Simulation to help calibration of a {MEMS} Sensor Network

International audienceThe Smart Surface project aims at designing an integrated micro-manipulator based on an array of micromodules connected with a 2D array topology network. Each micromodule comprises a sensor, an actuator and a processing unit. One of the aims of the processing unit is to differentiate the shape of the part that is put on top of the Smart Surface. From a set of shapes this differentiation is done through a distributed algorithm that we call a criterion. The article presents Sensor Network Calibrator (SNC), a calibrator which allows to parametrize the Smart Surface and to determine the necessary number of sensors required by our Smart Surface. The tests will show that SNC is of great importance for choosing the number of sensors, and therefore to determine the size of the sensors grid

Shape based image retrieval and classification

Content based retrieval and recognition of objects represented in images is a challenging problem making it an active research topic. Shape analysis is one of the main approaches to the problem. In this paper we propose the use of a reduced set of features to describe 2D shapes in images. The design of the proposed technique aims to result in a short and simple to extract shape description. We conducted several experiments for both retrieval and recognition tasks and the results obtained demonstrate usefulness and competiveness against existing descriptors. For the retrieval experiment the achieved bulls eye performance is about 60%. Recognition was tested with three different classifiers: decision trees (DT), k-nearest neighbor (kNN) and support vector machines (SVM). Estimated mean accuracies range from 69% to 86% (using 10-fold cross validation). The SVM classifier presents the best performance, followed by the simple kNN classifier

Sketch-based digital storyboards and floor plans for authoring computer-generated film pre-visuals

Pre-visualisation is an important tool for planning films during the pre-production phase of filmmaking. Existing pre-visualisation authoring tools do not effectively support the user in authoring pre-visualisations without impairing software usability. These tools require the user to either have programming skills, be experienced in modelling and animation, or use drag-and-drop style interfaces. These interaction methods do not intuitively fit with pre-production activities such as floor planning and storyboarding, and existing tools that apply a storyboarding metaphor do not automatically interpret user sketches. The goal of this research was to investigate how sketch-based user interfaces and methods from computer vision could be used for supporting pre-visualisation authoring using a storyboarding approach. The requirements for such a sketch-based storyboarding tool were determined from literature and an interview with Triggerfish Animation Studios. A framework was developed to support sketch-based pre-visualisation authoring using a storyboarding approach. Algorithms for describing user sketches, recognising objects and performing pose estimation were designed to automatically interpret user sketches. A proof of concept prototype implementation of this framework was evaluated in order to assess its usability benefit. It was found that the participants could author pre-visualisations effectively, efficiently and easily. The results of the usability evaluation also showed that the participants were satisfied with the overall design and usability of the prototype tool. The positive and negative findings of the evaluation were interpreted and combined with existing heuristics in order to create a set of guidelines for designing similar sketch-based pre-visualisation authoring tools that apply the storyboarding approach. The successful implementation of the proof of concept prototype tool provides practical evidence of the feasibility of sketch-based pre-visualisation authoring. The positive results from the usability evaluation established that sketch-based interfacing techniques can be used effectively with a storyboarding approach for authoring pre-visualisations without impairing software usability

Sketch-based digital storyboards and floor plans for authoring computer-generated film pre-visuals

Pre-visualisation is an important tool for planning films during the pre-production phase of filmmaking. Existing pre-visualisation authoring tools do not effectively support the user in authoring pre-visualisations without impairing software usability. These tools require the user to either have programming skills, be experienced in modelling and animation, or use drag-and-drop style interfaces. These interaction methods do not intuitively fit with pre-production activities such as floor planning and storyboarding, and existing tools that apply a storyboarding metaphor do not automatically interpret user sketches. The goal of this research was to investigate how sketch-based user interfaces and methods from computer vision could be used for supporting pre-visualisation authoring using a storyboarding approach. The requirements for such a sketch-based storyboarding tool were determined from literature and an interview with Triggerfish Animation Studios. A framework was developed to support sketch-based pre-visualisation authoring using a storyboarding approach. Algorithms for describing user sketches, recognising objects and performing pose estimation were designed to automatically interpret user sketches. A proof of concept prototype implementation of this framework was evaluated in order to assess its usability benefit. It was found that the participants could author pre-visualisations effectively, efficiently and easily. The results of the usability evaluation also showed that the participants were satisfied with the overall design and usability of the prototype tool. The positive and negative findings of the evaluation were interpreted and combined with existing heuristics in order to create a set of guidelines for designing similar sketch-based pre-visualisation authoring tools that apply the storyboarding approach. The successful implementation of the proof of concept prototype tool provides practical evidence of the feasibility of sketch-based pre-visualisation authoring. The positive results from the usability evaluation established that sketch-based interfacing techniques can be used effectively with a storyboarding approach for authoring pre-visualisations without impairing software usability