Design, development, and usability evaluation of a system for adding and editing social media banners in the immersive street-level 3D virtual city

Abstract In this paper, we present design and implementation of a system for adding and visualizing social media content in an immersive street-level 3D virtual city environment. The system enables its users to add banners anywhere in the virtual 3D environment, typically on building façades, walls, or on the ground. The banner’s owner is then able to edit the banner and select the social media platform to load the content from, thereby creating a social media content banner with a specific ID. The system supports four social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Flickr. Users can also customize banners’ position, rotation, and the visual elements such as text, images and colors. To evaluate our system’s usability, we conducted an iterative usability evaluation with 12 participants. Each evaluation round with three participants indicated improvements to the system, which were implemented before next evaluation round. Finally, after the last modifications, system was found to be easy to use by average users and only a little help was needed for non-experienced users. We believe this system could provide added value for the business owners and users by enabling social media content to be add on the 3D virtual city and use it as a marketing platform

Mobile three-dimensional city maps

Maps are visual representations of environments and the objects within, depicting their spatial relations. They are mainly used in navigation, where they act as external information sources, supporting observation and decision making processes. Map design, or the art-science of cartography, has led to simplification of the environment, where the naturally three-dimensional environment has been abstracted to a two-dimensional representation, populated with simple geometrical shapes and symbols. However, abstract representation requires a map reading ability. Modern technology has reached the level where maps can be expressed in digital form, having selectable, scalable, browsable and updatable content. Maps may no longer even be limited to two dimensions, nor to an abstract form. When a real world based virtual environment is created, a 3D map is born. Given a realistic representation, would the user no longer need to interpret the map, and be able to navigate in an inherently intuitive manner? To answer this question, one needs a mobile test platform. But can a 3D map, a resource hungry real virtual environment, exist on such resource limited devices? This dissertation approaches the technical challenges posed by mobile 3D maps in a constructive manner, identifying the problems, developing solutions and providing answers by creating a functional system. The case focuses on urban environments. First, optimization methods for rendering large, static 3D city models are researched and a solution provided by combining visibility culling, level-of-detail management and out-of-core rendering, suited for mobile 3D maps. Then, the potential of mobile networking is addressed, developing efficient and scalable methods for progressive content downloading and dynamic entity management. Finally, a 3D navigation interface is developed for mobile devices, and the research validated with measurements and field experiments. It is found that near realistic mobile 3D city maps can exist in current mobile phones, and the rendering rates are excellent in 3D hardware enabled devices. Such 3D maps can also be transferred and rendered on-the-fly sufficiently fast for navigation use over cellular networks. Real world entities such as pedestrians or public transportation can be tracked and presented in a scalable manner. Mobile 3D maps are useful for navigation, but their usability depends highly on interaction methods - the potentially intuitive representation does not imply, for example, faster navigation than with a professional 2D street map. In addition, the physical interface limits the usability

Entre o real e o virtual : as cidades digitais como estratégia de actuação da sociedade da informação e do relacionamento

