Chris Harding

Investigating the Use of 3D Graphics, Haptics (Touch), and Sound for Highway Location Planning

Planning of transportation infrastructure requires analyzing combinations of many different types of geospatial information (maps). Conventional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or Computer Aided Design systems limit the planners ability to perceive and effectively use multiple data layers together. To improve the planners ability to interact with multiple layers of disparate spatial information, this article presents a novel computer system, which combines vision with haptics (touch) and sound. In this new form of Multi-Sensory Information System (MSIS), visual information is augmented by a 3-D haptic device (PHANToM) and by sound (sonification). In a recent study, it was investigated how engineering students used this multi-sensory GIS for planning the location (the alignment) of a new road. The results indicate that certain forms of vision, haptics, and audio were used preferentially to represent certain types of spatial data. A generalization of such a multi-sensory approach could provide researchers with the basis for further development and, eventually, the augmentation of established procedures with the MSIS in highway location planning and related areas.

Resurrection of a reservoir sandstone from tomographic data using three-dimensional printing

Three-dimensional (3-D) printing provides an opportunity to build lab-testable models of reservoir rocks from tomographic data. This study combines tomography and 3-D printing to reproduce a sample of the Fontainebleau sandstone at different magnifications to test how this workflow can help characterization of transport properties at multiple scales. For this sandstone, literature analysis has given a porosity of 11%, permeability of 455 md, mean pore throat radius of 15 μm, and a mean grain size of 250 μm. Digital rock analysis of tomographic data from the same sample yielded a porosity of 13%, a permeability of 251 md, and a mean pore throat radius of 15.2 μm. The 3-D printer available for this study was not able to reproduce the sample’s pore system at its original scale. Instead, models were 3-D printed at 5-fold, 10-fold, and 15-fold magnifications. Mercury porosimetry performed on these 3-D models revealed differences in porosity (28%–37%) compared to the literature (11%) and to digital calculations (12.7%). Mercury may have intruded the smallest matrix pores of the printing powder and led to a greater than 50% increase in measured porosity. However, the 3-D printed models’ pore throat size distribution (15 μm) and permeability (350–443 md) match both literature data and digital rock analysis. The powder-based 3-D printing method was only able to replicate parts of the pore system (permeability and pore throats) but not the pore bodies. Other 3-D printing methods, such as resin-based stereolithography and photopolymerization, may have the potential to reproduce reservoir rock porosity more accurately.

A multi-modal interface for road planning tasks using vision, haptics and sound

Planning of transportation infrastructure requires analyzing combinations of many different types of geo-spatial information (maps). Displaying all of these maps together in a tradition Geographic Information System (GIS) limits its effectiveness with visual clutter and information overload. Multi-modal interfaces (MMIs) aim to improve the efficiency of human-computer interaction by combining several types of sensory modalities. We are presenting a prototype virtual environment using vision, haptics and sonification for multi-modal GIS scenarios such as road planning. We use a point-haptic device (Phantom) for various haptic effects and sonification to present additional non-visual data while drawing on a virtual canvas. We conducted a user study to gather experience with this multi-modal system and to learn more about how these users interact with geospatial data via various combinations of sensory modalities. The results indicate that certain forms of haptics and audio were preferentially used to present certain types of spatial data.

TouchTerrain: A simple web-tool for creating 3D-printable topographic models

Abstract An open-source web-application, TouchTerrain, was developed to simplify the production of 3D-printable terrain models. Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) using 3D Printers can change how geoscientists, students, and stakeholders interact with 3D data, with the potential to improve geoscience communication and environmental literacy. No other manufacturing technology can convert digital data into tangible objects quickly at relatively low cost; however, the expertise necessary to produce a 3D-printed terrain model can be a substantial burden: knowledge of geographical information systems, computer aided design (CAD) software, and 3D printers may all be required. Furthermore, printing models larger than the build volume of a 3D printer can pose further technical hurdles. The TouchTerrain web-application simplifies DDM for elevation data by generating digital 3D models customized for a specific 3D printers capabilities. The only required user input is the selection of a region-of-interest using the provided web-application with a Google Maps-style interface. Publically available digital elevation data is processed via the Google Earth Engine API. To allow the manufacture of 3D terrain models larger than a 3D printers build volume the selected area can be split into multiple tiles without third-party software. This application significantly reduces the time and effort required for a non-expert like an educator to obtain 3D terrain models for use in class. The web application is deployed at http://touchterrain.geol.iastate.edu , while source code and installation instructions for a server and a stand-alone version are available at Github: https://github.com/ChHarding/TouchTerrain_for_CAGEO .

