ParSketch: a Sketch-based Interface for a 2D Parametric Geometry Editor

ParSketch is a software prototype to evaluate the usability and functionality of a sketching interface aimed at defining 2D parametric sections. Currently, ParSketch interprets strokes which can be recognized as geometry (line, arc, circle, ellipse, or composed entities that are automatically segmented into those basic entities), or graphic gestures representing constraints (dimension, parallel, perpendicular, tangent, concentric, horizontal or vertical). From the functionality point of view, ParSketch compares to current commercial parametric CAD applications, as it offers many of the features provided by such applications. A theoretical analysis of the efficiency component of usability is provided that justifies the potential capability of sketching interfaces to compete with classical WIMP applications. Finally, a usability study is presented, which makes special emphasis in the satisfaction component of usability.The Spanish Ministry of Science and Education and the European Union (Project DPI2004-01373) supported this work. It was also partially supported by Fundació Caixa Castelló-Bancaixa under the Universitat Jaume I program for Research Promotion (Project P1-1B2004-02)

Pasado, presente y futuro de la enseñanza de la Educación Comparada en España

El año 2008 celebramos el cuadragésimo aniversario de la incorporación de la Educación Comparada como materia a los estudios universitarios reglados en España. Este aniversario nos da una inmejorable excusa para hacer un breve recorrido por lo ocurrido a lo largo de estos cuatro decenios en este campo. El texto está estructurado en tres apartados, en el primero se desarrollan los difíciles primeros pasos que tuvieron que dar aquellos que comenzaron el camino, allá por los años 60; en el segundo se presenta el panorama actual, que podemos resumir con una presencia obligatoria en todas las facultades donde se imparte la licenciatura en Pedagogía; finalmente, hacemos una serie de reflexiones sobre lo que puede ser su futuro incierto

Learning Support Tools for Developing Spatial Abilities in Engineering Design

This paper presents some learning support tools for developing spatial abilities in engineering design students. They are based on the previous authors' experience in teaching traditional Engineering Graphics and uses both on-line and batch computer-aided generation of 3D models from 2D freehand sketches. Although these applications can be used with standards PCs, they are intended to be used on Tablet-PCs to provide an experience similar to sketching on real paper. The objectives of these applications are to develop three important elements for the future engineer: spatial visualization, freehand sketching and normalized view generation. The authors present the results of a pilot study that has been realized in some Spanish universities. Two well-known tests for evaluating spatial abilities: Mental Rotation Test (MRT) and the Differential Aptitude TestÐ Spatial Relations subset (DAT-SR), have been used to validate the pilot study.1) Spanish Ministry of Science and Education and the European Union (Project DPI2004-01373) 2) Fundacio Caixa Castelló-Bancaixa under the Universitat Jaume I program for Research Promotion (Project P1-1B2004-02, titled `Gestural interface for the introduction of variational-parametric sketches and for the definition of assem- bly conditions in the computer-aided design of industrial products')

From voice to knowledge: A proposal for a voice annotation system to support collaborative engineering design processes

This paper describes a novel voice interaction mechanism for capturing and managing design knowledge within a collaborative Computer-Aided Design (CAD) environment. We present a software module for speech recognition that integrates with a CAD application to allow the automatic creation of textual annotations in a 3D model directly from voice data. Audio is transcribed automatically, resulting in a textual note that is searchable and available to other users via a Product Data Management (PDM) system, providing an intuitive mechanism to document modeling processes and design knowledge. The system consists of three functional blocks: (1) audio recording, (2) speech recognition, and (3) query management against a cloud-based service. In this paper, we justify the need for our system from a human-computer interaction standpoint and discuss the rationale of its design and implementation in the context of collaborative design communication. Finally, we discuss some application spaces that demonstrate the capability of voice annotations for capturing knowledge

Accessibility and tangible interaction in distributed workspaces based on multi-touch surfaces

