WVU and Datacaster partner to Commercialize Geo-spatial Technologies
“Reality Computing”™ Platform from WVU GeoVirtual Lab will provide 3D Environmental Simulations and Location-Based Services to Industry
MORGANTOWN, W.VA., January 22nd, 2007—West Virginia University Research Corporation and Datacaster Corporation announced today the spin-out of a cutting-edge platform for geo-spatial computing from the research lab into the private sector. Company executives and University researchers will showcase applications of the platform for the energy, natural resources, agriculture, utilities, real estate, municipalities, tourism and entertainment industries during the 2007 WVU Industries of the Future-West Virginia Day (IOF-WV) at the state Capitol tomorrow.
Reality Computing, developed in the University’s GeoVirtual Lab, provides an immersive simulation environment generated with data from aerial images, remote sensors and map services. When connected over wireless networks to the location systems in mobile devices, vehicles and industrial equipment, the Platform provides unique and powerful capabilities for many rapidly growing commercial markets. Geo-spatial technologies, like the popular Google Earth, provide three-dimensional views of land features. Reality Computing takes this one step further by layering in and combining information from soil samples, forest inventories, cartographers, fluid dynamic models and instruments that can measure information on spectra beyond the perception of the human eye. Additionally, Reality Computing distributes relevant information over broadband and wireless networks to users and equipment in the field where information is required from the geo-spatial model.
“The proliferation of GPS systems, the adoption of remote sensing and the reliance on 3D models in industry represents the perfect storm for Reality Computing,” said David Levine, a career West Virginia entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of Datacaster. “To integrate these capabilities in an elegant online platform is an amazing accomplishment for WVU. I look forward to working with the research team on rolling this out to commercial customers.”
A commercially supported version of the platform is expected to be available in October 2007. Datacaster will maintain two offices, with product development and engineering operating out of the WVU Business Incubator in Morgantown, WV and the sales and business development team in Martinsburg, WV.
“We are truly excited about this opportunity to reach a broader market with our software,” said Dr. Trevor Harris, chair of WVU’s Department of Geology and Geology. “At WVU we have spent several years envisioning, researching and implementing geo-spatial technology. It is exciting to see these innovations transition to products that will meet so many real-world market needs.”
Harris co-directs WVU’s GeoVirtual Lab with Vic Baker. The development team also includes WVU research associates Doru Pacurari and Takamitsu Kawai and computer science research associates Brian Smith and Nate Jones. Reality Computing was developed with over $4,000,000.00 in state and federal research grants, including funding from the National Science Foundation and a WVEPSCoR Research Challenge Grant administered by Dr. Paul Hill. The importance of the research undertaken by the GeoVirtual Lab was instrumental in attracting the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service to establish the National Geospatial Development Center at WVU. Officials expect the technology-transfer agreement to boost economic development within West Virginia by making the coal, natural gas and forest products industries more competitive, promoting tourism and real-estate development projects, and by adding jobs to the information technology sector.
“By matching an experienced entrepreneur with groundbreaking research, we are defining the path forward for economic development in West Virginia,” said Bruce Sparks, director of Technology Transfer for WVU. “Research developed and funded through the state’s flagship university will have a positive impact by improving industrial efficiency and ecologically sound practices in West Virginia and around the world.”
Environmental applications include natural resource management, along with land use and municipal planning, to maximize both ecological conservation and economic returns. Location-based services support logistics and operations in pipeline and transmission line maintenance. Levine, Sparks, Harris and Baker will unveil the Reality Computing initiative before the West Virginia Senate Economic Development Committee at 9 a.m. on January 23rd.
-WVU- tw/01/16/07
WVU News on the Web — http://www.wvutoday.wvu.edu
Contacts:
Bruce Sparks - WVU Research Corporation - (304) 293-3776 - Bruce.Sparks@mail.wvu.edu
David Levine - Datacaster Corporation - (304) 876-1054 - Dlevine@datacaster.com