5G Visualization: The METIS-II Project Approach

[EN] One of the main objectives of the METIS-II project was to enable 5G concepts to reach and convince a wide audience from technology experts to decision makers from non-ICT industries. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to provide easy-to-understand and insightful visualization of 5G. This paper presents the visualization platform developed in the METIS-II project as a joint work of researchers and artists, which is a 3D visualization tool that allows viewers to interact with 5G-enabled scenarios, while permitting simulation driven data to be intuitively evaluated. The platform is a game-based customizable tool that allows a rapid integration of new concepts, allows real-time interaction with remote 5G simulators, and provides a virtual reality-based immersive user experience. As a result, the METIS-II visualization platform has successfully contributed to the dissemination of 5G in different fora and its use will be continued after METIS-II.This work has been performed in the framework of the H2020/5G-PPP project METIS-II cofunded by the EU. The authors wish to thank the rest of METIS-II colleagues who contributed to the development of the METIS-II visualization platform.Martín-Sacristán, D.; Herranz Claveras, C.; Monserrat Del Río, JF.; Szczygiel, A.; Kuruvatti, NP.; Garcia-Roger, D.; Prado-Alvarez, D.... (2018). 5G Visualization: The METIS-II Project Approach. Mobile Information Systems. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2084950S18Zyda, M. (2005). From visual simulation to virtual reality to games. Computer, 38(9), 25-32. doi:10.1109/mc.2005.297Johnson, C. (2004). Top scientific visualization research problems. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 24(4), 13-17. doi:10.1109/mcg.2004.20Tullberg, H., Popovski, P., Li, Z., Uusitalo, M. A., Hoglund, A., Bulakci, O., … Monserrat, J. F. (2016). The METIS 5G System Concept: Meeting the 5G Requirements. IEEE Communications Magazine, 54(12), 132-139. doi:10.1109/mcom.2016.1500799cmLee, B., Riche, N. H., Isenberg, P., & Carpendale, S. (2015). More Than Telling a Story: Transforming Data into Visually Shared Stories. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 35(5), 84-90. doi:10.1109/mcg.2015.99Yi, J. S., Kang, Y. ah, & Stasko, J. (2007). Toward a Deeper Understanding of the Role of Interaction in Information Visualization. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 13(6), 1224-1231. doi:10.1109/tvcg.2007.70515Campbell, B. D. (2016). Immersive Visualization to Support Scientific Insight. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 36(3), 17-21. doi:10.1109/mcg.2016.6

Integrating virtual reality and Building Information Modeling for improving highway tunnel emergency response training

During the last two decades, managers have been applying Building Information Modeling (BIM) to improve the quality of management as well as operation. The effectiveness of applications within a BIM environment is restrained by the limited immersive experience in virtual environments. Defined as the immersive visualization of virtual scenes, Virtual Reality (VR) is an emerging technology that can be actively explored to expand BIM to more usage. This paper highlights the need for a structured methodology for the integration of BIM/VR and gives a generic review of BIM and VR in training platforms for management in infrastructures. The rationales for fire evacuation training were formed based on the review. Then, methods of configuring BIM + VR prototypes were formulated for emergency response in highway tunnels. Furthermore, a conceptual framework integrating BIM with VR was proposed to enable the visualization of the physical context in real-time during the training. The result indicated that, extended to the training system of highway management via the “hand” of BIM, the VR solution can benefit more areas, such as the cost of fire evacuation drills in highway tunnels and the tendency of accidents to occur in the emergency response

Serious Game Engineering and Lighting Models for the Realistic Emulation of 5G Systems

