Easy, Cheap, Detailed Re-Use Possible Through New Breakthrough

The breakthroughs seen at the I/ITSEC show in Orlando in early December were, as I've said, truly astonishing. The pace of the development of new training and simulation tools -- hardware and software -- is actually accelerating, rather than tapering off. New tools were everywhere; and there were several that have such far-reaching applications in aviation, that they need to be discovered.

One such tool is NGRAINTM - a breakthrough technology developed by a two-year-old company called i3Dimensions. The company's literature says, "NGRAIN overcomes many of the current voxel and polygon disadvantages through efficient compression and manipulation of massive data files, enabling real-time, interactive visualization of 3D models." That means that 'regular people' can now use the incredible capability of interactive 3D, without needing special training, and without needing high-end hardware. The demonstration I viewed was made on a P3-powered laptop, in fact.

The problems with using engineering 3D data, such as CAD models, usually revolve around two axes: there's a lot of hardware and software required; and there's a lot of specialized expertise needed, to use the data. NGRAIN gets past both problems gracefully, with low-powered computing equipment -- and puts those data into the hands of trainers, manual-writers, marketers, and sales.

In the past, 3D data had to be manipulated and dumbed-down through painstaking processes. That insured that the finished product was never just what was needed; and as needs changed, the 'dumbed-down' data became less useful.

Now, that's not so. NGRAIN technology allows a presenter to peel away "layers" of intricate data, to demonstrate specific components - not in a prepackaged, "it only does this" sort of way, but on the fly, to answer direct questions, in real time.

i3Dimensions has developed a family of products on NGRAIN technology. The "NGRAIN Solution" - as this family of three software applications is called - enables non-technical users to quickly convert, enhance, and interact with complex 3D models.

The NGRAIN Solution lets organizations repurpose existing 3D data - such as the detailed 3D models used in engineering - into compressed and highly interactive datasets that don't require a computer as big as a refrigerator to run. (In fact, a P3 can do the job.)

David Miller, i3Dimensions' Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, told ANN, "Over 35 3D file formats - including CAD, laser scan, and polygon data sets - can be converted into the NGRAIN format. Once NGRAIN'd, complex 3D models are compressed and can be manipulated and modified in real time, all on a common computer. For instance, a 290 MB model of a Jet Fighter was compressed to less than 6 MB and can run on a Pentium 3 laptop."

For the more technical, he continued, "NGRAIN overcomes many of the current voxel and polygon disadvantages through efficient compression and manipulation of massive data files, enabling real-time, interactive visualization of 3D models." He reassured us, though, that NGRAIN "does not require a 3D expert - it allows anyone to leverage 3D data - otherwise restricted to use in engineering - for training, maintenance, customer support, and marketing applications, essentially creating a pipeline for data beyond engineering uses."

NGRAIN models are not just 'hollow shells,' either. Miller told us, "Much of simulation in today's world uses 'surface graphics' -- infinitely thin skin over a hollow object; NGRAIN isn't 'hollow' -- all the details are still in there." And you can show them. NGRAINed models can be cross-sectioned from multiple directions, allowing users to view and interact with their internal components.

Product Manager Josie Simpson told us that, "Prior to NGRAIN, archived 3D CAD models were difficult to use in training, maintenance, and sales applications, due to their size and complexity. NGRAIN lets the data be used again, accessed on laptops or even (in the future) PDAs - everyone from trainers to troubleshooters can use the data -- it's great as a distance learning tool, and can be used either to replace or enhance classroom-based training."

David joined in: "Equipment training is largely about parts familiarization and preparation. Imagine being able to do much of the parts familiarization ahead of time - on your home computer or laptop. NGRAIN gives you a higher level of familiarity of complex equipment and drives knowledge retention."

Josie said NGRAIN provides "a new way to experience equipment. Training with 2D pictures on overhead projectors lacks impact. And moving equipment off-line for training can be very expensive. NGRAIN solves these problems by allowing hands-on training via common desktop and laptop computers."

What it is:

The "NGRAIN Solution" consists of three components:

• The 'NGRAIN Transformer' ($2,995-5500) provides the entry to the NGRAIN world, and allows over 35 3D file formats to be translated to the compressed and interactive NGRAIN format.
• The 'NGRAIN Knowledge Module' ($9,995) is the tool that allows knowledge experts (non-3D experts) to prepare 3D data, for instance, for use in training. It allows non-technical users to add links, logic, and animation to 3D models quickly and with ease. (You can link to an executable file, for, say, maintenance tracking; or to a web page, or to an animation, etc.) This would be great to show assembly sequencing, for example. Oh -- and it keeps you on the right track: if you attach parts out of order, you can get an error message, for instance. Use NGRAIN Knowledge Module to produce interactive 3D visualizations that:
    a) Orient students to parts
    b) Show how an assembly comes apart, through an animation
    c) Allow students to actually try the sequence (and it can correct them).
  (If you're worried that the sequential steps are too rigid, Mr. Miller told us that the assembly sequence, for example, is "not necessarily linear -- you can move from a dead end to an area where you CAN work -- the logic can suggest alternate routes" to getting as much done as possible, in the time available.)
• The third component is the 'NGRAIN Mobilizer' -- the end user application that allows the general population to interact with 3D visualizations and animations ($245 per-user fee, which decreases based on the volume and nature of the implementation). NGRAIN Mobilizer is employed after the 3D model is translated in NGRAIN Transformer and enhanced with links, logic, and animation in NGRAIN Knowledge Module. NGRAIN Mobilizer is the 'deployment piece' of the software. Anything you can put HTML into, you can put Mobilizer into. It's what you use, to interact with the already-prepared 3D models and operates in a web browser. The trainee uses this; demonstrators use this.

David Miller is proud of NGRAIN. "We came into the public eye in August, and we've won 3 awards since then. We premiered officially at I/ITSEC " in early December.

It's remarkable.

Miller said, "The overall benefit of NGRAIN is that it allows depth of data that could never fit on a standard PC. There's no special graphics-card requirement; it's all software-rendered. We're adding value to existing engineering data -- NGRAIN allows manipulation of extremely complex models -- terrain, architecture, assemblies..." It's what he sees as ideal tool for so much "...training, e-learning, maintenance, and sales; in the future we'll integrate physics -- the future will allow even finite element analysis, from existing drawings." Then, in the understatement of the interview, he added, "The foundational technology is really quite powerful."

It's not a CAD product; it's a product that repurposes otherwise archived CAD data, adding value to existing, expensive engineering work.

The presentations you give, or mail out, are safer to share than 'real' engineering data. Ms Simpson said, "Because NGRAIN is a volume-based technology, you are protected from reverse-engineering... It's about taking complex data and making it more-useful -- we're breathing more life into existing data, making it more-usable, by more people."

The future is just about here, too. Mr. Miller said, "There will someday be full fly-through capability. All DC buildings are being laser-scanned now -- you can theoretically go into a building, find an object on the table, and look into it." It works on bigger scales, too: "You could simulate, for instance, bomb crater changes to terrain or buildings -- the technology is in the product... It's really easy 3D, for anyone -- any time, anywhere." The hardware requirement is light: a P3, Win 2000 or XP, 128K RAM; no hardware acceleration is required. David said, "We're looking to put the technology onto something as small as a PDA -- for use by an on-site mechanic, a soldier in the field, or even medical applications." --TK

FMI: www.ngrain.com;
explanation: www.ngrain.com/technology/ngrain_whitepaper.pdf