The goals of the research presented in this dissertation were to create algorithms that produce images of complex phenomena, to study the efficacy of the algorithms, and to apply these algorithms to important mineralogical problems. The algorithms that were created include the Sphere Projection method, the Chicken Wire method, and methods for calculating the curvature at any point on a surface. The Sphere Projection method is best applied to roughly spherical surfaces. A theorem about the "fit" to a sphere determines the accuracy of the model in this special case and gives some insight into the limitations of this method. The Chicken Wire method was developed to model those surfaces for which the Sphere Projection method was ineffective. The effectiveness of the Chicken Wire method was also determined. The algorithms were used to produce images of equi-value surfaces of the Laplacian of the electron density function in selected molecules. The water molecule, H2O, was studied to demonstrate that these new methods are capable of reproducing known features. The disiloxane molecule, H6Si2O7, was studied because it serves as a model for bonding in quartz and other important silicates. Lastly, the molecule NaLi2Si2OF9 was examined as a molecular model for low albite. A new discovery suggests that these algorithms will be an important tool in mineralogy. / Ph. D.

The master thesis is focused on creation of a visualization environment that displays a movement of a vehicle. A connection of the virtual reality with Matlab/Simulink and its 3D Animation toolbox is realized. Basic parameters of the vehicle can be easily edited using application created in Matlab. Selected dynamic effects are rendered together with the movement of the vehicle. The visualization is managed by results of the simulation calculations or measurements.

This thesis applies computer graphics to two important fields of Biomedical Engineering. Firstly, in order to provide new software for interdisciplinary education, an interactive Virtual-based platform was developed, presenting a tridimensional visualization of the neuron and of its major microestructures. Such platform enables an overall view of the neural cell, including particular details in a microcellular level. Several issues regarding the tridimensional reconstruction of neuroanatomical strucutures based on photos taken from real-life tissues are discussed, leading to the implementation of a bidimensional atlas, that establishes connections between neuroanatomy and the clinical practice. Secondly, a system for the efficient and accurate estimation of the time intervals associated with swallow phases was developed, supposing videofluoroscopic images as inputs. The system performs pre-processing of such images by means of file conversions, followed by image analysis, that leads to the final estimation. A clinical experiment was carried out in order to validate the platform, yielding (allowing) a preliminar proposition for a normal pattern of swallow , which is based on the average-estimated swallow times. Results pointed out that the system may be considered, flexible, requiring simple hardware/software configurations, and also providing details on fractioning. / Aplica-se nesta dissertação a computação gráfica a duas áreas relevantes da Engenharia Biomédica. Inicialmente, para propiciar novos instrumentos voltados à educação interdisciplinar em Neurociências, apresenta-se uma plataforma VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) interativa que representa tridimensionalmente o neurônio e suas principais organelas, propiciando enfoques globais da célula e particulares de suas microestruturas. Discutem-se aspectos ligados à reconstrução tridimensional de estruturas neuroanatômicas a partir de fotos tomadas de peças reais, levando à implementação de um atlas bidimensional, que alia a neuroanatomia à prática clínica. Posteriormente, objetivou-se desenvolver um sistema para a contagem precisa e rápida dos intervalos de tempos associados às diversas fases da deglutição, baseado em imagens videofluoroscópicas. O sistema realiza pré-processamento através da conversão de formato de arquivos, seguido de análise de imagens, o que foi validado através de um experimento clínico, permitindo assim refletir a definição de um padrão de normalidade em deglutição , em termos dos valores médios do intervalo de tempo de deglutição. Tal sistema se mostrou viável, simples, flexível, sem a necessidade de hardware/software específicos, possibilitando inclusive detalhar o fracionamento ou não do bolo alimentar. / Mestre em Ciências

