Title : 4D Real-time Collaborative Design Using Virtual Holography

Project Lead : Bernadetta Kwintiana Ane From : IRIS, Universitaet Stuttgart (Germany)

Dates : from 2014-12-18 21:51:35 to 2015-02-11 10:10:43

Description :

Motivation and objectives :
Today, 4D computer-aided design (CAD) emerges as a new technology that refers to the intelligent linking of individual 3D CAD components or assemblies with time- or schedule-related information. The use of the term 4D is intended to refer to the fourth dimension: time, i.e. 3D plus "time". The 4D CAD modelling provides conflict detection mechanisms that help to automatically identify physical interferences between components through the graphical simulation of 3D model with its assembly and production planning process. The 4D models help design teams to identify design conflicts, design errors, sequencing constraints, access issues, manufacturing details, and procurement constraints that impact the efficiency of the product development process. In 4D design context, using virtual reality (VR) designers wearing multimodal sensory devices (e.g., goggles, headsets, gloves, or body suits) can create a CAD model in 3D open space by sending information to and receiving from the virtual environment. Nonetheless, the result of virtual model is a "dumb" solid model that does not maintain a design history and parametric information. Hence, the model is unworkable for further modelling process. On the other hand, using virtual holography (VH) designers can visualize an object as "solid" in 3D open space, with colour and high resolution, which can be manipulated as if they are real physical objects. This technology gives designers a natural way to navigate, grab, zoom and explore CAD models in open space. Nevertheless, the models should be developed using independent CAD system prior to holographic visualization. Moreover, designers cannot capture the output signal of the modified holographic objects and use it information for further modelling. In this research project we would like to investigate the use of virtual reality (VR) and virtual holography (VH) technologies and their integration to support collaborative 4D design activities. The main objective is to create novel interfaces that combine multiple modalities in a coordinated manner to provide interactions that are flexible, adaptable, and natural for real-time collaborative design in immersive environments. In this context, the novel interfaces should have the ability to anticipate, adapt, and react to the users in an intelligent fashion, allowing users to interact in natural ways while the system disambiguates and consistently clarifies users' intentions.

Teams :
The Institute of Computer-aided Product Development Systems originally descends from the department of Graphical Engineering Systems of the former Institute of Computer Science. It has been founded in fall 2002. The abbreviation IRIS comes from its german name "Institute fr Rechnergesttzte Ingenieursysteme". IRIS is responsible for the continuous development of computer science lectures for study programs external to the Faculty of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Stuttgart. It is actively involved in the execution of lectures in the study programs of computer science and software technology provided to under graduate students as well as to the graduate students. For the study program mechatronics the main subject "CAD and product models" is taught. In particular, IRIS is responsible for the reinforcement stream "Graphical Engineering Systems".

Dates :
starting date : 20 January, 2015
ending date : 31 January, 2015

Facilities descriptions :
http://visionair-browser.g-scop.grenoble-inp.fr/visionair/Browser/Catalogs/3DICC.HU.html

Recordings & Results :
Today, 4D computer-aided design (CAD) emerges as a new technology that refers to the intelligent linking of individual 3D CAD components or assemblies with time- or schedule related information. In 4D design context, using virtual reality (VR) designers wearing multimodal sensory devices (e.g., headsets, gloves, or body suits) can create a CAD model in 3D open space by sending information to and receiving from the virtual environment. Nonetheless, the result of virtual model is a "dumb" model that does not maintain design history and parametric information. This research project would like to investigate the use of virtual reality technology and its integration to CAD system in order to support collaborative 4D design activities.

Conclusions :
During the internship, I learn about VirCA (Virtual Collaborative Arena) system and Leap motion controller, as well as the immersive/semi-immersive virtual environments and working mechanisms. In an experiment using VirCA, a 3D solid object can be parsed into the immersive virtual environment and moved along the direction of x,y,z-axes, in 360 degrees orientation, at maximum distances. Nevertheless, the creation and manipulation of 3D objects presently still must be done at the native CAD system. To overcome this limitation, an effort has been made to develop an interface which enables the use of Leap motion controller for direct modelling of CAD objects as well as direct modification of the objects in a virtual environment.