Cooperative Design, Visualization, and Engineering

This article examines applications of Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) in architectural and engineering collaboration. These applications can be split into four SAR configurations supported by an innovative software program (SketSha) which enables remote sharing of graphic documents and annotations in real time; remote expert consultation, collaborative design, project review and group evaluation are all implemented in collaborative design training.

Analysis of how SAR affects instrumented training activities is qualitatively conducted on four axes: (1) the status of the object being collaboratively designed; (2) the status of the document as an intermediary object for collaboration; (3) the status of the participants in aiding collective intelligence to emerge and (4) the status of workspace as we question the "co-presence / remote" dichotomy in synchronous relations.

The building facade interacts with its neighboring environment as an active element; therefore it is unreasonable to conceive the facade as merely a dividing entity between the interior and the exterior. The envelope system of smart building can dynamically improve dwelling conditions by intelligently reacting to climate changes. This research proposes a collaborative responsive building façade design method using sensor and actuator network. By synchronizing both virtual and physical models, the design state of the change or improve simultaneously. This study reflects the lighting level data among the various environmental elements to design responsive façade prototype. We utilized motion sensors to detect the movement of designer’s gestures for creating more intuitive design process.

Information permeated in a daily life through ambient urban media may have positive effects on people’s behavior and consciousness. This approach can be adapted to enhance sustainable building design in an educational environment. In this paper, information about sustainable building design is provided and the visualized evaluation is fed back, as a way to encourage sustainable building design. In addition, to maximize the effect of the interaction between competition and cooperation among students, we have applied a game theory approach called ‘prisoner’s dilemma’. Information visualization is effective to change the focus of interests in the students’ design and a game theory helps produce a variety of design alternatives. The method can improve the design capabilities and change the students’ consciousness as well.

Distributed working groups rely on collaboration systems that promote working on a project cooperatively over a distance. However, conventional systems for remote cooperative work do not transport important non-verbal cues of face-to-face communication like eye-contact or gaze awareness that would be available in co-located collaboration. Additionally, reference material and annotation tools should be readily accessible for all users. The screen layout should moreover create awareness for the transmitted video of remote participants and reference material alike and allow users to easily follow both at the same time. This paper describes how the presented system Face

2

Face meets these requirements and thereby supports the collaborative design process. Furthermore, the performance of the system is evaluated in order to validate its practical applicability.

The initiation of a cultural event provided the basis for this research project: An intercultural artistic dialogue connected two almost deserted railway stations in Germany and in Brazil. One band performed in the station hall in Germany which was linked via live stream to the station in Brazil. In this station at the same time one Brazilian band performed.

For this intercontinental event neither language nor translation was required, as other artistic means were used. The room, the music, the lighting and the presence of the people provided an atmosphere for interaction, which exceeded the level of communication that would have been achieved through language. The fast pace of technological progress is intertwined with the rapid development of global networks extending to the whole world. New interactive structures and relationships created a new dimension of intercultural communication, which seems essential for the organization and implementation of global processes. Exchange and communication are primarily based on mutual understanding.

Stereoscopic (3D) models and visualizations are used in many fields of research, engineering and even art. Low-latency sharing of such models can enable distributed real-time collaboration on various topics. We discuss technical aspects to achieve low latency and present our experience during a field trial of distributed collaboration in engineering.

Monitor, control and process data on top of distributed networks has been a trending topic in the past few years, with ubiquity being adjective to computing and, gradually, the Internet of Things becoming a reality in home and factory automation or Ambient Assisted Living (

aal

). Still, there is a general lack of knowledge and best practices on how to build systems that integrate devices and services from third-parties which connect dynamically with each other. Recurring problems such as security, clustering, message passing, deployment and other orchestration details also lack a standardized solution. The authors describe a platform that simplifies the bootstrap and maintenance of such complex systems, presenting its application in an

aal

scenario. Such platform could orchestrate most distributed systems, possibly setting a pattern for distributed ubiquitous computing.

Online technologies are already fully integrated into almost every domain of activity. We want to better understand if and how these tools assist groups of people in their architectural conception process. By looking at cooperation, collaboration and coordination moments from the architecturological point of view we hope to associate cognitive operations of conception to the use of certain online tools. The purpose of this research is to build a theoretical model of the collective architectural conception process in relation to the use of basic online tools.

Since most of the existing smartphone-based learning systems are asynchronous, smartphone-based synchronous learning systems became available recently. However, the display of smartphone is not large enough for students to recognize lecture slides with annotation, which can lead to the poor learning experience. Thus, we propose a tablet-based synchronous mobile learning system that allows users to watch the ongoing lecture video and presentation slides with annotation as well as to send text feedback to an instructor on a tablet in real time. Most of the students mentioned that they felt more focused during the lecture with the presented tablet-based learning system because the slide and annotation is easier to recognize and typing questions is easier and quicker than smartphone-based learning system.

