The DLR Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Centre) is the German Federal Republic's research centre for air and space travel. Its comprehensive research and development work in air, space travel, energy and transport are linked together with national and international cooperation. Beyond its own research, the DLR has been assigned by the Federal government to be responsible for the planning and implementation of German space travel interests.
The DLR research portfolio runs from basic research through to the innovative applications and products of tomorrow and it operates major research facilities for its own projects, while also providing service for customers and partners. In total, the DLR employs some 6,700 employees at several German locations and also maintains offices in Brussels, Paris and Washington D.C.
Usually, the DLR at Oberpfaffenhofen is a high-security facility where nobody enters without security checks. But on October 24, 2010, the Institute held an open day and despite the rain and cold, thousands came in order to finally view the hi-tech centre in person.
One of the research centres which provoked high interest was the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics run by Prof. Gerhard Hirzinger, where researchers and technicians work together in order to realise solutions to various tasks which involve the tactile sensitivity of machines.
For example: a glove, with which a gripper hand can be precisely controlled. In Oberpfaffenhofen, work is already being carried out upon robots that can be directly and precisely controlled with one's own brainwaves. This is also just a beginning, since there are ever more developments that are born here.
Innovative researcher Prof. Hirzinger has already brought many research projects into being. As a result of these, many products and developments have originated that do not just find good use in space, but also here on Earth.
No surprise then, that the hall with robots was one of the most popular destinations for visitors. In addition, all guests were able to enjoy large image projection, since the 12.30 x 6.75 metre screen could easily be seen in a full house above the heads of the visitors. Apart from robot technology, the hall also includes a flight simulator for pilot training.
Here, two Christie Roadster HD18K units were deployed that were equipped with special polarisation filters and fitted by the TMP Mediagroup managed by Manfred Reich. Four technicians were onsite for 14 days in order to realise the superlative 3D system. On this simulator pilots are, for example, to be trained to fly using 3D eye glasses at accelerations of up to 12 g, whereby just 1 g corresponds to 9.81 metres per second squared.
Manfred Reich and his team have set up an individual control in Oberpfaffenhofen that includes a 5.1 sound system and this video system works with conventional computer sources. TMP even constructed a dedicated new 3D workstation with satellite reception for stereo, Blu-ray handling and all further technical facilities that are currently available in series production.
The 3D projection there is performed in passive stereo with the aid of polarisation eye glasses and it was decided to opt for the latter, since the wastage factor of the eye glasses could still be reasonably viable financially. The projection was made onto an appropriate silver screen that was optimised for these 3D projections.
The TMP Mediagroup has already been working for 15 years as a supplier of 3D systems for European aerospace, although a projection of this size was something special even for Manfred Reich, as he explained: “For us, the major challenge in Oberpfaffenhofen was the uniform illumination of a screen like that, while maintaining a reasonable cost-effectiveness ratio. We are working with a high degree of brightness in the room, yet were able to do a reasonable job thanks to the correct projectors with the simulators.”
This was also the reason why Reich decided to opt for 3 chip DLP® projectors with 18,000 ANSI Lumen: “Christie simply has the most experience in 3 chip DLP technology, as well as the largest range of devices. Finally, it is a question of the quality and the image, and a full HD 3D setup with 3 chip DLP Xenon devices is certainly the best option.”
At a total price of some 200,000 euro, the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German Aerospace Center was provided with a hi-tech 3D projection unit with which Prof. Hirzinger is completely satisfied. Here, a team of some 200 confront new challenges every day, be it a question of wing simulations and other new developments. The open day was a welcome change and generated great enthusiasm with young people who for the first time were able to use the joystick in their hands to guide the ‘aircraft’ more or less safely above the countryside.