Dr. Lopes responded to Rattner’s questions about OpenSim, an open source virtual world platform of which she is one of the main architects. She explained the importance of open source infrastructure software that enables the creation of a variety of 3D applications by commercial vendors. Dr. Lopes also explained the importance of interoperability, and how that is being addressed in OpenSim.

Encitra founder Christer Lindstrom has worked with Dr. Lopes and a team of developers to use these very same visualization techniques to model portions of Uppsala, Sweden, for a transportation center planning project, commissioned by the City of Uppsala. This project will be completed by the end of November and presented at the Podcar City Conference in Malmo, Sweden, on Dec. 9, 2009.

The focus of Rattner’s keynote address was to share examples of how high performance computing is being used to deliver cutting edge, 3D collaborative visualizations. By drawing parallels between the start of the 2D Internet and the rise of the 3D Internet today, Rattner demonstrated how an entirely new era of exciting, educational and informative visualization tools will enhance virtual and real worlds for the foreseeable future.