EVM: An Educational Virtual Reality Modeling Tool; Evaluation Study with Freshman Engineering Students

[EN] Educational Virtual Modeling (EVM) is a novel VR-based application for sketching and modeling in an immersive environment designed to introduce freshman engineering students to modeling concepts and reinforce their understanding of the spatial connection between an object and its 2D projections. It was built on the Unity 3D game engine and Microsoft's Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK). EVM was designed to support the creation of the typical parts used in exercises in basic engineering graphics courses with a special emphasis on a fast learning curve and a simple way to provide exercises and tutorials to students. To analyze the feasibility of using EVM for this purpose, a user study was conducted with 23 freshmen and sophomore engineering students that used both EVM and Trimble SketchUp to model six parts using an axonometric view as the input. Students had no previous experience in any of the two systems. Each participant went through a brief training session and was allowed to use each tool freely for 20 min. At the end of the modeling exercises with each system, the participants rated its usability by answering the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. Additionally, they filled out a questionnaire for assessment of the system functionality. The results demonstrated a very high SUS score for EVM (M = 92.93, SD = 6.15), whereas Trimble SketchUp obtained only a mean score of 76.30 (SD = 6.69). The completion time for the modeling tasks with EVM showed its suitability for regular class use, despite the fact that it usually takes longer to complete the exercises in the system than in Trimble SketchUp. There were no statistically significant differences regarding functionality assessment. At the end of the experimental session, participants were asked to express their opinion about the systems and provide suggestions for the improvement of EVM. All participants showed a preference for EVM as a potential tool to perform exercises in the engineering graphics course.Conesa-Pastor, J.; Contero, M. (2022). EVM: An Educational Virtual Reality Modeling Tool; Evaluation Study with Freshman Engineering Students. Applied Sciences. 12(1):1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/app1201039011612

Accuracy analysis of 3D object reconstruction using RGB-D sensor

In this paper, we propose a new method for 3D object reconstruction using RGB-D sensor. The RGB-D sensor provides RGB images as well as depth images. Since the depth and RGB color images are captured with one sensor of a RGB-D camera placed in different locations, the depth image should be related to the color image. After matching of the images (registration), point-to-point corresponding between two images is found, and they can be combined and represented in the 3D space. In order to obtain a dense 3D map of the 3D object, we design an algorithm for merging information from all used cameras. First, features extracted from color and depth images are used to localize them in a 3D scene. Next, Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm is used to align all frames. As a result, a new frame is added to the dense 3D model. However, the spatial distribution and resolution of depth data affect to the performance of 3D scene reconstruction system based on ICP. The presented computer simulation results show an improvement in accuracy of 3D object reconstruction using real data.This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant no. 17-76-20045

Serious Games and Mixed Reality Applications for Healthcare

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have long histories in the healthcare sector, offering the opportunity to develop a wide range of tools and applications aimed at improving the quality of care and efficiency of services for professionals and patients alike. The best-known examples of VR–AR applications in the healthcare domain include surgical planning and medical training by means of simulation technologies. Techniques used in surgical simulation have also been applied to cognitive and motor rehabilitation, pain management, and patient and professional education. Serious games are ones in which the main goal is not entertainment, but a crucial purpose, ranging from the acquisition of knowledge to interactive training.These games are attracting growing attention in healthcare because of their several benefits: motivation, interactivity, adaptation to user competence level, flexibility in time, repeatability, and continuous feedback. Recently, healthcare has also become one of the biggest adopters of mixed reality (MR), which merges real and virtual content to generate novel environments, where physical and digital objects not only coexist, but are also capable of interacting with each other in real time, encompassing both VR and AR applications.This Special Issue aims to gather and publish original scientific contributions exploring opportunities and addressing challenges in both the theoretical and applied aspects of VR–AR and MR applications in healthcare

Representation Challenges

Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are technological domains that closely interact with space at architectural and urban scale in the broader ambits of cultural heritage and innovative design. The growing interest is perceivable in many fields of knowledge, supported by the rapid development and advancement of theory and application, software and devices, fueling a pervasive phenomenon within our daily lives. These technologies demonstrate to be best exploited when their application and other information and communication technology (ICT) advancements achieve a continuum. In particular, AR defines an alternative path to observe, analyze and communicate space and artifacts. Besides, AI opens future scenarios in data processing, redefining the relationship between man and computer. In the last few years, the AR/AI expansion and relationship have raised deep transdisciplinary speculation. The research experiences have shown many cross-relations in Architecture and Design domains. Representation studies could arise an international debate as a convergence place of multidisciplinary theoretical and applicative contributions related to architecture, city, environment, tangible and intangible Cultural Heritage. This book collects 66 papers and identify eight lines of research that may guide future developments

VR-Informationssystem zur Bestimmung der benutzerorientierten Anforderungen für VR-Systeme im Kontext der virtuellen Produktentwicklung

