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	SUN INTRODUCES VISUALIZATION SOFTWARE FOR SPARCSTATIONS

SunFLASH Vol 15 #10 					 March 1990 
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Advanced Visualization At Very Low Cost On The Desktop
  
ANAHEIM, Calif.--March 19, 1990-- At the National Computer Graphics
Association (NCGA) '90 conference today, Sun Microsystems introduced
SunVision(TM), the industry's first software product that gives
developers and sophisticated users a wide range of visualization tools
and libraries on low-cost SPARC(TM)-based workstations.

SunVision delivers image processing, volume rendering and
photo-realistic rendering capabilities in Sun's OpenWindows(TM)
application environment.  OpenWindows combines the X11/NeWS    Window
System with OPEN LOOK(TM), an intuitive, easy-to-use graphical
interface.

The introduction of SunVision and of XGL(TM) -- a graphics software
library also unveiled today -- gives Sun the widest range of integrated
graphics and imaging products in the workstation industry.

For less than $16,000, including hardware and software, the
SPARCstation 1(TM) running SunVision offers a complete visualization
development environment on the desktop.  Comparable software has been
available only on graphics supercomputers in the $80,000 to $100,000
range.  By dramatically cutting the cost of powerful visualization
tools, SunVision makes this advanced technology available to a wider
range of developers and users.

While SunVision is ideal for application developers, sophisticated end
users in the scientific and medical communities can also take advantage
of its broad capabilties to perform many advanced visualization tasks
right on the desktop at a low cost.

SunVision is well suited for developing applications for users in areas
such as medical imaging for surgical planning, diagnostics and
radiology, remote sensing for satellite data interpretation, scientific
visualization for finite element analysis and realistic rendering for
architecture and engineering.

A Comprehensive, Integrated Development Solution

With SunVision, developers have the industry's most comprehensive,
highly integrated, low-cost solution for designing visualization
applications for the scientific and engineering sectors.  Included in
SunVision are two new programming interfaces for developing software
for SPARC-based systems: an image processing library and a high-quality
renderer, which has RenderMan   -compatible interfaces.

"Since a SPARCstation 1 running SunVision is such a functional,
inexpensive development platform, it can be used to design a whole new
generation of powerful applications that cost a third of what's
presently available," said Mary Whitton, director of marketing for
visualization products.  "This presents an attractive business
opportunity for developers of high-volume visualization applications."

Integrated Visualization Capabilities

SunVision consists of libraries and advanced tools that integrate key
elements of visualization: image processing, volumetric data display,
3-D interactive graphics and high-quality rendering.  All SunVision
tools share the OPEN LOOK interface and common data and image formats,
providing a cohesive visualization environment.  In addition, a user
can easily reconfigure the elements of the interface, without
programming, to best suit individual needs.

SunVision includes these components:

  An image processing tool for sophisticated analysis and manipulation
of images and a tool for developing image processing applications.
  A volume rendering tool for rendering and analyzing 3-D volumetric
data.
  A window-based interactive graphics tool for the display and
manipulation of geometric data sets.
  A high-quality, script-driven rendering tool for the creation of
photorealistic images from geometric data.
  A movie display tool that allows users to display sequences of
previously computed frames.


SunVision is priced at $3,000 and will be shipped in 120 days.
Run-time and source code licensing are available.

Sun Microsystems, Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is a
leading worldwide supplier of network-based distributed computing
systems, including professional workstations, servers and UNIX(R)
operating system and productivity software.

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X11/NeWS is a registered trademark and SunVision, SPARC, OpenWindows
and XGL and are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc.  OPEN LOOK is a
trademark and UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T.  RenderMan is a
registered trademark of Pixar.  All other products or services
mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks or service
marks of their respective companies or organizations.

For reader inquiries, telephone 1-800-821-4643 outside California.
Inside California, call 1-800-821-4642.

Press Contact:
Carrie Dillon (415) 336-3564

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Sunflash is an electronic mail news service from Sun Microsystems,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Please address comments to John McLaughlin
(sun!sunvice!johnj or johnj@sunvice.sun.COM). (305) 776-7770.