Immersive projection technology for visual data mining

The PlatoCAVE, the MiniCAVE, and the C2 are immersive stereoscopic projection-based virtual reality environments oriented toward group interactions. As such they are particularly suited to collaborative efforts in data analysis and visual data mining. In this article, we provide an overview of virtual reality in general, including immersive projection technology, and the use of stereoscopic displays for data visualization. We discuss design considerations for the construction of these immersive environments including one-wall versus four-wall implementations, augmented reality, stereoscopic placement, head tracking, the use of LCD devices, polarized light stereo, voice control, and image synchronization.