Projectors - Display System

 

The ReaCTor is primarily a 3D projection system and thus has extremely demanding requirements for its graphics hardware. Sixty different images have to be displayed on each of the ReaCTor 's four walls every second at very high resolution. These images are provided by the four Barco 808s CRT projectors that surround the ReaCTor . These projectors, due to their high quality, are extremely expensive and fragile.

Projection Walls - Display System

 

There are three projection walls which are half transparent and a floor (fourth wall) that create the physical space of the ReaCTor . The system is back projected to eliminate problems that would be create if front projected. The walls are extremely sensitive, even the lightest pressure damages the walls surface and can leave fingerprints or other deposits that degrade the image quality of the ReaCTor.

Mirrors - Display System

As the ReaCTor is housed in a relatively small room and the projectors require three metres between themselves and the projection screens that make up the walls of the ReaCTor. The room is too small to allow the projectors to simply be placed three metres back from the screens, so mirrors are used so that the projectors may be placed at angles to the ReaCTor. Ordinary glass mirrors cannot provide the exceptionally high image quality required by the ReaCTor, so mylar mirrors are used. These are extremely fragile and easily scratch able.

Shutter Glasses - Display System

To enable users to see stereo images in the ReaCTor, the user must wear special shutter glasses. These shutter glasses are syncronised with the projectors using InfraRed emitters. The projectors project two different images, one for the right eye and one for the left eye. The shutter glasses block the right eye from seeing anything while the left eye's image is being displayed and vice-versa for the right eye. This creates an illusion of depth perception and makes everything in the Virtual Environment appear in 3D right before your eyes. The shutter glasses may be worn directly over normal glasses without any problems.

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