13891540
MagicMeeting: A Collaborative Tangible Augmented Reality System
We describe an augmented reality (AR) system that allows multiple participants to interact with 2D and 3D data using tangible user interfaces. The system features face-to-face communication, collaborative viewing and manipulation of 3D models, and seamless access to 2D desktop applications within the shared 3D space. All virtual content, including 3D models and 2D desktop windows, is attached to tracked physical objects in order to leverage the efficiencies of natural two-handed manipulation. The presence of 2D desktop space within 3D facilitates data exchange between the two realms, enables control of 3D information by 2D applications, and generally increases productivity by providing access to familiar tools. We present a general concept for a collaborative tangible AR system, including a comprehensive set of interaction techniques, a distributed hardware setup, and a component-based software architecture that can be flexibly configured using XML. We show the validity of our concept with an implementation of an application scenario from the automotive industry.
13438707
Interaction in a collaborative augmented reality environment
In this paper we describe an Augmented Reality (AR) system which allows multiple participants to interact with two- and three-dimensional data using tangible user interfaces. Interactively controllable 2D and 3D information is seamless integrated into the system.
6820231
A tangible AR desktop environment
Abstract We present an AR desktop environment which integrates the standard 2D computer desktop into an augmented 3D space. The underlying physical space is given by the standard office desk used in everyday work. Instead of sitting only in front of a computer screen, the user wears a video-through head mounted displays and interacts with the environment in both tangible and virtual ways. In this augmented environment, standard 2D application windows are attached to physical clipboards and can be freely positioned in the working space by simply moving the clipboard. Additionally, 3D content can be brought into and manipulated within the same space. To support interaction with 3D content we have experimented with a circular platform, on which a 3D model can be placed, and which the user can turn in a natural tangible way. By fusing familiar desktop utensils, two-dimensional computer desktop applications, and three-dimensional models, we provide a seamless transition from the traditional 2D computer desktop to a 3D augmented working environment. The paper describes the concept and implementation of the system and illustrates some interfaces and interaction techniques used in the context of CAD engineering.
9635742
An augmented virtuality approach to 3D videoconferencing
This paper describes the concept, prototypical implementation, and usability evaluation of an augmented virtuality (AV) based videoconferencing (VC) system: "cAR/PE!". We present a first solution which allows three participants at different locations to communicate over a network in an environment simulating a traditional face-to-face meeting. Integrated into the AV environment are live video streams of the participants spatially arranged around a virtual table, a large virtual presentation screen for 2D display and application sharing, and 3D geometry (models) within the room and on top of the table.
32510848
Using Augmented Virtuality for Remote Collaboration
This paper describes the concept, prototypical implementation, and usability evaluation of the Augmented Virtuality (AV)-based videoconferencing (VC) system cAR/PE!. We present a solution that allows three participants at different locations to communicate over a network in an environment simulating a traditional face-to-face meeting. Integrated into the AV environment are live video streams of the participants spatially arranged around a virtual table, a large virtual presentation screen for 2D display and application sharing, and 3D geometry (models) within the room and on top of the table. We describe the general concept and application scenario as well as the actual hardware setup, the implementation, and the use of the system in its current state. Results of two usability studies with 87 subjects are presented that show the general usability of our approach as well as good overall satisfaction. Parts of the work described here were presented as a poster at the second International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (Regenbrecht, Ott, Wagner, Lum, Kohler, et al., 2003. An Augmented Virtuality Approach to 3D Videoconferencing. Poster at 2nd Int. Symp. on Mixed and Aug. Reality, Tokyo.).
10541457
Maximum feasibility guideline in the design and analysis of protein folding potentials
Protein folding potentials are expected to have the lowest energy for the native shape. The Linear Programming (LP) approach achieves exactly that goal for a training set, or indicates that this goal is impossible to obtain. If a solution cannot be found (i.e., the problem is infeasible) two possible routes are possible: (a) choosing a new functional form for the potential, (b) finding the best potential with a feasible subset of the data, and (or) detecting inconsistent subset of the data in the training set. Here, we explore option (b). A simple heuristic for finding an approximate solution to an infeasible set of linear inequalities is outlined. An approximately feasible solution is obtained iteratively, starting from a certain initial guess, by computing a series of analytic centers of the polyhedra defined by all the inequalities satisfied at the subsequent iterations. Standard interior point algorithms for Linear Programming can be used to compute efficiently the analytic center of a polyhedron. We demonstrate how this procedure can be used for the design of folding potentials that are linear in their parameters. The procedure shows an improvement in the quality of the potentials and sometimes points to flaws in the original data.
17740711
Hierarchical data access in structured P2P-networks
Hierarchically structured organizations have clear and relatively short communication paths. However, one does not take advantage of this fact in modern peer-to-peer overlays. We show how a command and control order can be imposed on a given peer-to-peer network. This allows fast hierarchical data storage and data access. Maintaining a hierarchical organization structure upon a given distributed hashtable overlay network scales with O(logN), where N is the number of peers in the network. This approach can be used to benefit from hierarchical structure in any communication system, especially in first response scenarios.
19036390
Audio-visual multimodal fusion for biometric person authentication and liveness verification
In this paper we propose a multimodal fusion framework based on novel face-voice fusion techniques for biometric person authentication and liveness verification. Checking liveness guards the system against spoof/replay attacks by ensuring that the biometric data is captured from an authorised live person. The proposed framework based on bi-modal feature fusion, cross-modal fusion as well as 3D shape and texture fusion techniques, allow a significant improvement in system performance against impostor attacks, type-1 replay attacks (still photo and prerecorded audio), and challenging type-2 replay attacks(CG animated video from a still photo and pre-recorded audio) and robustness to pose and illumination variations.
751960
Performance Evaluation Methodologies for Abstract Data Type Implementation Techniques
Abstract The runtime management system for a programming language must allow the efficient manipulation of complex objects, such as instances of abstract data types (ADTs). We describe an implementation model for ADTs based on coroutine objects (i.e. as an alternative to ad hoc modifications of the runtime stack). We evaluate the performances of variants of our implementation model using two different approaches: a benchmarking technique which monitors actual costs for test programs and a “pseudo-execution” technique which estimates costs based on idealized instruction timings. The results of our comparison indicate that the two forms of evaluation give very similar cost estimates, supporting the use of the (cheaper) pseudo-execution technique. The overall performance results identify applications in which our coroutine implementation model has definite strengths and weaknesses. Finally, our implementation approach is compared with modified stack implementations used in other ADT systems.
28503548
Early Outbreak Detection Using an Automated Data Feed of Test Orders from a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Disease surveillance in animals remains inadequate to detect outbreaks resulting from novel pathogens and potential bioweapons. Mostly relying on confirmed diagnoses, another shortcoming of these systems is their ability to detect outbreaks in a timely manner. We investigated the feasibility of using veterinary laboratory test orders in a prospective system to detect outbreaks of disease earlier compared to traditional reporting methods. IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. automatically transferred daily records of laboratory test orders submitted from veterinary providers in Ohio via a secure file transfer protocol. Test products were classified to appropriate syndromic category using their unique identifying number. Counts of each category by county were analyzed to identify unexpected increases using a cumulative sums method. The results indicated that disease events can be detected through the prospective analysis of laboratory test orders and may provide indications of similar disease events in humans before traditional disease reporting.