Education Paper

R. Bezin1, B. Crespin1, X. Skapin2, P. Meseure2 and O. Terraz1

1XLIM/DMI, Université de Limoges, France, 2XLIM/SIC, Université de Poitiers, France

In the context of teaching geomorphology phenomena, producing illustrations and animations can be a tedious process. We propose an experimental framework, dedicated to 3D erosion and sedimentation modeling written in C++, combined with an existing topological modeler. Using the generalized maps as the underlying 3D model, we process each case of collision between elements in the scene in order to guarantee both topological and geometrical coherence during user-defined animations. Erosion and sedimentation operations can be combined to manipulate evolution scenarios leading for example to the creation of arches, bridges, tunnels or caves. Some of these scenarios, implemented in our framework with the help of a geology teacher, are presented in this paper in order to show the technical feasibility of our project before developing new ones.

G. Papagiannakis1,2, P. Papanikoalou1,2, E. Greassidou1 and P. Trahanias1,2

1University of Crete, 2Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece

This paper presents the open-source glGA (Opengl Geometric Application) framework, a lightweight, shaderbased, comprehensive and easy to understand computer graphics (CG) teaching C++ system that is used for educational purposes, with emphasis on modern graphics and GPU application programming. This framework with the accompanying examples and assignments has been employed in the last three Semesters in two different courses at the Computer Science Department of the University of Crete, Greece. It encompasses four basic Examples and six Sample Assignments for computer graphics educational purposes that support all major desktop and mobile platforms, such as Windows, Linux, MacOSX and iOS using the same code base. We argue about the extensibility of this system, referring to an outstanding postgraduate project built on top of glGA for the creation of an Augmented Reality Environment, in which life-size, virtual characters exist in a marker-less real scene. Subsequently, we present the learning results of the adoption of this CG framework by both undergraduate and postgraduate university courses as far as the success rate and student grasp of major, modern, shader-based CG topics is concerned. Finally, we summarize the novel educative features that are implemented in glGA, in comparison with other systems, as a medium for improving the teaching of modern CG and GPU application programming.

Benjamín Hernández1 and Adriana Alvarado2

1Computer Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain,
2Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain

Recent dissemination of proprietary and third-party PC drivers and SDKs of advanced console controllers and modern interaction devices has enabled new forms of 3D, tactile and multimodal user interfaces. In this paper, we present an educational methodology which allows students to use modern interaction devices (touch screen, depth sensors, gyroscopes) and programming environments in their projects. We re-design Human Computer Interaction (T I - 2004) and Introduction to Interaction Design (TC - 1015) undergraduate courses offered at the Tecnógico de Monterrey, Mexico City Campus, based on the project based learning (PBL) technique and interaction design process. The students were building their own knowledge through the development of a semester project enabling them to demonstrate, taught, and discussed with each other what they had learned. As a result, students learned up-to-date technologies and applied successfully concepts such as body gesture tracking and recognition, natural user interface design and multimodal interaction into their projects.

Taro Narahara1

1New Jersey Institute of Technology, United States

This paper presents an educational case study and its pedagogical lessons in the context of design teaching. Smart products, adaptive designs, and intelligent spaces are in the forefront of current artistic discourse. They are critical components in sustainable designs where products monitor their own performance and respond to consumers’ real-time needs and environmental factors. In order to prepare students in the design field to be able to present interaction-based ideas more effectively, the author developed a project-based course to produce interactive prototypes using sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers. The author introduces instructions using practical template materials that can demonstrate certain key notions such as feedback and kinematics at the earlier phase of learning while providing minimum yet sufficient fundamental skills and theoretical background on programming and electronics. This strategy allows students to acquire extensible knowledge that does not rely on higher-level software functions or specialized but inflexible plug-ins. Students can reinterpret given materials and modify them to produce custom tools that can realize their original project goals. By presenting methods used in the author’s course and conceptual example projects by students, an efficient way to teach relatively complex technical materials without overpowering student creativity and motivation will be offered.

Christopher E. Peters1 and Eike Falk Anderson2

1Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden,
2The National Centre for Computer Animation, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom

The design of meaningful student activities, such as lab exercises and assignments, is a core element of computer graphics pedagogy. Here, we briefly describe our efforts towards making the process of defining and structuring computer graphics activities more explicit. We focus on four main activity categories that are building blocks for practical course design: Independent, Iterative, Incremental and Integrative. These Four I’s of computer graphics activity provide the fundamental ingredients for explicitly defining the design of activity-oriented computer graphics courses with the potential to deliver significant artefacts that may, for example, constitute a portfolio of work for assessment or presentation to employers. The categorisations are intended as the first steps towards more clearly structuring and communicating exercise specifications in collaborative course development settings.

Christoph Müller1 and Fabian Gärtner1

1Furtwangen University, Germany

FUSEE (Furtwangen University Simulation and Entertainment Engine) is a student project at Furtwangen University to develop a cross-platform real-time 3D engine from scratch. While about 20 students have been involved in the project’s development so far, several more students have used the engine in class or during their own research projects while learning how a contemporary engine works behind the scenes. Furthermore, students can learn how programming languages such as C# and new trends such as HTML5 can be used for writing crossplatform applications. This paper describes the engine and its core functionality as well as the benefits the project provides for education in real-time 3D software development compared to classes where other engines are used.

A. George-Molland1 and C. Plessiet1

1ATI, Laboratoire Arts des images et art contemporain, Université Paris 8, France

For the last 2 years, our CG Art department experiments new pedagogical methods for our master’s second year program in order to place the research right at the heart of the course syllabus. The main idea is to combine individual research and collective projects: on one side, each student focuses on a computer graphic research topic during the whole year, and on the other side, they produce an artistic group project during a 3-week intensive period, defined by the combination of each team members topic.

J. Pledger1 and M. Chen1

1School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Derby, United Kingdom

The purpose of this paper is to present two exceptional projects, SS Eternity and Bloom, from a module that is part of an undergraduate Computer Games focused degree. Here teams have developed innovative solutions to the themes they have been set. Both artists and programmers have applied their knowledge gained from previous modules to produce work that has pushed their artistic skills and knowledge to new boundaries of outstanding achievement.