Section: Application Domains

Computer graphics

We are interested in the application of our work to virtual prototyping, which refers to the many steps required for the creation of a realistic virtual representation from a CAD/CAM model.

When designing an automobile, detailed physical mockups of the interior are built to study the design and evaluate human factors and ergonomic issues. These hand-made prototypes are costly, time consuming, and difficult to modify. To shorten the design cycle and improve interactivity and reliability, realistic rendering and immersive virtual reality provide an effective alternative. A virtual prototype can replace a physical mockup for the analysis of such design aspects as visibility of instruments and mirrors, reachability and accessibility, and aesthetics and appeal.

Virtual prototyping encompasses most of our work on effective geometric computing. In particular, our work on 3D visibility should have fruitful applications in this domain. As already explained, meshing objects of the scene along the main discontinuities of the visibility function can have a dramatic impact on the realism of the simulations.