An ECOOP web portal for visualising and comparing distributed coastal oceanography model and in situ data

As part of a large European coastal operational oceanography project (ECOOP), we have developed a web portal for the display and comparison of model and in situ marine data. The distributed model and in situ datasets are accessed via an Open Geospatial Consortium Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Feature Service (WFS) respectively. These services were developed independently and readily integrated for the purposes of the ECOOP project, illustrating the ease of interoperability resulting from adherence to international standards. The key feature of the portal is the ability to display co-plotted timeseries of the in situ and model data and the quantification of misfits between the two. By using standards-based web technology we allow the user to quickly and easily explore over twenty model data feeds and compare these with dozens of in situ data feeds without being concerned with the low level details of differing file formats or the physical location of the data. Scientific and operational benefits to this work include model validation, quality control of observations, data assimilation and decision support in near real time. In these areas it is essential to be able to bring different data streams together from often disparate locations

Smart Asset Management for Electric Utilities: Big Data and Future

This paper discusses about future challenges in terms of big data and new technologies. Utilities have been collecting data in large amounts but they are hardly utilized because they are huge in amount and also there is uncertainty associated with it. Condition monitoring of assets collects large amounts of data during daily operations. The question arises "How to extract information from large chunk of data?" The concept of "rich data and poor information" is being challenged by big data analytics with advent of machine learning techniques. Along with technological advancements like Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics will play an important role for electric utilities. In this paper, challenges are answered by pathways and guidelines to make the current asset management practices smarter for the future.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of 12th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM) 201

VR for Cultural Heritage. A VR-WEB-BIM for the future maintenance of Milan’s Cathedral.

The work presented here is the final step of a multidisciplinary research project conducted on the Milan Cathedral for eight years (2008–2015). Three main topics, consequentially related, will be here addressed: (i) the survey of the structure, meant to update the old drawings; (ii) the construction of an accurate and detailed 3D model to be used to produce measurements at a 1:20–1:50 representation scale; (iii) the development of a Building Information System (BIM) to collect all the data relating to the restoration projects, as well as all information relating to past, current and future maintenance activities of the cathedral. The result of this research project is a complex and accurate digital 3D model of the main spire of the cathedral and of other parts of the building. This model can be visualized, navigated and used by the Veneranda Fabbrica technicians as an info-data catalogue, thanks to a common web browser connected with the remote BIM System Server and the modelling software where ad hoc I/O plugins are implemented. The last step of this long project was to take advantage of the nascent potential of immersive visualization techniques and to transpose the BIM system in a VR environment, thus obtaining two main results. The first was a high-appeal visualization system that allows a virtual visit of the Main Spire of the cathedral, the building’s highest part that has been closed to visitors since the beginning of the XX century. The second was the possibility to use this technology to virtually explore the cathedral from a technical point of view: by using an immersive visualization technology, operators can improve their understanding of the structure and obtain real-time information about the state of conservation, including current and past maintenance activities, in a sort of “augmented reality system in a virtual environment”

Analysis and Development of Augmented Reality Applications for the Dissemination of Cultural Heritage