Pasaulyje sparčiai besivystančios informacinės technologijos (IT) neaplenkia ir archeologijos mokslo. Vis dažniau archeologai naudoja įvairias kompiuterines programas ne tik archeologinės medžiagos dokumentavimui, vaizdavimui ar rekonstrukcijai, bet ir žmonių veiklos, buities, gyvenimo aplinkos rekonstrukcijai ar modeliavimui. Šis uždavinys reikalauja atlikti kelių etapų analizę ir išsiaiškinti radinių kilmę, tipą, originalumą ir paskirtį. Turint šią informaciją, galime daug sužinoti apie žmonių, kurie naudojosi tais daiktais žinias, turėtus įrankius, papročius, emigraciją ir daug kitos informacijos. Žinių kiekis apie senovę priklauso nuo radinių ir mūsų gebėjimų juos analizuoti. Šiame darbe yra pristatomas vienas iš puodų šukių analizės metodų - sukimo ašies radimas. Tai yra pirmasis ir esminis tokio tipo radinių analizės etapas, nes nuo jo rezultatų priklauso kitos radinio analizės - profilio linijos radimas, simetriškumo tikrinimas, segmantacijos realizavimas, objektų tipologija, rekonstrukcija ir galiausiai - žmonių gyvenimo analizė. Klaidos šiame etape turi lemiamos reikšmės kitiems analizės etapams, o gautos žinios gali suklaidinti tiriant senovės žmonių kultūrą ir jų paplitimą bei migraciją. Darbe yra aptariami sukimo ašies radimo metodai, jų privalumai ir trūkumai, pateikiami pavyzdžiai. / The world is rapidly developing information technology (IT) exist in archaeological science. Increasingly, archaeologists use various computer programs not only for documentation of archaeological material, or the depiction of reconstruction, but human activity, lifestyle, environmental reconstruction and modeling. This task requires a multi-step analysis of the findings and to clarify the origin of the type of originality and purpose. With this information, we can learn a lot about the people who used the objects of knowledge at the tools, customs, emigration, and much other information. Amount of knowledge about ancient artifacts and depends on our ability to analyze them. This paper has presented one of the pottery shards of methods of analysis – estimation of the axis of rotation. This is the first of its kind and an essential step in the analysis finds, because it captures the results of another analysis - Finding the profile lines, symmetry checks, realization of segmentation, object typology, reconstruction, and finally - an analysis of people's lives. Errors at this stage is critical for other steps in the analysis and the knowledge generated is likely to mislead the investigation of ancient human cultures and their distribution and migration. The paper discusses the rotation axis of the detection methods, their advantages and disadvantages, are examples.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. / The objective of the ongoing MARG project is to animate human motions captured by 15 MARG sensors in wireless networked virtual environment (NVES). Three avatars were developed previously, but none of them met all the desired requirements. The first one was overly simplistic and did not implement H-Anim standards. The other two were created using laser-scanned data and followed the H-Anim standards, but one had its adjacent joints broken and the other was capable of rotating only one joint. Therefore, the cartoon-type humanoid, Andy, was developed to meet the needs of the MARG project. The humanoid Andy implements H-Anim standards using built-in X3D humanoid nodes and is capable of controlling all its 15 joints in NVES. Another need of the MARG project was a wireless network interface for real-time data streaming. A concurrent client-server program implementing multicasting using TCP and UDP protocols was developed for this purpose. Using WiSER2400.IP serial adapters between the MARG sensors and the server program adds a wireless capability to the project. The server program converts the raw MARG sensor data to quaternions using the Quest algorithm. Multiple clients are supported by the system. Each client program receives the motion data and updates the humanoid Andy. / Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish Navy

Cette thèse aborde le sujet de la modélisation du processus de dimensionnement en génie électrique par la simulation numérique. En premier lieu, le formalisme SADT est utilisé pour guider l'utilisateur dans sa simulation numérique. Puis, l'utilisation d'événementiels permet de recituer la simulation numérique dans le processus de dimensionnement en génie électrique. Enfin, une méthode nouvelle est proposée s'inspirant d'Open Inventor et de la méthodologie objet pour tenter de rassembler et de capitaliser I'ensemble des aspects du processus de dimensionnement en génie élechique. Cette méthode nouvelle est associée au langage VRML pour bénéficier de la syntaxe déjà définie

