Hiroyuki Yamato

Cut-and-paste editing based on constrained B-spline volume fitting

We propose an advanced cut-and-paste editing for three-dimensional models. We introduce a new parameterization technique based on constrained B-spline surface/volume fitting. Our cut-and-paste editing is performed on this parameterization. In our method, a parametric volume is generated so that its isoparametric surface fits to the base surface and the volume bounds the detail. Our volume fitting is realized by the optimization of an objective functional with a smoothness factor. We implemented and evaluated our method, and showed that our constrained fitting is effective to edit shapes that may have highly curved areas or handles.

Scheduling Algorithm for On-Demand Bus System

On-Demand Bus is a Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) service that passengers will be transported by the vehicles after they reserve a seat. The vehicle won’t move if there is no reservation and the efficiency is expected as a new transportation service. It allows potential passengers to request service via the Internet or mobile phone, with requests for ride being processed by a server computer. The requests compose of pick-up location, delivery location and desired delivery time (or pick-up time). The computer executes two main algorithms which are vehicle-choosing algorithm and routing algorithm. Using the vehicle-choosing algorithm was used for decision about which vehicle will accept the new request. And the routing algorithm was used to design the new route and schedule for the vehicle chosen to serve the new request. After calculation, the system will report to the customer whether the request is accepted or not. If it is accepted, the vehicle will pick up and deliver him to his destination within a guaranteed time – not later than the desired delivery time (or not earlier than pick-up time). We also carried out an experiment to evaluate the developed algorithm worked as we designed.

Virtualisation and automation of curved shell plates’ manufacturing plan design process for knowledge elicitation

This paper seeks to propose a brand new system for tacit knowledge elicitation in curved shell plates’ manufacturing process. By virtualising the manufacturing process and automatically suggesting manufacturing plans, the system would allow the knowledge-interrelated information more specific and understandable. Five areas are studied: 1) the extraction of a curved shell plate’s real shape from the point cloud measured by laser scanner; 2) the virtualisation of a curved shell plate’s wooden template; 3) the automatic suggestion of the manufacturing plan; 4) the virtualisation of the manufacturing environment; 5) the knowledge elicitation using ripple-down-rules based on the virtualised manufacturing environment and the evaluation result of the system’s suggested manufacturing plan. The system which integrates the proposed approaches above is evaluated by conducting a series of experiments in the shipyard. The tacit knowledge existent in the curved shell plate’s different situations during the manufacturing process are effectively elicited and represented.

Development of Gas-Atomized Magnetic Tools

The deficiency in the variety of available magnetic abrasive results in a narrow range of finishing performance. To break through this difficulty, this research developed iron-based gas-atomized magnetic tools. The magnetic tool has a spherical shape and micro-crevices on the surface. The micro-crevices perform the role of cutting instead of the edges of the existing magnetic abrasive, thereby achieving abrasive-less finishing. This paper studies the finishing performance of the developed magnetic tool. Compared to the existing magnetic abrasive, this magnetic tool shows more efficient finishing performance in the internal finishing of SUS304 stainless steel tubes used for sanitary piping systems.

Volume-Based Cut-and-Paste Editing for Early Design Phases

Since product concepts are frequently changed in the early stage of design, the creation of its rough models is useful for communication among the design team. In this paper, we propose modeling operations based on a volume-based cut-and-paste method for generating rough 3D models using existing 3D models. Cut-and-paste editing extracts a characteristic feature from a source model and copies it to a target model. Our method allows pasting a wide variety of features that may have overhangs and handles, while most existing methods cannot manage such shapes. To realize such a volume-based cut-and-paste technique, this paper introduces a new method that consists of mesh segmentation and surface/volume fitting. In our method, a feature region and its surrounding area are separated from the user-specified area, and they are used for generating a parametric volume that involves the feature region. In feature pasting, parametric volumes are deformed and pasted to the target model and then features inside the volume are adaptively deformed and pasted to the target. On the basis of this cut-and-paste method, we propose modeling operations that enable feature registration, feature removal, feature pasting, and texture pasting. These operations were implemented and demonstrated using example models. The result shows our operations can effectively generate new models by removing and reusing partial shapes in existing models.Copyright

Automatic Berthing Using the Expert System

Abstract The automatic berthing by the expert system is presented in this paper. The system is made on the desktop simulator on the Sun-3 workstation combined with the OPS83 expert system to deal with the final approach and berthing. The rules for the berthing were obtained through the simulation by the authors. Fairly good berthing had been achieved by the present expert system.

Development and Evaluation of New Interface for Registration of New Bus Stops for the On-Demand Bus System

On-demand Bus is a new public transportation mode which has flexible schedule and flexible routes. Users can ride the bus only after making reservations. It is difficult for the On-demand Bus system without any operators to realize full demand typed service because there is no interaction between users and drivers to inform the concrete information about waiting spots. This paper proposes the new interface for On-demand Bus system through which users can register new bus stops by themselves. The developed interface, namely the developed system realizes CSCW (computer-supported cooperative work), which is a collaboration with the Internet. By developing the new interface, the full demand typed On-demand Bus service is realized and users evaluate the service positively.

CAD Education Support System Based on Workflow

This paper presents a development and experiment of a CAD education support framework providing enhanced design assistance for students undertaking ship design coursework using a document management system called ShareFast. The software offers the following features: 1. CAD education framework for self instruction based on workflow of CAD operation; 2. Network based system for sharing educational materials, and support communication between instructors and students; 3. Sophisticated and flexible contents management feature based on metadata in RDF(Resource Description Framwork) format; and 4. Operations monitoring function to keep track of students’ behavior in finding problems for materials. This educational framework was used for empirical studies with university students and the results show that the framework can hasten students’ learning by means of learning materials improvement, and it also helps the instructor to understand the students’ problems in real time.

Technique for searching tabular form documents using metadata harvested by table structure analysis

Conducting full-text searches on collections of tabular files, in which a single sheet corresponds to a single document and eachfile consists of multiple sheets, typically involves retrieving many candidate files that include the search terms. Opening eachof these tabular files to determine whether it is the desired sheet is labor-intensive. Searching with high precision thus requiresexpert intuition born of operational experience. Therefore, it would be advantageous to enable the pinpointing of desireddocuments with greater accuracy regardless of the operator’s level of experience.In the present study, we propose a method in which operational classifications are assigned as metadata on the basis of thetable structure of a sheet. We obtain the table structure of the sheet and assign metadata based on a set of rules establishedindividually for each pattern in the structure. We propose two methods for representing the table structures obtained: a methodusing node property matrix, and a method in which positional data regarding cells containing specific operation-description dataare indexed. Comparing the results of searches that use assigned metadata to the results of traditional full-text searches revealsthat our method has greater search accuracy.

Development of Accuracy Evaluation System for Curved Shell Plate by Laser Scanner

Accuracy evaluation system for a curved shell plate was developed. In this system, the point cloud data of a curved shell plate measured by a laser scanner and the design data are registered based on the edge of shell plates. Then the errors which mean the distances from the design surface are evaluated and visualized by color map. In addition to the development of the system, some actual curved shell plates are evaluated and visualized by this system. Some correlations between the distribution of the errors and the making process are illustrated.