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Building 3D Models for the WebProject Information |
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IUP South Campus Arboretum (Client: Jerry Pickering, Biology Department, IUP) To develop a design and build a model for a proposed arboretum on IUP's south campus. |
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Thomas Covered Bridge (Client: Barb Shaffer, Indiana County Tourist Bureau) Indiana County's covered bridges are popular tourist attractions. The latest bridge to be restored, and the county's longest covered bridge, is the Thomas Covered Bridge. Students will create a model of this bridge and its surroundings. |
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Coal Mine (Client: Eileen Mountjoy, Archives and Special Collections Librarian, IUP Libraries and Media Resources) Suggested projects for VRML students involving industrial heritage could include at least three progressive aspects of the mining industry in Indiana County. First, the formation, extraction, and utilization of bituminous coal from 1860-1933 could be explored through the creation of three-dimensional visualization. In another project, the impact of coal mining on the environment by the construction of mines, coke ovens, tipples, railroads, and worker housing could be documented. A third related subject could include the social organization of an early mining town, showing patterns of immigration, family life, forms of recreation, and the depiction of mining town folklore and foodways. All of these projects and others based on the same topic could be supported by photographs, documents, and other research material in the Archives and Special Collection section of Stapleton Library. |
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Silver Jewelry Model (Client: Lynda LaRoche, Art Department, IUP) Lynda LaRoche creates architecturally-inspired pieces of sterling silver. |
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Modeling Sculpture Designs (Client: Ronald Ali, Art Department, IUP) Ron Ali is a sculpture interested in creating three dimensional models of proposed works. |
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Theater Stage Designs and Lightning (Client: Brian Jones, Theater Department, IUP) Brian Jones is a scenery and lightning designer interested in experimenting with various lightning conditions for scenery designs. |
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Memorial Garden (Client: Bob Rittle, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Indiana) The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Indiana needs a model for a proposed memorial garden on their property. It has been difficult for the church property committee to envision a finished garden, in part because some type of fill will probably be needed to best utilize the sloped area of the garden. It would be helpful to develop several models, including one in which a retaining wall creates some level spaces and some sloped spaces. Also, one or more large trees would be planned to provide shaded areas for most parts of the day. One of the models might also propose a fountain, a pool, and/or a place to list the names of the people being remembered in the garden. The perimeters of the memorial garden have been set as follows. The area is 60 feet in its north-south dimension by 40 feet in its east-west dimension. The north end is bound be a strip of ornamental grasses. The south end is defined by a mulched area with hemlock trees and rhododendron, but this area will need additional plantings. The committee has decided on one addition at the south end: a pin oak tree at a spot marked by a stake. The garden is bound on the east by a row of arborvitae trees that will be trimmed to a height of five feet. From this row of trees, the garden extends west across fairly level ground for 20 feet, and then continues down a slope for about 20 feet. A row of autumn olive trees marks the west end of the garden. The area within the garden is currently planted in grass, with the exception of one white birch tree. The property committee envisions one or two benches as part of the landscaping. As noted above, major landscaping plans are needed for the sloped part that comprises the western half of the garden. |
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The Distribution of Sediments in Space and Time (Client: Steve Hovan, Geoscience Department, IUP) The present distribution of sediments in the deep sea is determined by their source and physical and chemical factors that control their deposition. In a broad sense, we can divide oceanic sediments into two main categories - lithogenic and biogenic. Lithogenic sediments are those derived from continental lands or deep sea volcanoes and are carried to the oceans by rivers, wind, and icebergs. Biogenic sediments are formed from the accumulation of skeletal matter produced by plants and animals living in the marine environment and deposited on the seafloor after death. The modern pattern of sediment deposition is controlled by factors related to source, transport, accumulation, and post-depositional alteration. In turn, two factors ultimately govern these processes: solar energy manifested in terms of climate and the dynamics of the ocean; and atmosphere and the Earth's thermal history manifested in terms of global plate tectonics, surface relief and source rock geology. Thus, if we can identify past patterns of sediment deposition in the world's ocean through space and time, we should be able to reconstruct past global environments that govern their distribution. The past few decades have witnessed significant advances in our ability to recover deep sea sediment cores using drilling technology, and we have accumulated an extensive collection of data concerning the distribution of sediments through time too. Though much study has been performed on the detailed regional records of sediment accumulation, few people have mapped large-scale patterns of sediment thickness/composition. I would like to examine the broad distribution of sedimentation in the Pacific Ocean during that past 65 million years. During this time, the earth has evolved from a global climate dominated by relative warm climates into one dominated by unipolar glaciation (Antarctica, appx 35 million years ago) and finally into a bi-polar glacial system with the onset of northern hemisphere glaciation appx 2.5 million years ago. The oceanic/climatic response to these very different types of glabal ice arrangment should be very apparent in deep sea sediment records. |
