Scout: a data-parallel programming language for graphics processors

Commodity graphics hardware has seen incredible growth in terms of performance, programmability, and arithmetic precision. Even though these trends have been primarily driven by the entertainment industry, the price-to-performance ratio of graphics processors (GPUs) has attracted the attention of many within the high-performance computing community. While the performance of the GPU is well suited for computational science, the programming interface, and several hardware limitations, have prevented their wide adoption. In this paper we present Scout, a data-parallel programming language for graphics processors that hides the nuances of both the underlying hardware and supporting graphics software layers. In addition to general-purpose programming constructs, the language provides extensions for scientific visualization operations that support the exploration of existing or computed data sets.     

Adding graphics to a high-level programming language

When graphics input/output capabilities are added to a programming language originally designed with a text stream input/output model, various design decisions affect the ease with which the graphics facilities are learned and used by applications programmers. In adding window system facilities to the Icon programming language, some design decisions were made very differently from the conventional wisdom, resulting in substantial benefits for programmers. In addition, some pre-existing Icon language features have proved to be useful in graphics programming.     

Institutionalising UML 2.0 state machines

A key challenge to achieve a unified semantics for UML is how to handle the heterogeneity of its sublanguages. In this context, the theory of institutions provides an elegant and robust framework for programming in the large and in particular for compositionality. It can be used to define a family of formalisms which capture various UML sublanguages, and morphisms that represent the expected semantic relationships between them, resulting in a heterogeneous environment for the semantic definition of UML. The main goal of this work is to collaborate with the definition of such environment. For this purpose, we define an institution for UML 2.0 state machines. The building blocks of our institution are based on a previous semantics dealing with processing simple input events within a transition step. We also extend these semantic definitions for handling sequences of events, and then for considering runs through the state machine.     

The Pascal graphics system

A two dimensional high level graphics programming system based on the CORE standard graphics system¹ has been implemented. The graphics programming language used in the system is an extension of the programming language Pascal. In this paper the graphics programming features in this system are presented and the implementation issues are discussed.     

A flexible and configurable GPGPU stereo matching framework

This paper presents a practical framework that consists of various local to global stereo matching algorithms on a general purpose computing on graphics processing units platform. The flexible framework provides users with a selection of individual sub-algorithms in each step of stereo matching. The framework runs on either a central processing unit or graphic processing unit across three different platforms, including a smartphone, embedded board, and desktop. On the basis of the proposed framework, we investigate different combinations of stereo matching algorithms for specific use cases. Accordingly, we provide the framework’s quantitative speed and accuracy analysis evaluated on the widely used stereo dataset. In addition, this paper also addresses the parallelization strategy on an embedded graphics processing unit. The experimental results show that the proposed framework is capable of real-time and accurate depth estimation of stereo input in video graphics array resolution on an embedded graphics processing unit.

     

A framework for rapid computational prototyping of manufacturing entities

A framework for enhancement of conceptual tools for rapid computational prototyping of manufacturing entities is presented. A typical manufacturing entity (i.e. manufacturing system and/or individual part) is hierarchically represented in a computer and coupled with applications by dividing its information content into three computational elements: data, drawing and user interface. The information content is divided in this way because each of the above elements has a sufficiently distinct requirement for an efficient computer implementation. Although independent advances have taken place in computer data representation by highly efficient and focused data structures, in drawing representation by sophisticated computer graphics, as well as in user interface by a variety of interface media, these advances cannot be directly utilized in the design of a manufacturing entity unless they are efficiently integrated by relatively small programming effort as is deseribed in this rapid prototyping framework. The framework is implemented in object-oriented programming. A breadth of application areas for the framework is illustrated, and specific details are illustrated with reference to depth in one application area.     

REFiLL: A lightweight programmable middleware platform for cost effective RFID application development

Middleware platforms for RFID data filtering and collection tend to be resource intensive, costly and/or provide a low degree of programmability. In this paper, we introduce REFiLL, a lightweight middleware framework that can significantly ease the development of RFID systems. The introduced framework fits within the overall EPC global network architecture as a programmable filtering solution, sitting between the EPC (Electronic Product Code) reader virtualization layer and EPC application level events. Thanks to a set of well defined programming constructs, REFiLL renders application development a task of authoring a set of XML-based files, which are also editable within a visual development environment. Following the presentation of the REFiLL framework, we also describe the process of application development, along with sample prototype applications.     

Cognitive style,personality, and computer programming

Within the field of computer programming there is evidence of tremendous variation among individuals achievement in programming. Cognitive styles and personality traits have been investigated as factors that may help explain some of that variability; however, they have failed to consistently explain individual differences in achievement. In the majority of these studies, computer programming has been measured as a single activity. Computer programming has been described as an activity having separate and distinct phases: problem representation, program design, coding, and debugging. It may be that certain cognitive styles and personality dimensions affect some phases but not others. The purpose of this review is twofold. First, the empirical studies on the relation between cognitive style, personality traits and computer programming are reviewed. Second, the paper provides an agenda for future research by providing a conceptual framework that organizes and relates the variety of constructs to the specific phases of writing computer programs and identifies a number of distinct gaps in this particular body of research.     