Há alguns milhares de anos, a humanidade passou por uma revolução até então, sem precedentes: a escrita. A própria história estabeleceu a escrita como um marco entre eras: o que vinha antes dela era a pré-história. Hoje, somos testemunhas de um novo marco: o computador. De facto, as novas tecnologias da informação e da comunicação já fazem parte da vida dos cidadãos, do funcionamento das instituições e de qualquer Estado. Esta é uma sociedade dependente da informação, que se assume como matéria-prima essencial para os processos produtivos, tal como a energia no modelo da sociedade industrial. Ao modelo de Estado que daí emerge, alguns preferem chamar Estado Digital, dominado pela informação e pelas novas tecnologias. Uma das poucas certezas no meio das profundas transformações económicosociais em curso é que, nesse Estado Digital, as cidades digitais e as autarquias, como forma de agrupamento cultural, social, político e económico de agentes regionais, inter-regionais, nacionais e até internacionais, só continuarão a desempenhar um papel central desde que consigam também elas digitalizar-se rapidamente. É neste contexto que o presente trabalho se propõe estudar o fenómeno das cidades digitais e das autarquias digitais na era da Sociedade da Informação e do Relacionamento. Os objectivos principais são: analisar os vários conceitos inerentes ao contexto e debater o surgimento e evolução das cidades digitais, apresentando tipologias e modelos de desenvolvimento; estudar algumas cidades digitais e abordar o e-Government e as autarquias digitais, enquanto fenómenos relacionados com as cidades digitais e proceder a um estudo de caso no Departamento de Habitação e Urbanismo da Câmara Municipal de Viseu, com o que se pretende dar um contributo para a criação de uma câmara digital. Para os atingir, o trabalho estrutura-se em seis capítulos. O primeiro aborda definições, críticas, enquadramentos das cidades digitais e o tema do web urbanismo. O segundo estuda as diversas tipologias utilizadas para classificar as cidades digitais e apresenta uma análise e tentativa de classificação de algumas experiências mundiais. No terceiro, apresentam-se modelos de desenvolvimento de cidades digitais. No quarto capítulo, analisa-se o fenómeno do e-Government e da autarquia digital. Aborda-se também o tema da necessidade de reorganização e modernização da Administração Pública. No quinto capítulo, apresenta-se o estudo de caso desenvolvido na Câmara Municipal de Viseu, mais concretamente no Departamento de Habitação e Urbanismo, em que se analisam processos e procedimentos e se elabora um modelo de dados, com vista a contribuir para um potencial sistema de informação para esse mesmo departamento. No sexto capítulo, conclui-se esta investigação, realçando as ilações mais importantes, apresentando também as limitações do trabalho e algumas propostas de investigação. ABSTRACT: Millions of years ago humanity underwent a revolution without precedent, “writing”. History actually considered writing as a turning point between eras: what came before was pre-historian. Today we are confronted with a new turning point “the computer”, in fact, new communication and information technologies are already a part of our lives either at home, at work, in our country. Society today is information dependent, it’s as essential for productive processes as energy is to the industrial society. The digital state, like some refer to it, emerges dominated by information and by new technologies. In the midst of profound economic and social transformations, one thing is for certain, the digital state, digital cities and municipalities as part of a cultural, social, political and economical group will only continue to play a central role if they too go digital. This thesis studies therefore, the phenomenon of digital cities and municipalities in the information society. The main objectives are: analysis of various concepts relating to the context; study the emerging and evolution of digital cities focusing on different typologies and models of development; study a few digital cities and analyze Egovernment and digital municipalities presenting a case study carried out at the Urban and Habitation Department of the Municipality of Viseu, this way contributing to a digital municipality. To achieve these objectives, the thesis is made up of six chapters. Chapter one focuses on definitions, critics, the digital city framing and web urbanism. Chapter two attempts to study the diverse typologies used to classify digital cities, analysis and classification of a few worldwide experiences. Chapter three presents different digital city models of development whilst chapter four focuses on the analysis of the E-government phenomenon and digital municipality. Focuses on the reorganisation and modernisation of Public Administration. Chapter five presents a case study of the Viseu Municipality (Urban and Habitation Department) Analysis of processes and procedures. Elaborate a data pattern contributing to a potential information system for this department. Chapter six: completion of this study focusing on important conclusions presenting the thesis limitations and proposing certain aspects for further investigation

La ciudad aumentada. Experimentación artística en aplicaciones de realidad aumentada

