Human Performance Modeling and Rendering via Neural Animated Mesh

We have recently seen tremendous progress in the neural advances for photo-real human modeling and rendering. However, it's still challenging to integrate them into an existing mesh-based pipeline for downstream applications. In this paper, we present a comprehensive neural approach for high-quality reconstruction, compression, and rendering of human performances from dense multi-view videos. Our core intuition is to bridge the traditional animated mesh workflow with a new class of highly efficient neural techniques. We first introduce a neural surface reconstructor for high-quality surface generation in minutes. It marries the implicit volumetric rendering of the truncated signed distance field (TSDF) with multi-resolution hash encoding. We further propose a hybrid neural tracker to generate animated meshes, which combines explicit non-rigid tracking with implicit dynamic deformation in a self-supervised framework. The former provides the coarse warping back into the canonical space, while the latter implicit one further predicts the displacements using the 4D hash encoding as in our reconstructor. Then, we discuss the rendering schemes using the obtained animated meshes, ranging from dynamic texturing to lumigraph rendering under various bandwidth settings. To strike an intricate balance between quality and bandwidth, we propose a hierarchical solution by first rendering 6 virtual views covering the performer and then conducting occlusion-aware neural texture blending. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in a variety of mesh-based applications and photo-realistic free-view experiences on various platforms, i.e., inserting virtual human performances into real environments through mobile AR or immersively watching talent shows with VR headsets.Comment: 18 pages, 17 figure

Data-Driven Reliability Evaluation of the Integrated Energy System Considering Optimal Service Restoration

The demand for environmental protection and energy utilization transformation has promoted the rapid development of integrated energy systems (IES). Reliability evaluation is a fundamental element in designing IES as it could instruct the planning and operation of IES. This study proposes a novel data-driven reliability improvement and evaluation method considering the three-state reliability model and an optimal service restoration model (OSR). First, a multi-energy flow model is introduced and linearized in order to reduce the computing complexity. Next, a three-state reliability model is developed, considering the transitional process and partial failure mode. Furthermore, an optimal service restoration model is established to determine the best repairment moment for minimizing the load curtailment, and a data-driven reliability evaluation method is developed that integrates OSR and models the stochastic state transition process using the historical measurement data of the smart meters. Finally, the proposed reliability evaluation method is tested on a test IES, and the numerical results validate its effectiveness in evaluating the reliability of IES and improving the overall reliability

Manipulating Multiple Order Parameters via Oxygen Vacancies: The case of Eu0.5Ba0.5TiO3-{\delta}

Controlling functionalities, such as magnetism or ferroelectricity, by means of oxygen vacancies (VO) is a key issue for the future development of transition metal oxides. Progress in this field is currently addressed through VO variations and their impact on mainly one order parameter. Here we reveal a new mechanism for tuning both magnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously by using VO. Combined experimental and density-functional theory studies of Eu0.5Ba0.5TiO3-{\delta}, we demonstrate that oxygen vacancies create Ti3+ 3d1 defect states, mediating the ferromagnetic coupling between the localized Eu 4f7 spins, and increase an off-center displacement of Ti ions, enhancing the ferroelectric Curie temperature. The dual function of Ti sites also promises a magnetoelectric coupling in the Eu0.5Ba0.5TiO3-{\delta}.Comment: Accepted by Physical Review B, 201

Waist Circumference Might Be a Predictor of Primary Liver Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background: Waist circumference, as an indicator of central adiposity, has been identified as an important predictor of several specific cancers such as colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal cancer risk, however, a consensus regarding the association between waist circumference and primary liver cancer (PLC) risk has not been reached.Methods: A total of 104,825 males participating in the health checkup were included in the Kailuan male cohort study (2006–2015). Information on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle, medical records, and anthropometric measures were collected. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of association between waist circumference and the risk of PLC in males.Results: During a median of 8.9 years of follow-up, 346 PLC cases were newly diagnosed in the cohort. The RCS model showed a U-shaped association between waist circumference and PLC risk (P-overall = 0.019, P-non-linear = 0.017). Overally, males with both high waist circumference (HRQ5vs.Q3 = 1.98, 95%CI: 1.39–2.82) and low waist circumference (HRQ1vs.Q3 = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.02–2.27) had an increased risk of PLC. Especially, the U-shaped association between waist circumference and PLC risk tended to be strengthened among subjects with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negativity (HRQ5vs.Q3 = 2.39, 95%CI: 1.43–3.98; HRQ1vs.Q3 = 2.27, 95%CI = 1.29–4.01).Conclusions: Waist circumference might be an independent predictor of PLC risk in males, especially for subjects with HBsAg negativity. Controlling waist circumference in an appropriate range might be an effective primary prevention to decrease PLC risk

Experimental Study on Performance of Foamed Magnesium Slag Cement

Magnesium slag is an industrial waste residue produced in magnesium smelting. Its chemical composition is similar to Portland cement and has potential activity. After the magnesium slag is foamed, it can be made into a new type of lightweight material, and its forming, mechanical and physical properties were closely related to dry material formula, water-cement ratio and foaming agent amount. In this paper, experiments were carried out to find the ingredients and processes suitable for the forming of foamed magnesium slag, making it have certain mechanical and physical properties at the same time

Experimental Study on Carbonization of Magnesium Slag Cement

Magnesium slag is a kind of industrial waste with the similar chemical composition to silicate cements, which is of hydration activity to some extent. However, the hydration activity of magnesium slag is much lower than that of traditional silicate cements. Through the method of carbonization, this experiment enhanced the hydration activity of magnesium slag, so that the strength of magnesium slag products can meet the requirements of structures together with certain mechanical and physical properties as well

Vibration-Resistant Performance Study of a Novel Floating Wind Turbine with Double-Rope Mooring System and Stroke-Limited TMD

Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) are generally located in the harsh deep-sea environment and are highly susceptible to extreme loads. In order to ensure the normal operation of FOWTs, this article takes the semi-submersible FOWT as an example, proposes a new double-rope mooring system, and studies the dynamic performance of the FOWT with the double-rope mooring system and its effectiveness in reducing the dynamic response of the wind turbine. At the same time, the tuned mass damper (TMD) is installed in the nacelle of the wind turbine, and the TMD parameters are optimized considering the space limitation of the nacelle by limiting the TMD’s stroke, which further reduces the dynamic response of the FOWT and improves its stability. Numerical simulation and analytical studies show that the new double-rope mooring system can reduce the dynamic response of the wind turbine to a greater extent than the traditional single-rope mooring system. Considering the stroke restriction, the control performance of TMD will be slightly weakened, but it is more in line with the actual engineering requirements. Compared with the original FOWT, the proposed new type of FOWT has better dynamic stability and has the prospect of extending to real engineering applications

Birefringence Gradient and Exposure Energy of Hf:Yb:Nd:LiNbO3 Crystals with Various [Li]/[Nb] Ratios

A series of Hf:Yb:Nd:LiNbO3 crystals with different [Li]/[Nb] ratios (0.946, 1.05, 1.20, and 1.38) were grown using the Czochralski method. X-ray diffraction phase results of the samples show that the LiNbO3 doped Hf4+, Yb3+, and Nd3+ only have a slight change in the lattice constant. The birefringence gradient of the HfYbNd4 sample measured using the birefringence gradient method was 3.3 × 10−5 ∆R/cm−1, which was the best optical uniformity. The optical damage resistance ability was measured using the light-induced scattering exposure energy flus threshold method. When the [Li]/[Nb] ratios in the melt achieve 1.38, the exposure energy achieves 120.74 J/cm2, which is approximately 87 times higher than HfYbNd1