SGI Somnigroup International Inc

Italian Police Investigators Use SGI Virtual Reality System to Re-Create Crime Scenes 3D System Powered by SGI Helps Visualize Eye-witness Accounts, Bullet Trajectories, Placement of Objects ROME, May 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A forensics laboratory here is using a sophisticated computer system to reproduce crime scenes, re-creating everything from the path of a bullet to the movement of a corpse with startling realism. The first-of-its-kind system, powered by a visualization system from Silicon Graphics (NYSE:SGI), is located at Rome's RiTriDEC (Ricostruzione Tridimensionale della Dinamica dell'Evento Criminale) laboratory. The system is believed to be the most advanced virtual reality theater dedicated to criminal analysis. It is operated by the investigating unit of the Italian state police: the Polizia Scientifica Italiana's Unita' per l'Analisi del Crimine Violento, which is known for its ability to solve international murders. "One of the systems' biggest advantages is in reenacting the event through the eyes of different witnesses: to evaluate the reliability of a deposition or to check on particular conditions of a crime scene," says Carlo Bui, who supervises the project. "It helps us answer very specific questions: What could the victim see? What could the witness see? What was the distance between, say, the door and the couch?" Bui says that the system powered by SGI is especially good at representing complex events such as a projectile trajectory, making a ballistics expert's calculations readily understandable to others. Detectives can even view the screen stereoscopically using special glasses, synchronized to the computer through an infrared signal. At the heart of the Reality Center(R) is a six-processor SGI(R) Onyx(R) 350 InfiniteReality4(TM) graphics system computer, which manages three Barco projectors, as well as the acoustic and stereoscopic systems. Images are displayed on an 18 x 7-foot floor-level screen, large enough to recreate the actual crime with startling realism. The virtual 3D crime scenes help investigators visualize everything from on-the-spot written records to laser-produced measurements-even accepting video from closed circuit cameras. Bullet trajectories, blood drops, and the movement of corpses can all be animated. Objects can be placed in absolute or relative position to a victim, aggressor, or witness. The SGI system can cross-check dimensions for accuracy and calculate the exact angle of the sun. The turnaround from raw data to completed 3D model is fast: typically within 24 hours. "In studying the scene of a crime, an investigator must behave like an art critic," says Bui. "It is like analyzing a picture-it is important to grasp even the smallest details within the scene. SGI's advanced graphics solutions allow us to reproduce even tiny details, like a reflection on a glossy surface." Officials from Polizia Scientifica Italiana's Unita' per l'Analisi del Crimine Violento will present the keynote speech at the upcoming SGI User Group 2005 Conference, June 13 - 16 in Munich, Germany. For more information visit http://www.sgi.com/company_info/events/sgiug2005.html . SILICON GRAPHICS | The Source of Innovation and Discovery(TM) SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics, Inc., is a leader in high-performance computing, visualization and storage. SGI's vision is to provide technology that enables the most significant scientific and creative breakthroughs of the 21st century. Whether it's sharing images to aid in brain surgery, finding oil more efficiently, studying global climate, providing technologies for homeland security and defense or enabling the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, SGI is dedicated to addressing the next class of challenges for scientific, engineering and creative users. With offices worldwide, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and can be found on the Web at http://www.sgi.com/. NOTE: Silicon Graphics, SGI, Reality Center, Onyx, the SGI cube and the SGI logo are registered trademarks, and InfiniteReality4 and The Source of Innovation and Discovery are trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries worldwide. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. MEDIA CONTACTS Caroline Japic SGI 650.933.7210 SGI PR HOTLINE 650.933.7777 SGI PR FACSIMILE 650.933.0283 DATASOURCE: SGI CONTACT: Caroline Japic, +1-650-933-7210, or , or PR HOTLINE, +1-650-933-7777, or PR FACSIMILE, +1-650-933-0283, all of SGI Web site: http://www.sgi.com/

Copyright