Advanced Graphics Research Articles

A message passing approach to robot programming

We are developing a communication oriented interactive environment for robot programming. A set of independent software modules for robot motoring control, low level sensoring processing, kinematics simulation and world model construction has been implemented as separate tools. They have been merged in a software environment whose implementation is based on the operating system Accent and can be accessed through an advanced graphics workstation. Each module interacts with the others through message exchange; each module may be organized into new submodules as new operational behaviours belonging to its functional area become necessary.

ADVANCED GRAPHICS FOR COMMAND DISPLA YS

ABSTRACTApplication of computer graphics to tactical displays should not default to simplistic expectations or to clever uses of color. Under the sponsorship of the Aegis shipbuilding project we have defined a method of applying advanced graphics techniques to command displays that asks “What is the display to do?” rather than “What color shall be make it?” The target display is the Aegis display system tactical plot, or track picture. This display has evolved to include graphic elements representing the environment, combat system capabilities, and battle plans. If these elements are all needed in the same display the resulting picture has the potential for great complexity. This paper provides a method for designing uncluttered displays that contain the needed amounts of data. The method develops displays from primary system requirements and includes a computer program (a rule‐based system) that assigns hardware attributes (including gray scale, color, and area fill) to components of the picture (display elements). The resultant display is data intensive but not overwhelmingly complex.

Advanced computer graphics technology reveals cortical asymmetry in endocasts of rhesus monkeys.

Lengths of cortical sulci were measured on ten endocranial casts (endocasts) from skulls of rhesus monkeys, using advanced computer technology that permits analysis and imaging of surface morphology in three dimensions. Sulcal lengths were compared in left and right hemispheres and, contrary to earlier reports, the length of the left Sylvian fissure was found to be significantly longer than its right counterpart, as is the case for chimpanzees and humans. This asymmetry in humans is thought to be associated with asymmetrical representation of language functions in the left hemisphere and, although this report is the first to demonstrate a significantly longer left Sylvian fissure in rhesus monkeys, our results are in keeping with psychophysical evidence that suggests that Macaca is left hemisphere dominant for perception of meaningful vocalizations. We attribute the difference between our findings and previous reports to the sensitivity of the new computer technology used to collect data from endocasts.

Advanced graphics chip set

Advanced graphics chip set

National's Advanced Graphics Chip Set for High-Performance Graphics

To reinforce the growth of computer graphics, hardware architectures must be developed to support the rapid growth in display resolution that will occur in the next few years. The architectures must allow a high degree of application independence without requiring significant changes in the overhead software interface. The hardware architecture must be expandable, again avoiding significant software changes. Finally, the architecture must be implemented in VLSI for reasons of cost and speed. This article will describe a graphics hardware architecture that meets these criteria.

An Apple microcomputer-based laboratory system for the study of visual-motor behavior

An apparatus for studying motor control and visual-motor coordination is described. The system consists of an Apple II+ with two expansions boards installed. One board provides advanced graphics capabilities; the other interfaces the Apple with a digitizing tablet and also provides a real-time clock. Target stimulus and visual feedback concerning self-produced movement (i.e., a cursor) are displayed on a standard video monitor, and movement data are sampled by the digitizing tablet. Software consists of about 3K bytes of assembled 6502 code and a 2K byte Applesoft BASIC program. The system is inexpensive, versatile, and particularly well suited for developmental research. It has been used with human subjects as young as 3 years of age.

Use of a Commercial Ranging System in Field Surveys of Radioactively Contaminated Sites

The adaptation of a commercial ranging and tracking system interfaced to these instruments and to an advanced computer graphics system promises another major improvement to the automation of data collection. Contour maps with radiation isopleths and the x-y position of up to eight instrument operators superimposed thereon can be displayed in near real time. A bidirectional data link offers a further improvement in simulation of, and training for, field surveys since previously collected or computer simulated radiation data as a function of position can be transmitted back to the same survey instrument and displayed to the operator in a manner indistinguishable from real-time data. Additionally, simulated instrument malfunctions such as low battery, detector failure, or total failure can be commanded to occur to evaluate operator response to unusual occurrences under the stress of field conditions. This training mode will greatly improve the ability to simulate situations and to train and evaluate operations personnel while eliminating the need to use special sites and potentially hazardous contamination simulants as are used now.