The main purpose of this paper is to present a service called Teaching Assistant. The aim of the assistant is to facilitate the task and assessment management in collaborative learning scenarios. This assistant intends to help instructors to design and to evaluate collaborative learning tasks in this type of scenarios. For the development of the Teaching Assistant we defined an instructional model based on the Group Investigation method. The implementation of the assistant is embedded into the Learning Management System Moodle. Nowadays, a research study has been performing with students and instructors at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, UPB-Montería (Colombia). The objective of the study is to identify the effect of the Teaching Assistant in the design process of the collaborative learning scenarios scripted by the instructors in Moodle. Specifically, how the assistant decreases the time used in this process. Due to this improvement, the learning experiences can be better.

The Social Media is a term used to define a wide range of network tools or technologies, which deal with the social aspects of internet as a channel of communication, collaboration and creative expression. This type of environments has been used for educational practices in different areas, competing sometimes with e-learning institutional environments, such as the Learning Management Systems (LMS).

This paper proposes the extension of a specific LMS, Moodle, through Social Media services. This plugin provide the interaction and collaboration of all users. The main aim of the proposed approach is to enrich the existing educational process provided by this LMS.

Collective classification algorithms with underlying network structure of related entities are a powerful modelling tool that can address collaborative decision making problems. The paper presents the usage of collective classification algorithms for classification problem in which unknown nodes are assigned with classes based on the classes of known nodes. In such problem the classification decision for particular node is inferred from collaborative knowledge of nodes with known classes and underlying network connections. The paper considers Iterative Classification (ICA) and Loopy Belief Propagation (LBP) algorithms applied in various network configurations for collaborative decision making. The experimental results revealed that greater number of output classes decreases classification accuracy and LBP outperforms ICA for dense network structures while it is worse for sparse networks.

Decision trees are helpful decision support tools, due to their graphical nature and the easiness to obtain them from data. Unfortunately, decision tree size tends to grow according to the complexity of the learning data, which may be problematic in real world settings. This paper proposes an original solution to reduce the size of decision trees by taking user preferences into account. More specifically, we present a user-driven algorithm that automatically transforms data in order to construct simpler decision tree. A prototype has been implemented, and the benefits are shown on several UCI datasets.

Nowadays, several wireless location systems have been developed in the research world. The goal of these systems has always been to find as greatest accuracy as possible. But, if every node takes data from the environment, we could gather a lot of information, which may help us to know what is happening around our network. In order to obtain the correct conclusion, we have developed an algorithm based on interlinking data. These data come from several nodes, and each node can give us one or several parameters. Our algorithm deals these data cooperatively in order to find the connection between them and provide the environmental behavior. This algorithm is based on statistical methods due to the fact that it involves an observational experiment. Finally, our cooperative decision making algorithm is tested on a wireless location system. The results show that this algorithm works properly and we are able to know what is happening around our wireless location system when we use it.

This research is focused in a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) strategy for New Technology Based Enterprises (NTBE) for solving difficulties for integrating the product requirements and for improving the collaboration with the external contributors that occur in almost all the PLM stages, considering the limited resources of a Small Enterprise. In this work, we analyze a case study of the collaboration between a New Technology Based Enterprise, its Suppliers and Customers and we present a Product Requirement Representation considering the International Standard ISO 10303-0239. After the analysis and with the presented product representation, we propose a PLM Reference Model and an implementation of Open Source Software as a low cost solution for enabling PLM in this kind of business collaborative environment.

Domain-Specific Modelling Languages (DSMLs) are high-level languages specially designed to perform tasks in a particular domain. When developing DSMLs, the participation of end-users is normally limited to providing domain knowledge and testing the resulting language prototypes. Language developers, which are perhaps not domain experts, are therefore in control of the language development and evolution. This may cause misinterpretations which hamper the development process and the quality of the DSML. Thus, it would be beneficial to promote a more active participation of end-users in the development process of DSMLs. While current DSML workbenches are mono-user and designed for technical experts, we present a process and tool support for the example-driven, collaborative construction of DSMLs in order to engage end-users in the creation of their own languages.

To quickly coordinate conflicts in product performance design, a transformation bridge method was proposed. Specifically, the design problems of performance conflicts were analyzed in terms of the quantification and collaboration. Based on the analysis, the mathematical models for conflict resolution and correlation function were developed. Thus the relationship between performance and design variables could be identified, and then used for searching similar cases from a repository. In addition, a core solution was developed by identifying the correlation among performance, combining the collaborative resolution method and case-based reasoning. The transformation bridge method was leveraging the extensibility of the basic-elements. Furthermore, the method for obtaining revised solutions was developed based on extension theory in particular the transformation operator and the cyclic transformation based on performance constraints, as the core of the approach to product performance optimization. The viability is evaluated in a case of screw air compressor design.

