CAREER: Closed-Loop Augmented Environment Systems

研究部分：关闭AE系统的循环。 该项目解决了增强环境（AE）和虚拟环境（VE）跟踪系统的不足之处，通过一个新的“统一系统”的方法来AE系统的设计。即使有最好的头戴式显示器（HMD）和图形系统，跟踪系统的缺点阻碍或排除了许多AE/VE应用的有用性。这些应用，包括在线手术可视化、装配或维护辅助以及交互式培训模拟，需要针对以下问题的强大解决方案。 1)实现毫米（位置）和0.1度（方向）精度。 2)随时实现跟踪系统到真实的世界的精确校准。 3)消除（或最小化）跟踪（和图形）系统中的延迟，以防止头部运动期间的严重失准。 该项目旨在开发新技术和改进方法，使基于视频的AE系统可用于商业和科学应用。 长期的研究目标是在包括快速头部运动的所有用户活动条件下，在增强环境中精确对准真实的和虚拟对象。 要实现这样的性能，需要将新的图像和跟踪功能组件集成到AE系统中。 2D对准误差度量形成用于补偿各种3D跟踪和校准误差的基础。 计算校正并在每帧处应用，从而创建补偿静态和动态（延迟引起的）未对准两者的闭环系统。 该项目将通过以下方式增加对闭环AR系统的理解： 1)实施软件模拟器以促进用于特征检测误差测量和误差补偿的闭环AE系统设计选项的快速探索，2）设计新的AE系统架构，其具有到系统中的其它组件的简单、明确定义的接口的组件，以及 3)开发一个完整的闭环AE系统的原型，并量化其性能特性。 教育部分：通过经验丰富的理解。 教学职责包括在每个秋季和春季学期至少一门课程。 正在为研究生编制两门课程的计算机图形系列。 这些课程建立在介绍性本科课程的基础上，强调项目创建。 教育活动的一个主要重点是为学生提供适当级别的动手系统建设学习机会。 除了教学大纲设计和课堂教学，指导研究和建议促进学生与教师的互动。 将为入门和高级课程制作一个计算机图形模拟图形概念的光盘。

Research Component: Closing the loop in AE systems. The project addresses augmented environment (AE) and virtual environment (VE) tracking system inadequacies through a new `unified-system` approach to AE system design. Even with the best head-mounted displays (HMDs) and graphic systems available, the shortcomings of tracking systems hinder or preclude the usefulness of many AE/VE applications. Such applications, including on-line surgical visualization, assembly or maintenance assistance, and interactive training simulations, require robust solutions to the following problems. 1) Achieving millimeter (position) and 0.1 degree (orientation) accuracy. 2) Readily achieving precise calibration of tracking systems to the real world. 3) Eliminating (or minimizing) latency in tracking (and graphics) systems to prevent gross misalignment during head motion. This project aims to develop new technology and improved methods for making video-based AE systems usable and productive for commercial and scientific applications. The long term research goal is the accurate alignment of real and virtual objects in an augmented environment under all conditions of user activity including rapid head motion. Achieving such performance required the integration of new image and tracking function components into an AE system. A 2D alignment error metric forms a basis for the compensation of a variety of 3D tracking and calibration errors. Corrections are computed and applied at every frame creating a closed loop system which compensated for both static and dynamic (latency-induced) misalignment. The project will produce increased understanding of closed loop AR systems by 1) implementing a software simulator to facilitate rapid exploration of closed loop AE system design options for feature detection error measurement, and error compensation, 2) designing a new AE system architecture with components which have simple, well-defined interfaces to other co mpenents in the system, and 3) developing a prototype of a complete closed-loop AE system and quantifying its performance characteristics. Education Component: Richer understanding through experience. Teaching responsibilities include at least one course during each Fall and Spring semester. A two-course Computer Graphics sequence for graduate students is under development. These courses build on the introductory undergraduate course and emphasize project creation. Hands on system-building learning opportunities, at the appropriate levels for students, are a major focus of the educational activities. In addition to syllabus design and class teaching, directed-research and advising promotes student-faculty interactions. A CD-ROM with computer graphics simulations of graphics concepts will be developed for both introductory and advanced levels.