Projector-Based Textures for 3D-Printed Models - Tangible Molecular Visualization

Information

• Publication Type: Master Thesis
• Workgroup(s)/Project(s):
  • Visual Computing: Illustrative Visualization
• Date: 2015
• Date (Start): October 2014
• Date (End): October 2015
• Diploma Examination: 12. November 2015
• First Supervisor:
  • Manuela Waldner
  • Johanna Schmidt
  • Ivan Viola
• Keywords: augmented reality, 3D textures, biomedical visualization

Abstract

The now widely available 3D-printing technology enables structural molecular biologists to easily produce tangible models of large and complex molecules, which can aid them in understanding their spatial structure. Those models, however, are static and often monochrome, therefore their information content cannot compete with existing screenbased visualization solutions. Following the paradigm of spatial augmented reality, we present an approach to dynamically visualize molecular properties directly on the surface of 3D-printed tangible models, using a digital projector. We developed a prototype system consisting of hardware and software, that enables the tracking of the tangible model and the rendering of colorcoded molecular properties, which are then projected onto the tangible surface. Using knowledge about the geometry of the molecular model, the optical properties of the digital projector and the exact spatial relation between projector and model, the rendered projections are updated in real-time, such that they stay registered with the tangible model during user interaction. We evaluated the usability and potential applicability of the developed system by collecting feedback from domain experts from the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology.

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BibTeX

@mastersthesis{textures-3d-printing,
  title =      "Projector-Based Textures for 3D-Printed Models - Tangible
               Molecular Visualization",
  author =     "Simon Brenner",
  year =       "2015",
  abstract =   "The now widely available 3D-printing technology enables
               structural molecular biologists to easily produce tangible
               models of large and complex molecules, which can aid them in
               understanding their spatial structure. Those models,
               however, are static and often monochrome, therefore their
               information content cannot compete with existing screenbased
               visualization solutions. Following the paradigm of spatial
               augmented reality, we present an approach to dynamically
               visualize molecular properties directly on the surface of
               3D-printed tangible models, using a digital projector. We
               developed a prototype system consisting of hardware and
               software, that enables the tracking of the tangible model
               and the rendering of colorcoded molecular properties, which
               are then projected onto the tangible surface. Using
               knowledge about the geometry of the molecular model, the
               optical properties of the digital projector and the exact
               spatial relation between projector and model, the rendered
               projections are updated in real-time, such that they stay
               registered with the tangible model during user interaction.
               We evaluated the usability and potential applicability of
               the developed system by collecting feedback from domain
               experts from the fields of biochemistry and molecular
               biology.",
  address =    "Favoritenstrasse 9-11/E193-02, A-1040 Vienna, Austria",
  school =     "Institute of Computer Graphics and Algorithms, Vienna
               University of Technology ",
  keywords =   "augmented reality, 3D textures, biomedical visualization",
  URL =        "https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2015/textures-3d-printing/",
}