[pt] A interação em ambientes virtuais de engenharia se caracteriza pelo alto grau de precisão necessário para a realização de tarefas típicas desse ipo de ambiente. Para isso, normalmente são utilizados dispositivos de interação específícos que possuem 4 graus de liberdade ou mais. As atuais aplicações envolvendo interação 3D utilizam dispositivos de interação para a modelagem de objetos ou para a implementação de técnicas de navegação, seleção e manipulação de objetos em um ambiente virtual. Um problema relacionado é a necessidade de controlar tarefas naturalmente não-imersivas, como a entrada de símbolos (e.g., texto, fotos).Outro problema é a grande curva de aprendizado necessária para manusear tais dispositivos não convencionais. A adição de sensores popularização os smartphones e tablets possibilitaram a utilização desses dispositivos em ambientes virtuais de engenharia. Esses dispostitivos se diferenciam, além da popularidade e presença de sensores, pela possibilidade de inclusão de informações adicionais e a realização de tarefas naturalmente não-imersivas. Neste trabalho é apresentada uma ferramenta de interação 3D para tablets, que permite agregar todas as principais técnicas de interação 3D como navegação, seleção, manipulação, controle de sistema e entrada simbólica. Para avaliar a ferramenta proposta foi utilizada aplicação SimUEOP-Ambsim, um simulador de treinamento em plataformas de óleo e guias que tem a complexidade necessária e permite o uso de todas as técnicas implementadas. / [en] Interaction in engineering virtual environments is characterized by the necessity of the high precision level needed for the execution of specic tasks for this kind of environment. Generally this kind of task uses specicinteraction devices with 4 or more degrees of freedom (DOF). Current applications involving 3D interaction use interaction devices for object modelling or for the implementation of navigation, selection and manipulation tecniques in a virtual environment. A related problem is the necessity of controlling tasks that are naturally non-immersive, such as symbolic input (e.g., text, photos). Another problem is the large learning curve to handle such non-conventional devices. The addition of sensors and the popularization of smartphones and tablets, allowed the use of such devices in virtual engineering environments. These devices, besides their popularity and sensors, dier by the possibility of including additional information and performing naturally non-immersive tasks. This work presents a 3D interaction tablet-based tool, which allows the aggregation of all major 3D interaction tasks, such as navigation, selection, manipulation, system control and symbolic input. To evaluate the proposed tool we used the SimUEP-Ambsim application, a training simulator for oil and gas platforms that has the complexity needed and allows the use of all techniques implemented.

Nesta dissertação são apresentados os resultados obtidos na elaboração de um sistema de aquisição e controle de experimentos, utilizando uma rede local de computadores. É proposta uma infra-estrutura baseada em instrumentação virtual em uma rede utilizando sistema operacional aberto e o protocolo de comunicação IPv6, parte integrante da camada de rede do protocolo TCP/IP. São selecionadas as tecnologias e ferramentas para o desenvolvimento do Laboratório remoto que se adaptam à integração entre o hardware e software para possibilitar o controle de experimentos e equipamentos de forma remota. A maior abrangência deste projeto está no desenvolvimento do Laboratório remoto com ferramentas de código aberto, como o sistema operacional Linux, o servidor Apache - como servidor WEB e o protocolo IPv6, para a comunicação da camada de rede. A proposta global deste trabalho é contribuir com a preparação da infra-estrutura de um ambiente de sistema operacional aberto, utilizado para a aquisição de dados em redes remotas, e com isto promover a cooperação e o compartilhamento de instrumentos, não se limitando apenas à área acadêmica e de pesquisa, mas estendendo essas facilidades para outras áreas do conhecimento. Como resultado deste trabalho é disponibilizado um Laboratório Virtual que possibilita o controle de um ensaio experimental, através de uma rede local. / In this dissertation are showed the results got in the making of acquisition and controlling experiments system, using a LAN. It´s offered a infra-structure based in virtual instrumentation for a network applying open operational system and the communication protocol Ipv6, part which belongs to network layer of TCP/IP protocol. The technologies and tools, which are chosen for the development of remote Laboratory, adapt themselves to integration between hardware and software to making possible the experiments and equipments control remoting. The main purpose of this project consist in the development of remote Laboratory with open-code tools, as Linux operational system, Apache server - as WEB server and Ipv6, for network layer communication. The global proposal of this work is contribute to setting up infra-structure of an open operational system, utilized to data acquisition in remote network, promote the work jointly and sharing of instruments, not restricting only to academic or knowledge areas. Like resulting of this work is available a Virtual Laboratory, which allow the control of experimental assay, through a LAN.