IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 84

COMPUTATIONAL RESOURCE GROWTH
The continuous growth of computational resources and the
implementation of new and improved numerical methodologies are fueling the development of computer-aided tools that
are significantly changing the way engineering problems are
approached. Among the different tools, CAD methodologies
play an important role due to their wide support in different
areas of engineering, architecture, and computer graphics.
Recent developments in this field have made it possible to
build virtual prototypes of complex systems, starting from the
definition of the three-dimensional (3-D) shapes and including the simulation of kinematic, dynamic, structural, fluid-dynamic,
and electromagnetic behavior. These tools represent a cost-saving,
relevant aid for engineers and designers, improving the quality and reliability of the designed products and reducing the
time to market.
The building of virtual prototypes is becoming standard in
all engineering design processes. The first step concerns the
definition of the 3-D geometries by combining features and
operations to produce a final shape [1]. The approach is suitable for mechanical components, but it has some limitations for
complex-shaped esthetic parts or organic geometries. In order
to build such objects, virtual sculpting may be used [2], [3].
In engineering, virtual sculpting is often limited because it
requires extensive training, computational resources, and has
some practical complications. First, it requires efficient and
robust instruments for supporting shape modification. Sculpting actions are often limited to simple idealized tools, far from
practical engineering applications that may require functional
constraints [4]. Mesh morphing is an option to overtake these
complications. Computer graphics make use of morphing for
3-D character animation and complex modeling where the
accuracy of the shape or the movement is not important.
One of these techniques is free-form deformation (FFD)
[5], which deforms volumes by using a trivariate Bernstein
polynomial. FFD is meshless and produces nice shapes, especially for controlling free surfaces. However, FFD lacks precision and makes it difficult to prescribe exact deformation
fields that are often required in engineering. Furthermore, it
is not suitable for direct modeling by touching the surfaces.
Another meshless technique is RBF interpolation [6]. The
use of RBF as a geometric modeling tool is still confined to
special applications [7] because standard procedures for
selecting RBFs define a general morphing problem are missing, making the method especially attractive in the computer
graphics field [8]. One of the barriers in diffusion of RBFbased mesh morphing in CAE applications was the high
numerical complexity of the numerical implementation. Full
supported functions suitable for high quality mesh morphing
have a computational cost that grows cubically with the number of centers used to set up the problem. The first industrial
solution for advanced mesh morphing of CAE models was
introduced in 2009 [9] using the software RBF Morph
(www.rbf-morph.com). It was originally conceived as an addon for the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver
ANSYS Fluent [10] and later implemented as a standalone
84 IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine

^

march 2018

piece of software, adopted as the morphing technology in the
European Union Seventh Framework Programme for
Research and Technological Development RBF4AERO project (www.rbf4aero.eu).
This article demonstrates how mesh morphing can be used
as a modeling tool for reshaping surfaces. However, an RBF
smoother can also propagate the deformation from the surface into the volume meshes with minimum distortion, especially if a biharmonic spline is adopted, as reported in [11],
where a CAD-driven mesh morphing approach is presented.
The aforementioned concept, thanks to the meshless nature
of the RBF method, makes the approach interesting for fluidstructure interaction (FSI) applications that are typical for
aeronautics. In this field, RBF4AERO demonstrates how
high-fidelity CAE models (with millions of node counts) can
be effectively managed for FSI [12] and how shape optimization can be achieved using a coupled FSI approach [13]. Mesh
morphing can be adopted in other industrial fields, including
nautical [14], automotive [15], [16], biomechanics, and medicine [17], [18].
Despite the variety of established CAE applications, the
mesh morphing for an engineering simulation remains a complicate and delicate task. While standard modeling features
such as protrusion, cut, sweep, and loft follow rigid procedural rules, the sculpting has many degrees of freedom (DoF).
Also, executing the modeling steps on a virtual prototype
using a two-dimensional display makes the perception of the
3-D space difficult, limiting the capability of the aforementioned methodologies.
Starting from this background, we present and discuss the
details of an innovative methodology for achieving sculpting
performances for engineering purposes by enhancing the interaction capabilities and the computational performance. To
increase the interaction, the methodology is implemented into an
AR environment (see Figure 1). The AR is an emergent methodology where the real world and virtual contents are merged
together, giving the illusion of a unique world [19], [20]. Currently, most AR research is concerned with the use of live video
imagery, which is digitally processed and augmented in real time
by the addition of computer-generated graphics. Scientific literature reports an increasing interest for the development of applications on AR in many different technical and academic fields
[21], [22]. The availability of affordable hardware resources in
the last several years has led to an exponential increase in the
number of studies showing the capability of AR for supporting
engineering activities from modeling to assembling and simulation [23]-[25]. For the specific purpose of this article, the AR
allows for an immersive space where the user can explore the
geometry under investigation in a more realistic way to help
facilitate the morphing tasks [26].
The level of interaction between the user and the augmented scene is also increased by the integration of a haptic
device that is able to give a force feedback. A haptic device
can recreate the sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations,
or motions to the user [27]. This stimulation can assist the
designer in the creation, control, and modification of virtual


http://www.rbf4aero.eu http://www.rbf-morph.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018

Contents
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - Cover1
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - Cover2
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - Contents
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 2
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 3
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 4
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 5
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 6
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 7
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 8
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 9
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 10
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 11
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 12
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 13
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 14
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 15
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 16
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 17
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 18
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 19
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 20
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 21
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 22
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 23
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 24
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 25
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 26
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 27
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 28
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 29
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 30
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 31
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 32
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 33
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 34
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 35
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 36
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 37
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 38
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 39
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 40
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 41
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 42
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 43
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 44
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 45
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 46
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 47
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 48
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 49
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 50
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 51
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 52
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 53
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 54
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 55
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 56
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 57
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 58
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 59
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 60
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 61
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 62
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 63
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 64
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 65
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 66
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 67
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 68
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 69
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 70
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 71
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 72
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 73
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 74
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 75
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 76
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 77
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 78
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 79
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 80
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 81
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 82
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 83
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 84
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 85
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 86
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 87
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 88
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 89
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 90
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 91
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 92
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 93
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 94
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 95
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 96
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 97
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 98
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 99
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 100
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 101
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 102
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 103
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 104
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 105
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 106
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 107
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 108
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 109
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 110
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 111
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 112
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 113
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 114
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 115
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 116
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 117
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 118
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 119
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - 120
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - Cover3
IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - March 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20240102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20231112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20230910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20230708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20230506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20230304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20230102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20221112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20220910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20220708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20220506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20220304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20220102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20211112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20210910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20210708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_july2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_april2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_january2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_october2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_july2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_april2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_january2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_october2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_july2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_april2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/consumerelectronics_january2015
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com