Modeling and Interactive Walkthrough of Large CAD Models

Principal Investigator: Dinesh Manocha
Funding Agency: U.S. Army Research Office
Agency Number: DAAH04-96-1-0257

Abstract
We propose to address some fundamental research issues in modeling, display and simulation for computer-aided design and virtual environments. Our emphasis is to develop better algorithms and software systems and to demonstrate their applications. The set of problems include:

• Robust and interactive algorithms for modeling physical objects using boolean operations.
• Hierarchical and multiresolution representations of models for fast display.
• Develop a robust system to compute boundary representation of solids defined using boolean combination of sculptured models and integrate it with the BRL-CAD solid modeling system.
• Interactive display of large scale polygonal, sculptured and solid models on current graphics architectures.

We utilize a number of techniques from algebraic geometry, approximation theory, computational geometry, numerical analysis, computer-aided geometric design and computer graphics to investigate the underlying mathematical concepts and to develop more efficient and robust geometric algorithms. The resulting algorithms and systems for solid modeling will be integrated with the BRL-CAD solid modeling system and applied to engineering design, lethality and vulnerability analysis, and predictive signature models used in a number of Army applications. We will also interface our implementations with the immersion hardware at UNC and apply them to interactive walkthrough of large scale models, such as a Bradley fighting vehicle. Besides virtual environments, these algorithms and systems will have a significant impact on computer-aided design, robotics and physically-based modeling.