[ES] La quinta generación de comunicaciones móviles, 5G, promete ser una revolución tecnológica que vaya más allá de multiplicar la velocidad de transmisión de datos de sus predecesoras. Pretende soportar una gran cantidad de dispositivos y alcanzar latencias muy cercanas a 1 milisegundo. Para satisfacer estos ambiciosos requisitos, se han investigado nuevas tecnologías habilitadoras. Una de ellas es el uso de las bandas de ondas milimétricas (mmW) en las cuales hay una gran cantidad de espectro disponible. Para predecir las características del canal radio y evaluar las prestaciones de la 5G de forma fiable en las bandas mmW se requieren modelos de canal complejos. Concretamente, los modelos de propagación más precisos son los basados en trazado de rayos, pero su alto costo computacional los hacen inviables para la caracterización del canal radio en escenarios complejos. Por otro lado, en los últimos años, la tecnología de videojuegos ha desarrollado potentes herramientas para modelar la propagación de la luz en escenarios superrealistas. Dada la cercanía espectral entre el espectro visible y las ondas mmW, la presente Tesis ha estudiado la aplicación de las herramientas de modelado de propagación de la luz de los motores de juego para el modelado del canal radio en mmW. Esta Tesis propone un modelo de estimación de las pérdidas de propagación en mmW llamado "Modelo de Intensidad de Luz'' (LIM). Usando este modelo, basado en los procesos de iluminación realizados por los motores de juego, los transmisores de señal se sustituyen por focos de luz y la intensidad lumínica recibida en un punto se traduce a potencia de señal en milimétricas a través de una función polinómica sencilla. Una de las ventajas de usar los motores de juego es su gran capacidad y la facilidad que tiene el usuario para crear escenarios superrealistas que representen fielmente la geometría de escenarios donde se quiera evaluar el canal radio. De esta forma se pueden obtener estimaciones precisas de las pérdidas de propagación. La estimación de las pérdidas de propagación con LIM ha sido comparada con campañas de medida en las bandas de 28 GHz y 73 GHz y con otros modelos de propagación. Como resultado, el error de estimación de LIM es menor que los modelos estocásticos actuales y es comparable con el modelo de trazado de rayos. Y, además, el coste computacional de LIM comparado con el trazado de rayos es 130 veces menor, lo que posibilita el uso de LIM en escenarios altamente complejos para la estimación del canal radio en tiempo real. Los motores de juego permiten caracterizar de forma diferente la interacción de los materiales con la luz configurando el mapa de normales de sus superficies y sus funciones de dispersión y reflexión. En esta Tesis se ha determinado la caracterización de varios materiales que mejor se ajusta a medidas de laboratorio realizadas en un escenario controlado en la banda de 28 GHz. El modelo de LIM empleando materiales con esta caracterización óptima reduce más de un 50\% su error de estimación con respecto a la aplicación de LIM con los materiales por defecto, mientras que su coste computacional sigue siendo 26 veces menor que el modelo de trazado de rayos. Finalmente, se ha desarrollado sobre un motor de juego una primera versión de plataforma para la emulación de los sistemas 5G que es el punto de partida para un emulador completo de 5G. Esta plataforma no sólo contiene el modelo de LIM sino que incluye varios casos de uso de la 5G en entornos superrealistas. La plataforma, que se basa en el concepto de "Serious Game Engineering", rompe las limitaciones de los simuladores de redes móviles en cuanto a las capacidades de visualización e interacción del usuario con los componentes de la red en tiempo real.[CA] La cinquena generació de comunicacions mòbils, 5G, promet ser una revolució tecnològica que vaja més enllà de multiplicar la velocitat de transmissió de dades de les seues predecessores. Pretén suportar una gran quantitat de dispositius i aconseguir latències molt pròximes a 1 mil·lisegon. Per a satisfer aquests ambiciosos requisits, s'han investigat noves tecnologies habilitadores. Una d'elles és l'ús de les bandes d'ones mil·limètriques (mmW) en les quals hi ha una gran quantitat d'espectre disponible. Per a predir les característiques del canal ràdio i avaluar les prestacions de la 5G de forma fiable en les bandes mmW es requereixen models de canal complexos. Concretament, els models de propagació més precisos són els basats en traçat de rajos, però el seu alt cost computacional els fan inviables per a la caracterització del canal ràdio en escenaris complexos. D'altra banda, en els últims anys, la tecnologia de videojocs ha desenvolupat potents eines per a modelar la propagació de la llum en escenaris superrealistes. Donada la proximitat espectral entre l'espectre visible i les ones mmW, la present Tesi ha estudiat l'aplicació de les eines de modelatge de propagació de la llum dels motors de joc per al modelatge del canal radie en mmW. Aquesta Tesi proposa un model d'estimació de les pèrdues de propagació en mmW anomenat "Model d'Intensitat de Llum'' (LIM). Usant aquest model, basat en els processos d'il·luminació realitzats pels motors de joc, els transmissors de senyal se substitueixen per focus de llum i la intensitat lumínica rebuda en un punt es tradueix a potència de senyal en mil·limètriques a través d'una funció polinòmica senzilla. Una dels avantatges d'usar els motors de joc és la seua gran capacitat i la facilitat que