[EVENT] Singapore HCI Society -- September Meeting

[Kevin McGee]

Topic: FOUR TALKS - The Future Cities Laboratory (Singapore-ETH Centre)

Date: Wednesday, 26th September 2012

Time: 6.00-7.30pm

Venue: NUS CREATE Tower, 6th floor, Value Lab Asia

Directions: CREATE Tower, 6th floor, Value Lab Asia. Please sign in at the front desk. http://www.futurecities.ethz.ch/contact/

The Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) is a transdisciplinary research centre focused on urban sustainability in a global frame. It is the first research programme of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability (SEC). It is home to a community of over 100 PhD, postdoctoral and Professorial researchers working on diverse themes related to future cities and environmental sustainability. More info at http://www.futurecities.ethz.ch/

The Future Cities Laboratory’s Simulation Platform: A Framework for Urban Design Support

Dr Stefan Müller Arisona

The Future Cities Laboratory (FCL), located at ETH Zurich’s Singapore-ETH Centre, is a multi-disciplinary and multi-faceted project dedicated to urban research. As one of the 10 research modules, the Simulation Platform with questions revolving around urban data. Specifically, it researches new methods for better understanding ever growing amounts of urban data, and develops techniques to make this knowledge available to decision makers, urban planners and stakeholders. This presentation provides an overview of the Future Cities Laboratory the Simulation Platform, and the Value Lab Asia, which was completed in March 2012 and is equipped with large very-high-resolution displays and multi-touch surfaces. The lab serves as a collaborative, digitally augmented environment where emerging methods are validated and applied.

Biography: Dr. Stefan Müller Arisona is a Principal Investigator at ETH Zurich's Future Cities Laboratory and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His main interests are at the intersections of science, art and technology, and his research focuses on interactive and generative design tools, on computer-assisted techniques for architectural and urban modelling and simulation. Stefan graduated in Electrical Engineering at ETH Zurich, completed his PhD at the University of Zurich in 2004, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2007 - 2008. As an artist, DJ and VJ, he has performed internationally and his artworks have appeared worldwide at renowned venues such as Zurich’s Cabaret Voltaire, the Ars Electronica Center in Linz and Singapore's Zouk Club. http://my.arch.ethz.ch/stefanmu

Fusion of Multi-sources Data for Heritage Site Reconstruction

Dr Xianfeng Huang

Abstract: High quality texture is very important for modelling of objects with abound of colour changing, details texture patterns. In this project, we select culture heritage site as the reconstruction object using multiple data sources including airborne laser scanning data, terrestrial laser scanning data, and images from camera. we proposed a method on non-rigid texture mapping and adjust for reconstruction of high fidelity textures. In contains: 1) using thin-plate spline to adjust the matching of texture and 3D geometry model; 2) considering of intensity information of laser scanning data as the matching elements; 3) investigate the non-rigid texture mapping algorithm on complex surface, which can adjust the texture at connection part of two texture images.

Biography: Xianfeng Huang is senior researcher of Future Cities Lab of ETH. He finished PhD studying on Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing at State Key Lab. of Surveying, mapping and remote sensing( LIESMARS ) of  Wuhan University in 2006. Since 2003, he focused on laser scanning data processing and modelling for nine years.  Before joining FCL, he worked as assistant professor at LIESMARS during 2006-2008, and associate professor at the same laboratory since 2008. He was also visiting researcher of Microsoft Research Asia working on computer graphics. He was the technique leader of Digital Dunhuang project supported by China government, and his work was widely reported by news and media.

Using Tangible and Gestural Interfaces for Urban Design Support

Eva Friedrich

Abstract: I am interested in interactive design support tools that use tangible and gestural interfaces, such as multitouch devices or Microsoft's Kinect. I am exploring the possibilities of real time analysis of urban spatial structures, for example, street networks, transportation systems or energy structures. The analysis tools within this framework covers topics such as accessibility, pedestrian flows, level of service, visibility. The purpose is to provide an interactive environment for designers to interact with these spatial structures and to test options whilst providing them with key performance indicators in real time.

Biography: Eva Friedrich was trained as an architect in Germany with a special interest in urban economics and urban morphology, digital analysis and design techniques. Before coming to FCL, she worked at the architectural firm Foster+Partners, London, UK, as part of the urban design team. She was involved in developing novel simulation solutions to model key indicators related to urban economics, urban accessibility and pedestrian forecasting as an input to design projects, such as the masterplan of the city of Masdar, UAE, the masterplan for the West Kowloon cultural district in Hong Kong, or the design for the new Apple campus. From 2005 to 2010, she worked at Space Syntax Ltd, based in London. She became head of research and development in 2009. She was leading on the research of new design, analysis and visualization methodologies applied to space syntax practice and the development of a GIS software platform to support consultancy projects. In application of the digital technologies, she has been working on several research and knowledge transfer projects covering the problems of urban morphology, urban network analysis, pedestrian movement and socio-economic phenomena.

MetroBuzz: Interactive Visualization of Urban Transportation Data

Zeng Wei

Abstract: MetroBuzz is a prototype system designed for visualizing large amounts of spatiotemporal data, and for interacting with the dataset in a way that is both interesting from scientific viewpoint as well as for a broader non-expert audience. At its core, MetroBuzz generalizes activities in urban networks, specified as origin-destination trip information in terms of series of line segments in 3D space. These 3D elements are stored in a spatial index that allows to quickly retrieve relevant data. Based on this, interactive tools have been implemented on mobile devices to define queries on the spatial index in an intuitive manner. Such tools can be applied in the case of large public transport and taxi datasets.

Biography: Zeng Wei is a PhD student at ETH Zurich's Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore registered at Nanyang Technological University. He received his bachelor degree from the School of Computer Engineering at NTU in May of 2011. His main interests include information visualization, computer vision and HCI. His PhD topic focuses on designing and implementing new way of interacting and communicating with mobile devices to support onsite and remote urban design and planning.