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Abstract: Rendering vector maps is a key challenge for high‐quality geographic visualization systems. In this paper, we present a novel approach to visualize vector maps over detailed terrain models in a pixel‐precise way. Our method proposes a deferred line rendering technique to display vector maps directly in a screen‐space shading stage over the 3D terrain visualization. Due to the absence of traditional geometric polygonal rendering, our algorithm is able to outperform conventional vector map rendering algorithms for geographic information systems, and supports advanced line anti‐aliasing as well as slope distortion correction. Furthermore, our deferred line rendering enables interactively customizable advanced vector styling methods as well as a tool for interactive pixel‐based editing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines a digital workflow that allows artists to add visual detail to 3D models whilst adhering to the strict polygonal budget that is vital to successfully render in real-time. Two versions of a model – a high-poly model, and a low-poly model – are produced to create a 2D normal map through a process known as ‘baking’, to achieve the illusion of the high resolution detail on the low-resolution model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With increasing numbers of flights worldwide and a continuing rise in airport traffic, air-traffic management is faced with a number of challenges. These include monitoring, reporting, planning, and problem analysis of past and current air traffic, e.g., to identify hotspots, minimize delays, or to optimize sector assignments to air-traffic controllers. To cope with these challenges, cyber worlds can be used for interactive visual analysis and analytical reasoning based on aircraft trajectory data. However, with growing data size and complexity, visualization requires high computational efficiency to process that data within real-time constraints. This paper presents a technique for real-time animated visualization of massive trajectory data. It enables (1) interactive spatio-temporal filtering, (2) generic mapping of trajectory attributes to geometric representations and appearance, and (3) real-time rendering within 3D virtual environments such as virtual 3D airport or 3D city models. Different visualization metaphors can be efficiently built upon this technique such as temporal focus+context, density maps, or overview+detail methods. As a general-purpose visualization technique, it can be applied to general 3D and 3+1D trajectory data, e.g., traffic movement data, geo-referenced networks, or spatio-temporal data, and it supports related visual analytics and data mining tasks within cyber worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we present a simplified 3D particle system and fast translation algorithm we have designed and implemented to generate real-time animated particle emitter fountains choreographed by a classical music. The approach we used to translate and map the controlling information into the musical fountain animation is also introduced, as well as the process to build the physical model of the music fountains. A proof of concept is implemented to demonstrate the main system's aspects, its feasibility, and that it has met the system's design goals. Moreover, it shows that is possible to observe visual patterns that match the theme of the musical composition, as an example of how the system can be used not only for visual appreciation and entertainment, but also as a possible support tool for music composition. We have also conducted a user study as an evaluation of the system. The results of this have provided us with positive and useful feedback on the effectiveness of our visual mappings as well as further directions to explore. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Large-scale remote sensing images, including both satellite and aerial photographs, are widely used to render terrain scenes in real-time geographic visualization systems. Such systems often require large memories in order to store fine terrain details and fast network speeds to transfer image data, if they are built as web applications. In this paper, we propose a progressive texture compression framework to reduce the memory and bandwidth cost by compressing repeated content within and among large-scale remote sensing images. Different from existing image factorization methods, our algorithm incrementally find similar regions in new images so that large-scale images can be more efficiently compressed over time. We further propose a descriptor, the Gray Split Rotate (GSR) descriptor, to accelerate the similarity search. The reconstruction quality is finally improved by compressing residual error maps using customized S3TC-like compression. Our experiment shows that even with the error maps, our system still has higher compression rate and higher compression quality than using S3TC alone, which is a typical compression solution in most existing visualization systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-photorealistic (illustrative) rendering augments typical rendering models to selectively emphasize or de-emphasize specific structures of rendered objects. Illustrative techniques may affect not only the rendering style of specific portions of an object but also their visibility, ensuring that less important regions do not occlude more important ones. Cutaway views completely remove occluding, unimportant structures-possibly also removing valuable context information-while existing solutions for smooth reduction of occlusion based on importance lack precise visibility control, simplicity and generality. We introduce a new front-to-back fragment composition equation that directly takes into account a measure of sample importance and allows smooth and precise importance-based visibility control. We demonstrate the generality of our composition equation with several illustrative effects, which were obtained by using a set of importance measures calculated on the fly or defined by the user. The presented composition method is suitable for direct volume rendering as well as rendering of layered 3D models. We discuss both cases and show examples, though focusing mainly on illustration of volumetric data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time rendering can benefit from global illumination methods to make the 3D environments look more convincing and lifelike. On the other hand, the conventional global illumination algorithms for the estimation of the diffuse surface interreflection make heavy usage of intra- and interobject visibility calculations, so they are time-consuming, and using them in real-time graphics applications can be prohibitive for complex scenes. Modern illumination approximations, such as ambient occlusion variants, use precalculated or frame-dependent data to reduce the problem to a local shading one. This paper presents a fast real-time method for visibility sampling using volumetric data in order to produce accurate inter- and intraobject ambient occlusion. The proposed volume sampling technique disassociates surface representation data from the visibility calculations, and therefore, makes the method suitable for both primitive-order or screen-order rendering, such as deferred rendering. The sampling mechanism can be used in any application that performs visibility queries or ray marching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very challenging to de-interlace high-definition videos in real time, as both good visual quality and low complexity should be fulfilled, which, however, are conflicting. To resolve the conflict, a syntax-based de-interlacer is proposed specially for H.264-coded videos, by which the values of the syntax elements (SE) in H.264 bitstreams, such as macroblock-type, intra-prediction modes, and motion vectors (MV), are used to detect edge and motion, estimate the MV, and select proper local de-interlacing algorithms accordingly. A verification mechanism is also proposed to make sure the referred SE values are reliable. The experimental results show that the proposed de-interlacer provides better visual quality than common ones and can de-interlace 1080i sequences in real time on PCs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes an approach to implement the 3D visualization of oil spill based on tidal hydrodynamic model. It simulates tidal current of M2 component tide in Jiaozhou Bay. The simulation results conform to the tidal theory and probably conform to the flow measurement report of crude oil pier Phase III at Qingdao Harbor. Based on tidal current and eye-point related adaptive ocean surface mesh model, by analyzing the drift and diffusion mathematical models of oil spill on the sea, the dynamic visualization of drift and diffusion course of oil on the sea were implemented, the visualization result is satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]