Jiung-Yao Huang

Improve GPS positioning accuracy with context awareness

This paper presents an approach to calibrate GPS position by using the context awareness technique from the pervasive computing. Previous researches on GPS calibration mostly focus on the methods of integrating auxiliary hardware so that the userpsilas context information and the basic demand of the user are ignored. From the inspiration of the pervasive computing research, this paper proposes a novel approach, called PGPS (Perceptive GPS), to directly improve GPS positioning accuracy from the contextual information of received GPS data. PGPS is started with sampling received GPS data to learning carrierpsilas behavior and building a transition probability matrix based upon HMM (Hidden Markov Model) model and Newtonpsilas Laws. After constructing the required matrix, PGPS then can interactively rectify received GPS data in real time. That is, based on the transition matrix and received online GPS data, PGPS infers the behavior of GPS carrier to verify the rationality of received GPS data. If the received GPS data deviate from the inferred position, the received GPS data is then dropped. Finally, an experiment was conducted and its preliminary result shows that the proposed approach can effectively improve the accuracy of GPS position.

Design of the server cluster to support avatar migration

We identified an important issue when supporting a large scale networked virtual environment (NVE) with a server cluster. This issue is similar to the process migration issue on the parallel computing study and we refer it as the avatar migration problem. That is, when an avatar of an NVE is moving from one region managed by a server to another region managed by a different server, the client site may perceive abrupt screen change due to the different contents managed by these two servers. This paper proposes equations to solve this problem and elaborates the proposed avatar migration mechanism with state diagrams. The implementing architecture is also given in this paper. Our experiments that successfully show the efficiency of the proposed mechanism are given at the last.

Modelling and designing a low-cost high-fidelity mobile crane simulator

The interactive visual simulation is the integration of real-time computer graphics with multimodalities, such as acoustic display and force feedback, to create a realistic simulation scenario to the user. This paper presents a method to design an interactive visual simulation on a cluster of desktop computers for the mobile crane training. This mobile crane training simulation is a project sponsored by Employment and Vocational Training Administration, Council of Labor Affair, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, to build a low-cost yet effective vehicle for training and licensing. To achieve this goal, a set of locally networked PCs is employed to form a parallel computing environment for the mobile crane simulation.The most important issue of developing a high-fidelity interactive visual simulator is its integration system for communication and monitoring among functional modules. This paper presents a peer-to-peer architecture on a cluster of PCs to develop the required integration system for the mobile crane simulator. In addition, the developed integration system uses the push-and-pull model to seamlessly communicate the messages among distributed functional modules. This push-and-pull model effectively achieves the parallelism among the distributed functional modules of a mobile crane simulator. With the push-and-pull model on the peer-to-peer architecture, we can easily achieve the modularity and reusability of the functional modules of the simulating system. The presented push-and-pull model satisfies four essential attributes for the parallel computing, which are concurrency, scalability, locality and modularity. Our experience also successfully verifies the effectiveness of the presented simulator with the system response rate of 16 times per second which is larger than human acceptable perception rate as suggested by the human factors studies.

Distance-Learning for Advanced Military Education: Using Wargame Simulation Course as an Example

Distance learning in advanced military education can assist officers around the world to become more skilled and qualified for future challenges. Through well-chosen technology, the efficiency of distance-learning can be improved significantly. In this paper we present the architecture of Advanced Military Education – Distance Learning (AME-DL) prototype for advanced military distance-learning, it combines advanced e-learning tool, simulation technology, and Web technology to provide a set of military learning and training subjects that can be accessed easily anywhere, anytime through a Web browser. The major goal of AME-DL is to provide a common standard framework for military training program, and the major contribution for such a prototype is to reduce training cost while providing high quality learning experience.

The next generation of GPS navigation systems

A live-view GPS navigation system ensures that a users cognitive map is consistent with the navigation map.