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Burnside Bridge, Battle of Antietam (Client: Rick McFerron, Wildcat Regiment Band, Band of the 105th PA Volunteers) The Battle of Antietam, named for Antietam Creek and referred to as the Battle of Sharpsburg by the South, marks the end of Robert E. Lee's invasion into the North. On September 17, 1862 over 23,000 men were killed, wounded or reported missing, making Antietam the bloodiest single day of the Civil War. During the middle of the day, a bridge over the creek became an important point of conflict. Union General Ambrose Burnside lead his 12,500 men southwest across a wide field to attack the bridge. On the other side of the creek, high on a bluff about 400 Georgians were able to hold off the union troops for hours. It was not until the soldiers of the Pennsylvania 51st Infantry were granted a reinstatement of their whiskey ration, did Burnside's men momentarily take the bridge. It was too late, A. P. Hill's southern troops had sufficient time to march from Harpers Ferry to join the battle. The significance of the flat terrain, the meandering creek, the well constructed, handsome bridge, and the dangerous elevation of the position of the Confederate troops makes this a ideal project for a 3D representation. For a modern photograph of the bridge with the Wildcat Band marching over it, see: http://www.wildcatband.com/antietam.html. |
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Campus Planning (Client: Bob Marx, IUP Campus Planning) Build a model of a campus construction project. |
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Computer Classroom Design (Client: David Rodgers, Department of Human Development and Environmental Studies) Students would model the computer classroom I designed in Ackerman Hall, Room 110 A. This effort would be very valuable when planning the subsequent design of other, similar technology enhanced learning environments at IUP and elsewhere. |
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Antique Fountain Pens and Their Filling Mechanisms (Client: Francisco Alarcón, Mathematics Department, IUP Fountain pens were widely used from their invention around 1890 until the introduction of ballpoint pens around 1945. From around 1950 to 1980 pens were almost never used in the USA, although they have always remained in use in many other countries. A variety of filling mechanisms have been developed for use in fountain pens. Students would model antique fountain pens and some of the most popular filling mechanisms and prepare a short historical description of the development of fountain pens. |
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IUP
South Campus (Client: Bob Marx, Engineering and Construction Group, IUP) |
| Architectural drawings and maps exist to show the campus' planned expansions. However, the general public is not trained to read these drawings and maps. The community will better be able to visualize and evaluate the proposed expansions if they can walk through 3D models of the projects. Initial projects could include the south campus extension and the president's house. |
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Molecular
Modeling (Client: George Long, IUP Chemistry Department) |
| The project will use VRML to model the process of chemical bonding and interaction. This could be something as simple as the solvation of a salt, or as complex as a enzyme substrate interaction. The VRML world created will be used by chemistry students to study various chemical processes. |
| Coal
Mining Town
(Clients: Phil Zorich and Eileen Cooper) |
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Suggested projects for VRML students involving industrial
heritage could include at least three progressive aspects of
the mining industry in Indiana County. First, the formation,
extraction, and utilization of bituminous coal from 1860-1933
could be explored through the creation of three-dimentional
visualization. In another project, the impact of coal mining on the
environment by the construction of mines, coke ovens, tipples, railroads,
and worker housing could be documented. A third related subject could
include the social organization of an early mining town, showing patterns
of immigration, family life, forms of recreation, and the depiction of
mining town folklore and foodways. All of these projects and others based on the same topic could be supported by photographs, documents, and other research material in the Archives and Special Collection section of Stapleton Library. |
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Office Furniture Design
(Client: Jeffrey Tobin) |
| It would be valuable to us if our customers were able to define a space, place furniture, view it from the "inside", and move around within that space. The value for our customers would be in their ability to have a much greater conception of space utilization when planning their offices. Our benefit would come from better educated customers, the value of pre-established office space criteria, and the speed and accuracy at which we are able to understand their needs. |
| Least Squares
Regression
(Client: Fred Morgan, Mathematics Department, IUP) |
| Least squares regression techniques yield the plane that "best" fits a response variable, z, as a function of two predictor variables, x and y. A three-dimensional representation of this plane and the data points would be useful to a data analyst in determining adequacy of the model and outliers. |
