This paper presents an immersive gesture-recognition-based system to visualize the indoor thermal environment using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). To enable efficient visualization of CFD in actual space, an Augmented Reality system was integrated with a CFD simulation engine. To facilitate efficient data manipulation of the simulated post-processed CFD data and to increase user control of the immersive environment, an intuitive method of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has been incorporated using gesture and speech recognition. While gesture recognition aids in transforming hand postures into command functions through forward kinematics and computation of hand segment positions and their joint angles, speech recognition allows better control of the data manipulation. This enabled real-time interactions between the users and simulated CFD results in actual space.
References
1.
RibarskyW.AyersE.EbleJ., and MukerjeeS., Using Glyph-maker to create customized visualizations of complex data, Computer, 1994, 27(7), 57–64.
2.
TeylingenT.V.RibarskyW., and Van der MastC., Virtual Data Visualizer, IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 1997, 3(1), 65–74.
3.
Van DamAndriesLaidlawD.H.SimpsonR.M., Experiments in immersive virtual reality for scientific visualizations, Computers & Graphics, 2002, 26, 535–555.
4.
WildeT.KohlJ.A., and FlaneryR.E.Jr., Immersive and 3D viewers for CUMULVS:VTK/CAVE and AVS/Express, Future Generation Computer Systems, 2003, 19, 701–719.
5.
PiekarskiW.HepworthD.DemczukV.ThomasB., and GuntherB., A mobile AR user interface for terrestrial navigation, Proceedings of Twenty Second Australasian Computer Science Conference, 1999, 122–133.
6.
PilgrimM.BouchlaghemD.LovedayD., and HolmesM., A mixed reality system for building form and data representation, IEEE, 2001, 369–375.
7.
VogtS.KhameneA.SauerF.KeilA., and NiemannH., A high performance AR system for medical applications, Proceedings of Second IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, 2003.
8.
AzumaR., A survey of augmented reality, Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 1997, 6(4), 355–385.
9.
BrysonS., Virtual Wind Tunnel: A high-performance virtual reality application, Proceedings of IEEE Annual Virtual Reality International Symposium, 1993, 20–25.
10.
ImpellusoT., Physically based virtual reality in a distributed environment, Computer Graphics, 1996, 30(4), 60–61.
11.
WasfyT.M., and NoorA.K., Visualization of CFD results in immersive virtual environments, Advances in Engineering Software, 2001, 32, 717–719.
12.
MalkawiA., and ChoudharyR., Visualizing the sensed environment in the real world, Journal of Human-Environment Systems, 1999, 3(1), 61–69.
13.
ShahnawazV.VanceJ., and KittiS., Visualization of post-processed CFD data in a virtual environment, Proceedings of DETC99, ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference, 1999, 1–7.
14.
LindenE.HellstromJ.CehlinM., and SandbergM., Virtual reality presentation of temperature measurements on a diffuser for displacement ventilation, Proceedings of Fourth International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Energy Conservation in Buildings, 2001, 849–856.
15.
SowizralH.A., Interacting with VE using augmented virtual tools, Stereoscopic Displays and VR systems, 1994.
16.
PavlovicV.K.SharmaR., and HuangT.S., Visual interpretation of hand gestures for human-computer interaction: A review, IEEE PAMI, 1997, 19(7), 677–695.
17.
CipollaR., and PentlandA., Computer Vision for Human-Machine Interaction, 1998, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
18.
PavlovicV.K.SharmaR., and HuangT.S., Gestural interface to a visual computing environment for molecular biologist, Proceedings of International Conference in Automation in Face Gesture Recognition, 1996, 30–34.
19.
FreemanW.T.TanakanK.OhtaJ., and KyumaK., Computer vision for computer games, Proceedings of International Conference in Automation in Face Gesture Recognition, 1996, 100–105.
20.
KadodayashiR.NishimotoK., and MaseK., Design and evaluation of an immersive walk-through application for exploring cyberspace, Proceedings of International Conference in Automation in Face Gesture Recognition, 1998, 534–539.
21.
BimberO.EncarnacaoL.M., and StorkA., A multi-layered architecture for sketch-based interaction within three-dimensional virtual environments, Computer Graphics, Vol. 24, no. 6, 2000, 851–867
22.
PiekarskiW., and ThomasB.H., Tinmith – a mobile outdoor augmented reality modeling system, Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, Tokyo, Japan, 2003.
23.
HollererT.H., User interfaces for Mobile Augmented Reality systems, PhD dissertation, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2004.
24.
KatoH.TachibanaK.TanabeM.NakajimaT.FukudaY., A city-planning system based on augmented reality with a tangible interface, Proceedings of the Second IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, ISMAR2003.