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T13:58:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 23 / Nenhuma / Os atuais centros urbanos concentram uma profusão de indivíduos localizados em estruturas e edificações complexas, como ginásios esportivos, centros comerciais, aeroportos, etc. Estes ambientes são claramente edificações de múltiplos andares e não podem ser representados por uma solução bidimensional em simulações baseadas em física. Este grau de liberdade extra àqueles suportados pelos modelos atuais de simulação, encontrados na literatura, é a limitação destes em simular agentes em terrenos irregulares ou na presença de rampas e escadas. O trabalho desenvolvido nesta dissertação entrantra-se vinculado ao projeto CSHuV, Centro de Simulação de Humanos Virtuais - em colaboração com a HP Brazil R&D-, inserido no contexto do Laboratório CROMOS. Este projeto vem nos últumos anos, modelando, implementando e validando diferentes ambientes para criação e simulação de humanos virtuais. Como resultado desta dissertação, é oferecido o suporte necessário ao projeto para simula ambientes ainda mais complexos através de f / The current urban center concentrate a large number of people located in complex buildings, as shopping centers, airports, etc. These environments are cleary buildings of multiple floors and can not be represented by a bidimensional solution of Physics simulations. This extra freedom degree is the limitation of these 2D models in simulation agents in irregular lands or at the presence of slopes and stairs.The work developed in this master’s thesis is inserted on the CSHuV project, Centro de Simulação de Humanos Virtuais – in collaboration with the HP Brazil R&D - , in the context of CROMOS Laboratory. This project comes, in the last years, modeling, implementing and validating different environments for creation and simulation of virtual human agents. As result of this master’s thesis, the support necessary to the project to simulate more complex environments through physical and mathematical formalism is offered. An expansion of the model of social forces is proposed, allowing the agent space displacements i

Nesta dissertação são apresentados os resultados obtidos na elaboração de um sistema de aquisição e controle de experimentos, utilizando uma rede local de computadores. É proposta uma infra-estrutura baseada em instrumentação virtual em uma rede utilizando sistema operacional aberto e o protocolo de comunicação IPv6, parte integrante da camada de rede do protocolo TCP/IP. São selecionadas as tecnologias e ferramentas para o desenvolvimento do Laboratório remoto que se adaptam à integração entre o hardware e software para possibilitar o controle de experimentos e equipamentos de forma remota. A maior abrangência deste projeto está no desenvolvimento do Laboratório remoto com ferramentas de código aberto, como o sistema operacional Linux, o servidor Apache - como servidor WEB e o protocolo IPv6, para a comunicação da camada de rede. A proposta global deste trabalho é contribuir com a preparação da infra-estrutura de um ambiente de sistema operacional aberto, utilizado para a aquisição de dados em redes remotas, e com isto promover a cooperação e o compartilhamento de instrumentos, não se limitando apenas à área acadêmica e de pesquisa, mas estendendo essas facilidades para outras áreas do conhecimento. Como resultado deste trabalho é disponibilizado um Laboratório Virtual que possibilita o controle de um ensaio experimental, através de uma rede local. / In this dissertation are showed the results got in the making of acquisition and controlling experiments system, using a LAN. It´s offered a infra-structure based in virtual instrumentation for a network applying open operational system and the communication protocol Ipv6, part which belongs to network layer of TCP/IP protocol. The technologies and tools, which are chosen for the development of remote Laboratory, adapt themselves to integration between hardware and software to making possible the experiments and equipments control remoting. The main purpose of this project consist in the development of remote Laboratory with open-code tools, as Linux operational system, Apache server - as WEB server and Ipv6, for network layer communication. The global proposal of this work is contribute to setting up infra-structure of an open operational system, utilized to data acquisition in remote network, promote the work jointly and sharing of instruments, not restricting only to academic or knowledge areas. Like resulting of this work is available a Virtual Laboratory, which allow the control of experimental assay, through a LAN.

