Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 19, 1401029 (2024)

Regular Articles

Digital-LHD: LHD Visualizer for Head-Mounted Display Systems
Nobuaki OHNO1,2), Fuko TAKANO2), Ami YAMANAKA2), Hiroaki OHTANI3,4), Akira KAGEYAMA5)
1)
Graduate School of Information Science, University of Hyogo, Kobe 651-2197, Japan
2)
School of Social Information Science, University of Hyogo, Kobe 651-2197, Japan
3)
National Institute for Fusion Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Toki 509-5292, Japan
4)
Fusion Science Program, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Toki 509-5292, Japan
5)
Graduate School of System Informatics, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
(Received 9 July 2024 / Accepted 31 August 2024 / Published 10 November 2024)

Abstract

We developed a virtual reality visualization program, Digital-LHD, for modern Head-Mounted Display (HMD) systems. Digital-LHD provides an immersive environment for the interactive visualization of plasma data related to the Large Helical Device (LHD). Its predecessor, Virtual-LHD, was developed for CAVE systems, which were limited in accessibility due to their cost and size. The newly developed Digital-LHD utilizes Unity and C# to offer interactive 3D visualization. Digital-LHD includes features such as isosurface rendering, magnetic field line tracing, particle trajectory visualization, and new functionalities like local arrow glyphs and a plasma pressure color contour. The enhanced interactivity and intuitive GUI have improved the user experience. Digital-LHD enables fusion plasma researchers to perform immersive visualizations with HMDs, providing a more accessible and cost-effective solution.

Keywords

scientific visualization, virtual reality, head-mounted display, large helical device, simulation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.1401029

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