Design study on VR and 3D applications for remote access measurements

Wiebke Laasch, DESY

Alexander Schökel, DESY

Reinhard Schulz-Schaeffer, HAW Hamburg

This project is creating a design study for the visualization of automated measurements for a PETRA III beamline. The aim is to develop interactive 3D applications for the preparation of measurement times or for remote access experiments by users as well as possible support through interactive 3D, virtual reality and mixed reality applications available online. The PETRA III beamline P02.1, which is used to investigate the atomic structure of polycrystalline materials, was selected as an example for this study.

For this design study, an application was conceived and the first steps implemented that show the automated measurements with their interaction possibilities, in the future it can also visualize the underlying physics. This 3D application is to be developed into an epistemic model of the complete measuring station and the possible presettings and options for measurements.

The real-time feedback of the actions is intended to model the effects of specific settings, such as the detectors, on the measurement results. To this end, prototypical samples such as polycrystalline materials (e.g. powder or nanocrystals) can be selected for which either mathematical models for calculating the measurement results or measurement series for relevant setting options are available.

This allows users to prepare a measurement time virtually in advance. This will be particularly relevant if measurement time is to be used even more efficiently in the future, as will also be the case with PETRA IV.

3D and VR applications that visualize complex experiments at synchrotron radiation sources and provide real-time action options are a precursor to remote access experiments. They can also be expanded into applications that control experiments remotely if the corresponding automation is implemented on site at the same time.

Visualization of the PETRA III beamline P02.1.
Copyright: HAW Hamburg /DESY

Visualization of the detector setting of the PETRA III beamline P02.1.
Copyright: HAW Hamburg /DESY

Selection of sample structures.
Copyright: HAW Hamburg /DESY