Tesis por compendio[ES] La RA consiste en la superposición de elementos virtuales sobre el entorno real, de manera que el usuario percibe estos elementos como si formaran parte de la realidad que está visualizando. Las aplicaciones de RA en dispositivos móviles permiten visualizar el contenido virtual a través de la cámara del dispositivo. La RA es una herramienta de divulgación muy potente ya que permite añadir a la realidad cualquier tipo de información, desde un simple texto informativo a un modelo 3D interactivo. Tiene infinitas utilidades, puede servir de guía en un museo, puede mostrar la recreación de un monumento destruido, o como en el caso de estudio aquí presentado, ayudar a la interpretación de pinturas rupestres. Esta tesis parte de la idea de que la RA puede mejorar mucho la interpretación del arte rupestre sin alterar ni dañar las pinturas. Puede servir para atraer a un público mayor, dar a conocer la historia de las pinturas rupestres y que al mismo tiempo el visitante tenga una experiencia mucho más enriquecedora. A lo largo de la tesis se ha estudiado en profundidad la técnica de visualización de RA mediante dispositivos móviles. Se han analizado las diferentes librerías de programación mediante casos de estudio en entornos reales y examinado los factores que pueden afectar al reconocimiento de las pinturas. Se ha desarrollado una aplicación de RA aplicada a un caso real de pinturas rupestres y posteriormente ha sido evaluada por un grupo de personas. Finalmente, se ha estudiado el efecto de la luz solar y sus cambios a lo largo del día sobre el reconocimiento de imágenes en entornos al aire libre. Este trabajo proporciona un punto de partida para el desarrollo de aplicaciones de RA aplicadas a la difusión del patrimonio cultural, especialmente centrado en el arte rupestre, un entorno que sufre de unas dificultades añadidas debido a su localización, dificultad de reconocimiento de puntos característicos en las pinturas y los cambios en la luz solar, problemas que se han tratado de resolver a lo largo del estudio. Las principales conclusiones han sido muy favorables, partiendo de librerías de programación disponibles y gratuitas. Se han podido desarrollar un conjunto de aplicaciones de RA en diferentes lugares. Las valoraciones han sido muy positivas, los usuarios que han probado las aplicaciones afirman que la interpretación de las pinturas les resulta más fácil y consiguen entender mejor el propósito de las mismas. El principal inconveniente encontrado es la falta de conocimiento sobre esta técnica y la pérdida de realismo en algunos casos debido a la oclusión, es decir, que los objetos virtuales no se posicionen por detrás de los objetos reales. La buena noticia es que esta tecnología evoluciona muy rápido y durante el desarrollo de la tesis ha habido avances muy grandes, entre ellos, el desarrollo de nuevas librerías de programación desarrolladas por Google y Apple, que proporcionan las herramientas necesarias para crear aplicaciones muy potentes e immersivas, donde el usuario se sentirá parte de los entornos creados.[CA] La RA consisteix en la superposició d'elements virtuals sobre l'entorn real, de manera que l'usuari percep aquests elements com si formaren part de la realitat que està visualitzant. Les aplicacions de RA en dispositius mòbils permeten visualitzar el contingut virtual a través de la cambra del dispositiu. La RA és una eina de divulgació molt potent ja que permet afegir a la realitat qualsevol tipus d'informació, des d'un simple text informatiu a un model 3D interactiu. Té infinites utilitats, pot servir de guia en un museu, pot mostrar la recreació d'un monument destruït, o com en el cas d'estudi ací presentat, ajudar a la interpretació de pintures rupestres. Aquesta tesi parteix de la idea que la RA pot millorar molt la interpretació de l'art rupestre sense alterar ni danyar les pintures. Pot servir per a atraure a un públic major, donar a conéixer la història de les pintures rupestres i que al mateix temps el visitant tinga una experiència molt més enriquidora. Al llarg de la tesi s'ha estudiat en profunditat la tècnica de visualització de RA mitjançant dispositius mòbils. S'han analitzat les diferents llibreries de programació mitjançant casos d'estudi en entorns reals i analitzat els factors que poden afectar el reconeixement de les pintures. S'ha desenvolupat una aplicació de RA aplicada a un cas real de pintures rupestres i posteriorment ha sigut avaluada per un grup de persones. Finalment, s'ha estudiat l'efecte de la llum solar i els seus canvis al llarg del dia sobre el reconeixement d'imatges en entorns a l'aire lliure. Aquest treball proporciona un punt de partida per al desenvolupament d'aplicacions de RA aplicades a la difusió del patrimoni cultural, especialment centrat en l'art rupestre, un entorn que pateix d'unes dificultats afegides a causa de la seua localització, dificultat de reconeixement de punts característics en les pintures i els canvis en la llum solar, problemes que s'han tractat de resoldre al llarg de l'estudi. Les principals conclusions han sigut molt favorables, partint de llibreries de programació disponibles i gratuïtes. S'han pogut desenvolupar un conjunt d'aplicacions de RA en diferents llocs. Les valoracions han sigut molt positives, els usuaris que han provat les aplicacions afirmen que la interpretació de les pintures els resulta més fàcil i aconsegueixen entendre millor el propòsit d'aquestes. El principal inconvenient trobat és la falta de coneixement sobre aquesta tècnica i la perduda de realisme en alguns casos a causa de l'oclusió, és a dir, que els objectes virtuals no es posicionen per darrere dels objectes reals. La bona notícia és que aquesta tecnologia evoluciona molt ràpid i durant el desenvolupament de la tesi hi ha hagut avanços molt grans, entre ells, el desenvolupament de noves llibreries de programació per Google i Apple, que proporcionen les eines necessàries per a crear aplicacions molt potents i immersives, on l'usuari se sentirà part dels entorns creats.