Lighting Simulation Laboratory: A Networked/Distributed Computing Facility for Design Decision Making

该项目旨在为建筑学和室内设计专业的本科生开发一个“照明模拟实验室”，以促进对建筑环境的视觉和质量方面的设计、评估和分析的原理进行交互式、项目化的学习。它提供了反复和流畅地应用先进的视觉计算技术进行创造性设计的机会。我们建议在高端台式计算机上使用基于光能传递的可视化技术来预测建成空间的照明性能，作为设计决策的基础。光能传递代表了计算机图形技术的一项根本进步，因为它允许基于光和材质的物理特性进行准确的模拟。拟议的照明模拟实验室将通过利用高端台式计算机促进视觉工程设计方法来增强我们的建筑设计和可视化实验室(ADVisLab)的现有设施，该实验室的部分资金来自NSF先前的ILI-IP赠款。这一实验室设置带来的额外功能将使我们的本科生能够做他们无法使用其他现有软件程序或物理建模替代方案所做的事情：科学而准确地可视化他们的照明设计，而不是在没有声音光度学基础的情况下直观地演示所需的照明效果。该项目将通过引入先进的技术，在入门阶段介绍设计、表现和探索的基本技能(每年80名学生)，从而对该系初学者的学习经历产生直接和深远的影响。它还将对整个课程产生更广泛的影响，丰富高水平学生的学习经验，使他们能够通过CAAD工作室(每年30名学生)和技术选修课(每年约60名学生)熟练使用先进技术。这个设施也将在夏季学期供迈阿密大学的本科生研究学者以及地区少数民族高中生使用。该设备将包括15台联网的高端台式计算机，配备用于照明模拟的适当软件和外围设备。

This project is to develop a "lighting simulation laboratory" to facilitate interactive, project- oriented learning of principles of design, evaluation, and analysis of visual and qualitative aspects of the built environment for undergraduate students of architecture and interior design. It provides opportunities to apply advanced visual computing technologies iteratively and fluidly for creative design. We propose to use Radiosity-based visualization techniques on high-end desk-top computers to predict lighting performance in built spaces as a basis for design decisions. Radiosity represents a fundamental advance in computer graphic technology because it allows accurate simulations based on the physical characteristics of light and materials. The proposed lighting simulation laboratory will augment the current facilities in our Architecture Design and Visualization Laboratory (ADVisLab), funded in part by a prior ILI-IP grant from NSF, by utilizing high-end desktop computers to facilitate visual engineering approaches to design. The added capabilities brought by this laboratory setup will enable our undergraduate students to do what they cannot do with other existing software programs or physical modeling alternatives: to visualize their lighting designs scientificallv and accuratelv rather than illustrating desired lighting effects intuitively without a sound photometric basis. This project will have a direct and profound effect on the learning experiences of beginning undergraduate students in the department by incorporating advanced technologies in introducing fundamental skills of design representation and exploration (80 students per year) at the introductory level. It will also have a broader curriculum-wide effect by enriching the learning experiences of upper-level students by allowing them to achieve proficiency in the use advanced technologies through CAAD studios (30 students per year) and technology electives (about 60 students per year). This facility will al so be used during summer semester by Miami University's undergraduate research scholars, as well as area minority high school students. The equipment will include fifteen networked high-end desktop computers with appropriate software and peripherals for lighting simulation.