Automatic lighting design

PhD thesisA significant problem in the automatic design of 3D graphics is the configuration of the lighting for a scene. The number of lights included, and the properties of these lights, has an enormous impact on what a viewer can judge about the content (the objects), properties (the geometric characteristics and spatial relations of the objects) and other aesthetic qualities of a scene. The traditional approach to lighting design for image synthesis is based on manual design methods, whereby users interactively specify values of lighting parameters, render the scene, and modify the lighting parameters until the desired visual properties of the scene are achieved. Non-expert users encounter a number of difficulties in selecting the appropriate lighting parameters, as the process requires both a subtle technical and aesthetic understanding of lighting in computer graphics. In this thesis, perceptual aspects such as contrast and the non-linear characteristics of our perceptual response to colour are combined with practical studio lighting techniques and a novel treatment of shadows, to yield an extension to existing perceptual approaches to lighting design. This so-called ideal lighting approach optimises the lighting configuration for a scene with respect to a set of absolute perceptual metrics. An intuitive approach to lighting design, lighting-by-example, is also proposed and extensively explored in forms that exploit both the perception-based lighting framework and a new wavelet formulation. User studies are conducted both to configure the perception-based lighting objective function and to evaluate the performance of the proposed lighting design approaches. Finally, we develop an interactive interface for the lighting design process that incorporates both the ideal lighting and lighting-by-example approaches

Automatic lighting design

A significant problem in the automatic design of 3D graphics is the configuration of the lighting for a scene. The number of lights included, and the properties of these lights, has an enormous impact on what a viewer can judge about the content (the objects), properties (the geometric characteristics and spatial relations of the objects) and other aesthetic qualities of a scene. The traditional approach to lighting design for image synthesis is based on manual design methods, whereby users interactively specify values of lighting parameters, render the scene, and modify the lighting parameters until the desired visual properties of the scene are achieved. Non-expert users encounter a number of difficulties in selecting the appropriate lighting parameters, as the process requires both a subtle technical and aesthetic understanding of lighting in computer graphics. In this thesis, perceptual aspects such as contrast and the non-linear characteristics of our perceptual response to colour are combined with practical studio lighting techniques and a novel treatment of shadows, to yield an extension to existing perceptual approaches to lighting design. This so-called ideal lighting approach optimises the lighting configuration for a scene with respect to a set of absolute perceptual metrics. An intuitive approach to lighting design, lighting-by-example, is also proposed and extensively explored in forms that exploit both the perception-based lighting framework and a new wavelet formulation. User studies are conducted both to configure the perception-based lighting objective function and to evaluate the performance of the proposed lighting design approaches. Finally, we develop an interactive interface for the lighting design process that incorporates both the ideal lighting and lighting-by-example approaches.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

A modular and interactive OLED-based lighting system

The concept of a flexible, large-area, organic light emitting diode (OLED)-based lighting system with a modular structure and built-in intelligent light management is introduced. Such a flexible, thin, portable lighting system with discreetly integrated electronics is important in order to allow the implementation of the lighting system into a variety of places, such as cars and temporary expedition areas. A modular construction of an OLED lighting panel makes it possible to control each OLED cell individually. This not only enables us to counteract aging or degradation effects in the OLED cells but it also allows individual OLED module brightness control to support human or ambient interaction based on integrated or centralized sensors. Moreover, integrating the driving electronics in the backplane of an OLED module improves the energy efficiency of operating large OLED panels. The thin, modular construction and individual, dynamic control are successfully demonstrated