The hybridization of cities of the XXI. century produced by the introduction of the virtuality through the new technologies outlines changes in the scope of perception and relationship between the city and its inhabitants. The technological ubiquity is tracing a new concept of the future of contemporary cities, that enables understanding of technological factors that transform everyday life of society. The hybridization of tangible and intangible spaces, where the materiality and the virtuality fuse, gives rise to the creation of new urban spaces modalities. In the present thesis, this problematics is approached from the point of view of the Augmented Reality and how this technology is able to spread into the fi eld of architecture, urbanism and art. Furthermore, we will analyze the recent development trends of this technology in theory and practice, looking for parallelisms between technology and hybridization processes that concern actual cities. We will carry out a theoretical-practical tour that will allow us to clarify the evolution of city virtualization through digital media, the emergence of virtual communities and digital cities on the Internet. We investigate how the urban and social space is transformed by the newly acquired technological ubiquity, which breaks the boundaries of the physical space. Hybrid urban spaces, their creation and modifi cation, are portrayed by the analysis of Augmented Reality artistic interventions in the city. We enrich the theoretical research with the practical experimentation throughout a series of artistic productions that employ diff erent technological approaches to emphasize the versatility of the Augmented Reality as an artistic tool.La hibridación de las ciudades del siglo XXI producida por la introducción de la virtualidad mediada a través de las nuevas tecnologías esboza un cambio en el ámbito de la percepción y la relación entre la ciudad y sus habitantes. La ubicuidad tecnológica está trazando un nuevo concepto de futuro de las ciudades contemporáneas, capaces de comprender los factores tecnológicos que transforman la cotidianidad de la sociedad actual, evidenciando la hibridación de espacios tangibles e intangibles, donde lo material y lo virtual se suman, dando lugar a la creación de nuevas modalidades de espacios urbanos. En la presente tesis abordamos esta problemática desde el punto de vista de la Realidad Aumentada y cómo esta es capaz de diseminarse dentro de los ámbitos arquitectónicos, urbanistas y artísticos. Para una mayor comprensión analizaremos las últimas tendencias en el desarrollo de esta tecnología tanto a nivel teórico como práctico, buscando paralelismos entre tecnología y procesos de hibridación que envuelven las ciudades actuales. Realizaremos un recorrido teórico-práctico que permita esclarecer la evolución de la virtualización de las urbes a través de los medios digitales, la aparición de comunidades virtuales y ciudades digitales en Internet. Investigamos cómo se transforma el espacio urbano y social mediante la recién adquirida ubicuidad tecnológica, que rompe con las restricciones del espacio físico. Los espacios urbanos híbridos, su creación y modificación, se ilustran mediante el análisis de intervenciones artísticas que emplean Realidad Aumentada en el ámbito de la ciudad. Enriquecemos la investigación teórica con la experimentación práctica basada en la creación de una serie de ensayos artísticos que utilizan diversos enfoques tecnológicos para enfatizar la versatilidad de la Realidad Aumentada como herramienta artística.La hibridació de les ciutats del segle XXI produïda per la introducció de la virtualitat intervinguda a través de les noves tecnologies esbossa un canvi en l'àmbit de la percepció i la relació entre la ciutat i els seus habitants. La ubiqüitat tecnològica està traçant un nou concepte de futur de les ciutats contemporànies, capaces de comprendre els factors tecnològics que transformen la quotidianitat de la societat actual, evidenciant la hibridació d'espais tangibles i intangibles, on el material i el virtual se sumen, donant lloc a la creació de noves modalitats d'espais urbans. En la present tesi abordem aquesta problemàtica des del punt de vista de la Realitat Augmentada i com aquesta tecnologia és capaç de disseminar-se dins dels àmbits arquitectònics, urbanistes i artístics. Per a una major comprensió analitzarem les últimes tendències en el desenvolupament d'aquesta tecnologia tant a nivell teòric com a pràctic, cercant paral·lelismes entre tecnologia i processos d'hibridació que emboliquen les ciutats actuals. Realitzarem un recorregut teòric-pràctic que permeta esclarir l'evolució de la virtualització de les urbs a través dels mitjans digitals, generada per l'aparició de comunitats virtuals i ciutats digitals en Internet. Investiguem com es transforma l'espai urbà i social mitjançant la recentment adquirida ubiqüitat tecnològica, que trenca amb les restriccions de l'espai físic. Els espais urbans híbrids, la seua creació i modifi cació, es retraten mitjançant l'anàlisi d'intervencions artístiques que empren Realitat Augmentada en l'àmbit de la ciutat. Acompanyem la recerca teòrica amb l'experimentació pràctica basada en la creació d'una sèrie d'assajos artístics que utilitzen diferents enfocaments tecnològics per a emfatitzar la versatilitat de la Realitat Augmentada com a eina artísticaMésárošová, A. (2017). La ciudad aumentada. Experimentación artística en aplicaciones de realidad aumentada [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/91142TESI