Automated design process modelling and analysis using immersive virtual reality

The capture of engineering design processes and associated knowledge has traditionally been extremely difficult due to the high overhead associated with current intrusive and time-consuming manual methods used in industry, usually involving interruption of the designer during the design task and relying on them to remember how a design solution was developed after the event. This paper presents novel research which demonstrates how the detailed logging and analysis of an individual designer’s actions in a cable harness virtual reality (VR) design and manufacturing system permits automated design task analysis with process mapping. Based on prior research, which utilised user-logging to automatically analyse design activities and generate assembly plans, this work involves the automatic capture of extracted design knowledge embedded within the log files and subsequently represented using IDEF0 diagrams, DRed graphs, PSL, XML, annotated movie clips and storyboard representations. Using this design knowledge, an online help system has been demonstrated which helps users to carry out design tasks similar to those performed previously by expert users. This is triggered by monitoring the designer’s actions and functions in real time and pushes knowledge and advice to the user which was captured from experts and subsequently formalised during earlier design sessions.     

3DIVE: An Immersive Environment for Interactive Volume Data Exploration

This paper describes an immersive system,called 3DIVE,for interactive volume data visualization and exploration inside the CAVE virtual environment.Combining interactive volume rendering and virtual reality provides a netural immersive environment for volumetric data visualization.More advanced data exploration operations,such as object level data manipulation,simulation and analysis ,are supported in 3DIVE by several new techniques,In particular,volume primitives and texture regions ae used for the rendering,manipulation,and collision detection of volumetric objects;and the region-based rendering pipeline is integrated with 3D image filters to provide an image-based mechanism for interactive transfer function design.The system has been recently released as public domain software for CAVE/ImmersaDesk users,and is currently being actively used by various scientific and biomedical visualization projects.     

Statistical shape modelling for expression-invariant face analysis and recognition

Paper introduces a 3-D shape representation scheme for automatic face analysis and identification, and demonstrates its invariance to facial expression. The core of this scheme lies on the combination of statistical shape modelling and non-rigid deformation matching. While the former matches 3-D faces with facial expression, the latter provides a low-dimensional feature vector that controls the deformation of model for matching the shape of new input, thereby enabling robust identification of 3-D faces. The proposed scheme is also able to handle the pose variation without large part of missing data. To assist the establishment of dense point correspondences, a modified free-form-deformation based on B-spline warping is applied with the help of extracted landmarks. The hybrid iterative closest point method is introduced for matching the models and new data. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method was investigated using standard publicly available Gavab and BU-3DFE datasets, which contain faces with expression and pose changes. The performance of the system was compared with that of nine benchmark approaches. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme provides a competitive solution for face recognition.     

Transparency analysis and delay compensation scheme for haptic-based networked virtual environments

Haptic-based NVEs (networked virtual environments) with CS (client/server) communication architectures support better consistency but induce larger end-to-end delays than those with P2P (peer-to-peer) communication architectures. Unfortunately, large delay severely deteriorates the transparency (i.e., reality) of haptic interaction. To improve the haptic interaction quality for haptic-based NVEs with CS communication architectures, in this paper the degradation of haptic interaction quality is analyzed according to network delays. Based on the analysis, the maximum allowable delay bound is predicted and unrealistic force feedback caused by the network delay is compensated. Experimental results confirm that the proposed analysis provides an acceptable quantification method about haptic interaction quality and that the proposed delay-compensation scheme effectively improves haptic interaction quality with respect to network delays.     

Structural modelling and sensitivity analysis of shape optimization

It is presented in this paper that the structural modelling of shape optimization is composed of, in general cases, four distinct processes on geometry, design, analysis and perturbation models. The relationships between these models are discussed. An integrated modelling approach based on geometric shape parameterization and automatic mesh generation is proposed. In cooperation with this modelling approach, the semi-analytic sensitivity analysis has been effectively employed. These techniques join shape optimization with FEM and CAD packages and apply it versatilely to optimum designs of general structures. The implementation and applications of the integrated modelling approach and semi-analytic sensitivity analysis to shape optimization of structures with coupling of stress and temperature fields are illustrated.Presented at NATO ASI Optimization of Large Structural Systems, held in Berchtesgaden, Germany, Sept. 23 — Oct. 4, 1991     

An interactive whiteboard for immersive telecollaboration

In this paper, we present CollaBoard, a collaboration system that gives a higher feeling of presence to the local auditory and to the persons on the remote site. By overlaying the remote life-sized video image atop the shared artifacts on the common whiteboard and by keeping the whiteboard’s content editable at both sites, it creates a higher involvement of the remote partners into a collaborative teamwork. All deictic gestures of the remote user are shown in the right context with the shared artifacts on the common whiteboard and thus preserve their meaning. The paper describes the hardware setup, as well as the software implementation and the performed user studies with two identical interconnected systems.     