[EN] Traditional interaction mechanisms in distributed digital spaces often fail to consider the intrinsic properties of action, perception, and communication among workgroups, which may affect access to the common resources used to mutually organize information. By developing suitable spatial geometries and natural interaction mechanisms, distributed spaces can become blended where the physical and virtual boundaries of local and remote spaces merge together to provide the illusion of a single unified space. In this paper, we discuss the importance of blended interaction in distributed spaces and the particular challenges faced when designing accessible technology. We illustrate this discussion through a new tangible interaction mechanism for collaborative spaces based on tabletop system technology implemented with optical frames. Our tangible elements facilitate the exchange of digital information in distributed collaborative settings by providing a physical manifestation of common digital operations. The tangibles are designed as passive elements that do not require the use of any additional hardware or external power while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund, through the ANNOTA Project (Ref. TIN2013-46036-C3-1-R).Salvador-Herranz, G.; Camba, J.; Contero, M.; Naya Sanchis, F. (2018). Accessibility and tangible interaction in distributed workspaces based on multi-touch surfaces. Universal Access in the Information Society. 17(2):247-256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-017-0563-7S247256172Arkin, E.M., Chew, L.P., Huttenlocher, D.P., Kedem, K., Mitchell, J.S.B.: An efficiently computable metric for comparing polygonal shapes. IEEE Trans. Acoust. 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In: Proceedings of the 25th BCS Conference on Human–Computer Interaction, pp. 217–226. British Computer Society (2011)Ishii, H.: Tangible User Interfaces. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2007)Ishii, H., Ullmer, B.: Tangible bits: towards seamless interfaces between people, bits and atoms. In: Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 234–241. ACM (1997)Jacob, R.J., Girouard, A., Hirshfield, L.M., Horn, M.S., Shaer, O., Solovey, E.T., Zigelbaum, J.: Reality-based interaction: a framework for post-wimp interfaces. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 201–210. ACM (2008)Jetter, H.C., Dachselt, R., Reiterer, H., Quigley, A., Benyon, D., Haller, M.: Blended Interaction: Envisioning Future Collaborative Interactive Spaces. ACM, New York (2013)Jin, X., Han, J.: Quality threshold clustering. In: Sammut, C., Webb, G.I. (eds.) Encyclopedia of Machine Learning, pp. 820–820. 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In: International Conference on Entertainment Computing, pp. 440–443. Springer (2011)Müller, D.: Mixed reality systems. iJOE 5(S2), 10–11 (2009)Newton-Dunn, H., Nakano, H., Gibson, J.: Block jam: a tangible interface for interactive music. In: Proceedings of the 2003 Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, pp. 170–177. National University of Singapore (2003)Patten, J., Recht, B., Ishii, H.: Audiopad: a tag-based interface for musical performance. In: Proceedings of the 2002 Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, pp. 1–6. National University of Singapore (2002)Patten, J., Recht, B., Ishii, H.: Interaction techniques for musical performance with tabletop tangible interfaces. In: Proceedings of the 2006 ACM SIGCHI International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology, p. 27. ACM (2006)PQLabs: Inc. http://multitouch.com/ . Retrieved on 16 October 2016Ryokai, K., Marti, S., Ishii, H.: I/o brush: drawing with everyday objects as ink. 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Improving Visualization Skills in Engineering Education

This article analyzes the importance of visualization skills in engineering education. It proposes a dual approach based on computer graphics applications using both Web-based graphic applications and a sketch based modeling system. It addresses the importance of spatial abilities in the context of engineering education and the available techniques for evaluating these abilities from a psychological point of view. It then reviews some Web resources conceived to help students improve their spatial abilities and presents two educational applications. Finally, it presents a pilot study carried out at La Laguna University

Sustainability and interoperability: An economic study on BIM implementation by a small Civil Engineering firm

[EN] Sustainability and interoperability are two closely related concepts. By analyzing the three fundamental facets of sustainability-economic, ecological and ethical/social-it is easier to address their connection with the concept of interoperability. This paper focuses on the economic aspect, in the field of civil engineering. In this area, due to the local nature of many of the software tools used, interoperability problems are frequent, with few studies addressing the economic impact of this, especially in small engineering firms. The main contribution of this paper is a design methodology for linear works based on the federation of building information modelling (BIM) models created with different software tools, conceived to break the interoperability issues between these applications. As an example, this methodology is applied to a mountain road widening project. A detailed economic analysis of the application of this methodology by an engineering Spanish firm reveals the important cost reductions that the integration of the software tools provides versus the prior practices.The authors wish to acknowledge support from ISTRAM, CivileStudio and the engineering firm for the information provided.Aranda Domingo, JÁ.; Martin-Dorta, N.; Naya Sanchis, F.; Conesa-Pastor, J.; Contero, M. (2020). Sustainability and interoperability: An economic study on BIM implementation by a small Civil Engineering firm. Sustainability. 12(22):1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229581S1161222Grilo, A., & Jardim-Goncalves, R. (2010). Value proposition on interoperability of BIM and collaborative working environments. Automation in Construction, 19(5), 522-530. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2009.11.003Bynum, P., Issa, R. R. A., & Olbina, S. (2013). Building Information Modeling in Support of Sustainable Design and Construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 139(1), 24-34. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0000560BuildingSMART Internationalhttps://www.buildingsmart.org/Modelos digitales del terreno: Introducción y aplicaciones a las ciencias ambientales. Oviedo Univ. Oviedo 1994, 118http://www.etsimo.uniovi.es/~feliBaltsavias, E. P. (1999). A comparison between photogrammetry and laser scanning. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 54(2-3), 83-94. doi:10.1016/s0924-2716(99)00014-3Hirpa, D., Hare, W., Lucet, Y., Pushak, Y., & Tesfamariam, S. (2016). A bi-objective optimization framework for three-dimensional road alignment design. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 65, 61-78. doi:10.1016/j.trc.2016.01.016Yepes, V., Alcala, J., Perea, C., & González-Vidosa, F. (2008). A parametric study of optimum earth-retaining walls by simulated annealing. Engineering Structures, 30(3), 821-830. doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2007.05.023Nehate, G., & Rys, M. 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Interfaz caligráfica para el diseño industrial

