The past decade has seen the release of numerous software packages aimed at enhancing anatomical education. However, there has been little research undertaken by the manufacturers of these products into the benefit or otherwise of these packages for student learning. In addition, while many of the existing software packages include interactive three-dimensional models, none of them truly offer virtual dissection i.e. the cutting through anatomical layers with a haptic (tactile) interface. This study investigated the haptic ‘dissection’ of a three dimensional digital model of the hand and wrist in anatomy education at both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) levels. The model was used as a teaching and revision aid both prior to and after dissection of a real cadaver. A haptic enabled version of the model, allowing for real-time cutting was compared with a non-haptic version, using instead a keyboard and mouse ‘point and click’ style interface. Both versions were tested on students of gross anatomy in relation to test results and student experience. The model was based upon Computerised Tomography (CT) and photographic slice data from the Visible Human Project female data set. It was segmented and reconstructed using Amira® 5.2.2. From here each structure was exported as a separate STL file and imported into Geomagic Freeform® Modelling TM. Once imported into Freeform® Modelling TM, the individual structures each required varying degrees of re-modelling where detail had been lost during the segmentation process. Some smaller structures such as the nerves, veins and arteries were modelled freehand. The final model could be dissected using FreeForm® ModellingTM, the same software in which it was created. Using FreeForm® ModellingTM as a prototype VR dissector, each anatomical structure could be selected and virtually ‘dissected’ with the PHANTOM® Desktop™ haptic tool. Three methods of interacting with the model were identified: 1) using a cutting tool to cut through the selected layer; 2) using a selection paintball to first select and then delete the layer; and 3) using planes to cut the selected structure in standard anatomical views. The study ran over five successive years and was split into three discreet phases. Phase one compared the results of PG students across control, non-haptic and haptic groups. Phase two compared the results of UG students between control and haptic groups. Phase three compared the results of UG students across control, non-haptic and haptic groups. Due to small group sizes and a largely non-normal distributions the results were analysed using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results for all phases indicate that use of the model, both through haptic and non-haptic interfaces produced some significantly improved test results. The non-haptic version of the model performing equal or better than those with access to the haptic version. This is likely due to cognitive load being adversely affected by the addition of the haptic device. Some students reported that the haptic device was not intuitive to use and took some time to get used to, if at all. No student used either version of the model for more than five hours, with over 40% using it for less than one hour. It is possible that with increased exposure to the haptic device students may find it easier and thus beneficial. The findings of this study indicate that when used for a short period of time only ( < 5 hours) the haptic device may impede rather than enhance learning.

Octavia is a 3D animated story based on experiences of Army divers in the waters of Southeast Asia. I built a strong core set of skills in end-to-end 3D animation throughout my time in the graduate program, and I wanted to incorporate them into a real story for this thesis. The myriad of stories I grew up with inspired the development of this 3D animation due to their uniqueness and their nature as a verbal history. This thesis is based on two objectives: technical excellence in the process of 3D animation, and sharing a previously verbal history to a larger audience. I achieved these goals using a variety of technical animation tools including ZBrush, Maya, Arnold, and Premier. Octavia itself is a modified story from my father's time diving in South Korea. The story details the interactions between an exceptionally curious octopus, Octavia, and a diver, taken from Octavia's perspective. The animation was well received during my defense for its technical difficulty and unique art styles. Octavia will be available online on my website. / Master of Fine Arts / Octavia is a 3D animated story based on experiences of Army divers in the waters of Southeast Asia. I built a strong core set of skills in end-to-end 3D animation throughout my time in the graduate program, and I wanted to incorporate them into a real story for this thesis. The myriad of stories I grew up with inspired the development of this 3D animation due to their uniqueness and their nature as a verbal history. This thesis is based on two objectives: technical excellence in the process of 3D animation, and sharing a previously verbal history to a larger audience. I achieved these goals using a variety of technical animation tools including ZBrush, Maya, Arnold, and Premier. Octavia itself is a modified story from my father’s time diving in South Korea. The story details the interactions between an exceptionally curious octopus, Octavia, and a diver, taken from Octavia’s perspective. The animation was well received during my defense for its technical difficulty and unique art styles. Octavia will be available online on my website.

