University of Illinois - Chicago Circle

Dan Sandin came to UICC from the University of Wisconsin in 1971 and developed the Sandin Image Processor, which could be thought of as the visual counterpart to the MOOG synthesizer. He was joined the next year by Tom DeFanti, who had developed the Graphics Symbiosis System (GRASS) as part of his PhD work with Chuck Csuri at the CGRG at Ohio State. Together, they organized the Circle Graphics Habitat, which became an environment for experimental computer graphics, video production, and educational materials development.

Some of the most important early work at the Habitat revolved around the Z Box (Z-50 processor) project, which resulted in the development of ZGRASS, which was an erly PC-based graphics system for the Bally computer (1981). In the words of Jane Veeder, it provided "...real time animation and real time sound synthesis accessed by a custom language optimized for interactive artmaking, all wrapped up together like a hot little sports car." The box had an NTSC video output port, which provided video recording and display capabilities for artisits. DeFanti et al attempted to commercialize the product through their company, Real Time Design, Inc.

Later contributions have been in mathematics visualization and virtual reality, including the CAVE environment and the Immersadesk. DeFanti also contributed immensly to the SIGGRAPH organization, as its President and with contributions to their annual conference.

The ZGRASS box

Dan Sandin in front of the Sandin Image Processor

The system in use at Circle Graphics Habitat

The CAVE system

The Sandin Image Processor article