All fields of science are using large data sets that may encompass 3, 4, or more dimensions. Virtual reality gives the researcher the opportunity to look at 3 or more dimensions at once, and at human scale. This is useful in cases where being immersed in the data can lead to new insights—such as architecture, where the researcher can now physically move through their design before the structure is built. Virtual reality can also allow researchers to visualize complex data sets, such as 3D fluid flows that are moving through a space.
Explore Immersion Lab multi-dimensional data visualization tools using the buttons below.
Return to the capabilities page. | See all the tools.
Sample projects & research
MIT.nano's Cryo-EM facility
Using tools at the Immersion Lab, Ed Brignole, Assistant Director of the Cryo-EM facility, steps inside a virtual, human-scale 3D model of a actual protein structure he previously imaged using cryo-electron microscopy. Enabling structural biologists to study and interact with molecules at the scale of a human, to stand inside the molecular structures and view them from many angles, might help researchers gain new insights into enzyme functions and more.
Related MIT centers & labs
Center for Transportation and Logistics
GIS & Data Lab | MIT Libraries