Programmable applications: exploring the potential for language/interface symbiosis

Programmable applications are software systems that seek to combine the learnability and accessibility of direct manipulation interfaces with the expressive power and range of programming languages. In this paper we explore techniques for creatively integrating language and interface constructs within programmable applications. Using SchemePaint—a programmable graphics application—as a source of examples, we demonstrate how an interface and language can combine symbolically and thereby provide powerful modes of expression within applications.     

Current trends in computer graphics

A look at the trends in computer graphics is given by analyzing important areas that affect the progress of graphics like hardware, input and output devices for graphics, programming languages, systems developments and advances in techniques and algorithms for computer graphics. Then attention is given to new and expanded application areas for the future, as well as some problems that will persistently confront people working in graphics.     

Equalizer: A Scalable Parallel Rendering Framework

Continuing improvements in CPU and GPU performances as well as increasing multi-core processor and cluster-based parallelism demand for flexible and scalable parallel rendering solutions that can exploit multipipe hardware accelerated graphics. In fact, to achieve interactive visualization, scalable rendering systems are essential to cope with the rapid growth of data sets. However, parallel rendering systems are non-trivial to develop and often only application specific implementations have been proposed. The task of developing a scalable parallel rendering framework is even more difficult if it should be generic to support various types of data and visualization applications, and at the same time work efficiently on a cluster with distributed graphics cards. In this paper we introduce a novel system called Equalizer, a toolkit for scalable parallel rendering based on OpenGL which provides an application programming interface (API) to develop scalable graphics applications for a wide range of systems ranging from large distributed visualization clusters and multi-processor multipipe graphics systems to single-processor single-pipe desktop machines. We describe the system architecture, the basic API, discuss its advantadges over previous approaches, present example configurations and usage scenarios as well as scalability results.     

An assessment of modula

Wirth has recently published a new programming language called Modula which he suggests is suitable for the programming of process control systems, computerized laboratory equipment and input/output device drivers. The authors have written a compiler for Modula running on a PDP-11 and generating object code for the same machine. Their experience in writing device drivers for a number of PDP-11 devices is reported, including simple mains frequency clocks, disks, CAMAC and a graphics processor. Some difficulties arose during the writing of these programs; these are investigated and solutions proposed, either within the existing language or by minor modifications to the language. The study shows the extent to which Modula meets the requirements for a general purpose real-time systems-implementations programming language; areas of deficiency are noted.     

图学计算基础

首先探索图学计算的内涵,剖析图形计算的矛盾,找出图形计算的关键, 构造图学的公共基础,指出图的本质不是决定于构成图的图元本身,而决定于图元之间的相 互关系。其次,分析了图形计算的最新研究进展,总结出几何化方法的优势及其基础理论研 究的迫切性。进而提出一个基于“几何问题几何化”的几何计算理论体系与实施框架。阐述 了以几何为思路,在构筑稳定的图学计算平台方面的最新原创理论与机制,包括从形的角度 去统一、研究、发展图学计算基础的理论、形计算的机制等。     

A network-oriented language—A new approach to network design, using interactive graphics

A language is proposed for the design of any network, using interactive graphics as an aid to the design process. The language, NOL-1, is a higher level problem-oriented programming language. It is based on the network definition language NEDLAN (see [1] and [8]) and associated mechanisms, and it incorporates definition, decision and control, dynamic graphical input and output and analysis statements.

Combining all these statement types with due regard to ergonomic factors in the use of interactive graphics for designing networks, a network-oriented higher level language to be used with interactive graphics is obtained.     

基于B/S结构的知识化制造自重构子系统的实现

为克服传统C/S结构的知识化制造自重构子系统维护成本高、执行效率低、通用性和可移植性差等缺点,开发了基于B/S的四层体系结构的知识化制造自重构子系统。介绍了知识化制造系统中知识的表示方法;分析了知识化制造自重构子系统的功能,讨论了知识网自重构使能工具的实现、自重构后实际软件系统的自动生成、基于混合编程的动态图形视图等难点技术;在ASP.NET平台上,基于组件技术,通过实例验证了知识化制造系统自重构的可行性及有效性。     

Programmable applications: exploring the potential for language/interface symbiosis

Abstract

Programmable applications are software systems that seek to combine the learnability and accessibility of direct manipulation interfaces with the expressive power and range of programming languages. In this paper we explore techniques for creatively integrating language and interface constructs within programmable applications. Using SchemePaint—a programmable graphics application—as a source of examples, we demonstrate how an interface and language can combine symbolically and thereby provide powerful modes of expression within applications.     

A Prototypical 3D Graphical Visualizer for Object-Oriented Systems

is paper describes a framework for visualizing object-oriented systems within a 3D interactive environment.The 3D visualizer represents the structure of a program as Cylinder Net that simultaneously specifies two relationships between objects within 3D virtual space.Additionally,it represents additional relationships on demand when objects are moved into local focus.The 3D visualizer is implemented using a 3D graphics toolkit,TOAST,that implements 3D Widgets 3D graphics to ease the programming task for 3D visualization.     

Computing 3D Shape Guarding and Star Decomposition

This paper proposes an effective framework to compute the visibility guarding and star decomposition of 3D solid shapes. We propose a progressive integer linear programming algorithm to solve the guarding points that can visibility cover the entire shape; we also develop a constrained region growing scheme seeded on these guarding points to get the star decomposition. We demonstrate this guarding/decomposition framework can benefit graphics tasks such as shape interpolation and shape matching/retrieval.