Der Begriff der Virtualität von Bankdienstleistungen wird unterschiedlich interpretiert. Während eine Vielzahl der Veröffentlichungen in den Kontext von Virtuellen Unternehmen und Intermediären einzuordnen ist, kann konstatiert werden, dass die Virtualisierung des Bankgeschäfts im Rahmen dreidimensionaler Technologien weniger Beachtung findet. Die vorliegenden Studie soll einen Beitrag dazu leisten, diese Erkenntnislücke zu schließen, indem die Eignung aktueller Technologien zur Realisierung einer virtuellen Bankfiliale im Sinn der virtuellen Realität untersucht wird. Ziel der Studie ist die Implementierung einer dreidimensionalen Bankfiliale mit verschiedenen Internet-basierten Technologien. Mit den Technologien Adobe Atmosphere, Shockwave 3D, VRML und Java 3D wurden Prototypimplementierungen durchgeführt, um deren Eignung für das Bankgeschäft anhand unterschiedlicher Kriterien zu bewerten.

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 85 p. : ill. (some col.), col. maps + AVI movie and VRML computer files. Includes AVI movie and VRML files. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-85).

In traditional way of thinking, culture heritage objects are reconstructing in physical way. Sometimes it is very expensive and complex task. Complex for few reasons: first of all usually we have no all necessary information about cultural heritage object; it calls lack of information (drafts, drawings and so on) and second usually experts disagree about how it must look in real world. This postgraduate thesis trying to show how it is possible virtual reconstruction of cultural heritage objects with Virtual Reality Modeling Language. VRML now is most advance virtual reality technology and day by day is developing. These theses consist from two parts. This paper describes some concepts how it is possible to use VRML in reconstruction of cultural heritage and second part represents real example of such possibility. It can be found at http://www.museum.virtualage.org One thing is very important. It is not necessary reconstruct a model like it was. Virtual Reality can give possibility to look at different models, interpretations, materials and so on. It means that it can help us to reconstruct a physical object, to reach more objective tasks in reconstruction of cultural heritage. Another benefit projects like this is to expand traditional concept of museum, where besides real museum we can find virtual museums and we can visit from a web. It means the new concepts of cultural education and learning. Finally, it is very good example how very different kinds of science can go... [to full text]

From the earliest days of mass production in the automotive industry there has been a progressive move towards the use of flexible manufacturing systems that cater for product variants that meet market demands. In recent years this market has become more demanding with pressures from legislation, globalisation and increased customer expectations. This has lead to the current trends of mass customisation in production. In order to support this manufacturing systems are not only becoming more flexible† to cope with the increased product variants, but also more agile‡ such that they may respond more rapidly to market changes. Modularisation§ is widely used to increase the agility of automation systems, such that they may be more readily reconfigured¶. Also with globalisation into India and Asia semi-automatic machines (machines that interact with human operators) are more frequently used to reduce capital outlay and increase flexibility. There is an increasing need for tools and methodologies that support this in order to improve design robustness, reduce design time and gain a competitive edge in the market. The research presented in this thesis is built upon the work from COMPAG/COMPANION (COMponent- based Paradigm for AGile automation, and COmmon Model for PArtNers in automatION), and as part of the BDA (Business Driven Automation), SOCRADES (Service Oriented Cross-layer infrastructure for Distributed smart Embedded deviceS), and IMC-AESOP (ArchitecturE for Service- Oriented Process – monitoring and control) projects conducted at Loughborough University UK. This research details the design and implementation of a toolkit for building and simulating automation systems comprising components with behaviour described using Finite State Machines (FSM). The research focus is the development of the engineering toolkit that can support the automation system lifecycle from initial design through commissioning to maintenance and reconfiguration as well as the integration of a virtual human. This is achieved using a novel data structure that supports component definitions for control, simulation, maintenance and the novel integration of a virtual human into the automation system operation.