Physics-based Modeling, Real-time Simulation, Distributed Virtual
Environment, and Rendering Efficiency

Jim X. Chen, Ph.D.
Department of Computer Science
George Mason University


Abstract

I present an overview of several related research projects at the
Computer Graphics Lab, George Mason University: Graphical Simulation
of Fluids (Funded by US Army STRICOM), Knee Surgery Assistance System
(Funded by Edward MacMahon, M.D.), DEVISE (Funded by US Dept. of
Education), MUVEs (Funded by NSF), and Fast Line Antialiasing
Algorithms. Some descriptions and images are at
http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~jchen/exhibit.html

1. Real-time Simulation of Fluid Behavior

Graphical simulation of realistic fluid behavior in real time is
challenging.  We introduce our methods and results in achieving both
realistic and real-time dust and water behaviors. The methods include
using simplified computational fluid dynamics, physics-based modeling,
and particle systems.  The results are useful in training, education,
and entertainment.

2. Knee Surgery Assistance System

A knee surgery assistance system is constructed that includes generating
patient-specific 3D knee models from patient's magnetic resonant images
(MRIs), simulating knee motion on the patient-specific knee model, and
visualizing biomechanical information on the model. The system supports
virtual surgery study and practices. Our work is the first effort in
integrating 3D reconstruction, motion simulation, and biomechanical
visualization into one system.

3. DEVISE: Designing Environments for Virtual Immersive Science Education

The purpose of this project is to build an immersive, multi-sensory
virtual learning environment that can be used to help high school
students with learning disabilities more effectively understand
abstract scientific concepts.  Physics-based modeling and real-time
simulation are implemented in PC-based virtual environments to present
Newton's laws and other laws of physics.  Multiple sensory interface
modalities are integrated for students with physical disabilities.

4. MUVEs: Multi-User Virtual Environments for Teaching and Learning Science

This research project is creating and evaluating multi-user virtual
environments (MUVEs) that use digitized museum resources to enhance
middle school students' motivation and learning about science and its
impacts on society. MUVEs enable multiple simultaneous participants to
access virtual architectures configured for learning in networked
environments, to interact with digital artifacts, to represent
themselves through graphical "avatars," to communicate both with other
participants and with computer-based agents, and to enact
collaborative activities of various types. George Mason University's
(GMU) Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality Labs, Harvard University's
Graduate School of Education, the Division of Information Technology
and Society in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History,
and pilot teachers from the Gunston Middle School in Arlington,
Virginia are co-designing these MUVEs and implementing them in a
variety of middle school settings.

5. Fast Line Drawing and Antialiasing Algorithms

We present our line drawing and antialiasing methods that are more than 10
times faster than existing algorithms under certain conditions.

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Jim's Short Bio

Jim X. Chen is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer
Science at George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax, Virginia. His
research interests are in computer graphics, virtual reality,
visualization, and distributed interactive simulation. He received his
PhD in computer science from the University of Central Florida in
1995.  Prior to joining GMU in 1995, he was a visual systems scientist
at Institute for Simulation and Training, Orlando, Florida.

Jim is currently the director of the Computer Graphics Lab at GMU,
visualization department editor of IEEE Computing in Science &
Engineering (CiSE), and program co-chair of IEEE Virtual Reality
2002. Jim is recently recommended unanimously both in the department
and in the school at GMU for promotion. The provost has confirmed that
his promotion to tenured associate professor will be effective on
August 25.

Contact Jim at: jchen@cs.gmu.edu; http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~jchen