Fast and Flexible Visualization Using an Enhanced Scene Graph

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Gebert ◽  
Wolfgang Steger ◽  
Ralph Stelzer
Keyword(s):  
User Interfaces ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Engineering Industry ◽  
Product Development Process ◽  
Engineering Applications ◽  
Product Data ◽  
Scene Graph ◽  
Head Mounted Displays ◽  
Visualization Process ◽  
Game Engines

Virtual Reality (VR) visualization of product data in engineering applications requires a largely manual process of translating various product data into a 3D representation. Modern game engines allow low-cost, high-end visualization using latest stereoscopic Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) and input controllers. Thus, using them for VR tasks in the engineering industry is especially appealing. As standardized formats for 3D product representations do not currently meet the requirements that arise from engineering applications, the presented paper suggests an Enhanced Scene Graph (ESG) that carries arbitrary product data derived from various engineering tools. The ESG contains formal descriptions of geometric and non-geometric data that are functionally structured. A VR visualization may be derived from the formal description in the ESG immediately. The generic elements of the ESG offer flexibility in the choice of both engineering tools and renderers that create the virtual scene. Furthermore, the ESG allows storing user annotations, thereby sending feedback from the visualization directly to the engineers involved in the product development process. Individual user interfaces for VR controllers can be assigned and their controls mapped, guaranteeing intuitive scene interaction. The use of the ESG promises significant value to the visualization process as particular tasks are being automated and greatly simplified.

scholarly journals Aerial Robotic Technologies for Civil Engineering: Established and Emerging Practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madelaine Freeman ◽  
Mohammad Mehdi Kashani ◽  
P. J. Vardanega
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Response ◽  
Civil Engineering ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Engineering Industry ◽  
Civil Infrastructure ◽  
Robotic Technology ◽  
Engineering Applications ◽  
Measurement Capability ◽  
Robotic Construction

Aerial robotic technology has potential for use in a wide variety of civil engineering applications. Such technology potentially offers low-cost methods to replace expensive structural health monitoring activities such as visual inspection. Aerial robots also have potential uses in civil construction and for regional surveys. This paper presents the results of a review on the applications of aerial robotic technology in civil engineering. Such civil engineering applications can be classified into three broad areas: (i) monitoring and inspection of civil infrastructure; (ii) site management, robotic construction, and maintenance and (iii) post-disaster response surveys and rapid damage assessments. The motivations for uptake of aerial robotics in the civil engineering industry generally fall into the following categories: (i) cost savings, (ii) improved measurement capability and (iii) safety improvements. The categories of aerial robotic use in civil engineering are then classified as either ‘established’ or ‘emerging’ uses.

scholarly journals Implementation of a Six-Layer Smart Factory Architecture with Special Focus on Transdisciplinary Engineering Education

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 2944
Author(s):  
Benjamin James Ralph ◽  
Marcel Sorger ◽  
Benjamin Schödinger ◽  
Hans-Jörg Schmölzer ◽  
Karin Hartl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
User Interfaces ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Material Behavior ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Programming Environments ◽  
Metal Processing

Smart factories are an integral element of the manufacturing infrastructure in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. Nevertheless, there is frequently a deficiency of adequate training facilities for future engineering experts in the academic environment. For this reason, this paper describes the development and implementation of two different layer architectures for the metal processing environment. The first architecture is based on low-cost but resilient devices, allowing interested parties to work with mostly open-source interfaces and standard back-end programming environments. Additionally, one proprietary and two open-source graphical user interfaces (GUIs) were developed. Those interfaces can be adapted front-end as well as back-end, ensuring a holistic comprehension of their capabilities and limits. As a result, a six-layer architecture, from digitization to an interactive project management tool, was designed and implemented in the practical workflow at the academic institution. To take the complexity of thermo-mechanical processing in the metal processing field into account, an alternative layer, connected with the thermo-mechanical treatment simulator Gleeble 3800, was designed. This framework is capable of transferring sensor data with high frequency, enabling data collection for the numerical simulation of complex material behavior under high temperature processing. Finally, the possibility of connecting both systems by using open-source software packages is demonstrated.

Internet-Based Delivery of CAD/CAM Capability: An Industry Case Study

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Szykman ◽  
Ram D. Sriram
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Computer Aided Design ◽  
Data Exchange ◽  
Engineering Industry ◽  
Product Development Process ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Computer Aided ◽  
Cad Cam

Abstract This paper presents a case study in the use of the Internet as a medium for exchange of information and delivery of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) capability. The case study describes a collaboration among researchers and staff at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Thar Designs, Inc., a small business in Pittsburgh, PA that designs and sells high-pressure fluid pumps. The objective of this case study is to identify the needs of small businesses in engineering industry in the area of Internet-based CAD/CAM services. The Internet-based interaction performed in this study encompassed various stages in an iterative product development process, consisting of design, data exchange, manufacturability analysis, and fabrication of a prototype.

