From news@bga.com Thu Dec 1 12:07:50 1994 Return-Path: Received: from mx5.u.washington.edu by stein2.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW94.10/UW-NDC Revision: 2.32 ) id AA21491; Thu, 1 Dec 94 12:07:50 -0800 Received: from hitl-new.hitl.washington.edu by mx5.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW94.10/UW-NDC Revision: 2.31 ) id AA18540; Thu, 1 Dec 94 12:07:40 -0800 Received: by hitl.hitl.washington.edu; id AA18481; Thu, 1 Dec 1994 12:04:11 -0800 Received: from giga.bga.com by relay2.UU.NET with SMTP id QQxslc03776; Thu, 1 Dec 1994 15:07:22 -0500 Received: (from news@localhost) by giga.bga.com (8.6.9/8.6.9) id OAA28761; Thu, 1 Dec 1994 14:07:17 -0600 To: sci-virtual-worlds@uunet.uu.net Path: news From: Brian.Park@bga.com, flogiston.corporation@bga.com Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds Subject: flogiston update Date: 1 Dec 1994 20:07:13 GMT Organization: Real/Time Communications Lines: 41 Distribution: usa Message-Id: <3bladh$s2n@giga.bga.com> Nntp-Posting-Host: slip166.bga.com X-Newsreader: Status: OR December 1, 1994 Flogiston selected for SBIR phase II award by NASA AUSTIN, TEXAS. 1. Flogiston Corporation of Austin, Texas has been selected for an SBIR phase II award by NASA for further development of its Personal Motion Platform (PMP) for training astronauts. This two year, $1/2 million award will be used to assess the capabilities of the platform delivered in Phase 1 in July 1994, design and develop two next generation systems, and provide an integrated system for astronaut immersion in virtual environments. The PMP consists of a flogiston chair mounted on a motion base. The chair provides a posture which is similar to the neutral posture experienced in microgravity, while the motion cues provided by the base increase the fidelity of the training experience. The combination of posture and motion gives a sensation of floating in space. Concurrent with the NASA research, commercial versions of the PMP will be developed, called flostations, which will provide turnkey immersive systems for entertainment, health, communications and training applications. 2. The basic flogiston chair is being licensed to Third Millenium Inc. of Austin, Texas who will take over manufacturing and marketing of the chair for residential and commercial applications. The chair provides a minimal stress environment for rest, work and play. It has been featured in The Lawnmower Man, Omni, Wired, and NASA Tech Briefs. The chair can be seen on The Price Is Right syndicated TV show on December 6th. Flogiston Corporation was founded in Austin, Texas to develop environments for living in threespace - the integration of cyberspace with the external world of realspace and the internal world of mindspace. The PMP is the first in a range of products which will be used to develop immersive cyberspace. NASA's Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) is intended to stimulate technological innovation, increase the use of small business in meeting federal research and development needs, and increase private sector commercailization of results from federally funded research. Selection criteria for Phase II include technical merit and innovation, Phase I results, value to NASA, commercial potential, and company capabilities. For further information contact: Brian Park principal (512) 894 0562 floman@bga.com