Mestrado em Arte Multimédia / Explorando o Bazar Tipográfico: A importância dos modelos emergentes de comunicação na criação de uma plataforma de colaboração livre para o design tipográfico trata de temas como a evolução da Web, a Cibercultura e Modelos de Comunicação, o desenvolvimento de Software Livre e a criação de Projectos Colaborativos sob a realidade electrónica. No âmbito da Comunicação na Cultura Digital, o desenvolvimento de Design Tipográfico foi a aplicação prática escolhida como objecto de análise, tendo por base a ideologia e o modelo de desenvolvimento de Software Livre. Reflecte-se principalmente a mudança de paradigma provocado pelo aparecimento da sociedade de informação desde o desenvolvimento do conceito de Internet. É, acima de tudo, uma análise dos processos de comunicação e colaboração na sociedade digital. Assim, apesar de abordar temas gerais como a Comunicação, ou Cibercultura, foca principalmente propostas colaborativas on-line, a dicotomia da Tecnologia versus Cultura, a Rede e os Modelos de Comunicação e as Plataformas de Colaboração actualmente mais populares. No entanto, sendo uma investigação desenvolvida no âmbito do Mestrado em Arte Multimédia, investiu-se essencialmente no Design Tipográfico. O subtítulo A importância dos modelos emergentes de comunicação na criação de uma plataforma de colaboração livre para o design tipográfico representa um desafio de síntese dos assuntos mais importantes da dissertação: A evolução e o desenvolvimento da Internet, da Web e da Cibercultura como iniciativas livres, de reacção e de contracultura; O surgimento da sociedade em rede actual, que reflexos existem na história do Ciberespaço como meio de comunicação e como este meio se revela ser o espaço ideal para o desenvolvimento da cultura digital actual; A influência dos modelos de comunicação dos finais dos anos 1960 no fenómeno de rede actual; O modelo de gestão adoptado pelo desenvolvimento de Software Open Source e como este influência o quotidiano e a produção criativa; Os presentes métodos colaborativos de produção e partilha de conhecimento e de produtos intelectuais motor de impulsão da inteligência colectiva e de uma sociedade mais produtiva, crítica e responsável. / Exploring the Type Bazaar: the importance of the emergent models of communication in the creation of a platform of free collaboration for type design deals with themes as the evolution of the Web, Cyberculture and Communication Models, the Development of Free Software and the creation of Collaborative Projects under the electronic reality. In the scope of the Communication in the Digital Culture, the development of Typographical Design was the practical application chosen as object of analysis, having the ideology and the Open Source Software model of development for its basis. It reflects mainly the change of paradigm provoked by the appearance of the information society since the development of the concept of the Internet. It is, above all, an analysis of the communication processes and its contribution in the digital society. Thus, although it approaches subjects as wide as Communication, or Cyberculture, it focuses mainly on on-line collaborative proposals, the dichotomy of the Technology versus Culture, the Net and Models of Communication and currently popular Platforms of Collaboration. However, being an investigation developed in the scope of the Master in Multimedia Art, the investment was made essentially in Typographical Design. The sub-heading the importance of the emergent models of communication in the creation of a platform of free collaboration for type design represents a great synthesis challenge of the most important subjects of the present dissertation: The evolution and the development of the Internet, the Web and the Cyberculture as free initiatives, as reaction and as Counterculture; The sprouting of the current net society. What reflections exist in the history of the Cyberspace as the communication media and how does this medium reveals itself to be the ideal space for the development of the current digital culture; The influence of the late 1960 s communication models in the current Web phenomenon; The management model adopted for the development of Open Source Software and as this inflences everyday life and the creative production; The current collaboration methods of production and of knowledge sharing of intellectual products - main impulse of the collective intelligence and of a more productive, critical and responsible society.

