CS Facilities
The CaveRC: Interactive 3D Visualization Laboratory
Large, multi-screen displays, generally classified as CAVES, expand the field of view in 3-D simulation-based training and virtual reality experiences. CaveRC achieves this effect using common office equipment according to the design outlined by Jacobson and Lewis. The basic construction of CaveRC provides a valuable platform from which to study the effectiveness of large, multi-screen 3D displays.
Research projects evaluate the display from both technological and application perspective.
For more information, contact Dr. Durell Bouchard.
Systems Administrators in Training (SAinT) program
The SAinT program trains students in various systems and network administrations tasks. In the first semester students build a computer from parts, install an operating system, install and configure software packages and learn about administration tasks for stand-alone and multi-user computers. In the second semester, students create a local area network and configure their computers, in turn, to be the gateway for the network. They learn about managing various network services, creating firewalls and client-server applications. Some of these students continue to administer and maintain the computer science departmental server and the departmental computer laboratory. They also learn to maintain and use the departmental cluster computer.
The cluster computer has 64 2GHz processors (arranged as 32 dual processor nodes). Each node has 1 Gigabyte of random access memory and there is a total of 1 Terabyte of storage space, including a RAID unit. The cluster computer is primarily used by students for data collection in their summer research projects.
Some of the projects that have used the cluster are: finding effective channel assignment schemes for wireless networks arranged in three dimensions and finding longest induced paths in d-dimensional hypercubes. The cluster computer is also used to teach special topics courses in parallel computing.
Students have also worked on various projects for the College information technology department. Some of the projects students have worked on are: maintaining the mail server for the campus, developing a library of useful C++ functions to help with the development of CGI (Common Gateway Interface) programs for processing Web forms and developing Web applications for laboratory reservations, online application for admission to the college, interlibrary loan requests, student teaching on the Web and alumni information. Some additional projects have included creating a Web package for instructors to create a customized Web based course, including the ability to create on-line tests and on-line grading of tests and developing a Web package for enabling faculty to apply online for internal funding programs.
For more information, contact Dr. Anil Shende.