Brian Gilmore

An Immersive VR Application for Interactive Product Concept Generation and Qualitative Evaluation

Currently, new product concepts are evaluated by developing detailed virtual models with Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools followed by evaluation analyses (e.g., finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, etc.). Due to the complexity of these evaluation methods, it is generally not possible to model and analyze each of the ideas generated throughout the conceptual design phase of the design process. Thus, promising ideas may be eliminated based solely on insufficient time to model and assess them. Additionally, the analysis performed is usually of much higher detail than needed for such early assessment. By eliminating the time-consuming CAD complexity, engineers could spend more time evaluating additional concepts. To address these issues, a software framework, the Advanced Systems Design Suite (ASDS), was created. The ASDS incorporates a PC user interface with an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment to ease the creation and assessment of conceptual design prototypes individually or collaboratively in a VR environment. Assessment tools incorporate metamodeling approximations and immersive visualization to evaluate the validity of each concept. In this paper, the ASDS framework and interface along with specifically designed immersive VR assessment tools such as state saving, dynamic viewpoint creation, and animation playback are presented alongside a test case example of redesigning a Boeing 777 in the conceptual design phase.Copyright

Immersive Product Configurator for Conceptual Design

Currently, new product concepts are evaluated by developing detailed virtual part and assembly models with traditional Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools followed by appropriate analyses (e.g., finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, etc.). The creation of these models and analyses are tremendously time consuming. If a number of different conceptual configurations have been determined, it may not be possible to model and analyze each of them. Thus, promising concepts might be eliminated based solely on insufficient time to assess them. In addition, the virtual models and analyses performed are usually of much higher detail and accuracy than what is needed for such early assessment. By eliminating the time-consuming complexity of a CAD environment and incorporating qualitative assessment tools, engineers could spend more time evaluating additional concepts, which were previously abandoned due to time constraints. In this paper, a software framework, the Advanced Systems Design Suite (ASDS), for creating and evaluating conceptual design configurations in an immersive virtual reality environment is presented. The ASDS allows design concepts to be quickly modeled, analyzed, and visualized. It incorporates a PC user interface with an immersive virtual reality environment to ease the creation and assessment of conceptual design prototypes. The development of the modeling and assessment tools are presented along with a test case to demonstrate the usability and effectiveness of the framework.

Intuitive Measurement Interface for Simplified Mesh Models for Rapid Conceptual Design

Conceptual design involves generating hundreds to thousands of concepts and combining the best of all the concepts into a single idea to move forward into detailed design. With the current tools available, design teams usually model a small number of concepts and analyze them using traditional Computer-Aided Design (CAD) analysis tools. The creation and validation of concepts using CAD packages is extremely time consuming and unfortunately, not all concepts can be evaluated. Thus, promising concepts can be eliminated based on insufficient time and resources to use the tools available. Additionally, these virtual models and analyses are usually of much higher fidelity than what is needed at such an early stage of design. To address these issues, an desktop and immersive virtual reality (VR) framework, the Advanced Systems Design Suite (ASDS), was created to foster rapid geometry creation and concept assessment using a unique creation approach which does not require precise mating and dimensioning constraints during the geometry creation phase. The ASDS system removes these precision constraints by using 3D manipulation tools to build concepts and providing a custom easy-to-use measurement system when precise measurements are required. In this paper, the ASDS framework along with a unique and intuitive measurement system are presented for large vehicle conceptual design.Copyright

Metamodeling for the Quantitative Assessment of Conceptual Designs

Software packages used in the engineering design process have become increasingly complex. Computer aided design (CAD) and finite element analysis (FEA) tools are capable of generating high fidelity models and simulations that have become indispensible components of any design. However, a fair amount of experience and time is required to effectively use such software. When designing at the conceptual level, a high level of accuracy is not needed. Rapid concept generation and evaluation is the primary focus. Unfortunately, few tools exist that successfully suit these needs. The Advanced Systems Design Suite (ASDS) is an application which allows a user to quickly design 3D conceptual models and perform both qualitative and quantitative assessments. This quantitative feedback provided through the use of metamodels which, once constructed, can be evaluated in real time. In this paper, two different metamodeling techniques are applied: Polynomial Response Surface (PRS) and Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE). Experiments are carried out using various models in order to determine which is most suitable to a conceptual design and assessment application. Both third order PRS and PCE with second order interaction effects were found to yield positive results when generated from as few as thirty data points.

Operator-Centered Task Analysis: A Hybrid Methodology for Human-Machine Interaction Observation in the Field

The practice of human factors in agriculture presents numerous challenges for the researcher. Difficulties include measuring operator behaviors in the agricultural field as well as identifying individual tasks, order of tasks, length of tasks, and operator motivation for each task. To confidently build a baseline for how operators use and appropriate their resources during the planting agricultural season, a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods were combined to create OCTA (operator-centered task analysis), a hybrid methodology to observe, document, explain, and potentially predict operator behaviors in the field. The OCTA model draws from four main methodologies: observation, interview, behavioral and interview coding, and task analysis. This work describes the development and implementation of OCTA, and how to replicate its use. While the OCTA methodology was developed in an agricultural context, it can be generalized for use with nearly any observable human-machine interaction system.