Using a Web-Based Query Engine and Immersive Virtual Reality to Select and View 3D Anthropometry in Vehicle Operator Workstation Design

This paper presents the development and testing of a tool for designing vehicle operator workstations using 3D anthropometry. The tool consists of two major modules: 1) a webbased engine to query a large database of human anthropometry for selecting human operators representative of a specified user population, and 2) an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) software application used to view the selected anthropometry in relation to vehicle CAD designs. This tool allows a designer to view and interact with fully immersive 3D representations of vehicle operator enclosures and controls from typical CAD models along with digital human models selected from the anthropometry database. This environment allows visualization to aid in the trade-off decisions that come between ergonomic and functional (i.e. structural, electrical, etc.) design. The environment makes use of a webbased interface for the querying of a large anthropometric dataset with over 4500 participants. A designer is presented with a rich set of features to build, store, and manage queries using attributes such as height, weight, reach, gender, and occupation to locate pertinent subsets of subjects for a specific vehicle design. A list of subjects obtained from the query engine can then be sent to a VR environment for viewing with vehicle CAD data. This linkage makes the selecting and viewing of subjects seamless. A detailed description of the design problem being addressed, software development, and sample test cases are presented to demonstrate the intuitive nature and ease of use of the environment

Evaluating an End-to-End Process for Herpetological Heritage Digital Preservation

Documentation of institutional biological collections are essential for scientific studies and conservation of the biodiversity of a region. In particular, preserved specimens require the development of a short- and long-term plan to prevent damage. In this context, the 3D digitisation of this type of documentation provides innovative mechanisms to safeguard the valuable information provided by the collections and at the same time prevent any possible loss of information. At the moment, the potential of laser scanning in model reconstruction is well-known, but developed works using this method for 3D construction reveal a lack of reliable, precise and flexible solutions. Furthermore, visualisation of results is often very useless and does not go beyond web-based applications. This work presents an analysis of 3D modelling using two digitisation techniques: laser scanning and photogrammetry; combined with real time VR and AR visualizations and 3D printing. Subsequently, in accordance with the processes carried out, qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the results obtained are accomplished.Fil: Jofré Pasinetti, Luis Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Cs.fisico Matemáticas y Naturales. Departamento de Informatica. Laboratorio de Computación Grafica; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Graciela. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Cs.fisico Matemáticas y Naturales. Departamento de Informatica. Laboratorio de Computación Grafica; ArgentinaFil: Alvarado Araya, Yoselie Macarena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Jacqueline Myriam. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Cs.fisico Matemáticas y Naturales. Departamento de Informatica. Laboratorio de Computación Grafica; ArgentinaFil: Guerrero, Roberto Ariel. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Cs.fisico Matemáticas y Naturales. Departamento de Informatica. Laboratorio de Computación Grafica; Argentin

Virtual Reality and Serious Games in Healthcare

This chapter discusses the applications and solutions of emerging Virtual Reality (VR) and video games technologies in the healthcare sector, e.g. physical therapy for motor rehabilitation, exposure therapy for psychological phobias, and pain relief. Section 2 reviews state-of-the-art interactive devices used in current VR systems and high-end games such as sensor-based and camera-based tracking devices, data gloves, and haptic force feedback devices. Section 3 investigates recent advances and key concepts in games technology, including dynamic simulation, flow theory, adaptive games, and their possible implementation in serious games for healthcare. Various serious games are described in this section: some were designed and developed for specific healthcare purposes, e.g. BreakAway (2009)’s Free Dive, HopeLab (2006)’s Re-Mission, and Ma et al. (2007)’s VR game series, others were utilising off-the-shelf games such as Nintendo Wii sports for physiotherapy. A couple of experiments of using VR systems and games for stroke rehabilitation are highlighted in section 4 as examples to showcase the benefits and impacts of these technologies to conventional clinic practice. Finally, section 5 points some future directions of applying emerging games technologies in healthcare, such as augmented reality, Wii-mote motion control system, and even full body motion capture and controller free games technology demonstrated recently on E3 2009 which have great potentials to treat motor disorders, combat obesity, and other healthcare applications