With the increase in globalization of Integrated Circuit (IC) design and production, hardware trojans have become a serious threat to manufacturers as well as consumers. These trojans could be intensionally or accidentally embedded in ICs to make a system vulnerable to hardware attacks. The implementation of critical applications using ICs makes the effect of trojans an even more serious problem. Moreover, the presence of untrusted foundries and designs cannot be eliminated since the need for ICs is growing exponentially and the use of third party software tools to design the circuits is now common. In addition if a trusted foundry for fabrication has to be developed, it involves a huge investment. Therefore, hardware trojan detection techniques are essential. Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) system designers must now consider the security of a system against internal and external hardware attacks. Many hardware attacks rely on system vulnerabilities. Moreover, an attacker may rely on deprocessing and reverse engineering to study the internal structure of a system to reveal the system functionality in order to steal secret keys or copy the system. Thus hardware security is a major challenge for the hardware industry. Many hardware attack mitigation techniques have been proposed to help system designers build secure systems that can resist hardware attacks during the design stage, while others protect the system against attacks during operation. In this dissertation, the idea of quantifying hardware attacks, hardware trojans, and hardware trojan detection techniques is introduced. We analyze and classify hardware attacks into risk levels based on three dimensions Accessibility/Resources/Time (ART). We propose a methodology and algorithms to aid the attacker/defender to select/predict the hardware attacks that could use/threaten the system based on the attacker/defender capabilities. Because many of these attacks depends on hardware trojans embedded in the system, we propose a comprehensive hardware trojan classification based on hardware trojan attributes divided into eight categories. An adjacency matrix is generated based on the internal relationship between the attributes within a category and external relationship between attributes in different categories. We propose a methodology to generate a trojan life-cycle based on attributes determined by an attacker/defender to build/investigate a trojan. Trojan identification and severity are studied to provide a systematic way to compare trojans. Trojan detection identification and coverage is also studied to provide a systematic way to compare detection techniques and measure their e effectiveness related to trojan severity. We classify hardware attack mitigation techniques based on the hardware attack risk levels. Finally, we match these techniques to the attacks the could countermeasure to help defenders select appropriate techniques to protect their systems against potential hardware attacks. / Graduate / 0544 / 0984 / samerm@uvic.ca

This thesis explores the balance between visual quality and the performance of a 3D object for computer games. Additionally, it aims to help new 3D artists to create assets that are both visually adequate and optimized for real-time rendering. It further investigates the differences in the judgement of the visual quality of thosethat know computer graphics, and thosenot familiar with it. Many explanations of 3D art optimization are often highly technical and challenging for graphic artists to grasp. Additionally, they regularly neglect the effects of optimization to the visual quality of the assets. By testing several 3D assets to measure their render time while using a survey to gather their visual assessments, it was discovered that 3D game art is very contextual. No definite or straightforward way was identified to find the balance between art quality and performance universally. Neither when it comes to performance nor visuals. However, some interesting findings regarding the judgment of visual quality were observed and presented. / Den här uppsatsen utforskar balansen mellan visuell kvalitéoch prestanda i 3D modeller för spel. Vidare eftersträvar den att utgöra ett stöd för nya 3D-modelleingskonstnärer för att skapa modeller som är både visuellt adekvata och optimerade för att renderas i realtid. Dessutom undersöks skillnaden mellan omdömet av den visuella kvalitén mellan de som är bekanta med 3D datorgrafik och de som inte är det. Många förklaringar gällande optimering av 3D grafik är högst tekniska och utgör en utmaning för grafiker att förståsig på och försummar dessutom ofta effekten av hur optimering påverkar resultatet rent visuallet. Genom att testa ett flertal 3D modeller, mäta tiden det tar för dem att renderas, samt omdömen gällande visuella intryck, drogs slutsatsen att bedömning av 3D modellering för spel är väldigt kontextuell. Inget definitivt och enkelt sätt att hitta balansen mellan visuella kvalitén upptäcktes. Varken gällande prestanda eller visuell kvalité. Däremot gjordes några intressanta upptäckter angående bedömningen av den visuella kvalitén som observerades och presenterades.

This thesis compares two modeling methods, subdivision and booleans, which are used for the creation of hard surface assets in the gaming industry. The parameters that are assessed are the time taken to create the models with the respective method and the quality of the models. Quality refers to the presence of shading artifacts. In order to compare the methods, models of varying complexity have been created, the time of creation has been measured and experts in 3D modeling have assessed the quality. The results show that the boolean method is better suited for complex models, while both methods work well for simpler models. / Den här avhandlingen jämför två modelleringsmetoder, subdivision och booleans, som används för skapandet av hardsurface assets inom spelbranschen. Parametrarna som bedöms är den tid det tar att skapa modellerna med respektive metod och kvalitén på modellerna. Med kvalité avses förekomsten av shading artefakter. För att jämföra metoderna har modeller av varierande komplexitet skapats, skapandets tid har mätts och experter inom 3D-modellering har bedömt kvalitén. Resultatet visar att booleansmetoden är bättre lämpad för komplexa modeller medan båda metoder fungerar bra för simplare modeller.

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