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NSF: Targeted Infusion Project: Development of a Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory for Research and Education |
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Development of a Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory for Research and Education at Bowie State University - will enhance the computer science and mathematics curriculum and increase research opportunities for undergraduate students by deploying Virtual and Augmented Reality (VAR) as a research and educational vehicle to immerse students in research and critical thinking challenges. The students will gain experience by using state-of-the-art VR equipment, software and technologies including 3D Wall, Head Mounted Display (HMD) that allows students to visualize complex data in three dimensional (3D) objects, working in 3D space to solve complex spatial problems, and conducting novel research through course work and research experience in the laboratory. |
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Multi‐User Airplane Evacuation Using Gaming Metaphor |
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Virtual Reality (VR) training has been used for training and education for many years in military and medical fields. We have used game creation as a metaphor in creating an experimental setup to study evacuation behavior for an airplane. Our objective is to create an experimental design setup for assessing human behavior in emergency evacuation of an aircraft among a team of players in a game set in a virtual environment. Also, our aim is to create a multi user environment to allow participants in different geographical locations to connect and be able to interact in the VR environment. |
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Course Curriculum Modules for Computer Science Students in VR |
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The goal of this project is to create course curriculum modules for computer science and mathematics students. Engineering and Mathematic courses are typically considered as difficult by college students and exhibit high failure rate. Due to the complication and abstract nature of computer hardware, it is a challenge for students to understand the principles and concepts related to computer organization. The aim is to create Virtual Reality course educational curriculum modules with more inquiry based problem-solving activities and hand-on experiences based on Virtual and Augmented Reality. We will create modules for arrays, linked list, memory mangament, trees, binary search, stacks, queues, etc. |
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Virtual City: Crowd behavior and traffic intersection problem |
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We are developing a crowd behavior capability in a virtual city where there are traffic intersection junctions for people to cross over the road. We will generate a wide variety of civilian individual and group behaviors at differing levels of fidelity. Our simulation will consist of autonomous virtual human agents walking on the side walk in the virtual 3D environment. Agents will have 3D graphic body representations. They will be able to perform certain low-level actions like playing of pre-recorded animation sequences such as gestures or walking to specified location. |
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Augmented Reality for Learning and Safety: Use ARToolkit to create an emergency response system |
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The goal of this project is to use ARTtoolkit and FLARToolKit to create a emergecny response system to help people evacuate a building. The system that give a visual represrentation of a building in 3D space, allowing people to see where exits are in the building. With FLARToolKit, an AS3 port of the Open Source library ARToolKit, one can detect a marker from an input image and calculate the camera position in 3D space. Our proposed solution would include putting the markers at key spots in the building, such that the user can use their smart phones to view the 3D representation of the building and exits. We are also exploring GPS, google maps, video to be integrated into the system. |
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Modeling and simulation of emergency response and hazardous events for aviation safety
In this project, we simulate evacuation behavior in an aircraft using a crowd component. In passed years, there has only 2D simulation and this application can be used by airlines to simulate emergency scenarios without the use of live actors. This will allow airlines to run multiple simulation under a variety of conditions which will save time and lower costs. The application can also be adapted and expanded to other industries. |
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Using Genetic Algorithim and Neural Network for learning and adaptive behavior in a goal finding application
The goal of this project is combining Genetic Algorithm (GA) with Neural Networks (NN) to explore how intelligent agents can look for exits during an evacuation. The agents have the capability to adapt their behavior in the environment and formulate their response by learning from the environment. Our approach focuses on modeling individual behavior as well as group behavior. Individuals constantly adjust their behavior according to the dynamic factors in the environment. We are developing crowd-modeling and emergency behavior modeling capability in a goal finding application. This project examines an intelligent agent-based evacuation that can help plan emergency evacuations, run numerous event-driven evacuation scenarios, support research in the areas of human behavior, and model the movement of responders and security personnel. The result of this simulation was very promising as we are able to observe the agents use GA and NN to learn how to find the various exits. |
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Virtual Reality Classroom: Educational
Virtual Learning Environment |
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This project presents a Virtual Reality Classroom
that is similar to second life. TheVR environment could
be used as an actual virtual classroom where
teachers can interact with students and deliver the lecture. The online virtual
classroom is developed so that students can interact with
each other as well as the instructor. Teachers can also use this
server/client feature for delivering lectures in an online virtual environment. |
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Simulation and Evacuation of Dulles
Airport Passengers in Emergency Scenario
The projects goal is to present the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in a Virtual Reality enviorment. The airport is situated in Chantilly, Virginia, USA. This application can be used for training a future pilot. It could also be used as an educational and training tool for depicting emergency scenarios. We will explore emergency scenarios both inside and outside the airport. Inside the airport the behaviors are evacuation, collective, cooperative, and selfish behaviors. Outside the airport we will model and simulate: Precautions during flight take off, Plane taking-off on a runway with snow, Undesirable object like bird comes in the way of flight, Bird hitting the engine during take-off, etc. |
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Simulating
and Modeling of Bowie State University's Library for Navigation and Evacuation |
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The main goal of this application is
to aid the visitors and to present VR as a tool for educational
and training. This project presents the simulation and modeling
of a Bowie State University library building in a virtual
environment. The development of virtual reality environment
makes it possible for a user to understand and observe multiple
paths that an agent would observe during navigation and evacuation.
This environment can be used via the web or through a physical
kiosk placed at the entrance of the building. This application
can also be used to simulate the evacuation behavior inside
the building. |
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Rovio Robot
for Surveillance in Emergencies |
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Rovio is a Wi-Fi enabled mobile webcam
that lets you view and interact with the environment through
streaming video and audio. Rovio can be remotely accessed
from PC or Mac, cell phone, smartphone, PDA or even a video
game console with an internet connection. Our research focuses
on dispatching rovio to the threat location to collect data
and exchange messages with other mobile/ static sensors. Our
work also focuses on wireless mesh network (WSN), intelligent
fuzzy interface system, real-time video stream data fusion,
background modeling and anomaly detection. |
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Modeling and
Simulation of Crowd Behavior |
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Many research and social interaction aspects of crowd
behavior are beyond the reach of available tools. The VR environment
is able to adapt for specific design situations and provide
insight to current perspective as well as what-if questions.
Our hypothesis is that mutual concern, helping, and co-ordination
will more likely occur when crowd members share a common identity.
The selfish behavior associated with 'mass panic' may occur
in evacuation if there is no shared identity. Our hypothesis
is that the visualization studies support the conclusion that,
where there is a strong sense of collective identity, there
will be mutual concern and helping. |
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Evacuation
Simulation and Embedded Videos |
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This project presents evacuation simulation
of a school building using virtual reality. It is well known
that crowd stampede is one of the most disastrous forms of
collective behavior caused due to panic. It leads to fatalities
as people get trampled and crushed as they fall. The application
presents a school building environment with several classrooms
with students, teachers, chairs, televisions, walls, doors
and tables.This simulation aims to aid the visitors in navigation
within the building. |
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Virtual
Reality Museum as a Tool for Learning and Education |
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The ability of Virtual Reality (VR) to
explain the principles of design, manufacturing and business
far surpasses that of books. Virtual environments (VE) provide
facility for experiential learning by allowing the students
to explore the VE at their own pace and interact in real time.
Game creation is used as a metaphor for early design education.
The VRML Museum project was conceived with the interest of
informing the public about the evolution of current manufacturing
systems. |
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