Neue technologische Softwaresysteme müssen nutzerorientiert, profitabel, flexibel und gleichzeitig performant entwickelt werden. Durch den rasanten Fortschritt innovativer Technologien führt dies oftmals zu einem Defizit im Informations- oder Kommunikationsfluss zwischen beteiligten Stakeholdern. Im Kontext von Virtual Reality (VR)-Anwendungen kommt erschwerend hinzu, dass diese innovative Technologie und deren Funktionsumfang noch unzureichend beschrieben ist. Dies führt einerseits dazu, dass VR-KundInnen ihre Wünsche und Visionen bezüglich eines VR-Systems nicht entsprechend der aktuellen technischen Möglichkeiten ausrichten und formulieren können. Andererseits haben VR-EntwicklerInnen die Herausforderungen, kunden-orientiert zu konzipieren und zu kommunizieren und dabei das volle Potenzial auszuschöpfen, das mit VR-Technologien erbracht werden kann. Es fehlt an einem strukturierten Hilfsmittel, mit dem VR-KundInnen sowohl bei einer ersten Konfiguration eines gewünschten VR-Systems assistiert werden und relevante Informationen bereitgestellt bekommen als auch VR-EntwicklerInnen eine Übersicht für eine optimale Erstgesprächsvorbereitung sowie eine unmittelbare Entscheidungsgrundlage für eine Auftragsannahme erhalten. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit besteht in der Unterstützung des frühzeitigen Informationsaustausches zwischen VR-KundInnen und VR-EntwicklerInnen. Hierzu erfolgt die Entwicklung eines VR-Informationssystems, dessen Einsatz der VR-Systemrealisierung vorgelagert ist und das gewünschte VR-System spezifiziert. Durch die Bereitstellung aller VR-Spezifikationen und zugehöriger Metainformationen soll es VR-KundInnen möglich sein, Wissen über VR zu erwerben, ein gewünschtes VR-System zu konfigurieren und Schwerpunkte zu priorisieren. VR-EntwicklerInnen sollen im Sinne einer kundenorientierten VR-Systementwicklung das volle Potenzial von VR ausschöpfen können und im gesamten Softwareentwicklungsprozess unterstützt werden. Dabei wird der Rahmen des VR-Informationssystems auf den Einsatz von VR in der Produktentwicklung begrenzt.New technological software systems shall be developed in a user-oriented, profitable, flexible and, at the same time, in a high-performance manner. However, due to the rapid progress of innovative technologies, this often leads to a deficit in the information flow or the communication between the stakeholders involved in the early development. In the context of Virtual Reality (VR) applications, an additional challenge is that these innovative technologies and their range of functions are yet described insufficiently. On the one hand, this means that VR customers cannot streamline and formulate their wishes and visions from the VR system keeping in view the current technical possibilities. On the other hand, VR developers face the challenge of designing and communicating in a customer-oriented manner and thereby exploiting the full potential that can be offered from VR technologies. Currently, there is no structured tool available with which VR customers can be assisted with the initial configuration of the desired VR system and the acquisition of relevant information as well as the VR developers can be assisted with an overview for optimal preparation for an initial meeting and an immediate basis for decision making about accepting a development order. The goal of this work is to support the early exchange of information between VR customers and VR developers. For this purpose, a VR information system is developed with upstream use in the VR system implementation and it specifies the desired VR system. By providing all VR specifications and associated meta-information, VR customers shall be able to acquire knowledge about VR, configure the desired VR system and prioritize areas of focus. VR developers should be able to exploit the full potential of VR to develop a customer-oriented VR system and be supported in the entire software development process. The scope of the developed VR information system is limited to the use of VR in product development

Innovative Technologies and Services for Smart Cities

A smart city is a modern technology-driven urban area which uses sensing devices, information, and communication technology connected to the internet of things (IoTs) for the optimum and efficient utilization of infrastructures and services with the goal of improving the living conditions of citizens. Increasing populations, lower budgets, limited resources, and compatibility of the upgraded technologies are some of the few problems affecting the implementation of smart cities. Hence, there is continuous advancement regarding technologies for the implementation of smart cities. The aim of this Special Issue is to report on the design and development of integrated/smart sensors, a universal interfacing platform, along with the IoT framework, extending it to next-generation communication networks for monitoring parameters of interest with the goal of achieving smart cities. The proposed universal interfacing platform with the IoT framework will solve many challenging issues and significantly boost the growth of IoT-related applications, not just in the environmental monitoring domain but in the other key areas, such as smart home, assistive technology for the elderly care, smart city with smart waste management, smart E-metering, smart water supply, intelligent traffic control, smart grid, remote healthcare applications, etc., signifying benefits for all countries

XXI Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación - WICC 2019: libro de actas

Trabajos presentados en el XXI Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación (WICC), celebrado en la provincia de San Juan los días 25 y 26 de abril 2019, organizado por la Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI) y la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales de la Universidad Nacional de San Juan.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic

XXI Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación - WICC 2019: libro de actas

Trabajos presentados en el XXI Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación (WICC), celebrado en la provincia de San Juan los días 25 y 26 de abril 2019, organizado por la Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI) y la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales de la Universidad Nacional de San Juan.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic