Ben Discoe
46-4091 Old Mamalahoa Hwy., Honokaa, HI 96727
(808) 775-9410 ben@vterrain.org
Skype: bdiscoe
Design and implementation of the software for the Virtual Terrain Project, a set of Open Source libraries and applications which enable the rapid construction of interactive 3D scenes from geospatial data for anywhere on the planet. Fully internationalized UI supporting a user community in 132 countries. Creation and maintenance of a corresponding website acknowledged as the globally leading information source on the subject of terrain visualization. Implemented real estate map search for Clark Realty, with PHP/SQL on the server generating JavaScript on the client, AJAX to the mapping API, and a C preprocessor to convert/reproject parcel boundary GIS data from Shapefile to WKT for database storage. Refined the UI based on client feedback. Notable for being the only regional property search to display the polygon outline of every property in a slippy map. Implemented and contributed to the design of the prototype for Computer Associates' Real World Interface to their highly successful CA-Unicenter product which allows network and systems managers to review the IT infrastructure of the entire enterprise. This application is one of the first mainstream business uses of virtual reality technology, and enables administrators to assess the state of their computing environment at a glance. Implemented with World Up and ActiveX in Internet Explorer and modeled terrain from USGS sources for the Intel Virtual Real Estate technology showcase. Users fly over a representation of available residences with factors such as asking price, time on market, and comparable neighborhood value displayed as 3D cues. Upon selecting a house, they can read a description or see images or video, and are shown local features such as stores and schools.