Molecule-Rendering in Unity3D

Information

• Publication Type: Bachelor Thesis
• Workgroup(s)/Project(s):
  • Rendering and Modeling
• Date: September 2016
• Date (Start): October 2015
• Date (End): September 2016
• Matrikelnummer: 1225511
• First Supervisor:
  • Michael Wimmer
  • Reinhold Preiner
• Keywords: molecule visualization, Unity, rendering effects, mobile devices

Abstract

Due to their omnipresence and ease of use, smart phones are getting more and more utilized as educational instruments for different subjects, for example, visualizing molecules in a chemistry class. In domain-specific mobile visualization applications, the choice of the ideal visualization technique of molecules can vary based on the background and age of the target group, and mostly depends on the choice of a graphical designer. Designers, however, rarely have sufficient programming skills and require an engineer even for the slightest adjustment in the required visual appearance. In this thesis we present a configuration system for rendering effects implemented in Unity3D, that allows to define the visual appearance of a molecule in a JSON file without the need of programming knowledge. We discuss the technical realization of different rendering effects on a mobile platform, and demonstrate our system and its versatility on a commercial chemistry visualization app, creating different visual styles for molecule renderings that are appealing to students as well as scientists and advertisement.

Additional Files and Images

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BibTeX

@bachelorsthesis{prost-2016-molecule,
  title =      "Molecule-Rendering in Unity3D",
  author =     "Lukas Prost",
  year =       "2016",
  abstract =   "Due to their omnipresence and ease of use, smart phones are
               getting more and more utilized as educational instruments
               for different subjects, for example, visualizing molecules
               in a chemistry class. In domain-specific mobile
               visualization applications, the choice of the ideal
               visualization technique of molecules can vary based on the
               background and age of the target group, and mostly depends
               on the choice of a graphical designer. Designers, however,
               rarely have sufficient programming skills and require an
               engineer even for the slightest adjustment in the required
               visual appearance. In this thesis we present a configuration
               system for rendering effects implemented in Unity3D, that
               allows to define the visual appearance of a molecule in a
               JSON file without the need of programming knowledge. We
               discuss the technical realization of different rendering
               effects on a mobile platform, and demonstrate our system and
               its versatility on a commercial chemistry visualization app,
               creating different visual styles for molecule renderings
               that are appealing to students as well as scientists and
               advertisement. ",
  month =      sep,
  address =    "Favoritenstrasse 9-11/E193-02, A-1040 Vienna, Austria",
  school =     "Institute of Computer Graphics and Algorithms, Vienna
               University of Technology ",
  keywords =   "molecule visualization, Unity, rendering effects, mobile
               devices",
  URL =        "https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2016/prost-2016-molecule/",
}