An immersive multi-agent system for interactive applications

This paper presents an interactive multi-agent system based on a fully immersive virtual environment. A user can interact with the virtual characters in real time via an avatar by changing their moving behavior. Moreover, the user is allowed to select any character as the avatar to be controlled. A path planning algorithm is proposed to address the problem of dynamic navigation of individual and groups of characters in the multi-agent system. A natural interface is designed for the interaction between the user and the virtual characters, as well as the virtual environment, based on gesture recognition. To evaluate the efficiency of the dynamic navigation method, performance results are provided. The presented system has the potential to be used in the training and evaluation of emergency evacuation and other real-time applications of crowd simulation with interaction.     

An integrated modelling environment for the embodiment of mechanical systems

The efficient, economical and often elegant transformation from a design schema to an embodied design solution containing real components is essential for the commercial success of a product. More often the ability of the designer to explore an optimum solution is severely frustrated by the analytically intensive and time-consuming aspects of embodying a concept. This paper presents a computer based system-modelling tool that is to be used by designers during the transformation of a concept to an embodied solution particularly to deal with standard components. This environment provides for the representation of conceptual schemas and subsequent embodiment from computer based component selection modules. These selection modules encompass the full range of electronic representations for standard mechanical components. The strategy for representing a mechanical system, its included components and their associated representations is discussed. The process of constructing a system model, specifying the desired performance characteristics and system resolution are also described.     

WAVE: Sound and music in an immersive environment

This paper presents WAVE—a Virtual Audio Environment, which embraces the implementation of an immersive musical instrument model that uses three-dimensional (3D) sound techniques combined with visualisation and virtual reality technologies. This prototype environment aims to extend the idea of a musical instrument into a new musical/audio system, incorporating traditional musical concepts side by side with actual music concepts, in order to progress one step further in the music/sound composing and performing approaches.

The architecture of the system is based on low-cost hardware and open source software with affordable professional audio equipment to maintain an adequate sound quality. Also several applications of this virtual environment are discussed in the paper, including the way to satisfy at the same time composers, performers, music/audio students or even simple occasional users.     

Measuring flow experience in an immersive virtual environment for collaborative learning

In contexts other than immersive virtual environments, theoretical and empirical work has identified flow experience as a major factor in learning and human–computer interaction. Flow is defined as a ‘holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement’. We applied the concept of flow to modeling the experience of collaborative learning in an immersive virtual environment. The aims were, first, to psychometrically evaluate a measurement model of flow and, second, to test a structural model of flow. Pairs of small teams engaged in collaborative problem‐solving tasks while communicating by way of an immersive virtual environment. Flow was measured after each session, using Guo and Poole's inventory for measuring flow in human–computer interaction. In relation to the first aim, partial‐least‐squares analysis demonstrated strong evidence for the measurement model. In relation to the second aim, the structural model was supported: the effect of learning‐task characteristics on flow experience was mediated by its precursors, with extraneous variables held constant. It is reasoned that the experiment and resultant analysis of this work contributes to the development of measurement models and structural models of flow in immersive virtual environments.     

Spatial information modelling and analysis in a distributed environment

The availability of data is increasing rapidly, but the many data sets that are becoming available are stored on a variety of platforms and in differing formats. Moreover, although new data analysis methods are also appearing, the individual implementations of these methods may only be available on specific platforms and must be accessed according to differing protocols. To take advantage of this new data accessibility, it is necessary to examine data sets collectively and extract useful information from them. This paper describes work on the development of an open software framework for exploratory analysis that incorporates various distributed tools for the analysis of spatial information. The architecture of this system is described first, and this is followed by an example describing how the combination of various tools involving the application of several different connectionist-based rule extraction techniques can be used to carry out an exploratory investigation.     

