This thesis presents the development towards a system that can capture and quantify motion for applications in biomechanical and medical fields demanding precision motion tracking using the lighthouse technology. Commercially known as SteamVR tracking, the lighthouse technology is a motion tracking system developed for virtual reality applications that makes use of patterned infrared light sources to highlight trackers (objects embedded with photodiodes) to obtain their pose or spatial position and orientation. Current motion capture systems such as the camera-based motion capture are expensive and not readily available outside of research labs. This thesis provides a case for low-cost motion capture systems. The technology is applied to quantify motion to draw inferences about biomechanics capture and analysis, quantification of gait, and prosthetic alignment. Possible shortcomings for data acquisition using this system for the stated applications have been addressed. The repeatability of the system has been established by determining the standard deviation error for multiple trials based on a motion trajectory using a seven degree-of-freedom robot arm. The accuracy testing for the system is based on cross-validation between the lighthouse technology data and transformations derived using joint angles by developing a forward kinematics model for the robot’s end-effector pose. The underlying principle for motion capture using this system is that multiple trackers placed on limb segments allow to record the position and orientation of the segments in relation to a set global frame. Joint angles between the segments can then be calculated from the recorded positions and orientations of each tracker using inverse kinematics. In this work, inverse kinematics for rigid bodies was based on calculating homogeneous transforms to the individual trackers in the model’s reference frame to find the respective Euler angles as well as using the analytical approach to solve for joint variables in terms of known geometric parameters. This work was carried out on a phantom prosthetic limb. A custom application-specific motion tracker was also developed using a hardware development kit which would be further optimized for subsequent studies involving biomechanics motion capture.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_anderson_lopes.pdf: 5606897 bytes, checksum: aaf6a34c7f63ae1ba0117dbdec6689dd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-10-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation is inserted in the thematic with reference to evaluation in Distance Education (DE). In this context the study aims to discuss the viability of the evaluating processes implementation in virtual environments, supported by interactive communication tools. Specially, we have intended to answer the following question: offering a course totally by distance, using digital resources and approaching a specific mathematical theme, which evaluating process allows revealing each learner development? Therefore, we have conceived and implemented a course to High School learners, involving three private schools from São Paulo State, and approaching a Geometry theme. The above mentioned course has fitted the TelEduc platform and has integrated the Cabri-Géomètre. The evaluating process which was conceived in this course has emphasized the formative, continuous and comprehensive evaluation, by adopting auxiliary mechanisms, such as self-evaluation, and the interaction and collaboration tracking which were practiced by the learners. In order to place this purpose, we have used the BLOOM (1985) theoretical bases, we have resorted to TAROUCO (2000) researches, and we have presented the KIRKPATRIC (1994) model levels, for which we have discussed the pertinence in the context in which it was inserted. Attentive to the course conditions and peculiarities, our analyses show that the activities which were characterized as true problem-situations, in a real problematic meaning, lead the learners to search for information, suggestions or confirmations from the other participants, in a perspective of a collaborative work. Regarding to the evaluating model that was purposed, the results which were obtained point at its viability conditioned on intense compromising and actuation of the former-teacher / Esta dissertação insere-se na temática relativa à avaliação em Educação a Distância (EaD). Nesse contexto, o estudo pretende discutir a viabilidade da implementação de processos avaliativos em ambientes virtuais, suportado por ferramentas de comunicação interativas. Em particular, buscamos responder a seguinte questão: ao se disponibilizar um curso, totalmente a distância, utilizando recursos digitais e abordando um tema matemático específico, qual processo avaliativo permite revelar o desempenho de cada aluno? Para tanto, concebemos e implementamos um curso para alunos do Ensino Médio, envolvendo três escolas particulares do Estado de São Paulo e abordando um tema de Geometria. O referido curso assentou-se na plataforma TelEduc e integrou o ambiente Cabri-Géomètre. O processo avaliativo concebido nesse curso deu ênfase à avaliação formativa, contínua e abrangente, adotando mecanismos auxiliares, como a auto-avaliação e o rastreamento da interação e da colaboração praticada pelos alunos. Para situar esta proposta, utilizamos os fundamentos teóricos de BLOOM (1985), recorremos à pesquisa de TAROUCO (2000) e apresentamos os níveis do modelo de KIRKPATRICK (1994), para os quais discutimos a pertinência no contexto em que foi inserido. Atentos às condições e especificidades do curso, nossas análises mostram que atividades caracterizadas como verdadeiras situações-problema, no sentido de uma efetiva problematização, levam os alunos à busca de informações, sugestões ou contribuições dos demais participantes, numa perspectiva de um trabalho colaborativo. Quanto ao modelo avaliativo proposto, os resultados obtidos apontam para sua viabilidade, condicionada ao intenso comprometimento e atuação do professor-formador

