5,062 research outputs found
Computer-Assisted Interactive Documentary and Performance Arts in Illimitable Space
This major component of the research described in this thesis is 3D computer
graphics, specifically the realistic physics-based softbody simulation and
haptic responsive environments. Minor components include advanced
human-computer interaction environments, non-linear documentary storytelling,
and theatre performance. The journey of this research has been unusual because
it requires a researcher with solid knowledge and background in multiple
disciplines; who also has to be creative and sensitive in order to combine the
possible areas into a new research direction. [...] It focuses on the advanced
computer graphics and emerges from experimental cinematic works and theatrical
artistic practices. Some development content and installations are completed to
prove and evaluate the described concepts and to be convincing. [...] To
summarize, the resulting work involves not only artistic creativity, but
solving or combining technological hurdles in motion tracking, pattern
recognition, force feedback control, etc., with the available documentary
footage on film, video, or images, and text via a variety of devices [....] and
programming, and installing all the needed interfaces such that it all works in
real-time. Thus, the contribution to the knowledge advancement is in solving
these interfacing problems and the real-time aspects of the interaction that
have uses in film industry, fashion industry, new age interactive theatre,
computer games, and web-based technologies and services for entertainment and
education. It also includes building up on this experience to integrate Kinect-
and haptic-based interaction, artistic scenery rendering, and other forms of
control. This research work connects all the research disciplines, seemingly
disjoint fields of research, such as computer graphics, documentary film,
interactive media, and theatre performance together.Comment: PhD thesis copy; 272 pages, 83 figures, 6 algorithm
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Methods for assessing the effects of spatial luminance patterns on perceived qualities of concert lighting
This paper presents experimental approaches for evaluating concert lighting from the viewpoints of audience members and performers in Cambridge King's College Chapel. We develop image zoning and abstraction techniques to quantify and interpret photometric data acquired under four different electric lighting conditions. Assessed by 78 participants, these lighting scenarios are compared across six different viewing positions using a set of structured questionnaires. Ordered logistic regression modelling shows that the ratios and functions describing uniformity, brightness and light patterns are common explanatory variables for predicting perceived visual clarity, visual uniformity, brightness and spatial intimacy. Uniformity-related attributes are observed to be among the strongest variables for all these perceived qualities, except for visual clarity, which is better explained by acuity-related measures. These experimental results confirm the applicability of our approaches, highlighting the importance of combining multiple methods and integrating complex architectural situations into the process of understanding luminous appearance. Cambridge Trus
Virtual reconstructions of the Théâtre de l'Athénée for archeoacoustic study
International audienceThe French ECHO project studies the use of voice in the recent history of theater. It is a multidisciplinary project which combines the efforts of historians, theater scientists, and acousticians. In the scope of this project an audiovisual simulation was created which combines auralizations with visualizations of former Théâtre de l'Athénée configurations issue from a series of renovations, enabling researchers to realistically perceive theater performances in foregone rooms. Simulations include the room, 2 actors on stage, and an audience. To achieve these simulation, architectural plans were studied from archives providing various details of the different theater configurations, from which the corresponding visual and room acoustic geometrical acoustics (GA) models were created. The resulting simulations allow for 360°audio-visual presentations at various positions in the theater using commercial standard hardware
Towards the 3D Web with Open Simulator
Continuing advances and reduced costs in computational power, graphics processors and network bandwidth have led to 3D immersive multi-user virtual worlds becoming increasingly accessible while offering an improved and engaging Quality of Experience. At the same time the functionality of the World Wide Web continues to expand alongside the computing infrastructure it runs on and pages can now routinely accommodate many forms of interactive multimedia components as standard features - streaming video for example. Inevitably there is an emerging expectation that the Web will expand further to incorporate immersive 3D environments. This is exciting because humans are well adapted to operating in 3D environments and it is challenging because existing software and skill sets are focused around competencies in 2D Web applications. Open Simulator (OpenSim) is a freely available open source tool-kit that empowers users to create and deploy their own 3D environments in the same way that anyone can create and deploy a Web site. Its characteristics can be seen as a set of references as to how the 3D Web could be instantiated. This paper describes experiments carried out with OpenSim to better understand network and system issues, and presents experience in using OpenSim to develop and deliver applications for education and cultural heritage. Evaluation is based upon observations of these applications in use and measurements of systems both in the lab and in the wild.Postprin
Compression, Modeling, and Real-Time Rendering of Realistic Materials and Objects
The realism of a scene basically depends on the quality of the geometry, the
illumination and the materials that are used. Whereas many sources for
the creation of three-dimensional geometry exist and numerous algorithms
for the approximation of global illumination were presented, the acquisition
and rendering of realistic materials remains a challenging problem.
Realistic materials are very important in computer graphics, because
they describe the reflectance properties of surfaces, which are based on the
interaction of light and matter. In the real world, an enormous diversity of
materials can be found, comprising very different properties. One important
objective in computer graphics is to understand these processes, to formalize
them and to finally simulate them.
For this purpose various analytical models do already exist, but their
parameterization remains difficult as the number of parameters is usually
very high. Also, they fail for very complex materials that occur in the real
world. Measured materials, on the other hand, are prone to long acquisition
time and to huge input data size. Although very efficient statistical
compression algorithms were presented, most of them do not allow for editability,
such as altering the diffuse color or mesostructure. In this thesis,
a material representation is introduced that makes it possible to edit these
features. This makes it possible to re-use the acquisition results in order to
easily and quickly create deviations of the original material. These deviations
may be subtle, but also substantial, allowing for a wide spectrum of
material appearances.
The approach presented in this thesis is not based on compression, but on
a decomposition of the surface into several materials with different reflection
properties. Based on a microfacette model, the light-matter interaction is
represented by a function that can be stored in an ordinary two-dimensional
texture. Additionally, depth information, local rotations, and the diffuse
color are stored in these textures. As a result of the decomposition, some
of the original information is inevitably lost, therefore an algorithm for the
efficient simulation of subsurface scattering is presented as well.
Another contribution of this work is a novel perception-based simplification
metric that includes the material of an object. This metric comprises
features of the human visual system, for example trichromatic color
perception or reduced resolution. The proposed metric allows for a more
aggressive simplification in regions where geometric metrics do not simplif
Game engines selection framework for high-fidelity serious applications
Serious games represent the state-of-the-art in the convergence of electronic gaming technologies with instructional design principles and pedagogies. Despite the value of high-fidelity content in engaging learners and providing realistic training environments, building games which deliver high levels of visual and functional realism is a complex, time consuming and expensive process. Therefore, commercial game engines, which provide a development environment and resources to more rapidly create high-fidelity virtual worlds, are increasingly used for serious as well as for entertainment applications. Towards this intention, the authors propose a new framework for the selection of game engines for serious applications and sets out five elements for analysis of engines in order to create a benchmarking approach to the validation of game engine selection. Selection criteria for game engines and the choice of platform for Serious Games are substantially different from entertainment games, as Serious Games have very different objectives, emphases and technical requirements. In particular, the convergence of training simulators with serious games, made possible by increasing hardware rendering capacity is enabling the creation of high-fidelity serious games, which challenge existing instructional approaches. This paper overviews several game engines that are suitable for high-fidelity serious games, using the proposed framework
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