Mini Project- 3D Graphics And Visualisation

Mini Project – 3D Graphics & Visualisation

Author: University of HertfordshireDate created:Date revised: 2009

AbstractThe following resources come from the 2009/10 BSc in Games & Graphics Hardware Technology (course number 2ELE0074) from the University of Hertfordshire. All the mini projects are designed as level two modules of the undergraduate programmes.

The objectives of this project are to demonstrate, using media visualization software:• Comprehension of the process of creating and manipulating 3D Visualization content• Implementation of a simple system setup for acquisition and generation of 3D videos • Analysis of experimental results

3D graphics and visualization represents an important aspect in new media and future generation of computer games. The proposed project will involve developing a simple system which will allow students to understand the process and the main parameters involved in creating 3D visualization content for games and various applications. The theoretical knowledge introduced in the initial lecture and the software and technologies introduced in the preparation lecture will be the means through which apply and analyse theories and methods introduced. Both artificial and natural human vision will be introduced.

© University of Hertfordshire 2009 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.

• Section 1. Project Introduction………………………… 3• Section 2. Project Lecture……………………………… 6

– Class Objectives and Keywords……………… 7– Human Eye……………………………………… 8– Retinal Disparity……………………………….. 14– Stereoscopic Photograph…………………….. 20– Role of Baseline……………………………….. 21– Approaches to Stereo…………………………. 22– Display Systems……………………………….. 23– VR Visualisation Systems…………………….. 24– Head Mounted Display……………………. …. 25

• Credits……………………………………………….. … 29

In addition to the resources found below there are supporting documents which should be

used in combination with this resource. Please see:

• Mini Projects - Introductory presentation. • Mini Projects - E-Log.• Mini Projects - Staff & Student Guide.• Mini Projects - Standard Grading Criteria.• Mini Projects - Reflection.

Contents

Section 1. Project Introduction1. Learning Outcomes Assessed (as taken from the DMD)

All Learning Outcomes specified in the Definitive Module Documentation are assessed as part of this miniproject, the specific Learning

Outcomes are:

Knowledge and Understanding

Be able to ;

• Analyse and breakdown problem tasks into manageable steps.• Integrate previous and concurrent learning and to use it to solve technology-based problems.• Describe the project life-cycle appropriately. • Select appropriate Games and Graphics Hardware Technology and techniques for a given situation.

Skills and Attributes

• Produce a solution to a defined Games and Graphics Hardware Technology problem.• Carry out a simple critical evaluation of their solution. • Demonstrate an ability to work effectively in a teams, small groups and individually.• Demonstrate an ability to manage time and resources effectively.

2. Project Title: 3D Visualization

3. Project Objectives: (technical, specific to this project)• Demonstrate, using media visualization software:• Comprehension of the process of creating and manipulating 3D Visualization content• Implementation of a simple system setup for acquisition and generation of 3D videos • Analysis of experimental results

4. Project Summary: (50 words max)

3D graphics and visualization represents an important aspect in new media and future generation of computer games. The proposed project will involve developing a simple system which will allow students to understand the process and the main parameters involved in creating 3D visualization content for games and various applications. The theoretical knowledge introduced in the initial lecture and the software and technologies introduced in the preparation lecture will be the means through which apply and analyse theories and methods introduced. Both artificial and natural human vision will be introduced.

5. Introductory Lecture (2hrs) Content:– Human vision system– Monocular and binocular depth cues– 3D Visualization technologies– Applications of 3D Visualization

6. Preparation Session (3hrs):– Familiarisation with a system for capturing stereo images and videos.– Familiarisation with software for manipulating 3D video streams and generating 3D sequences.– Example of analysis and evaluation of 3D content and technologies.

7. Day 1

Expected Outcomes for the day

Students will be expected to understand main parameters involved in human and artificial stereo vision. This will be covered within the preliminary session of the day by answering a questionnaire related to the material presented in the introductory lecture and preparation lecture. The students will then be asked to setup a capturing system and a modifiable experimental workspace. This will be used for acquiring stereo sequences on different scenarios, conditions and camera parameters. The above described activity must be documented and written up for the portfolio submission towards the end. The acquired sequences will be tested through different stereo visualization setups (e.g. colour anaglyph and dual polarized). This will allow the students to experience both the characteristics of the different approaches and the role of the main camera parameters involved in capturing and processing for 3D visualization.

•Assessment criteria; the way in which the work has been planned and managed, the creation of the experimental workspace scenarios according to the role of the camera parameters, the resulting 3D visualization files produced.

