Lisa Snyder, a modeling and visualization expert at UCLA’s Institute for Digital Research and Education (IDRE), was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Implementation grant to develop new runtime software for interacting with highly detailed, three-dimensional computer models of historic urban environments. The grant is also funding the creation of a repository and archive in conjunction with UCLA’s Digital Library Program.
“The software, known as VSim, was specifically designed to facilitate the use of 3D content in classrooms across the humanities disciplines and across all grade levels,” said Snyder, who is developing the software in collaboration with Scott Friedman, IDRE’s chief technologist.
VSim has three major functions. First and foremost, it facilitates real-time exploration of 3D content. Using the software, people can explore beautiful churches in cities across Europe, witness the reconstruction of ancient Egyptian temple complexes and travel back in time to walk the streets of the famed World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893.
VSim also offers a narrative feature, allowing instructors to create linear presentations similar to PowerPoint or Prezi but in a 3D environment. Finally, VSim allows users to embed within the 3D space content such as web resources, audio files, videos, static images, notes about the computer model or source material.
Snyder holds a Ph.D. in architecture from UCLA’s Department of Architecture and Urban Design.
Learn more in this IDRE story.
