Integrated Geodetic and Hydrographic Measurements of the Yacht Port for Nautical Charts and Dynamic Spatial Presentation

The use of geodetic and hydrographic systems, methods and measuring devices to obtain geospatial data enables integrated modeling of 3D space and related objects. Factors such as the seafloor relief of the marina and land infrastructure need to be considered to ensure safe stay of vessels in the marina. The article presents the results of bathymetric and geodetic measurements of the yacht port of the National Sailing Centre in Gdańsk. They were made with the use of several measuring methods such as a hydrographic unmanned surface vessel, GNSS positioning, enabling geodetic inventory of hydrotechnical structures and port infrastructure, as well as laser scanning that resulted in three-dimensional presentation of land objects. As a result of research and analysis, a two-dimensional bathymetric chart of the yacht port was made. Thanks to the integration of geodetic and hydrographic data, three-dimensional visualization of the marina area was obtained. The charts can be used to ensure ship navigation safety when maneuvering in port and mooring at quays.

Phenomenal Causality and Sensory Realism

One of the most important tasks for humans is the attribution of causes and effects in all wakes of life. The first systematical study of visual perception of causality—often referred to as phenomenal causality—was done by Albert Michotte using his now well-known launching events paradigm. Launching events are the seeming collision and seeming transfer of movement between two objects—abstract, featureless stimuli (“objects”) in Michotte’s original experiments. Here, we study the relation between causal ratings for launching events in Michotte’s setting and launching collisions in a photorealistically computer-rendered setting. We presented launching events with differing temporal gaps, the same launching processes with photorealistic billiard balls, as well as photorealistic billiard balls with realistic motion dynamics, that is, an initial rebound of the first ball after collision and a short sliding phase of the second ball due to momentum and friction. We found that providing the normal launching stimulus with realistic visuals led to lower causal ratings, but realistic visuals together with realistic motion dynamics evoked higher ratings. Two-dimensional versus three-dimensional presentation, on the other hand, did not affect phenomenal causality. We discuss our results in terms of intuitive physics as well as cue conflict.

Interdisciplinary Product Development - Virtual Reality Application in FMEA

In applying quality management (QM) methods, as for instance the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in the field of complex mechatronic systems, it is necessary to visually illustrate the system to be examined to all members of the interdisciplinary team. Using Virtual Reality (VR) in combination with QM methods creates conditions that help the team to improve the application of QM methods considerably. VR is particularly suitable to visualize complex mechanical systems due to its realistic three-dimensional presentation of single components, assemblies, and complete systems in combination with the interaction in all six degrees of freedom. The present article presents goals and results of a research project at Chemnitz University of Technology. One result is that all members of the interdisciplinary team easily gain insight into the stage of development when FMEA is supported by Virtual Reality.

Thermodynamic Analysis of Flow Field at the End of Combustor Simulator

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of different cooling holes configurations on the thermal field characteristics inside a combustor simulator. In this research, a three-dimensional presentation of a true Pratt and Whitney aero-engine was simulated and analyzed. This combustor simulator combined the interaction of two rows of dilution jets, which were staggered in the stream wise direction and aligned in the span wise direction. The findings of the study indicate that the thickness of the film-cooling layer was thicker for the greater penetration depth. Furthermore, for the combustor simulator with more cooling holes, the temperature near the wall and between the jets was slightly increased. Also at the leading edge of the jet, the gradients of temperature were quite high at the jet-mainstream interface.