Computer graphics comes of age

Andries van Dam describes major advances in computer graphics over the past 25 years and discusses future directions.

An Advanced Graphics Workstation for Interactive Robot Programming

The availability of the new “A.I. machines”, i.e. advanced graphics workstations with a large main storage, a mouse device, a high resolution bit-mapped raster screen, a sophisticated communication oriented operating system and high level languages, will improve the interaction between the operator and a manipulator. An experimental software set-up under development at LADSEB Laboratory, which utilizes such a machine to control a Puma robot, is described.

Some Recent Advances in Computer Graphics

Computer graphics, no longer a novelty, is on its way to becoming the preferred interface between humans and computers. Continued advances in the development of graphics algorithms are improving the quality and usefulness of this interface. Decreasing hardware costs have enabled an expansion of graphics into more diverse applications.

Interactive computer surface graphics approach to study of the active site of bovine trypsin

A descriptive medium for the presentation of protein structure has been developed and used to evaluate the structure of the active site of bovine trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4). This technique, involving advanced computer graphics technology, permits the facile display of a representation of the molecular surface of proteins of known structure and employs color to code the structural or chemical features of this surface. Benzamidine derivatives were inserted into the benzamidine-binding site of trypsin and the binary inhibitor-trypsin complex was evaluated by using the computer-generated structure. On the basis of qualitative assessments of the contribution of electrostatic and hydrophobic forces to the binding energy associated with complex formation, we made predictions concerning the effects of interaction of benzamidine substituents and amino acid side chains upon the binding energy associated with inhibitor-protein binding. The computer display of the molecular surfaces of the binary complex of substituted benzamidines and trypsin permitted unique insight into the identity and chemical properties of the atoms that participate at the interface of the molecular surfaces of the inhibitor and the protein. The computer-generated molecular surface display can potentially be combined with quantitative definition of the physical forces involved in the interaction of molecular surfaces. This technology should facilitate the study of the structure-activity relationship of substrates, inhibitors, and drugs that bind to proteins of known three-dimensional structure.

Some research advances in computer graphics that will enhance applications to engineering design

This paper describes some research in man-machine interaction, and graphics hardware-software that will enhance applications to engineering design. Research aspects of CAD executive systems, command languages, and networking are mentioned. Finally, a few areas where little or no research is being done are identified, and consideration is called for.

Precision hardware circular-arc generation for computer graphic-display systems using line-segment data: Proc. Inst. IEE Vol 120 (February 1973) No 2 pp 206–212

For advanced graphics, it is required that both general and circular functions should be displayed, in addition to alphanumeric and line diagrams. For general functions, software is used, owing to the low frequency of occurrence of general functions on display diagrams. For circular functions, this is not the case, and there is a need for hardware generation with scaling, windowing and scissoring properties. Further, for precision, the circular arc should start and finish exactly on the m × m screen matrix, with points on the drawn arc within one increment of the true arc. This paper describes the generation of arcs by hardware, using successive line-segment data that satisfy the error equations. These errors are derived, and a computer simulation of the hardware logic design is used to analyse the errors and to determine the bit redundancy in the δθ2/2 registers. The final design is capable of generating circular arcs within the prescribed error limits at high generation speeds. The generator may be included in any display system that possesses accurate line-drawing facilities.

Precision hardware circular-arc generation for computer graphic-display systems using line-segment-data

For advanced graphics, it is required that both general and circular functions should be displayed, in addition to alphanumeric and line diagrams. For general functions, software is used, owing to the low frequency of occurrence of general functions on display diagrams. For circular functions, this is not the case, and there is a need for hardware generation with scaling, windowing and scissoring properties. Further, for precision, the circular arc should start and finish exactly on the m × m screen matrix, with points on the drawn arc within one increment of the true arc. This paper describes the generation of arcs by hardware, using successive line-segment data that satisfy the error equations. These errors are derived, and a computer simulation of the hardware logic design is used to analyse the errors and to determine the bit redundancy in the δθ2/2 registers. The final design is capable of generating circular arcs within the prescribed error limits at high generation speeds. The generator may be included in any display system that possesses accurate line-drawing facilities.

