Technical and Marketing Cooperation to Enable New Classes of 3D
SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- 3Dlabs(R), Inc. (Nasdaq: TDDD)
and Real Time Visualization (RTViz), a division of Mitsubishi Electric, today
announced a technical and marketing collaboration to tightly integrate the
products of both companies. This collaboration is expected to enable a new
class of advanced visualization applications that require the seamless
blending of polygonal graphics and voxel-based volumetric rendering. The
first results of this collaboration will be optimized drivers from 3Dlabs for
its Oxygen(R) family of professional graphics accelerators that enable the
real-time integrated display of OpenGL(R) graphics and volumes rendered on
RTViz VolumePro(TM) accelerators. These drivers are expected to ship from
3Dlabs in the third quarter of 2000. Both companies are actively
investigating longer-term board and silicon level inter-operability of their
product lines.
Voxels (volume elements) represent the internal structure of objects
acquired from real world sample data such as CT, MRI, Ultrasound, sonic, radar
and other discrete acquisition methods. Polygons define surface
characteristics and are represented as geometrical mesh triangles. Users have
long desired the ability to render and visualize both primitives together in
real time. For example, doctors need to visualize the scalpel (polygons)
inside the brain (voxels) and geologists need to visualize well-head data
(polygons) inside the earth's fault subsurface strata (voxels) as they search
for oil.
"The merging of polygonal and voxel techniques establishes the next
significant advance in 3D graphics technology -- enabling a wide range of
advanced vertical applications on the PC," said Jamie Jacobs, General Manager
of Real Time Visualization. "3Dlabs' leadership in professional graphics and
their responsiveness to the requirements of integrated 3D graphics makes them
the natural partner for us as we undertake this new initiative that will
leverage the technology leadership of both companies."
"RTViz is the undisputed leader in hardware accelerated volume rendering
with the highly innovative VolumePro architecture and we are delighted to work
closely with this highly-regarded team," said Neil Trevett, vice president of
marketing, 3Dlabs. "We will be working hard to support the needs of RTViz and
to enable end-users, integrators and OEMs leverage the power of interactive,
real-time, seamlessly integrated voxel and polygonal rendering."
About Real Time Visualization
Real Time Visualization, a division of Mitsubishi Electric and
headquartered in Concord, MA, has pioneered the commercialization of real time
3D volume rendering PC hardware. It's first product, called VolumePro, has
been shipping to users since May 1999, and has won numerous industry awards
for product innovation for 3D graphics hardware development. RTViz sells to
OEMs and systems integrators from industries that cover a broad range of
vertical markets including medical, geophysical, scientific, industrial,
simulation, research and others. For more information, see http://www.rtviz.com.
About 3Dlabs
Founded in 1994, 3Dlabs is a leading supplier of integrated hardware and
software graphics accelerator solutions for workstations and design
professionals. 3Dlabs develops silicon, boards and software drivers to create
products that effectively meet the performance and quality needs of users who
rely on graphics for their productivity. 3Dlabs sells its award-winning
Wildcat and Oxygen products to leading system OEMs including Compaq, Dell,
Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intergraph Computer
Systems, Hitachi, NEC and Sun Microsystems; through an international
distributor and reseller network and directly to end-users at 3Dlabs' online
store. The performance-leading Wildcat and high volume Oxygen accelerator
families target complementary segments of the Computer Aided Design (CAD),
Digital Content Creation (DCC), geophysical, medical and visual simulation
markets, resulting in the broadest range of professional graphics products in
the industry today. 3Dlabs has operations in Alabama, California, Colorado,
Massachusetts, Texas, Washington, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. For
more information, please visit http://www.3dlabs.com.
Forward Looking Statement
Various matters set forth in this press release, such as statements
relating to the collaboration between 3Dlabs and RTViz and the engineering and
commercial benefits expected from the relationship are forward-looking
statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, 3Dlabs ability to manufacture, produce and
deliver its silicon products in a timely, cost-effective and
commercially-viable manner; the ability of 3Dlabs to obtain and keep design
wins for these products; the ability of 3Dlabs silicon to adequately meet the
price/performance requirements of its customers; the impact and pricing of
competitive products; the introduction of alternative technological advances
and other risks detailed from time-to-time in 3Dlabs' SEC reports.
NOTE: 3Dlabs, Oxygen, Permedia and PowerThreads are registered trademarks
or trademarks of 3Dlabs Ltd., 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd., or 3Dlabs Inc. in the
United States and/or other countries. VolumePro is a trademark of Real Time
Visualization Inc. OpenGL is a trademark of SGI Inc. All other product
names, trademarks, and/or company names are used solely for identification and
belong to their respective owners.
SOURCE 3Dlabs, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.3dlabs.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990623/TDDDLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467
CONTACT:
Steve Sandy, Vice President, Marketing of
RTViz, 408-774-3092, or sandy@rtviz.com; or Neil Trevett, Vice
President, Marketing of 3Dlabs, Inc., 408-530-4750, or
neil.trevett@3dlabs.com
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