• 3D Archaeological Reconstruction and Visualisation: An Artificial Life Model for Determining Vegetation Dispersal Patterns in Ancient Landscapes

      Ch'ng, Eugene; Stone, Robert J. (IEEE, 2006)
      This paper describes a methodology and software engine for generating dynamic vegetation models for archaeological reconstruction and interactive visualisation, integrating the disciplines of Artificial Life (Alife) and Virtual Reality. The engine, based on the concept of emergence (a phenomenon in complex Alife systems), uses real botanical parameters, channelled through simple rules, in order to synthesise the dispersal patterns of natural vegetation communities as they grow, reproduce, and compete for resources. The foci for the development and evaluation of the Alife engine described relate to different scenarios in nature as may have existed during the Mesolithic period. Results from the study showed evidence of correlations between the artificial vegetation and their natural counterparts, demonstrating the feasibility of using such models in historical landscape reconstructions.
    • Enhancing virtual reality with artificial life: Reconstructing a flooded European Mesolithic landscape

      Ch'ng, Eugene; Stone, Robert J. (MIT Press, 2006)
      The fusion of Virtual Reality and Artificial Life technologies has opened up a valuable and effective technique for research in the field of dynamic archaeological reconstruction. This paper describes early evaluations of simulated vegetation and environmental models using decentralized Artificial Life entities. The results demonstrate a strong feasibility for the application of integrated VR and Artificial Life in solving a 10,000 year old mystery shrouding a submerged landscape in the Southern North Sea, off the east coast of the United Kingdom. Three experimental scenarios with dynamic, “artificial” vegetation are observed to grow, reproduce, and react to virtual environmental parameters in a way that mimics their physical counterparts. Through further experimentation and refinement of the Artificial Life rules, plus the integration of additional knowledge from subject matter experts in related scientific fields, a credible reconstruction of the ancient and, today, inaccessible landscape may be within our reach.
    • Evaluating Artificial Life-Based Vegetation Dynamics in the Context of a Virtual Reality Representation of Ancient Landscapes

      Ch'ng, Eugene; Stone, Robert J.; Arvanitis, Theodoros N. (International Society on Virtual Systems and MultiMedia, 2005)
      Virtual Reality as applied to heritage representation has become an important technological development in the support of education, site/artefact preservation and investigative research for the 21st century. VR technology, coupled with Artificial Life, an emerging field in science, promises to enhance these areas of endeavour even further by introducing an element of naturalistic dynamics and historical realism into an otherwise “sterile” and unengaging 3D reconstruction. Our evaluation of the merits of introducing Artificial Life-based software of simulated complex adaptive systems (focusing on the generation of plant life) has shown viability in that vegetation dynamics and behaviour can, using additional knowledge from subject matter experts in other scientific fields (geography, geology, archaeology), reproduce a credible historical representation of an ancient landscape, in this case the Mesolithic basin of the North Sea.
    • Integration of multimedia technology into the curriculum of forensic science courses using crime scene investigations.