té l'usuari per a crear escenaris superrealistes que representen fidelment la geometria d'escenaris on es vulga avaluar el canal ràdio. D'aquesta forma es poden obtindre estimacions precises de les pèrdues de propagació. L'estimació de les pèrdues de propagació amb LIM ha sigut comparada amb campanyes de mesura en les bandes de 28~GHz i 73~GHz i amb altres models de propagació. Com a resultat, l'error d'estimació de LIM és menor que els models estocàstics actuals i és comparable amb el model de traçat de rajos. I, a més, el cost computacional de LIM comparat amb el traçat de rajos és 130 vegades menor, la qual cosa possibilita l'ús de LIM en escenaris altament complexos per a l'estimació del canal ràdio en temps real. Els motors de joc permeten caracteritzar de forma diferent la interacció dels materials amb la llum configurant el mapa de normals de les seues superfícies i les seues funcions de dispersió i reflexió. En aquesta Tesi s'ha determinat la caracterització de diversos materials que s'ajusta millor a mesures de laboratori realitzades en un escenari controlat en la banda de 28 GHz. El model de LIM emprant materials amb aquesta caracterització òptima redueix més d'un 50 % el seu error d'estimació respecte a l'aplicació de LIM amb els materials per defecte, mentre que el seu cost computacional continua sent 26 vegades menor que el model de traçat de rajos. Finalment, s'ha desenvolupat sobre un motor de joc una primera versió de plataforma per a l'emulació dels sistemes 5G que és el punt de partida per a un emulador complet de 5G. Aquesta plataforma no solament conté el model de LIM sinó que inclou diversos casos d'ús de la 5G en entorns superrealistes. La plataforma, que es basa en el concepte de "Serious Game Engineering", trenca les limitacions dels simuladors de xarxes mòbils quant a les capacitats de visualització i interacció de l'usuari amb els components de la xarxa en temps real.[EN] The fifth generation of mobile communications, 5G, promises to be a technological revolution that goes beyond multiplying the data transmission speed of its predecessors. It aims to support a large number of devices and reach latencies very close to 1 millisecond. To meet these ambitious requirements, new enabling technologies have been researched. One of these is the use of millimetre-wave bands (mmW) in which a large amount of spectrum is available. Complex channel models are required to predict radio channel characteristics and reliably evaluate 5G performance in the mmW bands. Specifically, the most accurate propagation models are those based on ray tracing, but their high computational cost makes them unfeasible for radio channel characterization in complex scenarios. On the other hand, in recent years, video game technology has developed powerful tools to model the propagation of light in super realistic scenarios. Given the spectral closeness between the visible spectrum and the mmW waves, the present Thesis has studied the application of light propagation modeling tools from game engines for radio channel modeling in mmW. This Thesis proposes a model for estimating propagation losses in mmW called "Light Intensity Model'' (LIM). Using this model, based on the lighting processes performed by the game engines, the signal transmitters are replaced by light sources and the light intensity received at a point is translated into signal strength in mmW through a simple polynomial function. One of the advantages of using the game engines is their great capacity and the ease with which the user can create super realistic scenarios that faithfully represent the geometry of scenarios where the radio channel is to be evaluated. In this way, accurate estimates of propagation losses can be obtained. The estimation of propagation losses with LIM has been compared with measurement campaigns in the 28 GHz and 73 GHz bands and with other propagation models. As a result, the LIM estimation error is smaller than the current stochastic models and is comparable with the ray tracing model. In addition, the computational cost of LIM compared to ray tracing is 130 times lower, allowing the use of LIM in highly complex scenarios for real-time radio channel estimation. The game engines allow to characterize in a different way the interaction of the materials with the light configuring the normal map of their surfaces and their scattering and reflection functions. In this Thesis it has been determined the characterization of several materials that best fits to laboratory measurements made in a controlled scenario in the 28 GHz band. The LIM model using materials with this optimal characterization reduces by more than 50% its estimation error with respect to the application of LIM with default materials, while its computational cost remains 26 times lower than the ray tracing model. Finally, a first version of a platform for the emulation of 5G systems has been developed on a game engine, which is the starting point for a complete 5G emulator. This platform not only contains the LIM model but also includes several 5G use cases in super realistic environments. The platform, which is based on the concept of "`Serious Game Engineering", breaks the limitations of mobile network simulators in terms of visualization capabilities and user interaction with network components in real time.Inca Sánchez, SA. (2019). Serious Game Engineering and Lighting Models for the Realistic Emulation of 5G Systems [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/132695TESI

