UL's LITE Technology Center

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The Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise recently unveiled a web site to provide information to businesses about the opportunities it offers. The LITE center, located in the University of Louisiana's Research Park, will be equipped with one of the largest 3D immersive auditoriums in the country. The center, which is set to open in June, also has a direct connection to the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative. Businesses now can check out the LITE center at www.lite3d.com For information on scheduling the use of LITE's services, send an email to scheduling@lite3d.com The source of the story

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The grand opening of the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise Center has been tentatively set for Aug. 14. The project has been on schedule for the past three months and delays aren't anticipated, said Carolina Cruz-Neira, the center's director and chief scientist. By next week, the center's technology will be fully installed, she said. Nearly half of the building's construction cost of $27.5 million is invested in 3-D immersive technologies. The center will house one of the world's only virtual reality caves and the University of Louisiana's supercomputers that link it to the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative. Cruz is credited as one of the inventors of the six-sided virtual reality cave. "We're almost there. There's some more communication cabling that needs to be wired. At this moment, we're on schedule and have been on the schedule I was presented three months ago," Cruz said. The building's opening had been anticipated for late April. The 70,000-square-foot center is a partnership between the Lafayette Economic Development Authority and the university. Decisions and protocol of the center will be set by a commission, similar to the existing body that makes decisions related to the Cajundome. Commission members should be in place by the grand opening next month, said Gregg Gothreaux, president and CEO of LEDA. It's possible that current board members may sit on the commission, he said. The rest of the story Marsha Sills msills@theadvertiser.com

[CajunCall]

"move into the LITE"

[ulforlife]

i sure hope the put up some nice landscaping, trees and such...

[DaddyCajun]

Some trees are being planted now if someone could take a pic to show to the out-of-towners!

DaddyCajun

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Organizers are expecting 1,500 participants in the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies convention at the Cajundome on Sept. 25-27. Mary Broussard, chairwoman of the convention, said that a centerpiece of the event will be introducing the Louisiana Immersive Technology Enterprise to Gulf Coast researchers who could make use of what it offers. The LITE center will have a 3-D virtual reality cave where geologists can literally step into their work. "We really felt like it was a win-win ... a large market of the LITE will be the geoscience community in the Gulf Coast. For us, it gave us a chance to show off the new facility." The rest of the story Arnessa M. Garrett agarrett@theadvertiser.com

[kracka75LSU]

That place looks really nice from the road. I Passed by there today. Is it going to be open to the public for tours and such. I would like to check that 3-d thing out.

[Turbine]

I find it curious that the last few articles on UL's LITE Center either completely fail to mention UL or barely give a cursory mention of UL being involved.

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Carolina Cruz-Neira holds three passports, studied classical dance, and programs video games for fun. As the executive director and chief scientist of LITE, she has put her stamp on the facility by bringing in a team from around the world to join her in the endeavor. "Most of them are people that - either I knew them personally or I knew their reputation or I met them while I was here and I knew their value for the facility," she says. She put a premium on teamwork when she assembled the group. It does include a few local residents, she said, but she finds her pace can be a bit of a culture shock to some. "The laid-back attitude of Lafayette is great, but I tell them you can be laid-back next month," she laughed. The rest of the story Arnessa M. Garrett agarrett@theadvertiser.com

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The past few months have been a whirlwind for the staff behind the scenes at the LITE center, many of whom have come to Lafayette from other parts of the country and the world. They have worked long hours in the few weeks that some of them have been at the facility, but sometimes they manage to get together for a social outing - getting a taste of the culture at events such as Downtown Alive! They say they were drawn to the LITE center because it offers something unique - a chance to bring visualization technology to a wider audience. "It's the completeness of the project," said Johnny Lawson, visualization systems manager at LITE. "We can support a lot of people, a lot of different events, a lot of needs." Though the technology of LITE is what everyone is talking about, Paul Cutt, chief operating officer, said there's a also a lot of human talent at the center. The rest of the story Arnessa M. Garrett agarrett@theadvertiser.com

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We've seen the egg. We've heard about the 3-D virtual reality "cube." But what will all the gadgets at the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise center really do? Business leaders and economic development officials are hoping the LITE center will do nothing less than spur a technology revolution in the city and bring new ideas and companies to the region. The $27 million, 70,000-square-foot complex on Cajundome Boulevard is set to open Wednesday to great expectations. It brings to Lafayette the world's first immersive 3-D cave that is open to outside commercial use, and also one of the world's fastest supercomputers. Bob Stewart, chairman of the five-member LITE commission that oversees the facility, said the technology at LITE will have a wide range of uses. "This takes us a major step forward for the state in the use of technology to address many kinds of issues. This is the cutting edge of this technology here in Lafayette," Stewart said. The rest of the story Arnessa M. Garrett agarrett@theadvertiser.com

[BeauCajun]

I find it curious that the last few articles on UL's LITE Center either completely fail to mention UL or barely give a cursory mention of UL being involved.

Turbine, I know of 1 UL student employed there. Hint: I've been supporting him for 18 years. I think he's a Techno-LITE gopher.