) at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston UK MellaniuM has successfully employed the CAVEUT software ( kindly supplied and supported by Jeffrey Jacobson of PublicVr) with their realistic, virtual environments. The potential applications for a combination of high polygon, accurately dimensioned modelling with scaled photorealistic textures could be enormous in fields as diverse as archaeology and engineering. It has also been reported by the University of Teeside "Intelligent Virtual Environments" group that the CAVEUT is capable of stereoscopic 3D simulations which, in combination with high resolution environments would realise a quantum level increase in immersion possibilities.

MellaniuM has been videostreaming through SKYPE live walkthroughs of their high quality 3D renderings in the UNREAL 2.5 platform for over two years now and interest is certainly in more than just a germination stage as blogged by Roland Legrand who made the simple but telling enquiry "The first question : what is the purpose of this all?"

However the limited bandwidth of the Skype presentations does little justice to the actual overall experience of the MellaniuM application with the smooth transitioning through the environments as viewed on a high resolution monitor.

In addition we have recently been notified that our short paper submission "On Rendering 3D Archaeological Visualisations" to the VSMM 2008 conference in Cyprus October 20th - 26th has been accepted for presentation. This short paper will be combined with a poster exhibit and a showcase comprising networked computers allowing for the avatar interaction in the archaeological 3D interpretations. Please feel free to contact me over Skype for a personal view of our realistic virtual worlds and a copy of our paper. (joe133952)




The paper will be illustrated with a pronounced absence of Powerpoint slides but a live walkthrough of the "Theatre of Pompey" which has recently been imported into the UNREAL platform. The 3D static meshes and texture files were kindly supplied by the KVL ( King's Visualisation Lab) King's College, London UK. The historical significance of this environment cannot be overstated as few people realise that Julius Caesar was brutally murdered on the very steps of this theatre on the ides of March 44 B.C.

To get to the entire point of this blog post MellaniuM is announcing that a workshop at ADSIP, UCLAN using the EONREALITY multi-wall immersive system with the CAVEUT software modification of the UNREAL 2.5 platform to illustrate and discuss the potential applications of the virtual real world concept is being arranged (by invitation only) and if you feel that you would be interested in attending we would be more than happy to extend an invitation. The date for this workshop will be announced imminently but will probably be early in 2009. Please forward your e-mail request to ken.rigby at mellanium.com

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERENDIPITY?

Just imagine wandering at your leisure through a recreation of Athens or Rome at the height of their power and influence. At MellaniuM our very "raison d'etre" could be distilled as the creation, nay, I should say the actual resurrection at a virtual realistic level of the achaeological remnants of these glorious civilisations. Indeed there are vast assets of 3D models in databanks of acedemic institutions around the world which have been used to provide vistas and fly-through movies of the plethora of cities which flourished in the core of ancient civilizations from Mesopotamia to Egypt and from Athens to Rome. These models can now be used to their full potential to create a vast interactive space available for hundreds of participants from all over the World. What an experience it would be to be immersed with your friends in walking around these cities? To explore the art and decorations of some sumptuous villa in Pompeii or walk through the Parthenon as it was on the first day it was completed by Pericles in 435BC.

It has been stated that it will be another 5 years before this feat of virtual representation can be accomplished. However at MellaniuM we have already developed the necessary application to provide these 3D virtual archaeologcal visualizations.

We have to sincerely thank the Kings' College Visualisation Lab for supplying us with the magnificent 3D rendering example of the "Theatre of Pompey"

Indeed the concept hinges on the ability to import high polygon models (static meshes) with high resolution textures into an MMO platform such as UNREAL. The environments and client are locally administered off your PC. Any web based browser client where the assets are stored remotely and must be downloaded as you travel through the virtual space can only result in lag and "less than immersive" latency effects. We have produced a movie to compare the graphical fidelity for archaeological visualizations of the MellaniuM application and Second Life.

The movie compares the Theatre of Pompey and the Titanic rendered in Second Life and in UNREAL using the MellaniuM application.

If you would like your personal demonstration of these archaeological wonders by a live streaming walkthrough of these spaces give me a call on SKYPE at joe133952