| Indiana Historic
District
(Client: Alice Lackner) |
| We suggest a project that would create a VRML walk-through of the restored areas of the Silas Clark Mansion, including a walking tour of the Indiana Historic District and historic homes on South Sixth Street, from Philadelphia Street to School Street. |
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Monongahela Steel Valley (Client: Doris Dyen, Director of Cultural Conservation. |
| U.S. Steel/Carnegie Mills "Flyover" The complex of mills owned by U.S. Steel stretched from the Pittsburgh city line south along both shores of the Monongahela River for about 10 miles. Included were the Homestead Works/Carrie Furnaces, the Edgar Thomson Works at Braddock, the Irvin Works at West Mifflin, and the Clairton Works. Of these, only the Edgar Thomson and Irvin mills and the by-product coking facility at Clairton are still operating. We have aerial photos of the area, historic photos of the mills in operation, some photos taken during demolition, and current photos of the operating sites. |
| Mayan Archeology (Client: Beverly Chiarulli, Anthropology Department, IUP) |
| The Mayan culture has been described by many as the Greeks of the New World. The Mayas inhabited the region now including the southern part of Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula) Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. Many wonderful sites exist, but few are completely excavated. In this project a Mayan site would be reconstructed using VRML. |
| Campus Planning (Client: Bob Marx, Engineering and Construction Group, IUP) |
| Architectural drawings and maps exist to show the campus' planned expansions. However, the general public is not trained to read these drawings and maps. The community will better be able to visualize and evaluate the proposed expansions if they can walk through 3D models of the projects. Initial projects could include the south campus extension, the president's house, or the proposed Greek housing complex. |
| Coal Mine (Client: Phil Zorich and Eileen Mountjoy Cooper, Archives and Special Collections Librarian, IUP Libraries and Media Resources) |
| Suggested projects for VRML students involving industrial
heritage could include at least three progressive aspects of
the mining industry in Indiana County. First, the formation,
extraction, and utilization of bituminous coal from 1860-1933
could be explored through the creation of three-dimensional
visualization. In another project, the impact of coal mining on the
environment by the construction of mines, coke ovens, tipples, railroads,
and worker housing could be documented. A third related subject could
include the social organization of an early mining town, showing patterns
of immigration, family life, forms of recreation, and the depiction of
mining town folklore and foodways. All of these projects and others based on the same topic could be supported by photographs, documents, and other research material in the Archives and Special Collection section of Stapleton Library. |
| Trilobite Anatomy (Client: John Taylor, Geoscience Department, IUP) |
| I would like an assembly of a specific trilobite species or two from loose, disarticulated skeletal parts (just like the museum assembly of dinosaur skeletons from their loose bones) for 3-D viewing, including rotation to allow evaluation of the species' appearance from a variety of angles. One species in particular is very well represented in my collections (and growing assemblage of black & white photographs from vavious angles). I will be naming this species (previously undescribed) Praepatokephalus sulcatus. It is a marvelous little beast with lots of unusual and intricate features (spines, furrows, knobs, surface sculpture) that will make its assemble intriguing. Also, some of the parts that I have are only tentatively attributed to this species; if any of those "bones" prove (in the computer) difficult or impossible to fit in with the others, then we may have accomplished something in determining that they are part of a different critter. |
| Downtown Indiana (Client: Jeff Tobin, Executive Committee, Downtown Indiana, Inc.) |
| As a member of the executive committee of Downtown Indiana, Inc, I would like to ask that Downtown Indiana, Inc. be considered for one of your upcoming programming classes concerning VRML. As discussed, it would be valuable to the organization if prospective customers were able to walk the streets of the downtown and to view the goods and services offered by the merchants of the district. More than just a page of links, a virtual downtown would help people from outside the community to gain a better appreciation for this area; local customers would become better educated about products and services, and all would benefit from gaining a better "lay of the land". |
| Jimmy Stewart Museum (Client: Christine Brownlee, Marketing Director for Indiana County) |
| Plans exist to build a new site for the Jimmy Stewart Museum. The proposed building would replicate the original Stewart family hardware store in downtown Indiana. Students will model the proposed building and interior using VRML. |
| Indiana Historic District (Client: Alice Lackner, Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County) |
| We suggest a project that would create a VRML walk-through of the restored areas of the Silas Clark Mansion, including a walking tour of the Indiana Historic District and historic homes on South Sixth Street, from Philadelphia Street to School Street. |
| Homestead Steel Works or Pinkerton Landing (Client: Doris Dyen, Steel Industrial Heritage Corporation) |
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Maintained by
H. Edward Donley
<hedonley@grove.iup.edu>
and Francisco Alarcón
<falarcon@grove.iup.edu>
Created by Alex Rolón <hsgg@grove.iup.edu>
Last Modified Monday, 13-Aug-2001 16:53:49 EDT