Full immersive virtual environment CAVE in chemistry education

By comparing two-dimensional (2D) chemical animations designed for computer’s desktop with three-dimensional (3D) chemical animations designed for the full immersive virtual reality environment CAVE^TM we studied how virtual reality environments could raise student’s interest and motivation for learning. By using the 3ds max^TM, we can visualize the chemical phenomena easily and quickly without knowing any special computer language and export the application to files which are compatible with the CAVE^TM (Object or OpenGL files). After the participation in 3D animations at the CAVE^TM students comprehended the molecules’ structure and their changes during a chemical reaction better than during the 2D animations on the computer’s desktop, as the limitations of human vision had been overcome. Furthermore, the students were enthusiastic, as they had the feeling that they were inside the chemical reactions and they were facing the 3D molecules as if they were real objects front of them.     

Behavioral compliance for dynamic versus static signs in an immersive virtual environment

This study used an immersive virtual environment (IVE) to examine how dynamic features in signage affect behavioral compliance during a work-related task and an emergency egress. Ninety participants performed a work-related task followed by an emergency egress. Compliance with uncued and cued safety signs was assessed prior to an explosion/fire involving egress with exit signs. Although dynamic presentation produced the highest compliance, the difference between dynamic and static presentation was only statistically significant for uncued signs. Uncued signs, both static and dynamic, were effective in changing behavior compared to no/minimal signs. Findings are explained based on sign salience and on task differences. If signs must capture attention while individuals are attending to other tasks, salient (e.g., dynamic) signs are useful in benefiting compliance. This study demonstrates the potential for IVEs to serve as a useful tool in behavioral compliance research.     

Development scheme of haptic-based system for interactive deformable simulation

This paper aims to develop a novel scheme for interactively deformable simulation with haptic feedback. All design modules are packaged and implemented, and the experiments are conducted to study the effects of interactive deformation. The study compares the experimental results of haptic feedback by different force propagation methods, according to the Hounsfield unit (HU) of volume data. Additionally, the estimation of optimal propagation depth is illustrated by using a mass-spring model. Finally, by using the proposed scheme, a haptic-based medical simulation system for brain surgery is investigated. The integration test results with haptic feedback scenarios show that the proposed development scheme can certainly comply with the design modules, and the deformable simulation and haptic force reach a good agreement.     

A preliminary study on qualitative and imprecise solid modelling for conceptual shape modelling

The shape design of products is the primary activity of design process. A preliminary study on qualitative and imprecise solid modelling for computer-aided conceptual shape design is presented in this paper. Firstly, the requirements of shape representation for computer-aided conceptual shape design are discussed. Secondly, in the situation where the product information is deficient, the ideas of qualitative and imprecise solid modelling are proposed to deal with qualitative and imprecise information of conceptual shapes. The aim is mainly to explore the representation and manipulation of product shapes in order to benefit designers to design shapes in the conceptual design phase. Finally, a prototype system called deficient information modelling system for conceptual shape (DIMShape) is under development to verify the relevant ideas.     

The Iowa Driving Simulator: an immersive research environment

This simulator's rich, fully interactive environment provides varied scenarios for meeting experimental needs-for example, engineering evaluation of automated highway systems     

Experimental CSG environment for modelling solid

The purpose of this research is to develop an experimental environment for solid modelling which can provide a wide range of graphics primitives and operations toward making the modelling process more flexible. The system can handle different types of representations and combine them with an extended-CSG structure. A new geometric editor to enter and modify the data is also reported. To handle different types of representation, the system has an object-oriented structure and the idea of a common function is introduced to give the interface between them. Ray tracing is used as the rendering method. New techniques for generating images for complex objects are shown with several modelling examples.     

An immersive musical instrument prototype.

This article describes a prototype immersive musical instrument that expands the concepts of traditional musical elements and allows the integration of a spatial dimension using 3D music and sound objects into the musical environment by employing physical, visual, and sound immersion. From the prototype's evaluation results, we conclude that immersive musical instruments naturally give users a way to perform, compose, or improvise music (in real time) with a high degree of control.     

An analysis of simplex shape measures for anisotropic meshes

This paper analyses and generalises several simplex shape measures documented in the literature and currently used for mesh adaptation and mesh optimisation. It first summarises important properties of simplices and their degeneration in Euclidean space. Different simplex shape measures are then defined and validated according to a validity criterion. The shape measures are generalised to Riemannian spaces in order to extend their use to anisotropic meshes. They are then analysed and compared using complementary approaches: a visualisation method helping to show their regularity, some theoretical relations establishing their equivalence, and a discussion on the evaluation of the global quality of a mesh. Conclusions are drawn on the choice of a simplex shape measure to guide mesh optimisation.