MoSculp: Interactive Visualization of Shape and Time

We present a system that allows users to visualize complex human motion via 3D motion sculptures---a representation that conveys the 3D structure swept by a human body as it moves through space. Given an input video, our system computes the motion sculptures and provides a user interface for rendering it in different styles, including the options to insert the sculpture back into the original video, render it in a synthetic scene or physically print it. To provide this end-to-end workflow, we introduce an algorithm that estimates that human's 3D geometry over time from a set of 2D images and develop a 3D-aware image-based rendering approach that embeds the sculpture back into the scene. By automating the process, our system takes motion sculpture creation out of the realm of professional artists, and makes it applicable to a wide range of existing video material. By providing viewers with 3D information, motion sculptures reveal space-time motion information that is difficult to perceive with the naked eye, and allow viewers to interpret how different parts of the object interact over time. We validate the effectiveness of this approach with user studies, finding that our motion sculpture visualizations are significantly more informative about motion than existing stroboscopic and space-time visualization methods.Comment: UIST 2018. Project page: http://mosculp.csail.mit.edu

Understanding Next-Generation VR: Classifying Commodity Clusters for Immersive Virtual Reality

Commodity clusters offer the ability to deliver higher performance computer graphics at lower prices than traditional graphics supercomputers. Immersive virtual reality systems demand notoriously high computational requirements to deliver adequate real-time graphics, leading to the emergence of commodity clusters for immersive virtual reality. Such clusters deliver the graphics power needed by leveraging the combined power of several computers to meet the demands of real-time interactive immersive computer graphics.However, the field of commodity cluster-based virtual reality is still in early stages of development and the field is currently adhoc in nature and lacks order. There is no accepted means for comparing approaches and implementers are left with instinctual or trial-and-error means for selecting an approach.This paper provides a classification system that facilitates understanding not only of the nature of different clustering systems but also the interrelations between them. The system is built from a new model for generalized computer graphics applications, which is based on the flow of data through a sequence of operations over the entire context of the application. Prior models and classification systems have been too focused in context and application whereas the system described here provides a unified means for comparison of works within the field

User-interface to a CCTV video search system

The proliferation of CCTV surveillance systems creates a problem of how to effectively navigate and search the resulting video archive, in a variety of security scenarios. We are concerned here with a situation where a searcher must locate all occurrences of a given person or object within a specified timeframe and with constraints on which camera(s) footage is valid to search. Conventional approaches based on browsing time/camera based combinations are inadequate. We advocate using automatically detected video objects as a basis for search, linking and browsing. In this paper we present a system under development based on users interacting with detected video objects. We outline the suite of technologies needed to achieve such a system and for each we describe where we are in terms of realizing those technologies. We also present a system interface to this system, designed with user needs and user tasks in mind

Developing serious games for cultural heritage: a state-of-the-art review

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result, the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented

Utilizing a 3D game engine to develop a virtual design review system

A design review process is where information is exchanged between the designers and design reviewers to resolve any potential design related issues, and to ensure that the interests and goals of the owner are met. The effective execution of design review will minimize potential errors or conflicts, reduce the time for review, shorten the project life-cycle, allow for earlier occupancy, and ultimately translate into significant total project savings to the owner. However, the current methods of design review are still heavily relying on 2D paper-based format, sequential and lack central and integrated information base for efficient exchange and flow of information. There is thus a need for the use of a new medium that allow for 3D visualization of designs, collaboration among designers and design reviewers, and early and easy access to design review information. This paper documents the innovative utilization of a 3D game engine, the Torque Game Engine as the underlying tool and enabling technology for a design review system, the Virtual Design Review System for architectural designs. Two major elements are incorporated; 1) a 3D game engine as the driving tool for the development and implementation of design review processes, and 2) a virtual environment as the medium for design review, where visualization of design and design review information is based on sound principles of GUI design. The development of the VDRS involves two major phases; firstly, the creation of the assets and the assembly of the virtual environment, and secondly, the modification of existing functions or introducing new functionality through programming of the 3D game engine in order to support design review in a virtual environment. The features that are included in the VDRS are support for database, real-time collaboration across network, viewing and navigation modes, 3D object manipulation, parametric input, GUI, and organization for 3D objects

Serious Games in Cultural Heritage

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented