Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN - On wall screens at daytaOhio, the Ohio Wright Center for Data, business executives can see their data displayed in three-dimensional, full-color format for analysis.

Or, they can literally walk into an "immersive" room to see the data displayed around them and under their feet.

The dramatic displays are intended to allow executives to visually sift through massive amounts of information for details or patterns that can help in decision-making.

"Seeing is tremendously powerful in moving some of these ideas forward," said Terry Rapoch, president of the state-supported daytaOhio center.

The center, located in leased space at Wright State University, has already used the data displays to al-low more detailed scrutiny of medical scan images, or to view underground formations in ways that could help oil and gas companies penetrate salt domes in search of new oil deposits.

The more than 30 corporate and university partners that support daytaOhio, a nonprofit enterprise in-tended to boost Ohio's information technology, make staff, technology and financial support available to supplement the state's initial $11.1 million grant for capital purchases. NCR Corp., one of those partners, provided Rapoch, a former NCR executive who now runs daytaOhio.

The center bought the data-visualizing technology from one of its corporate partners, Barco, a Belgian company whose Xenia-based division makes projectors and simulators used by military and corporate cus-tomers.

In turn, Barco benefits by using the center to train its staff and bringing potential customers there to see how the technology might benefit them, Barco spokesman Jay Luis said.

The state created the daytaOhio center in 2003. But it has made greater progress since moving into the Joshi Research Center at Wright State a year ago, where the resources and technology are enabling it to better serve the region's companies, Rapoch said.

DaytaOhio is one of eight Wright Centers of Innovation around Ohio, funded by the state's Third Frontier program for technology support. The centers are to encourage economic development and help Ohio attract new investment.

The centers focus on various technology areas including propulsion, biosciences and advanced mate-rials. DaytaOhio is the only Wright center focused on information technology, specifically the innovative management, delivery and visualization of complex information.