Supporting Interactive Haptic Shaping of 3D Geologic Surfaces with Deformation Property Painting

Meshes made from 3D points are used to represent many important geoscience concepts such as the surface of the Earth (topography), rock strata (horizons) and faults. When creating complex computer models, a geoscientist may need to directly affect the shape of such a surface to bring in in line with other data. We present a method that allows a geoscientist to precisely interact with these surfaces by painting the surface with colors that represent its local “malleability” (deformation property values) and to interactively deform this surface into the desired shape. The deformation property values dictate to what degree the surface is allowed to change locally. For this, we have extended a real-time deformation algorithm (ChainMail) to operate on inhomogeneous meshes with per-vertex deformation property. Both, painting and deforming are part of a larger system for haptic-visual mesh manipulation, in which we explore combinations of bimanual, touch-enhanced virtual tools for interactions with 3D geoscience data.

Emergent effects in multimodal feedback from virtual buttons

The continued advancement in computer interfaces to support 3D tasks requires a better understanding of how users will interact with 3D user interfaces in a virtual workspace. This article presents two studies that investigated the effect of visual, auditory, and haptic sensory feedback modalities presented by a virtual button in a 3D environment on task performance (time on task and task errors) and user rating. Although we expected task performance to improve for conditions that combined two or three feedback modalities over a single modality, we instead found a significant emergent behavior that decreased performance in the trimodal condition. We found a significant increase in the number of presses when a user released the button before closing the virtual switch, suggesting that the combined visual, auditory, and haptic feedback led participants to prematurely believe they actuated a button. This suggests that in the design of virtual buttons, considering the effect of each feedback modality independently is not sufficient to predict performance, and unexpected effects may emerge when feedback modalities are combined.

Effects of modality on virtual button motion and performance

The simple action of pressing a button is a multimodal interaction with an interesting depth of complexity. As the development of computer interfaces supporting 3D tasks progresses, there is a need to understand how users will interact with virtual buttons that generate multimodal feedback. Using a phone number dialing task on a virtual keypad, this study examined the effects of visual, auditory, and haptic feedback combinations on task performance and on the motion of individual button presses. The results suggest that the resistance of haptic feedback alone was not enough to prevent participants from pressing the button farther than necessary. Reinforcing haptic feedback with visual or auditory feedback shortened the depth of the presses significantly. However, the shallower presses that occurred with trimodal feedback may have led participants to release some buttons too early, which may explain an unexpected increase in mistakes where the participant missed digits from the phone number.

Roundabout Perception: Review of Standards and Guidelines for Advanced Warning

This paper deals with roundabout visibility and perception design requirements, including available standards and guidelines in the US and Europe for warning signs. To provide for the highest levels of safety, visual perception of junctions is important even where advance warning signs are provided, to reinforce driver knowledge and confidence in their actions. For roundabouts, three different types of central island development are recently suggested to affect their visual perception, and the related classification defines the reduced, the compressed and the streamlined, or slender, central island development. The paper proposes new methodologies to test this perceptibility of various roundabout designs and developments. Two research strategies based on the specific roundabout visual intrusion defined by the solid angle are outlined: on-site stand-by/2D and virtual video/3D. Finally, some preliminary results are discussed in view of selecting original and proper standards. Moreover, future research is suggested for extending the methodology to more comprehensive application.

Leveraging a geographic information system in co-optimized expansion planning for Iowa

There is significant need to plan for the growing demand for clean energy in the future. This research project anticipates a very high wind penetration future for the state of Iowa, and with it the necessity to upgrade or build transmission to transfer the energy to load centers in the east and south. Unlike the traditional planning approach which identifies generation and transmission system investment sequentially, a co-optimization approach identifies them simultaneously, yielding significant economic benefit. Interpreting the results of the planning process is crucial, and the ability to visualize them facilitates understanding of the plan. Thus, to support this approach, a Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to select feasible sites for wind farms and to efficiently communicate co-optimized generation and transmission expansion planning investment results.

Geographic Visualization of Solar Radiation Flux Data for Teaching Purposes

This paper describes the visualization of global solar radiation data for teaching and research. ERA-40 data (1957-2002) [7,8] from the ECMWF model [6] was processed into annual and monthly averages over 45 years. A collaborative and iterative design methodology, including perceptually validated color progression was used. The data was visualized via Pythons matplotlib (basemap) module. The results (maps and animations), data and python code can be downloaded from https://iastate.box.com/solarRadiationMaps.