Advanced computer graphics—economics techniques and applications, Eds.: R. D. Parslow and R. Elliot Green, Plenum Press, London and New York, 1971. No. of pages: 1,230 Price: £15.00

Advanced computer graphics—economics techniques and applications, Eds.: R. D. Parslow and R. Elliot Green, Plenum Press, London and New York, 1971. No. of pages: 1,230 Price: £15.00

Trends in visualization for E&P operations

Duane Dopkin and Huw James of Paradigm provide a user-friendly guide to the uses of visualization in the E&P business today and what we can expect in the future. Visualization of digital data has significantly enriched the arts and sciences and their industry sector derivatives (e.g., entertainment, government, architecture, engineering, medical, and oil and gas) by helping to communicate complex geometries, spatial models, simulations, and even ideas through sensory technology and processes. The complexity of these representations that we attempt to communicate through visualization can often be attributed to their size and scale, their diversity and heterogeneity, their dynamic nature, and data sampling barriers that prevent direct image or model recovery. Visualization has not only come to play a strong supporting role in understanding complex geometries and spatial data relationships, but it also can synergistically influence and subsequently improve the prerequisite data sampling, transformation, and modelling methods used to generate the visual representation. Assimilation of subsurface data and the construction of subsurface geologic models critical to hydrocarbon exploration and production carry all of these complexities. Therefore, it is not surprising that visualization of digital data has impacted the work processes of geoscientists and engineers who must work with a large diversity and large volume of subsurface signals and signatures and associate them with rock and fluid properties. Visualization of digital subsurface data can be traced back to the early 1980s with the introduction of interpretation workstations. Both the science and application were significantly enhanced in the early 1990s with the introduction of 3D voxel-based visualization and interpretation technology, providing subsurface insights through co-visualizations and opacity rendering. Advances in computer graphics, highperformance computing, and application functionality continued enabling a broader range of subsurface visualization investigative tasks. The intersection of these advances with higher levels of data access and application integration stimulated the creation and proliferation of large visualization centres for multi-disciplinary collaborative decision making. Visualization centres are largely used for prospect review sessions, collaborative team and executive management problem resolution, joint venture presentations, and final collaborative decision-making. Today, asset management teams are working in a hub-and-spoke environment where the Visionarium is the hub of decision-making, team rooms are used for collaborative efforts of four to six team members, and preliminary work is conducted at the desktop. In team rooms, small groups are able to gain a better appreciation and understanding of each other’s discipline, selecting geologic targets with a higher propensity for economic success, and developing safer well plans with less environmental impact. With performance and economic advances in computer graphics cards, microprocessors, and next generation ‘embedded’ visualization applications, visualization has pushed to the desktop enabling geoscientists and engineers to generate a more comprehensive ‘picture story’ from field data to geologic model to drilling completion; while capturing and understanding the transformation of subsurface field signals to rock and fluid properties. This trend is indeed timely as the search for quality prospects and demand for increased production has migrated to more challenging environments. Geoscientists and engineers are tasked with qualifying subsalt reflections, unravelling the position of anisotropic over-thrusts, interpreting the signatures of fractured reservoirs, resolving stratigraphic detail and recovering reflectivities for reservoir property prediction, and qualifying differences between time-lapsed surveys. To carry out these demands, they require continuous visualization connection between geophysics, petrophysics, interpretation, and drilling engineering solutions rather than a decoupled post-visualization solution. To meet these challenges, the latest hardware and software advances have come together to support visualizations that incorporate prospect and regional scale; seismic and reservoir scale; static and dynamic models; exploration and production (limited) data; and transformations with interpretation for improved rock and fluid property interpretation.