      Sutton, Raul; Hammerton, Matthew; Trueman, Keith J. (2007)
      Virtual reality technology is a powerful tool for the development of experimental learning in practical situations. Creation of software packages with some element of virtual learning allows educators to broaden the available experience of students beyond the scope that a standard curriculum provides. This teaching methodology is widely used in the delivery of medical education with many surgical techniques being practised via virtual reality technologies (see Engum et al., 2003). Use has been made of this technology for a wide range of teaching applications such as virtual field trials for an environmental science course (Ramasundaram et al., 2005), and community nursing visiting education scenarios (Nelson et al., 2005) for example. Nelson et al. (2005) imaged three-dimensional representations of patient living accommodation incorporating views of patient medication in order to deliver care modules via a problem-based learning approach. The use of virtual reality in the teaching of crime scene science was pioneered by the National Institute of Forensic Science in Australia as part of their Science Proficiency Advisory Committee testing programme. A number of scenarios were created using CDROM interfacing, allowing as near as possible normal procedures to be adopted. This package included proficiency testing integrated into the package and serves as a paradigm for the creation of virtual reality crime scene scenarios (Horswell, 2000). The package is commercially available on CD-ROM as part of the series ‘After the Fact’ (http://www.nfis.com.au). The CD-ROM package is geared to proficiency training of serving scenes of crime officers and thus contains details that may not be needed in the education of other parties with a need for forensic awareness. These include undergraduate students studying towards forensic science degree programmes in the UK as well as serving Police Officers. These groups may need virtual reality crime scene material geared to their specific knowledge requirements. In addition, Prof J Fraser, President of the Forensic Science Society and a former police Scientific Support Manager, speaking to the United Kingdom, House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee in its report ‘Forensic Science on Trial’ (2005) states: ‘The documented evidence in relation to police knowledge of forensic science, in terms of making the best use of forensic science, is consistently clear, that their knowledge needs to improve and therefore their training needs to improve’. This clearly identifies a need for further training of serving police officers in forensic science. It was with this in mind that staff at the University collaborated with the West Midlands Police Service. The aim was to create a virtual reality CD-ROM that could serve as part of the continuing professional development of serving police officers in the area of scene management. Adaptation of the CD-ROM could allow some introductory materials to help undergraduate students of forensic science.
    • Integration of virtual reality technology into the curriculum of forensic science courses using crime scene investigations

      Sutton, Raul; Hammerton, Matthew; Trueman, Keith J. (University of Wolverhampton, 2005)
      Discusses a collaborative project between researchers at the University of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands Police Service to create a virtual reality CD-ROM that could serve as part of the continuing professional development of serving police officers in the area of crime scence management. Adaptation of the CD-ROM could allow some introductory materials to help undergraduate students of forensic science.
    • Synopsis of an engineering solution for a painful problem: Phantom limb pain

      Mousavi, A; Cole, J; Kalganova, T; Stone, R; Zhang, J; Petiffer, S; Walker, R; Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P; Henderson Slater, D; Aggoun, Amar; et al. (SCITEPRESS, 2014)
      This paper is synopsis of a recently proposed solution for treating patients who suffer from Phantom Limb Pain (PLP). The underpinning approach of this research and development project is based on an extension of "mirror box" therapy which has had some promising results in pain reduction. An outline of an immersive individually tailored environment giving the patient a virtually realised limb presence, as a means to pain reduction is provided. The virtual 3D holographic environment is meant to produce immersive, engaging and creative environments and tasks to encourage and maintain patients' interest, an important aspect in two of the more challenging populations under consideration (over-60s and war veterans). The system is hoped to reduce PLP by more than 3 points on an 11 point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), when a score less than 3 could be attributed to distraction alone. Copyright © 2014 SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications. All rights reserved.
    • The Shotton River and Mesolithic Dwellings: Recreating the Past from Geo-Seismic Data Sources

      Ch'ng, Eugene; Stone, Robert J.; Arvanitis, Theodoros N. (The Eurographics Association, 2004)
      The Mesolithic Period in Europe has been a much-discussed area in archaeological research. As far as is known, the project reported herein represents the first attempt to visualise an otherwise inaccessible Mesolithic site with Virtual Reality (VR) technology, exploiting real geo-seismic data sources of the Southern North Sea. This paper presents the techniques and technology used in reconstructing an ancient river valley discovered while gathering seismic data for petroleum in the North Sea. The virtual landscape reconstruction is populated with vegetation types based on pollen records of the same period in nearby region, and 3D models of Mesolithic dwellings have been grouped into villages and positioned near possible settlement areas. The final VR environment has been “brought to life” via real-time interactive walkthroughs, complete with environmental and spatial sound effects. This paper also describes the various software applications and hardware used for implementing the high-quality static models and the high-performance interactive world, the latter intended for delivery via the WWW and multimedia for educational purposes.