A Testing and Experimenting Environment for Microscopic Traffic Simulation Utilizing Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Microscopic traffic simulation (MTS) is the emulation of real-world traffic movements in a virtual environment with various traffic entities. Typically, the movements of the vehicles in MTS follow some predefined algorithms, e.g., car-following models, lane changing models, etc. Moreover, existing MTS models only provide a limited capability of two- and/or three-dimensional displays that often restrict the user’s viewpoint to a flat screen. Their downscaled scenes neither provide a realistic representation of the environment nor allow different users to simultaneously experience or interact with the simulation model from different perspectives. These limitations neither allow the traffic engineers to effectively disseminate their ideas to various stakeholders of different backgrounds nor allow the analysts to have realistic data about the vehicle or pedestrian movements. This dissertation intends to alleviate those issues by creating a framework and a prototype for a testing environment where MTS can have inputs from user-controlled vehicles and pedestrians to improve their traffic entity movement algorithms as well as have an immersive M3 (multi-mode, multi-perspective, multi-user) visualization of the simulation using Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies. VR environments are created using highly realistic 3D models and environments. With modern game engines and hardware available on the market, these VR applications can provide a highly realistic and immersive experience for a user. Different experiments performed by real users in this study prove that utilizing VR technology for different traffic related experiments generated much more favorable results than the traditional displays. Moreover, using AR technologies for pedestrian studies is a novel approach that allows a user to walk in the real world and the simulation world at a one-to-one scale. This capability opens a whole new avenue of user experiment possibilities. On top of that, the in-environment communication chat system will allow researchers to perform different Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) studies without ever needing to leave the simulation environment. Last but not least, the distributed nature of the framework enables users to participate from different geographic locations with their choice of display device (desktop, smartphone, VR, or AR). The prototype developed for this dissertation is readily available on a test webpage, and a user can easily download the prototype application without needing to install anything. The user also can run the remote MTS server and then connect their client application to the server