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jesus Victoria Flores Salazar.pdf: 3824721 bytes, checksum: 90508afa3a224018db018f851b864a0e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis has the purpose of observing how students from the 2nd year of High School make use of geometric transformations of space when interacting with the environment of Dynamic Geometry Cabri 3D, as well as what kind of reasoning they use when developing activities concerning this content. Thereby, this work intends to answer the following questions: How do students make use of the tools and/or resources of Cabri 3D in order to learn the geometric transformations of space? How does the integration of Cabri 3D interfere in the process of learning these geometric transformations? The methodology adopted used aspects of Didactics Engineering, according to Artigue (1988). The theoretical foundation was the Instrumental Approach of Rabardel (1995) to enable the understanding of how students interact with Cabri 3D and which contents they make use of during the development of a sequence of activities. In addition, the theory of Register of Semiotics Representation of Duval (1995) was used, specifically the apprehensions of a figure. The analyses of the activities which involve notions of geometrical transformation of space helped us realize other possibilities that the instruments can give the subjects as well as different ways of organizing the actions. Moreover, the activities made the development of different strategies easier for students who used the Cabri 3D and students established relationships between the software and mathematical knowledge. We verified the occurrence of Instrumental Genesis, because the students actions showed pre-established schemes or the development of new schemes. At the same time, the use of Cabri 3D helped the perceptive apprehension of the figures and allowed to become dynamic. This way, Cabri 3D permitted the dynamic figural register, facilitated the positional modification and the other modifications of figures, and their visualization / Esta tese teve por objetivo observar como estudantes do segundo ano do Ensino Médio apropriam-se das transformações geométricas no espaço, quando interagem com o ambiente de Geometria Dinâmica Cabri 3D, bem como qual raciocínio mobilizam quando desenvolvem atividades que abrangem esse conteúdo. Assim, a pesquisa pretendeu responder às seguintes questões: de que maneira, os estudantes apropriam-se das ferramentas e/ou recursos do Cabri 3D na aprendizagem das transformações geométricas no espaço? Como a integração do Cabri 3D interfere no processo de aprendizagem dessas transformações geométricas? A metodologia do estudo apoiou-se nos pressupostos da Engenharia Didática de Artigue (1988). O referencial teórico baseou-se na Abordagem Instrumental de Rabardel (1995a) para compreender como os alunos interagem com o Cabri 3D e quais conteúdos mobilizam no desenvolvimento da sequência de atividades e na teoria dos Registros de Representação Semiótica de Duval (1995), especificamente, nas diferentes apreensões de uma figura. A análise das atividades ajudou a perceber outras possibilidades que os instrumentos podem oferecer aos sujeitos e as diferentes maneiras de organizar suas ações. Além disso, as atividades facilitaram o desenvolvimento de distintas estratégias no uso do Cabri 3D e o estabelecimento de relações entre o software e os conhecimentos matemáticos dos estudantes. Constatou-se a ocorrência do processo de Gênese Instrumental, visto que as ações dos alunos evidenciaram esquemas de utilização preestabelecidos ou o desenvolvimento de novos esquemas. Ao mesmo tempo, o uso do Cabri 3D facilitou a apreensão perceptiva das figuras e permitiu dinamizá-las. Nesse sentido, o Cabri 3D propiciou o registro figural dinâmico, facilitou a modificação posicional e as outras modificações das figuras, além de auxiliar em sua visualização

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work presents two educational proposals, directed to the high school, of matrix product aplication. The first proposal is made on geometric transformations (reflection, rotation, scale, shearing) with images of letters of the alphabet. It is divided into two parts: in the first, students need to make the product of matrices and the construction of the images, while in the second GeoGebra software is used to assist in the calculation and construction of the figures. The second proposal is about the projection of population growth through Leslie Model, using the Octave software as calculation tool. Before each proposal is provided the theory that supports geometric transformations as well the Leslie Model and several examples to clarify these definitions. / Este trabalho apresenta duas propostas didáticas, direcionadas ao Ensino Médio, de aplicação do produto matricial. A primeira proposta é feita sobre transformações geométricas (reflexão, rotação, escala, cisalhamento) com a imagem de letras do nosso alfabeto. Ela está dividida em duas partes: na primeira, os alunos devem fazer o produto de matrizes e a construção das imagens à mão, enquanto na segunda é utilizado o programa GeoGebra para auxiliar nos cálculos e na construção das figuras. A segunda proposta é feita sobre projeção de crescimento populacional através do Modelo de Leslie, sendo utilizado o programa Octave como ferramenta de cálculo. Antes de cada proposta, é oferecida a teoria que fundamenta tanto as transformações geométricas quanto o Modelo de Leslie, e vários exemplos são usados para esclarecer essas definições.

This diploma thesis deals with the creation of interactive tools for 3D computer graphics. The introduction of the thesis focuses on general theory of curves and surfaces and its mathematical description. The topics of Geometric transformation, Perspective projection and Parametric description of 3-dimensional surface are analysed in more detail. The successive chapter deals with the subject of visualisation of spatial objects in Java platform interface. The practical part describes the implementation of individual applets. JAVA programming language, which uses the library functions JOGL, was employed for the very realization of the interactive tools. The goal of the diploma thesis is the creation of a set of interactive applets in the field of computer graphics. These applets will be placed on the website of the faculty and they will serve students of VUT in Brno to improve the quality of education.