Virtual Reality (VR) video is emerging as a new art form. Viewing VR video requires wearing the VR headset to fully experience the immersive surrounding of the content. However, the novel viewing experience of VR video creates new challenges and requirements for conventional video authoring tools, which were designed mainly for working with normal video on a desktop display. Designing effective authoring tools for VR video requires intuitive video interfaces specific to VR. This dissertation develops new workflows and systems that enable filmmakers to create and improve VR video while fully immersed in a VR headset. We introduce a series of authoring tools that enables filmmakers to work with video in VR: 1) Vremiere, an in-headset video editing application that enables editors to edit VR video entirely in the headset, 2) CollaVR, a networked system that enables multiple users to collaborate and review video together in VR, and 3) a set of techniques to assist filmmakers in managing and accessing interfaces in stereoscopic VR video without suffering depth conflicts. The design of these applications is grounded in existing practices and principles learned in interviews with VR professionals. A series of studies is conducted to evaluate these systems, which demonstrate the potential of in-headset video authoring.

Canadian agriculture trade with the United States, specifically trade in livestock and livestock commodities, has flourished under the NAFTA regime. However, the benefits of this trade liberalization have hidden environmental costs that seldom get noticed or accounted. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the hidden cost on water resources by first assessing the virtual water content (VWC) of various types of livestock and livestock products and then quantifying the virtual water flow (VWF) related to trade in livestock and its products between Canada and United States. The study also examined the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and evaluated its implications for Canadian water resources. The research was conducted in three parts. First, the background literature on NAFTA was studied and trade data were collected to understand the NAFTA regime and study the impacts on Canadian exports of livestock and livestock products from the 1990s. The trade data were collected from provincial agricultural ministries and Statistics Canada. Secondly, datasheets were created to calculate the VWC in the various categories of animals and ultimately to estimate VWF between the two countries. Finally, Alberta and Ontario were chosen as case study areas to investigate localized impacts on water resources due to trade under NAFTA. The research results indicate that there is a large difference in the amount of VW being transferred through livestock and livestock commodities from Canada to the U.S. The average difference in trade has been calculated to be 3.6 billion m3 per year. This makes Canada a net exporter of virtual water to the U.S. A closer look at the trade patterns reveals that the U.S. imports mostly water-intensive commodities like cattle and cattle commodities, while it exports mostly less-water intensive commodities like chicken and mutton. By eliminating numerous trade barriers, the agreement has allowed competitive market forces to play a more dominant role in determining agricultural trade flows between the two countries. NAFTA has been criticized and contested at different levels for encouraging bulk water export from Canada to the U.S. What has not received attention in this debate is that water is also being exported in other forms, i.e., the virtual form. The hidden environmental, costs (for the exporting countries) or benefits (to the importing countries) are not reflected in the pricing of agricultural commodities. NAFTA’s mandate for the expansion of trade and investment through the removal of all trade barriers between the two countries is encouraging increased VW trade. This trade, if overlooked, can have deleterious impacts on the water resources of Canada.

Canadian agriculture trade with the United States, specifically trade in livestock and livestock commodities, has flourished under the NAFTA regime. However, the benefits of this trade liberalization have hidden environmental costs that seldom get noticed or accounted. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the hidden cost on water resources by first assessing the virtual water content (VWC) of various types of livestock and livestock products and then quantifying the virtual water flow (VWF) related to trade in livestock and its products between Canada and United States. The study also examined the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and evaluated its implications for Canadian water resources. The research was conducted in three parts. First, the background literature on NAFTA was studied and trade data were collected to understand the NAFTA regime and study the impacts on Canadian exports of livestock and livestock products from the 1990s. The trade data were collected from provincial agricultural ministries and Statistics Canada. Secondly, datasheets were created to calculate the VWC in the various categories of animals and ultimately to estimate VWF between the two countries. Finally, Alberta and Ontario were chosen as case study areas to investigate localized impacts on water resources due to trade under NAFTA. The research results indicate that there is a large difference in the amount of VW being transferred through livestock and livestock commodities from Canada to the U.S. The average difference in trade has been calculated to be 3.6 billion m3 per year. This makes Canada a net exporter of virtual water to the U.S. A closer look at the trade patterns reveals that the U.S. imports mostly water-intensive commodities like cattle and cattle commodities, while it exports mostly less-water intensive commodities like chicken and mutton. By eliminating numerous trade barriers, the agreement has allowed competitive market forces to play a more dominant role in determining agricultural trade flows between the two countries. NAFTA has been criticized and contested at different levels for encouraging bulk water export from Canada to the U.S. What has not received attention in this debate is that water is also being exported in other forms, i.e., the virtual form. The hidden environmental, costs (for the exporting countries) or benefits (to the importing countries) are not reflected in the pricing of agricultural commodities. NAFTA’s mandate for the expansion of trade and investment through the removal of all trade barriers between the two countries is encouraging increased VW trade. This trade, if overlooked, can have deleterious impacts on the water resources of Canada.