Wireless sensor and actor networks constitute one of the supporting technologies for cooperative applications. Particularly, in the case of environmental monitoring systems, ambient conditions can be conveniently modified by means of the so-called actuators (actors), which are driven by commands issued by a decision-making process on the basis of the information gathered by sensor nodes. In this context, sensor nodes are typically deployed at strategic locations on the basis of application requirements. These locations may be far apart from each other, leading to unfeasible or highly energy-consuming transmission distances. This paper provides an assessment of the impact of relay node insertion on performance and reliability.

Quad-copters, sometimes called quad-rotors or quad-rotor helicopters, are currently a very popular platform for robotics research, primarily due to their properties, such as small size and mechanical simplicity. Coordination in multi-robot systems is one of the open issues of swarm robotics. Space exploration and mapping are crucial abilities of mobile robots for the intelligent autonomous systems. This paper proposes a solution for space exploration and surveillance based on several biologically inspired methods and algorithms. The best form to represent the results form research simulations is the 3D visualization. The paper also describes the developed tool for visualization of more than one quad-copters as mobile agents during simulation.

Sentiment analysis is a relatively new engineering problem in the domain of Natural Language Processing. Its crucial tool are sentiment polarities assigned to synsets (synonym sets) corresponding to abstract meanings existing the natural language. Synsets, together with their lexico-semantic relations are the essential components of every WordNet. The main idea of a new approach to sentiment assignment in WordNet based on relational propagation is presented in the paper.

The focus of teaching and learning within Coventry University’s Automotive and Industrial Design course is to equip students with a passport to enter their professional community of practice [1] [2].

One of the core competencies contained within this passport is co-operative working and teamwork - seen as a fundamental aspect of the creative design process, from concept to production - and this is seen as a threshold concept within the course.

Therefore, to provide designers for industry it is imperative the discipline of co-operative working is part of the learning process as designers will be expected to interact with a wide range of disciplines ‘such as engineering, business, sociology, and psychology, among others’. [3]. And, in today’s global world, designers will often be expected to do so across geographical boundaries.

This paper presents four case studies, underpinned by feedback and work outputs designed to foster co-operative learning, from each year of the automotive and industrial design course.

The paper presents the concept of project life cycle optimization, which is based on the formalization of domain knowledge and decomposition of the controlled system into subsystems. The formalization of knowledge concerns each of the individual subsystems by describing its states and functions. Such an approach can greatly reduce costs and time, which is needed for multiple iterations during the project life cycle. This is because the formalization of knowledge simplifies modifications of the control system software and architecture, which means that there is no need to commence the designing process again. Moreover, owing to the presented approach, creation of ontology and more advanced control systems (e.g. multiagent based algorithms) are significantly shortened and simplified. The presented solution is currently being implemented in the designing process of a real micro-grid.

The paper presents the requirements and challenges to collaborative design related to the design of vessels for offshore operations in the Arctic area. We look into the design process of offshore service vessels in environments characterized by high volatility and complexity. Due to increased complexity as to functionality, the number of stakeholders and uncertainty as to environmental aspects more information from different sources have to be included, also encompassing long trial periods with user feedback. This has implications for the construction processes and the open interplay with partners in an open innovation approach.

Planning is crucial in the success of construction projects and 4D/nD simulation is an innovative approach to improve it. Because construction planning is mainly a collaborative activity, the collaborative use of 4D/nD simulation is growing in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC), following the implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) workprocesses. Multiple scientific research works have been devoted to collaborative 4D/nD simulation. Major software editors in the industry are also proposing solutions to develop it. But many challenges remain such as adapting visualization or optimizing collaboration processes. To be able to address these challenges, it is important firstly to conceptualize the notion of collaborative 4D/nD construction simulation. This article is based on an understanding of collective activity in the AEC industry, and theoretical elements from Simulation and CSCW scientific fields. It provides a generic definition and identifies the key components to consider in the improvement of collaborative 4D/nD simulation tools.

The phenomenon of Urban heat islands (UHI) is most pronounced in areas with high urbanization and complex phenomena, in which the domains of interaction between humans and the environment are not standardized. In this context, an approach fairly attentive to agents’ (particularly human) behaviors represents an interesting research perspective. The paper works on analyses carried out in a case-study of public condo housing owned by the Institute of social housing (IACP) in Bari (Italy), starting from a knowledge base collected through focus-group experimental sessions. Fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) is particularly dealt with, and a model based on

FCMapper®

tool allows the use of local knowledge of stakeholders’ analysis for ecological modelling and environmental management in a bottom-up-decision-making process. The paper follows and completes a previous work presented and discussed in CDVE 2011.

