Surf the VR Wave!!

Pictures of an evolution...

Exterior view of Version 1.0

Interior view of Ver. 1.0 with Potbelly avatar

Interior view of CS4 simulator facility

Sample Student Worlds

INTRODUCTION

The International Student Space Station: Virtual Reality or IS3:VR, is a project to develop an interactive Internet based environment modeled on the International Space Station (ISS). IS3:VR is a special project under the Canadian Student Space Station Simulator (CS4) initiative. IS3:VR features "virtual" space station modules invented at various school sites and linked on the Internet so that students from around the world can communicate and perform experiments together, much like the "real" space station. IS3:VR provides a platform for learning Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), Java and other programming and animation tools that today's student will need to learn for future information technology careers well into the 21st century.

During the IS3:VR project, schools from around the world will be invited to design and build their own virtual habitats that will be developed into interactive chat environments. Habitat designers will be studying the parameters of the real space station and modeling these features in their own modules. These modules will be joined on the Internet to provide a platform for the students to interact with their fellow students around the world.

The Design and Technology Department at St. Peter High School in Orleans, Ontario initiated the project in February 1998 and is currently looking for sponsors for its continued development in the 1998-1999 school year and beyond.

The International Space Station is a joint venture of the space agencies of the United States, Canada, Russia, Japan and the European community. The first and second module of the ISS is now above our heads, with continued additions over the next 6 years. Canadian astronaut Julie Payette was among the first crew on board. Astronaut Chris Hadfield is scheduled to deploy Canada's contribution, the Mobile Servicing Platform.

THE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

Our philosophy at St. Peter Design and Technology has been to provide significant projects as vehicles for learning technologies to solve engineering and/or design challenges. IS3:VR is one such project that requires skills on many levels. The benefits of this project are many:

provides a significant design problem that challenges the student to apply critical thinking, research skills, problem solving skills, communication skills and computer technical skills
teaches students to program interfaces and worlds using Internet based technologies such as Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) and Java, technologies that are destined to provide the basis for future data interfacing
teaches students to apply mathematics and scientific concepts such as orthographic geometry, mesh geometry, object oriented programming, 3D design, and animation
teaches students the engineering structure and organization of space hardware
illustrates the benefits of international cooperation and allows for learning of other cultures and their respective educational systems
highlights our Canadian contribution to aerospace and high technology
encourages students to explore careers in aerospace, computer application programming, engineering and communications

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPONSORS

Like all space based research and development, sponsorship has additional benefits, both tangible and intangible. We are still interested in groups and organizations who wish to be matched with educators involved in VR simulation. Some of the benefits of sponsorship are:

provides a unique educational opportunity for the next generation of employees and citizens
is a public service that will be recognized both locally and globally
trained students can be employed to adapt technologies to sponsor's projects
design and engineering ideas can be adapted to sponsor's projects

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

At present, students are being trained on basics of 3D modeling using such tools as VRML 1.0, VRML 2.0, 3D Studio, and Java. The parent project, CS4, was implemented and featured worldwide on an episode of the LifeSapce series on the Discovery Channel. At St. Peter, Grade 10, 11, 12 and OAC students worked on developing skills in 3D modeling and VRML. A sequence of tasks were planned as:

develop 3D worlds based on the shapes of ISS modules
publish on the Internet
determine shapes and dimensions of interior furnishings
develop exterior demo worlds
develop interior demo worlds
publish on the Internet, develop partnerships with other schools
acquire capabilities to create 3D interactive environments
publish on the Internet, build communities with students around the world

For more information on this exciting project, please contact the undersigned.

CONTACT

Michael A. Scott
Special Program Assignment Teacher
Program Dept.
Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board
570 West Hunt Club
Ottawa, Ontario
K2G 3R4
Phone: (613) 224-4455 ext 2235
Email: michael_scott@occdsb.on.ca

Beam Me Up Scotty!

The International Student Space Station: VR
(VRML 2.0)

This represents the beginning of our work to create an interactive chat environment for high school students. Requires a browser plugin to view the worlds. (The best is at CosmoPlayer. Stay tuned for more developments!

CS4 Interior, Grade 11 Dale Falardeau's interior view of our simulator made with 3D Studio Max, even shows position of WebCam!
Kanary Station, Eric Kanary's space station design, illustrates inlining
PotBelly, Nick and Jason's avatar for the IS3:VR project
'M' Station, Scott Meredith's first world, and the basis for our new VR station
IS3:VR, Scott's world, with solar panels and communications dish by Darrin Lemieux
Solar System Animation The solar system animation in VRML 2.0, by Ryan Kampman and Tristan Dumochel.

The International Space Station

In this project, students are learning the principles of VRML by constructing the modules of the ISS to scale. Detail model drawings were obtained from NASA at: http://station.nasa.gov/gallery/models/. The individual modules will be made available online as they are created. These files are made in VRML 1.0, future modules will be made in VRML 2.0. We will constuct the entire structure in an up-coming project. Future endeavours include creating the structure in VRML 2.0 with animated sequence of parts.

Function Control Block (FGB) The 1st module to go up, from Russia. Made by Ryan Kampman.
Airlock Made by Tyler Lavalee
Power module Made by Stu Baxter
ISS Assembly Made by Ryan Kampman and Tristan Dumouchel (VRML 2.0 with inlining)