[ESP] En la actualidad continúan predominando las interfaces gráficas de usuario basadas en el paradigma WIMP (Windows, Icon, Menu, Pointing Device), lo que supone en ciertas ocasiones una excesiva rigidez para el diseñador en las primeras etapas del proceso de diseño, donde los bocetos realizados con lápiz y papel constituyen todavía la herramienta fundamental que permite expresar la creatividad del ingeniero. Debido a esto, la existencia de una interfaz gráfica de usuario basada en esbozos y gestos, resulta de gran interés, ya que facilitaría la comunicación y la creatividad del diseñador. Dentro de este contexto, el grupo de investigación REGEO ha desarrollado una aplicación para generar automáticamente modelos virtuales 3D, partiendo de dibujos a mano alzada en 2D. Esta aplicación automática se enmarca en la línea de lo que se denominan Interfaces Caligráficas. Aunque todavía queda mucho trabajo por hacer, la aplicación presenta mejoras en comparación con las formas tradicionales de modelado con ordenador, ya que la metodología utilizada para modelar es más familiar. Estudios preliminares muestran que nuestro sistema de modelado presenta ciertas ventajas respecto a los actuales sistemas CAD. [ENG]At present user’s graphics interfaces based on WIMP (Windows, Icon, Menu, Pointing Device) systems are still the most common technique, which in many cases involves an excessive stiffness for the user at the first stages of the design process,in which pen-and-paper sketches are the basic tools to express the engineer’s creativity. As a consequence, a user’s graphic interfaz based on sketches and gestures becomes relevant as it should help the designer’s communication and creativity. Within this context, the research team REGEO has developed a computer application to automatically generate 3D virtual models from freehand 2D drawings. This automatic application can be included in the research area of Calligraphic Interfaces. While much work remains to be done, the current application already shows gains with respect to more traditional forms of modeling in that it embodies a drawing approach familiar. Preliminary studies show that our modeling system compares favorably to commercial grade CAD systems.[ENG] At present user’s graphics interfaces based on WIMP (Windows, Icon, Menu, Pointing Device) systems are still the most common technique, which in many cases involves an excessive stiffness for the user at the first stages of the design process,in which pen-and-paper sketches are the basic tools to express the engineer’s creativity. As a consequence, a user’s graphic interfaz based on sketches and gestures becomes relevant as it should help the designer’s communication and creativity. Within this context, the research team REGEO has developed a computer application to automatically generate 3D virtual models from freehand 2D drawings. This automatic application can be included in the research area of Calligraphic Interfaces. While much work remains to be done, the current application already shows gains with respect to more traditional forms of modeling in that it embodies a drawing approach familiar. Preliminary studies show that our modeling system compares favorably to commercial grade CAD systems

Generación de modelos sólidos a partir de bocetos

Este trabajo se enmarca dentro del desarrollo de una herramienta de soporte a la fase de diseño conceptual del desarrollo de producto, que mediante la definición de un boceto en perspectiva realizado mediante una tableta gráfica LCD, la superación de una fase de reconstrucción 2D pasa a alimentar un motor de reconstrucción geométrica, que genera un modelo de superficies del objeto reconstruido. Actualmente esta aplicación exporta la geometría del objeto reconstruido en los formatos DXF y VRML. El objetivo de este trabajo es ampliar las opciones de salida de esta aplicación, para permitir la reutilización de los modelos reconstruidos en otras aplicaciones CAD. Para ello se ha elegido el protocolo de aplicación 203 de ISO 10303 (STEP), siendo necesario para ello, la generación de un modelo b-rep del sólido reconstruido. En esta ponencia se presentan los algoritmos implementados, para lograr la conversión del modelo de superficies de partida, en un auténtico modelo sólido b-rep