Organizations of all types are now able to operate in virtual capacities through time, space, and distance across multinational boundaries; therefore, geography no longer limits business functioning. In fact, many corporate executives and boards employ virtuality in their work regimen. Therefore, organizations employ virtual executives to work teams with ideal skill sets to effectively persevere and complete tasks through distance, space, and time. The purpose of this study was to identify and yet understand the experiences of executive multinational, virtual board members working as a team in a virtual environment. Through this research the virtual dynamics of the virtual team have been studied, prodded, purposely mismatched, and weaved together to understand the culture of the virtual environment in which the team members interact and perform duties. With this particular board, there has been a history of previous work experience or exposure in some capacity; however, it has no great impact on their interaction and work with the entire board. In this study, an exploratory look at the experiences, perceived team dynamics, and strategies used to successfully function as a virtual team are highlighted from a qualitative perspective. The purpose is to describe the individual perspectives of how a multinational executive virtual team best works. The findings of this study reveal that there are many ways to communicate utilizing technology, but the objective for this virtual team is to be multidimensional in use. That means that honest communication is necessary for the board to perform at their optimal level. Therefore, the theoretical framework is based on team performance as a teamwork process-based construct which depends on communication, relationship, and trust to add success for virtual teams The framework results in three step process for team flow and success i.e., the importance of face-to-face meetings; advantages of virtual teaming; and challenges of virtual teaming to result in virtual team performance dependent on the team having communication, relationship, and trust present.

[Truncated abstract] Virtual sculpting is an interactive 3D modeling process that allows users to create and modify solid objects in a virtual world, with applications in art, rapid proto- typing and design. This thesis investigates methods for a collaborative, voxel-based virtual sculpting with haptic force-feedback. The objective is to devise such a system that operates in real-time. I make three main contributions in the fields of voxel-based virtual sculpting, haptics and collaborative virtual environments. First, I have devised a method for virtual sculpting where a voxel-based sculpture is created using a tool to build up or erode material. In existing real-time systems, due to the complexity of the algorithms that determine which voxels have been touched by the tool in a given time-step, the size or shape of the sculpting tool is limited and can often only be applied at a fixed orientation. My solution allows the tool to take the shape of any arbitrary triangle-based polyhedron that can be applied at any orientation. To determine which voxels are intersected by the tool, the tool is voxelized (converted into its discrete voxel representation) at each time-step against the voxels of the sculpture, which are then modified according to the desired operation. To give the resulting voxel-based sculpture a realistic appearance, I use the well-known Marching Cubes algorithm to form a triangular- mesh isosurface where the voxels representing sculpture material meet free-space. '...' For this I have borrowed concepts from the existing Voxmap-PointShell (VPS) model where the tool is represented by an array of points that cover its surface, each of which is tested for collisions with the sculpture. Each colliding point will form a component force, and the overall collision force is the vector sum of these components. My model is unique in that the component forces are formed in a direction tangential to the isosurface nearest the voxel of collision and can operate while the voxels of the sculpture are changing. While the VPS model is designed for force-feedback on a 6- degrees-of-freedom haptic device (delivers translational and rotational forces to the user), my model is designed to suit commodity 3-degrees-of-freedom (translational forces only) devices which are much more common. Third, I have developed a collaborative virtual sculpting paradigm to allow several users to simultaneously work on the same sculpture from different locations. This allows collaborative design without the requirement of being co-present. I will discuss methods for relaying the rapidly changing voxel and isosurface data between workstations, such that the local environment on each is synchronized in a manner that is immediate and transparent to the users. In addition, collisions between the different users' tools are felt through force-feedback. I implemented a collaborative haptic virtual sculpting simulation using the above methods in order to validate the system. The simulation was used to test the capabilities and limits of each contribution, as well as the real-time capability of the overall system. Ultimately this thesis demonstrates that it is possible to combine these technologies to form a flexible and intuitive collaborative virtual sculpting experience that operates in real-time.