A multiuser 3D Web browsing system

The Virtual Realty Modeling Language sets an open-standard file format for designing 3D multimedia and shared virtual worlds on the Internet. VRML was originally designed to support the interaction of multiple participants in the World Wide Web environment, that is, to network virtual worlds via hyperlinks. The development of VRML has spurred broad research on distributed multiuser VR systems. We describe SharedWeb, a 3D Web browsing system that was designed and implemented to support interaction among clients in the existing Web environment. We begin by describing the methodologies and mechanisms used to achieve seamless integration with the Web environment, then we summarize the SharedWeb system implementation. We present some experimental results that show the effects of different frame rates and threshold values on system performance, and conclude with discussions of two virtual worlds currently supported by the system.

A wearable computing environment for the security of a large-scale factory

This paper studies the issue of using the wearable computer as a remote sensing device of a large-scale factory. The infrastructure of ubiquitous security environment to realize the remote sensing capability for the security guard is presented in this paper. This paper also scheme out a wearable computing scenario for the security guard under such a ubiquitous security environment. That is, through the help of the wearable computer, the security guard can remotely sensing the security status of each building when he is patrolling a large-scale factory. To achieve a seamless remote sensing environment, we use the wireless AP (Access Point) as the relay between static sensor networks installed inside each building and the mobile sensing device worn on the security guard. The AP enable the wearable computer to seamless receive security status of each building and upload the wearer status to the security control center at the same time. Furthermore, this research adopts the technology of embedded Linux to design a middleware for the wearable computer. The proposed architecture of the wearable computer is scalable, flexible and modular for the mobile computing system. Finally, this paper elaborates a seamless connection approach for the wearable computer within a ubiquitous security environment.

The design and implementation of a virtual conference system

With the enormous use of networks, many real-world activities are realized on the Internet. We propose a complete virtual conference system (VCS) to handle all activities of real-world conferences. The VCS includes a virtual conference management system and a mobile virtual conference system. Video conferencing is a trend of future communications. With the improvement of broadband network technologies, video conferencing becomes possible in the global society. It is feasible to use video conferencing technologies to organize future international conferences. This research proposes a total solution toward virtual conferencing. We use a mobile server/storage pre-broadcasting technique, as well as a communication network optimization algorithm, which is based on a graph computation mechanism. With the assistance of a conference management system, the system is able to support virtual conferencing in the future academic society.

SharedWeb-a shared virtual environment over World Wide Web

Describes the design implementation and experimental results for a multi-user 3D World Wide Web (WWW) browsing system called SharedWeb, which is based on the request-response method of a WWW server. The key features of this system include: (i) the WWW servers ability to remember all the browsers connected to it in order to transmit those messages required to maintain consistent states among the browsers, (ii) the dead-reckoning technique of distributed interactive simulation (DIS) used by the browsers in order to reduce the number of messages sent out on the network and to satisfy the timing requirement demanded by virtual environments, and (iii) the protocol data unit (PDU), also used in DIS, adapted by the SharedWeb system in order not only to include more information about the browsers but also to integrate SharedWeb with DIS in the near future.

A Mobile Augmented Reality Based Scaffolding Platform for Outdoor Fieldtrip Learning

Mobile learning provides learners with the capability to assimilate courses anywhere in any time. However, most of the existing Mobile learning systems only allows learners to passively receive knowledge without considering the temporal and spatial information of the learners. The paper proposed a context-aware mobile augmented reality learning platform, called Historical Time Tunnel (HTT), as scaffolding platform for outdoor field learning. The location-based nature of Augmented Reality (AR) technology, AR-based Mobile learning systems could enable learners to acquire the historical interactive knowledge that are related to the specific geographical location. Through such direct interaction with location-based information provided by AR-based M-learning technology, the knowledge acquisition efficiency can be significantly boosted. The designed HTT system not only focuses on student learning management module but also provides teaching material management module for teachers. The conducted experiments on the elementary school student successfully prove that HTT system is an effective scaffolding tool for the novice teachers as well as a helpful assistant to the experienced teachers.