A study of user perceptions of the relationship between bump-mapped and non-bump-mapped materials, and lighting intensity in a real-time virtual environment

The video and computer games industry has taken full advantage of the human sense of vision by producing games that utilize complex high-resolution textures and materials, and lighting technique. This results to the creation of an almost life-like real-time 3D virtual environment that can immerse the end-users. One of the visual techniques used is real-time display of bump-mapped materials. However, this sense of visual phenomenon has yet to be fully utilized for 3D design visualization in the architecture and construction domain. Virtual environments developed in the architecture and construction domain are often basic and use low-resolution images, which under represent the real physical environment. Such virtual environment is seen as being non-realistic to the user resulting in a misconception of the actual potential of it as a tool for 3D design visualization. A study was conducted to evaluate whether subjects can see the difference between bump-mapped and nonbump-mapped materials in different lighting conditions. The study utilized a real-time 3D virtual environment that was created using a custom-developed software application tool called BuildITC4. BuildITC4 was developed based upon the C4Engine which is classified as a next-generation 3D Game Engine. A total of thirty-five subjects were exposed to the virtual environment and were asked to compare the various types of material in different lighting conditions. The number of lights activated, the lighting intensity, and the materials used in the virtual environment were all interactive and changeable in real-time. The goal is to study how subjects perceived bump-mapped and non-bump mapped materials, and how different lighting conditions affect realistic representation. Results from this study indicate that subjects could tell the difference between the bump-mapped and non-bump mapped materials, and how different material reacts to different lighting condition

A study on collaborative design in a virtual environment

A Collaborative Virtual Environment (CVE) extends a standalone Virtual Environment to include real-time collaboration, interaction and sharing of the same virtual space among users across the network. A CVE presents a positive learning environment for students where they can learn to work collaboratively. Architectural students could benefit from the use of a CVE because it provides the opportunity for them to work interactively in a virtual workplace, and collaborate directly on a design project. In this study, we utilize a 3D game engine to develop a CVE prototype software application; the Collaborative World Design Tool (CWDT). The CWDT software application allows for real-time collaboration and interaction among multiple users across the network. The CWDT is customized to support architectural design activities in a CVE. An automated data logging system is also developed to record activities during collaborative design sessions. We conducted an experiment with architectural students as the subjects, to determine the effects of working collaboratively within a CVE, as opposed to working individually in a standalone VE. The results and observations obtained suggest the benefits of working collaboratively within a CVE outweighed working individually in a standalone VE. Our findings indicate that collaboration within a CVE has great potential to increase the productivity at which designs are assembled, reduce the number of errors in design, provides a constructive learning environment, reduces the overall stress levels, and increases positive thinking and a group mindset for subjects. These findings also have allowed us to identify areas of focus for future research

A study on visual perception of 3D textures

A texture refers to the characteristics of a surface and the appearance of an object. A texture is generally described as being smooth or rough, soft or hard, or, matt or glossy. The lacking of in-class tools has been a challenge for design students in learning to choose the suitable texture with the right lighting condition for a specific space. The learning experience of architecture and interior design students in this subject matter can be enhanced through the use of interactive Virtual Environment. Using an interactive virtual environment can enhance the present teaching methods that conventionally use static rendered images and photographs in conjunction with lecture sessions. In this paper, we present our findings from a pilot study that was conducted on architecture and interior design students. Specifically for this study, we developed an interactive Virtual Environment utilizing a next-generation 3D Game Engine. Computer graphics technology, especially the ones employed in many next generation video games (such as developed for the Xbox360 and Playstation 3), allows for realistic game environment to be displayed on the TV screen. The Virtual Environment in this study utilizes an image-texturing technique known as bump-mapping that allows for more realistic material representation. Real-time dynamic lighting was also used in the Virtual Environment. This paper also describes the development process of the interactive Virtual Environment to support photorealistic 3D textures in combination with different lighting conditions

The Achilles' Heel of Quality: the assessment of student learning

This paper explores the dependability of assessments of student achievement when used as performance indicators for internal and external quality monitoring (IQM and EQM). Problems are identified that jeopardise attempts to monitor, control and enhance quality in higher education. Responses are suggested with preference being given to a radical approach based on accepting that reliable national data about complex student achievements are not to be had. It is argued that this means that reliance on EQM is unwise and that more attention should be paid to internal quality enhancement