Geometric Modeling

and
Computer Graphics
Group

DISI
University of Genova
http://www.disi.unige.it/research/Geometric_modeling/
 Group People
• Faculty members
– Leila De Floriani
– Paola Magillo
– Enrico Puppo
• PhD students
– Emanuele Danovaro
– Franco Morando
– Laura Papaleo
– Raquel Viania Fernandez (MINGLE training network)
• Post-doc
– Mesmoudi Mohammed Mostefa (MINGLE training
network)
 Research Activity
• Fields of activity
– Geometric modeling
– Computational geometry
• Reference applications
– visualization
– geographic data processing
– computer aided design
– computer vision
– virtual reality
 Research Activity
• Current activity
Modeling and computational issues concerning
representation and manipulation of spatial objects
– multiresolution geometric modeling
• for surfaces, two- and three-dimensional scalar fields
• applications: GIS, virtual reality, volume data visualization
• emphasis: geometric algorithms and data structures
– shape reconstruction
– multiresolution modeling of geographic maps
MINGLE: Multiresolution in Geometric
Modeling
– European Training Network
– Partners:
• SINTEF Applied Mathematics, Norway (coordinator)
• Tel Aviv University (TAU), Israel
• Munich University of Technology (TUM), Germany
• Israel Institute of Technology (TECHNION), Israel
• Max Planck Institute (MPII), Germany
• Laboratoire de Modelisation et Calcul (UJF), France
• University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory (UCAM-CLAB),
UK
• Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of
Genova (DISI), Italy
• Systems in Motion AS (SIM), Norway
ARROV: Augmented Reality for Remotely
Operated Vehicles
– EEC Project
– Partners:
• OmniTech AS, Norway
• General Robotics Limited (GRL), UK
• Department of Science and Technology, University of Verona
• Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of
Genova (DISI), Italy
• Centro Elettrotecnico Sperimentale Italiano (CESI), Italy
• Racal Survey Norge AS, Norway
ARROV: Augmented Reality for Remotely
Operated Vehicles
– Advanced technologies for multifunctional Remotely
Operated Vehicles (ROV) for the inspection, monitoring and
survey of underwater environments and man-made
installations
• a novel integrated sensorial system (optical and acoustical data)
• augmented reality representation of the scene to help the ROV pilot
• synthesis of a 3D model of the scene from sensorial data
• unified man machine interface
Cultural Heritage: Advanced methods for
acquisition and restitution
– Italian national project
– Partners:
• Universities: Roma, Milano, Torino, Bologna
• CNR Institutes: Roma, Torino
• Industries: CM-Sistemi (Roma), EIDOCOM (Milano)
– Develop a system for the interactive navigation and exploration
of and archeological site and related data
• multimedial data bases
• advanced methods for acquisition and restitution
• interface for the tourist and for the expert
• case-of-study: the roman theatre of Aosta
SPADA: Representation and Processing of
Spatial Data in Geographic Information Systems
– Project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and
Scientific and Technological Research (MURST)
– Coordinated by DISI
– Aim of the Project:
• Efficient and intelligent access and manipulation of spatial data:
– different levels of detail
– constraint databases for geometrical data
– integrate the spatial and descriptive components
– indexing and query optimization
– an extended query language for spatial databases
– user interface
• scalar fields and maps
• vector and raster formats
SPADA: Representation and Processing of
Spatial Data in Geographic Information Systems

– Partners:
• Department of Computer and Information Science, University of
Genova
• Department of Computer Science, University of Milano,
• Department of Electric Engineering, University of L'Aquila
• Scientific and Technological Department, University of Verona,
• Department of Systems and Information, University of Firenze
 Multiresolution Geometric
Models: Motivations
• Spatial object (surface, graph of a scalar
field) modeled as a mesh of simplices
(triangle mesh, tetrahedral mesh)
• Applications:
– virtual reality, CAD
– GISs (terrains)
– scientific data visualization
• Availability of meshes of large size
High uniform resolution Variable resolution
12701 triangles based on distance
3065 triangles
High uniform resolution Variable resolution
163,831 tetrahedra (high only on isosurface)
16,272 isosurface faces 80,493 tetrahedra
16,272 isosurface faces
 Multiresolution Geometric
Models: Motivations
• Objective:
– Dealing with models of reduced size whose accuracy in
describing the spatial object satisfies some requirements
• Examples:
– Transmission of a geometric model: send a coarse
representation first, then add details when needed
progressive mesh transmission
– Real-time rendering: on-line retrieval of a model whose
size and accuracy best fit the requirements of an
application task
selective refinement
 Progressive transmission

1740 triangles
100% error
2156 triangles
25% error
5459 triangles
6% error
69451 triangles
0% error
Application to Free-Form Surface Rendering

1.6% error 6% error 1.6% error inside box

21663 triangles 5459 triangles 5101 triangles (2741 in box)
 Application to Terrain Rendering

Error=24.5 Error=0.5 inside box

1999 triangles 2001 triangles (1179 in box)
Error=0.5
28995 triangles
Application to Volume Data Visualization

Error=0 in box
35,605 tetrahedra
9,404 iso. faces

Error=0
163,831 tetrahedra
16,272 iso. faces
Error=0 on isosurface
80,493 tetrahedra
16,272 iso. faces
 The Multi-Tesselation
• A unified framework for multiresolution geometric
modeling based on simplicial complexes
• Efficient data structures and algorithms for representing
and accessing MTs
– general-purpose data structures
– compressed data structures
– algorithms for selective refinement
• Applications
– terrain modeling
– free-form surfaces and solids
– volume data modeling and visualization
 A software library based on the MT
• Supports the design of applications exploiting multiresolution on
geometric objects
• Fully parametric on:
– the dimensions of the mesh and of the embedding space
– attribute associated with mesh vertices and cells
– criteria to extract meshes at variable resolution
• Allows using any simplification code to build the MT
• Ready-to-use MT constructors:
– for terrains from either scattered points, DEM grids, or TINs
– for free-form surfaces from generic triangle meshes
• Demos:
– A program to fly over a terrain,
– A program to analyze an object by interactively using a magic lens
• Written in C++
 The TAn2 System
• Efficient scientific visualization of large irregular volume
data sets
• Based on a Multi-Tetrahedralization (3D MT)
• Construction through edge collapse (CUTE)
• Compressed data structure
• Selective refinement to support isosurfaces, cut planes,
windowing, and direct volume rendering
• Collaboration with CNUCE-CNR, Pisa
 Hierarchy of Tetrahedra (HT)
• Multiresolution modeling of regular volume data sets
• Model based on a recursive tetrahedron bisection
• Efficient data structure based on a location code
• Selective refinement and surface extraction based on
constant-time neighbor finding
• Collaboration with the University of Maryland, USA
Multiresolution Geometric Modeling
• Training Activity in MINGLE
• Multiresolution modeling of terrains (SPADA)
• Multiresolution modeling of surfaces for virtual
reality applications (Cultural Heritage Project)
• Multiresolution modeling of volume data for
visualization
– cooperation with Visual Computing Group, National
Research Council, Pisa
– cooperation with Department of Computer Science,
University of Maryland, USA