Key Tasks:•Planning 3D capturing scenarios•Capturing and Manipulating 3D videos to produce 3D visualization files

8. Day 2

Expected Outcomes for the day

Students will be expected to understand how to evaluate a 3D Visualization product based on a usability study. The study will include evaluation of the role of different depth cues, different types of image (natural images video-captured and synthetic images computer -generated) and different technologies to 3D Visualization. The students will start with preparing questionnaires for the user study to be designed according to what they have learned being main factors affecting 3D Visualization (e.g. camera parameters and approaches for the stereo visualization). Few stereo images sequences will then be generated (both synthetic and natural). The image sequences generation will be based to what learned during the preparation lecture and the experience accumulated in day 1. Students who have missed project day 1 or the preparation lecture should be in principle still able to perform the tasks. The above described activities must be documented and written up for the portfolio submission towards the end.

Assessment criteria; the way in which the usability study is designed. In particular, the choice made for main factors affecting 3D Visualization. The creation of the experimental workspace scenarios including synthetic and real images, the resulting 3D Visualization files produced and drawn conclusions.

Key Tasks:– Planning main factors affection 3D visualization (in form of a questionnaire)– Capturing and Manipulating 3D videos and computer generated images– Draw reflections and conclusions

S. Livatino

• All about Stereo and Depth Perception in natural and artificial vision

• Systems and Approaches to Stereo Viewing

• Implementation and Lab demonstration

3D VisualizationSection 2.

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Class Objectives and Keywords

• Human Eye

• Visual Display

• Accommodation / convergence

• Depth perception

• Approaches and systems to Stereoscopic Viewing

• Iris: adjusts amount of incoming light

• Pupil: Opening of the Iris

• Lens: adjusts its size to change shape lens using the occulomotor muscles

• Retina: in the back of the eye, where there are photoreceptors, cells that react to light intensity

Human Eye

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Human Eye

• Retina: in the back of the eye, where there are photoreceptors, cells that react to light intensity– Rods and Cones– More Rods in the Peripheral Region

(react to low intensity light)– More Cones in the Central Region

(Fovea, where focused images exists, react to high intensity light)

NEARSIGHTEDNESS(MYOPIA)

FARSIGHTEDNESS

(HYPEROPIA)

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Eye Parameters

• FOV (Field of View)• Visual Acuity• Human Visual Acuity ->

Fovea Acuity

Human Eye => Visual Display

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Occulo-motor Cues• Focus = Accommodate by changing the shape

of the eye’s lenses• Convergence = rotate eyes towards or away

from each other (to fixate an object)

• The eyes accommodate on the plane where

they converge

Accommodation / Convergence Relationship

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Retinal Disparity

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• Same image for both eyes.

• Accomodation & Concergence on the display screen, regardless on the expected distance of the object shown

•Works well at longer distances.

Monoscopic Viewing

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Monocular Depth Cues

• Monocular depth cues are the basis for the perception of depth in visual displays.

• As important as binocular stereo for creating images which are perceived as truly 3-dimensional.

• Images which are rich in the monocular depth cues will be even easier to visualize with the binocular depth cue.

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Human Stereo Vision

• Left and right eye have different perspective viewpoints (slightly different)• The eye-brain synthesizes image of the world with stereoscopic depth• You see a single image!

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•Stereo, Binocular Depth.• Individual images for each eye.• Object may be seen in front of or behind the projection screen.

•Used at Close Range.

Parallax

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Crosstalk

• One of both the eyes see an image of the unwanted perspective view

• Ghosting = perceived Crosstalk

• Reduce parallax => reduce crosstalk

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Steresocopic Photograph

• How many cameras do we need for a stereo photo?

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Role of Baseline

• Static picture or synchronized… DEMO

Passive Stereo

Active Stereo

Autostereoscopic Stereo

APPROACHES TO STEREO *

* Livatino, Muscato, Privitera. ”Stereo Viewing and Virtual Reality Technology in Mobile Robot Teleguide”. IEEE Transaction on Robotics, 2009, Page(s): 1-13, Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/TRO.2009.2028765

* Livatino, Mattiolo, Castello, Randazzo. ”The Role of Photorealism in VR Games”. IEEE Int. Conf. VRIC, Laval, France, 2007

VR VISUALIZATION SYSTEMS *(APPROACHES + DISPLAYS)

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Head Mounted Display (HMD)

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This resource was created by the University of Hertfordshire and released as an open educational resource through the Open Engineering Resources project of the HE Academy Engineering Subject Centre. The Open Engineering Resources project was funded by HEFCE and part of the JISC/HE Academy UKOER programme.

© University of Hertfordshire 2009

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