WebAL Comes of Age: A review of the first 21 years of Artificial Life on the Web

We present a survey of the first 21 years of web-based artificial life (WebAL) research and applications, broadly construed to include the many different ways in which artificial life and web technologies might intersect. Our survey covers the period from 1994—when the first WebAL work appeared—up to the present day, together with a brief discussion of relevant precursors. We examine recent projects, from 2010–2015, in greater detail in order to highlight the current state of the art. We follow the survey with a discussion of common themes and methodologies that can be observed in recent work and identify a number of likely directions for future work in this exciting area

INVESTIGATION INTO GAME-BASED CRISIS SCENARIO MODELLING AND SIMULATION SYSTEM

A crisis is an infrequent and unpredictable event. Training and preparation process requires tools for representation of crisis context. Particularly, crisis events consist of different situations, which can occur at the same time combining into complex situation and becoming a challenge in coordinating several crisis management departments. In this regards, disaster prevention, preparedness and relief can be conceptualized into a design of hypothetical crisis game. Many complex tasks during development of emergency circumstance provide an opportunity for practitioners to train their skills, which are situation analysis, decision-making, and coordination procedures. While the training in physical workouts give crisis personal a hand-on experience in the given situation, it often requires a long time to prepare with a considerable budget. Alternatively, computational framework which allows simulation of crisis models tailoring into crisis scenario can become a cost-effective substitution to this study and training. Although, there are several existing computational toolsets to simulate crisis, there is no system providing a generic functionality to define crisis scenario, simulation model, agent development, and artificial intelligence problem planning in the single unified framework. In addition, a development of genetic framework can become too complex due to a multi-disciplinary knowledge required in each component. Besides, they have not fully incorporated a game technology toolset to fasten the system development process and provide a rich set of features and functionalities to these mentioned components. To develop such crisis simulation system, there are several technologies that must be studied to derive a requirement for software engineering approach in system’s specification designs. With a current modern game technology available in the market, it enables fast prototyping of the framework integrating with cutting-edge graphic render engine, asset management, networking, and scripting library. Therefore, a serious game application for education in crisis management can be fundamentally developed early. Still, many features must be developed exclusively for the novel simulation framework on top of the selected game engine. In this thesis, we classified for essential core components to design a software specification of a serious game framework that eased crisis scenario generation, terrain design, and agent simulation in UML formats. From these diagrams, the framework was prototyped to demonstrate our proposed concepts. From the beginning, the crisis models for different disasters had been analysed for their design and environment representation techniques, thus provided a choice of based simulation technique of a cellular automata in our framework. Importantly, a study for suitability in selection of a game engine product was conducted since the state of the art game engines often ease integration with upcoming technologies. Moreover, the literatures for a procedural generation of crisis scenario context were studied for it provided a structure to the crisis parameters. Next, real-time map visualization in dynamic of resource representation in the area was developed. Then the simulation systems for a large-scale emergency response was discussed for their choice of framework design with their examples of test-case study. An agent-based modelling tool was also not provided from the game engine technology so its design and decision-making procedure had been developed. In addition, a procedural content generation (PCG) was integrated for automated map generation process, and it allowed configuration of scenario control parameters over terrain design during run-time. Likewise, the artificial planning architecture (AI planning) to solve a sequence of suitable action toward a specific goal was considered to be useful to investigate an emergency plan. However, AI planning most often requires an offline computation with a specific planning language. So the comparison study to select a fast and reliable planner was conducted. Then an integration pipeline between the planner and agent was developed over web-service architecture to separate a large computation from the client while provided ease of AI planning configuration using an editor interface from the web application. Finally, the final framework called CGSA-SIM (Crisis Game for Scenario design and Agent modelling simulation) was evaluated for run-time performance and scalability analysis. It shown an acceptable performance framerate for a real-time application in the worst 15 frame-per-seconds (FPS) with maximum visual objects. The normal gameplay performed capped 60 FPS. At same time, the simulation scenario for a wildfire situation had been tested with an agent intervention which generated a simulation data for personal or case evaluation. As a result, we have developed the CGSA-SIM framework to address the implementation challenge of incorporating an emergency simulation system with a modern game technology. The framework aims to be a generic application providing main functionality of crisis simulation game for a visualization, crisis model development and simulation, real-time interaction, and agent-based modelling with AI planning pipeline

Modeling and Simulation in Engineering

This book provides an open platform to establish and share knowledge developed by scholars, scientists, and engineers from all over the world, about various applications of the modeling and simulation in the design process of products, in various engineering fields. The book consists of 12 chapters arranged in two sections (3D Modeling and Virtual Prototyping), reflecting the multidimensionality of applications related to modeling and simulation. Some of the most recent modeling and simulation techniques, as well as some of the most accurate and sophisticated software in treating complex systems, are applied. All the original contributions in this book are jointed by the basic principle of a successful modeling and simulation process: as complex as necessary, and as simple as possible. The idea is to manipulate the simplifying assumptions in a way that reduces the complexity of the model (in order to make a real-time simulation), but without altering the precision of the results

D7.2 Preliminary 5G Visualization

This deliverable summarizes the concept and current status of the open source visualization platform, which at this point in the timeframe of the project is able to showcase a subset of the 5G RAN design concepts investigated in METIS-II. Different alternatives for visualization are presented and the roadmap and further steps in this topic are also discussed.Monserrat Del Río, JF.; Herranz Claveras, C.; Martín-Sacristán Gandía, D.; Szczygieł, A.; Boldi, M.; Queseth, O.; Huang, G.... (2016). D7.2 Preliminary 5G Visualization. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18670.0032