Thematic Analysis Using A Machine Learning Approach on User Reviews for Depression and Anxiety Chatbot Applications (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arfan Ahmed ◽  
Sarah Aziz ◽  
Uzair Shah ◽  
Asmaa Hassan ◽  
Alaa Abd-Alrazaq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
User Interfaces ◽  
Latent Dirichlet Allocation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Machine Learning Approach ◽  
Google Play ◽  
Privacy Issues

BACKGROUND Anxiety and depression are amongst the most commonly prevalent mental health disorders (CMDs) worldwide. Chatbot apps can play an important role in relieving anxiety and depression. Users’ reviews of chatbot apps are considered an important source of data to explore users’ opinion and satisfaction of chatbot apps. OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore users’ opinions, satisfaction, and attitudes about anxiety and depression chatbot apps through conducting a thematic analysis of users’ reviews of 11 anxiety and depression chatbot apps collected from Google play and Apple store. In addition, we propose a workflow to provide a methodological approach for future analysis of review comments. METHODS We analyzed 205,881 user review comments from chatbots dedicated for users with anxiety and depression symptoms. Using scrapper tools (Google Play Scraper and App Store Scraper python libraries), we extracted text and metadata. The reviews were divided into positive and negative meta themes, based on users rating per review. We analysed the reviews using word frequencies of bigrams (words in pair).A topic modelling technique, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) was applied to identify topics in the reviews, and analysed for detecting themes and subthemes. RESULTS A thematic analysis was conducted on 5 topics for each sentimental set. Reviews were categorized as either positive or negative. For positive reviews, the main themes were confidence and affirmation building, adequate analysis, and consultation, caring as a friend, and easy to use. Whereas for negative reviews results revealed the following themes: usability issues, update Issues, Privacy and Non-creative conversation. CONCLUSIONS Chatbots appear to have the ability to provide users suffering from anxiety and depression feel confident and give them support via a tool that is easy to use, low cost, containing adequate symptom detection whilst providing feeling of having a close friend to converse with. Users tend to dislike technical and privacy issues. Users expect engaging and creative conversations via appealing user interfaces.

Development of a Low-Cost Augmented Reality Head-Mounted Display Prototype

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Thiago D'Angelo ◽  
Saul Emanuel Delabrida Silva ◽  
Ricardo A. R. Oliveira ◽  
Antonio A. F. Loureiro
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
User Interaction ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Time Performance ◽  
Work Tasks ◽  
Head Mounted Displays

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) have been emerging in the last years. These technologies sound like the new hot topic for the next years. Head-Mounted Displays have been developed for many different purposes. Users have the opportunity to enjoy these technologies for entertainment, work tasks, and many other daily activities. Despite the recent release of many AR and VR HMDs, two major problems are hindering the AR HMDs from reaching the mainstream market: the extremely high costs and the user experience issues. In order to minimize these problems, we have developed an AR HMD prototype based on a smartphone and on other low-cost materials. The prototype is capable of running Eye Tracking algorithms, which can be used to improve user interaction and user experience. To assess our AR HMD prototype, we choose a state-of-the-art method for eye center location found in the literature and evaluate its real-time performance in different development boards.

An ASP-Based Product Customization Service System for SMEs

2010 ◽  
pp. 262-278
Keyword(s):  
Service System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Data Mapping ◽  
Application Service Provider ◽  
Product Data ◽  
Construction Machinery ◽  
Current Product ◽  
Resource Collection ◽  
Product Customization

A product customization system with integrated application services is helpful for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The mode of application service provider (ASP) particularly targets SMEs by providing integrated applications. The current product customization system seldom considers integrating with ASPs and orienting product lifecycle. In this article, an ASP-based product customization service system operating in lifecycle-oriented customization mode is proposed. Resource share, product data transform, and product configuration are three important aspects for effectively supporting lifecycleoriented product customization service. A resource collection method for distributed resource share is put forward. An XML-based data mapping model for isomeric/isomorphic product data transform is presented. A new algorithm for rapid product configuration is designed, and an interactive virtual environment for collaborative configuration is suggested. Using this system, SMEs can develop their Internet-based sales and customization systems smoothly, in a short time, and at low cost. A construction machinery oriented product customization service platform is introduced as a case study.

scholarly journals ClothSurface: Exploring a Low-Cost Prototyping Tool to Support Ideation for Shape Displays

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C. F. Ho
Keyword(s):  
User Interfaces ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Physical Form ◽  
Sophisticated Equipment ◽  
Design Students ◽  
Tools And Methods

A shape-changing user interface is a type of interface that interacts with users by changing its physical form. Although researchers have been extensively studying shape-changing user interfaces, relevant research on its various design aspects—including tools and methods—remains limited. Prototyping shape-changing interfaces often requires sophisticated equipment and knowledge, which makes this sphere of design unwelcoming for designers with limited resources and technical knowledge (e.g., design students). In this study, we propose ClothSurface—a simple and low-cost prototyping tool to design for shape displays—and explore its use through a series of design sessions. The results reveal that ClothSurface can allow inexperienced designers to illustrate their ideas and to explore the design space of shape displays.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document