[EN] AR consists of superimposing virtual elements on the real environment, so that the user perceives these elements as if they were part of the reality they are looking at. AR applications on smartphones allow virtual content to be visualised through the device's camera. AR is a very powerful tool for dissemination as it allows any type of information to be added to reality, from a simple informative text to an interactive 3D model. It can be used as a guide in a museum, it can show the recreation of a destroyed monument, or, as in the case study presented here, it can help in the interpretation of cave paintings. This thesis is based on the idea that AR can greatly enhance the interpretation of rock art without affecting or damaging the paintings. It can be used to attract a wider audience, to introduce the history of the rock art paintings and at the same time provide the visitor with a much more enriching experience. Throughout the thesis, the technique of AR visualisation using mobile devices has been studied in-depth. The different programming libraries have been analysed by means of case studies in real environments as well as the factors that can affect the paintings recognition. An AR application applied to a real case of rock art paintings has been developed and subsequently evaluated by a group of people. Finally, the effect of sunlight and its changes throughout the day on image recognition in outdoor environments has been studied. This work provides a starting point for the AR applications development applied to the dissemination of cultural heritage, especially focused on rock art, an environment that suffers from additional difficulties due to its location, the difficulty of characteristic points recognition and changes in sunlight, problems that have been tried to solve throughout the study. The main outcomes have been very favourable, using freely available programming libraries, and it has been possible to develop a set of AR applications in different places. The evaluations have been very positive, with users who have tested the applications confirming that the interpretation of the paintings is easier for them and they can better understand the purpose of the paintings. The major drawback is the lack of knowledge about this technique and the loss of realism in some cases due to occlusion, i.e. the virtual objects are not positioned behind the real objects. The good news is that this technology is evolving very fast and during the development of the thesis there have been great advances, among them, the development of new programming libraries developed by Google and Apple, which provide the necessary tools to create very powerful and immersive applications, where the user will feel part of the virtual environments created.Blanco Pons, S. (2021). Analysis and Development of Augmented Reality Applications for the Dissemination of Cultural Heritage [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/178895TESISCompendi

Constructing living buildings: a review of relevant technologies for a novel application of biohybrid robotics

Biohybrid robotics takes an engineering approach to the expansion and exploitation of biological behaviours for application to automated tasks. Here, we identify the construction of living buildings and infrastructure as a high-potential application domain for biohybrid robotics, and review technological advances relevant to its future development. Construction, civil infrastructure maintenance and building occupancy in the last decades have comprised a major portion of economic production, energy consumption and carbon emissions. Integrating biological organisms into automated construction tasks and permanent building components therefore has high potential for impact. Live materials can provide several advantages over standard synthetic construction materials, including self-repair of damage, increase rather than degradation of structural performance over time, resilience to corrosive environments, support of biodiversity, and mitigation of urban heat islands. Here, we review relevant technologies, which are currently disparate. They span robotics, self-organizing systems, artificial life, construction automation, structural engineering, architecture, bioengineering, biomaterials, and molecular and cellular biology. In these disciplines, developments relevant to biohybrid construction and living buildings are in the early stages, and typically are not exchanged between disciplines. We, therefore, consider this review useful to the future development of biohybrid engineering for this highly interdisciplinary application.publishe