Associate Professor Paul Pigram demonstrates VisLab1
Image provided courtesy of VeRSI.
May 2011
Marion Shadbolt
On the 18th of March a select group was invited to get the first sneak peek of the new Visualisation Laboratory (VisLab1) at La Trobe University’s Bundoora Campus. VisLab1 has been built as a collaboration among La Trobe’s eResearch Office, Centre for Materials and Surface Science (CMSS) and VeRSI, which aims to provide an immersive environment for a group of up to 30 researchers or students to access instruments from a remote location. The high-tech laboratory contains all the latest in visualisation technology including a 95 m2 multi-screen projection capability, six touch screens and video conferencing equipment, all in 1080p High Definition. Currently, La Trobe houses several state-of-the-art surface science instruments which are provided as a service to 25 Universities, as well as external companies and research organisations. Due to their high-demand, the CMSS decided that they needed to create a better way to enhance research collaboration and enable remote instrument access.
Due to the nature and expense of instruments used in materials and surface science research, sharing instruments is essential but usually means that researchers have to travel to the location of the instrument. This costs both time and money and there are often scheduling and data transportation issues. VisLab1 is able to eliminate these issues and thus represents a great asset to researchers to help enhance their research and collaborate with remote research groups. Within VisLab1 from their remote location, researchers are able to drive the instrument and perform experiments themselves. Alternately they are able to collaborate in a unique way with another team of researchers present at the instrument.
One of these large, expensive instruments is the Australian Synchrotron located in Clayton, Victoria. In fact allowing remote access from La Trobe to the beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron was one of the major drivers behind the creation of VisLab1. Since completion, VisLab1 represents the first fully-functional, immersive space in which to remotely access VBL enabled Beam Lines from The Australian Synchrotron. This also includes the ‘remote administration software’, a form of which also controls the CMSS lab instruments, thus providing a seamless and familiar experience to researchers no matter where they are or the specific instruments they are using.
VisLab1 is also used as an immersive educational tool. La Trobe's Physics and Nano-technology Programs offer tertiary subjects in both Surface Science and Synchrotron Science and Technology. Within these disciplines the conventional lab environment provides a physical experience of an instrument to students but learning about the instrument in this way in a large group often results in some students gaining experience and knowledge while others lose interest because they do not have direct access to the instrument. VisLab1 is able to conquer this challenge because every single student out of a group of 30 is able see and experience every aspect of the instrument and laboratory as if they were in the lab itself.
Associate Professor Paul Pigram is the Director of the Centre for Materials and Surface Science at La Trobe University, and is particularly excited about VisLab1 and its use for research and education. "It allows next generation access to high tech analytical equipment both at La Trobe and at The Australian Synchrotron." Furthermore Dr. Pigram is enthusiastic about VisLab1’s ability to provide “an immersive experience...using the HD video conferencing so that they can understand what the other side are doing and really get that emotional involvement in the analysis.”
At the moment plans are to use VisLab1 for accessing instruments locally at La Trobe and access beamlines remotely at the Australian Synchrotron, but the potential for this equipment is limitless. In coming months the addition of a VisWall to enable ultra-high-definition imaging of the results of the analysis will aid research and teaching greatly. Furthermore, the addition of access to international instruments such as the Argonne Photon Source at Chicago, Canadian Light Source and BESSY Synchrotron in Berlin will be vital to extending the reach of Physics researchers at La Trobe who otherwise would have to travel to these places.
The main launch of VisLab1 will take place later this year.
For more information about VisLab1 please contact Michael D’Silva.