The paper presents the work-in-progress on a Group Support System for cooperative implementation of control algorithms according to IEC 61499 standard that also enables integration with experimental pilot-plants. The state-of-the-art of the presented problems is presented and the already completed parts of the framework. The described work-in-progress concentrates on industrial connectibility, downtimeless dynamic reconfiguration and conflict resolution. The described project is promising due to the increasing role of the IEC 61499 standard in the industrial practice and because of the lack of similar educational solutions.

Practitioners of the construction sector require improved Information Technology (IT) Services to support their collaborative work. In usual service design processes, business experts gather requirements and collaborate with designers (e.g. Software Engineers or HCI experts) through modeling phases to develop adapted solutions. Our main hypothesis is that improving modeling and mapping of these different perspectives will enhance such service’s design processes. Based on the analysis of parallel research fields, this paper addresses this issue, and proposes a method to adapt IT-supported services to business practices. This method is based on a structured approach aiming at (1) identifying Collective Practices, (2) focusing on actors’ Individual Practices and Operations, (3) distinguishing different technology-related Usages and finally (4) selecting or designing adapted IT services relying on previous analysis. An example based on sustainable project practices illustrates the approach.

Forming networks through co-operation between different companies has become an important business strategy for SMEs. This brings about the prospect of ad hoc integration of processes across organisational boundaries to support collaborations. This paper aims at providing a breakthrough in the support of SME networks for building up and executing collaborative business processes in dynamic virtual organisations based on service-oriented workflow system.

In this paper a framework for cooperative testing, implementation and learning of control algorithms for the purpose of controlling experimental pilot-plants is presented. It is based on the principles stated in the IEC61499 standard. The proposed framework enables modification of the control algorithm structure without rewriting the main software component executed on the programmable automation controller (PAC). Functions realized by particular blocks may be changed dynamically during the runtime. The framework is implemented in LabVIEW enabling implementation of algorithms containing advanced analysis functions and complex control algorithms by multiple users, providing an effective practical group support system.

This paper presents and demonstrates the main benefits and limitations of the BIM technology in sustainable renovation projects. The built environment is acknowledged as a value both as material and cultural resource to be preserved. The set of buildings that constitutes the built environment represents a valuable deposit of meanings and knowledge. A proper conservation of the built environment is expressed by a sustainable use of materials and territories/lands that have to be preserved for the future generations. Furthermore, undertaking a sustainable way to renovate the buildings means to improve the quality of life and health of people/inhabitants. There are many differences between the design of new buildings from scratch and the renovation of existing buildings. In the latter case, the designer has to tackle the difficulties that arise from the real buildings, represented by a set of constraints (i.e.: walls, beams, spaces, etc.). Digital tools, and in particular Building Information Modeling (BIM), make manageable and improve the design, organization and construction of renovation projects. The benefits using BIM during cooperative design for sustainable renovation projects affect the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economical and social) but there are also limitations that delay its diffusion in this field within the AEC sector.

The purpose of this research is to propose an interactive decision making environment for design optimization of Climate Adaptive Building Shells (CABS). As the success of the CABS is highly dependent on the decision-making between design process and building performance simulation, we propose the effective design process and the method of information visualization. To reach the goal, first we optimize the motion state of kinetic facade using both the generative parametric design and building environmental performance simulation. Second we represent information for easy decision-making. This research can enhance the advantage of the CABS in terms of building life-cycle.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a technology that can be applied in numerous fields, such as construction management, facility operation and structure and MEP design. BIM enables the representations of digital building information at any construction stages. However, very few instances have been investigated regarding how to apply BIM to effectively facilitate the collaborative work such as planning, design, and information sharing. This paper introduces a collaborative mobile system which integrates a context-aware Augmented Reality (AR) visualization with BIM. The BIM plus AR system visualizes the as-planned data onto the as-built environment. The applications based on this system give the possibility of using this system to address some of the real problems and issues from Australian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) construction industry, such as low productivity in retrieving information, tendency of committing error in assembly, low efficiency of communication and problem solving, etc.

We present a visualization platform for managing software tests. First, the platform provides the developer with all useful information about code complexity, coverage and current test status. Second, the platform allows following the progress of the test, and in particular running selective tests and updating automatically the test information at every new versions of the software application under test or its specifications. The platform is designed to be incorporated in an Integrated Development Environment such as Eclipse.

The paper presents studies on the improvement and development of cooperation methods for cost optimization in power supply systems using polygeneration technology. A support for cooperating operators, which are responsible for maintenance and supervision of the power supply system, is realized by means of appropriately chosen mathematical models and ontology based knowledge sharing and management idea. Ontology based approach enables various pieces of the integrated system to cooperate more autonomously by optimizing and reducing their need for communication. In effect, the system operators are provided with strictly necessary information on: the functioning of devices, the number of operating states, available control strategies and the actual and expected prices of electricity. Based on this information, the system operators are able to take appropriate decisions leading to cost reduction and to maintain reliability of the power supply system at the desired level for various operating conditions.