Generating, animating, and rendering varied individuals for real-time crowds

To simulate realistic crowds of virtual humans in real time, three main requirements need satisfaction. First of all, quantity, i.e., the ability to simulate thousands of characters. Secondly, quality, because each virtual human composing a crowd needs to look unique in its appearance and animation. Finally, efficiency is paramount, for an operation usually efficient on a single virtual human, becomes extremely costly when applied on large crowds. Developing an architecture able to manage all three aspects is a challenging problem that we have addressed in our research. Our first contribution is an efficient and versatile architecture called YaQ, able to simulate thousands of characters in real time. This platform, developed at EPFL-VRLab, results from several years of research and integrates state-of-the-art techniques at all levels: YaQ aims at providing efficient algorithms and real-time solutions for populating globally and massively large-scale empty environments. YaQ thus fits various application domains, such as video games and virtual reality. Our architecture is especially efficient in managing the large quantity of data that is used to simulate crowds. In order to simulate large crowds, many instances of a small set of human templates have to be generated. From this starting point, if no care is taken to vary each character individually, many clones appear in the crowd. We present several algorithms to make each individual unique in the crowd. Firstly, we introduce a new method to distinguish body parts of a human and apply detailed color variety and patterns to each one of them. Secondly, we present two techniques to modify the shape and profile of a virtual human: a simple and efficient method for attaching accessories to individuals, and efficient tools to scale the skeleton and mesh of an instance. Finally, we also contribute to varying individuals' animation by introducing variations to the upper body movements, thus allowing characters to make a phone call, have a hand in their pocket, or carry heavy accessories, etc. To achieve quantity in a crowd, levels of detail need to be used. We explore the most adequate solutions to simulate large crowds with levels of detail, while avoiding disturbing switches between two different representations of a virtual human. To do so, we develop solutions to make most variety techniques scalable to all levels of detail

Phytochemical Characterization and Sensory Evaluation of Vinegar from Melastoma malabathricum L. Flowers with Variations in Starter Concentration and Fermentation Time

Melastoma malabathricum L. or Senggani is a shrub that is easily found in open meadows.  Acehnese people often use senggani as traditional medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine the phytochemical content and sensory evaluation of natural vinegar from Senggani flowers. The research design used a completely randomized design (CRD) which consisted of 5 days and 10 days of Saccharomyces administration. Both groups were added with Acetobacter aceti with concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% respectively in each sample. The result showed that phytochemical screening Senggani vinegar contains tannins, flavonoids, saponins, dragendrof, polyphenols, and terpenoids. The results of the organoleptic test show that the average ranking of panelists' preference for taste from the combination of the Senggani flower vinegar fermentation treatment ranges from 5.8-6.04, meaning that the taste of vinegar is slightly sour, while the panelists' preference ranking on acceptability ranges from 4.4-5, which means acceptability of panelists is neutral. The Senggani flower vinegar product with added Saccharomyces for 10 days and the fermentation of Acetobacter aceti with concentrations of 15% is the best formula preferred by the panelists. Senggani flower vinegar has the potential to be used as a health drin

Challenges in Crowd Simulation

The purpose of this paper is to identify the problems to solve in order to simulate real-time crowds in a Virtual Environment. We try to classify these problems and study how they have been addressed until now by the research community and our Lab in particular. We then discuss for each problem what are the,future challenges and how to address them

To the surface : contemporary landscape

To the surface : contemporary landscape Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Plimsoll Gallery, 10-24 January, 1993. Curated by Ray Arnold Works by Ray Arnold, Lorraine Biggs, Tim Burns, Greg Hind, Leigh Hobba, Sieglinde Karl, David Keeling, Bea Maddock, Wayne Maim, Milan Milojevic, David Stephenson, John Wolseley, Helen Wright, Jock Youn

Nikolai Maimi kirjapanekud sugukonna minevikust vanaema Mari Hellati ja isa Jaan Maimi jutustuse järgi

https://www.ester.ee/record=b4057832*es

매직넘버와 동아시아 음악

In analyzing East Asian music, Western concepts of symmetrical meter and repeated rhythm patterns often are inappropriate. Both the structural and deeper meaning of the music can often be found by applying regional numerology to the rhythm and space of non-Western music. Examples from Japanese music are seen in the numbers 3, 5, and 7. They are often the magic key for unlocking the door to an understanding of how the music is organized. They help explain why Western bar line thinking seldom works in East Asian music. Reflections of Asian thought can be found in its music. This paper presents Japanese examples in the hope that it will generate a discussion of similar phenomena in Chinese and Korean music. 동아시아 음악을 분석하다보면 대칭박자라든가 반복 리듬패턴이라든가 하는 서구 개념이 들어맞지 않을 때가 종종 있다. 구조적이고 심층적인 음악의 의미는 그 지역의 수론(數論)을 서구와는 다른 리듬과 공간에 대입해야 발견되는 경우가 많다. 다음에 보기로 일본음악을 3·5·7의 숫자로 풀어본다. 음악이 조직되는 모습을 이해하는 빗장을 푸는 데 이들 숫자가 마법의 열쇠가 되는 경우가 많다. 서구식의 마디 단위 사고가 동아시아 음악에서 통하지 않는 까닭도 더불어 설명된다. 아시아적 사고의 반영은 음악에서도 보인다. 중국과 한국의 음악에도 있을 비슷한 현상에 대한 논의를 불러일으키는 계기가 되기를 바라며, 이 글에서는 일본음악을 보기로 들고자 한다