A high performance crashworthiness simulation system based on GPU

Crashworthiness simulation system is one of the key computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools for the automobile industry and implies two potential conflicting requirements: accuracy and efficiency. A parallel crashworthiness simulation system based on graphics processing unit (GPU) architecture and the explicit finite element (FE) method is developed in this work. Implementation details with compute unified device architecture (CUDA) are considered. The entire parallel simulation system involves a parallel hierarchy-territory contact-searching algorithm (HITA) and a parallel penalty contact force calculation algorithm. Three basic GPU-based parallel strategies are suggested to meet the natural parallelism of the explicit FE algorithm. Two free GPU-based numerical calculation libraries, cuBLAS and Thrust, are introduced to decrease the difficulty of programming. Furthermore, a mixed array and a thread map to element strategy are proposed to improve the performance of the test pairs searching. The outer loop of the nested loop through the mixed array is unrolled to realize parallel searching. An efficient storage strategy based on data sorting is presented to realize data transfer between different hierarchies with coalesced access during the contact pairs searching. A thread map to element pattern is implemented to calculate the penetrations and the penetration forces; a double float atomic operation is used to scatter contact forces. The simulation results of the three different models based on the Intel Core i7-930 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 demonstrate the precision and efficiency of this developed parallel crashworthiness simulation system.     

基于图形约束的工程图纸扫描图象表面粗糙度的自动识别

本文通过分析现有工程图纸扫描图象的识别与理解系统，提出了表面粗造度的自动识别算法，从而弥补了以往系统的不足，基于图形约束的表面粗造度整体识别算法符合技术人员的读图规律，处理速度快，可靠性高，该算法已在微机上调试成功。     

Expressive Facial Gestures From Motion Capture Data

Human facial gestures often exhibit such natural stochastic variations as how often the eyes blink, how often the eyebrows and the nose twitch, and how the head moves while speaking. The stochastic movements of facial features are key ingredients for generating convincing facial expressions. Although such small variations have been simulated using noise functions in many graphics applications, modulating noise functions to match natural variations induced from the affective states and the personality of characters is difficult and not intuitive. We present a technique for generating subtle expressive facial gestures (facial expressions and head motion) semi‐automatically from motion capture data. Our approach is based on Markov random fields that are simulated in two levels. In the lower level, the coordinated movements of facial features are captured, parameterized, and transferred to synthetic faces using basis shapes. The upper level represents independent stochastic behavior of facial features. The experimental results show that our system generates expressive facial gestures synchronized with input speech.     

A protocol for performance evaluation of line detection algorithms

Accurate and efficient vectorization of line drawings is essential for any higher level processing in document analysis and recognition systems. In spite of the prevalence of vectorization and line detection methods, no standard for their performance evaluation protocol exists. We propose a protocol for evaluating both straight and circular line extraction to help compare, select, improve, and even design line detection algorithms to be incorporated into line drawing recognition and understanding systems. The protocol involves both positive and negative sets of indices, at pixel and vector levels. Time efficiency is also included in the protocol. The protocol may be extended to handle lines of any shape as well as other classes of graphic objects.     

A Survey of Inverse Surface Design From Light Transport Behavior Specification

Inverse surface design problems from light transport behavior specification usually represent extremely complex and costly processes, but their importance is well known. In particular, they are very interesting for lighting and luminaire design, in which it is usually difficult to test design decisions on a physical model in order to avoid costly mistakes. In this survey, we present the main ideas behind these kinds of problems, characterize them, and summarize existing work in the area, revealing problems that remain open and possible areas of further research.     

Orientation-based unique representation for planar curves and shapes

This paper presents an orientation-based representation for planar curves and shapes. The new representation can uniquely represent all types, of planar shapes, be it convex, nonconvex, polygonal, smoothly curved, or piecewise smooth shapes. It is based on a new parameterization, theabsolute integral orientation. This representation is invariant under translation and rotation. The absolute integral orientation is a parameter invariant under scaling. As a result, matching of similar shapes (i.e., determination of the relative orientation and the scaling factor) using the absolute integral orientation as the parameter is easier than using the arclength as the parameter. In addition, the new representation has the feature of adaptive sampling, making it more compact and efficient than arc-length-based representations.     

Finding feasible mold parting directions using graphics hardware

We present new programmable graphics hardware accelerated algorithms to test the 2-moldability of geometric parts and assist with part redesign. These algorithms efficiently identify and graphically display undercuts as well as minimum and insufficient draft angles. Their running times grow only linearly with respect to the number of facets in the solid model, making them efficient subroutines for our algorithms that test whether a tessellated CAD model can be manufactured in a two-part mold. We have developed and implemented two such algorithms to choose candidate directions to test for 2-moldability using accessibility analysis and Gauss maps. The efficiency of these algorithms lies in the fact that they identify groups of candidate directions such that if any one direction in the group is undercut-free, all are, or if any one is not undercut-free, none are. We examine trade-offs between the algorithms' speed, accuracy, and whether they guarantee that an undercut-free direction will be found for a part if one exists.     

Efficient Reflectance and Visibility Approximations for Environment Map Rendering

We present a technique for approximating isotropic BRDFs and precomputed self-occlusion that enables accurate and efficient prefiltered environment map rendering. Our approach uses a nonlinear approximation of the BRDF as a weighted sum of isotropic Gaussian functions. Our representation requires a minimal amount of storage, can accurately represent BRDFs of arbitrary sharpness, and is above all, efficient to render. We precompute visibility due to self-occlusion and store a low-frequency approximation suitable for glossy reflections. We demonstrate our method by fitting our representation to measured BRDF data, yielding high visual quality at real-time frame rates.     

Boundary Constrained Swept Surfaces for Modelling and Animation

Due to their simplicity and intuitiveness, swept surfaces are widely used in many surface modelling applications. In this paper, we present a versatile swept surface technique called the boundary constrained swept surfaces. The most distinct feature is its ability to satisfy boundary constraints, including the shape and tangent conditions at the boundaries of a swept surface. This permits significantly varying surfaces to be both modelled and smoothly assembled, leading to the construction of complex objects. The representation, similar to an ordinary swept surface, is analytical in nature and thus it is light in storage cost and numerically very stable to compute. We also introduce a number of useful shape manipulation tools, such as sculpting forces, to deform a surface both locally and globally. In addition to being a complementary method to the mainstream surface modelling and deformation techniques, we have found it very effective in automatically rebuilding existing complex models. Model reconstruction is arguably one of the most laborious and expensive tasks in modelling complex animated characters. We demonstrate how our technique can be used to automate this process.     

Accelerating Refractive Rendering of Transparent Objects

In this paper, a technique is proposed for the rendering of transparent objects interactively using the method of refractive rendering. In the proposed technique, the refractive rendering algorithm is performed in two stages, namely the pre‐computation stage and the shading stage. In the pre‐computation stage, ray‐traced information, including directions and positions of rays, are generated by a ray tracing process and are stored in a set of ray lists. In the shading stage, these data are retrieved from the ray lists for computing the shading of an object. Using the proposed technique, photorealistic image of transparent objects and gemstones with various cuttings, material properties, lighting and background can be rendered interactively. By combining the refractive rendering technique with conventional shading techniques, jewelry and crystal designs can be rendered at a much higher speed comparing with conventional ray tracing techniques.