Fostering a community-driven and sustainable HELIOS++ scientific software

激光扫描是一种在三维空间和时间中捕获环境及其动态的主要方法，广泛应用于地球科学和环境科学。开源科学软件HELIOS++是一个通用框架，用于在计算机模拟中执行逼真但虚拟的激光扫描采集，以创建合成LiDAR数据。这种虚拟激光扫描能够完全控制数据创建过程中的采集参数和再现性，以及与数据分析相结合的高度自动化工作流程。HELIOS++的主要优点是：1）它可以在一次模拟中模拟大范围的空间尺度以及尺度和几何细节的组合; 2）它支持大量可扩展的不同平台和扫描仪，这些平台和扫描仪很容易相互交换。由于模块化，HELIOS++是一个不断发展的项目，它已被许多出版物引用和使用。HELIOS++的主要应用案例是：i）改进采集规划，ii）算法开发，iii）生成用于机器学习特别是深度学习的训练数据，iv）设计新型未来传感器，以及v）用作教育平台。该项目的目标有三个方面：首先，通过a）改进与领先的第三方软件的互操作性，B）启用网络的HELIOS++数据管理，包括完整调查的DOI存档，c）高级Python API和Python集成，d）用于科学可用性检查的新工具，以验证HELIOS++的个人适合性，来提高可用性和影响力。其次，我们将通过以下方式提高质量保证：a）重构C++核心，B）实现专业的代码治理标准（例如代码审查、覆盖报告），以及c）提供现代打包和持续交付（例如Conda）。第三，通过直接为用户（例如在线教材和研讨会）和开发人员（例如开发人员的专业入职培训）建立积极的社区，以及通过Pythonic API增加更多潜在用户/开发人员等间接影响，将进一步促进可持续发展。这个跨学科项目的一个主要优势是将国际公认的、越来越多地使用的激光扫描模拟科学软件与海德堡大学的科学软件中心（SSC）进行了紧密和战略性的长期整合。这使得能够共同设计和“共同来源”专业，可持续和高度改进的科学方法和软件。

Laser scanning is a leading method to capture the environment and its dynamics in 3D space and time and it is widely used in geosciences and environmental sciences. The open-source scientific software HELIOS++ is a general-purpose framework to perform realistic – but virtual – laser scanning acquisitions in a computer simulation to create synthetic LiDAR data. Such virtual laser scanning enables full control of acquisition parameters and reproducibility in the data creation process, as well as highly automatic workflows coupled with data analysis. Major strengths of HELIOS++ are 1) that it can simulate over a large range of spatial scales and combination of scales and geometric detail in one simulation and 2) that it supports a multitude and extendable number of different platforms and scanners, which are easily inter- and exchangeable. Due to is modularity, HELIOS++ is a growing project and it has been cited and used in many publications. Main application cases of HELIOS++ are i) the improvement of acquisition planning, ii) algorithm development, iii) generation of training data for machine learning and particularly deep learning, iv) design of novel future sensors, and v) use as an education platform. The aims of this project are threefold: First, to increase usability and impact by a) improved interoperability with leading third-party software, b) a web-enabled HELIOS++ data management including DOI archiving of full surveys, c) a high-level Python API and Jupyter integration, d) a novel tool for scientific usability checks to validate individual fitness-for-purpose of HELIOS++. Second, we will increase quality assurance by a) refactoring the C++ core, b) implementing professional code governance standards (e.g. code review, coverage reports) and c) offering modern packing and continuous delivery (e.g. Conda). Third, further sustainable development will be fostered by increasing the user and developer base by direct active community building for users (e.g. online teaching materials and workshops) and developers (e.g. professional onboarding for developers) as well as several indirect effects such as more potential users/developers through the Pythonic API. One main strength of this interdisciplinary project is the tight and strategic long-term integration of an internationally recognized and increasingly used scientific software for laser scanning simulation into an institutional Scientific Software Center (SSC) at Heidelberg University. This enables to co-design and to “co-source” a professional, sustainable and highly improved scientific method and software.