Software Projects: Imaging & Visualization

  • Map and Demographic Data Server
    Andrew Beveridge, Queens College
    This project developed pilot versions of a set of web-based tools that can be used by individuals to examine and understand the dramatic demographic changes that have occurred in New York City from the turn of the century to the present. This work is being combined with a project previously funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The ultimate end goals of the project are to create two products: (1) a generalized Map Server for use by companies to monitor various data about customers geographically and (2) a fee-for-service tool that will offer people marketing information. The following links provide demonstrations of work that had been done to date under this CISDD grant.
    » Download Report

  • SNARK09: A Programming System for the Reconstruction of 2D Images from 1D Projections
    Gabor Herman, Graduate Center

    SNARK09 is a programming system intended to help researchers who work with image reconstruction techniques, such as methods of recovering from X-Ray projections of the human body usable cross-sectional images. When studying these techniques, researchers often need to compare two or more methods of reconstruction and assess their respective merits. SNARK09 provides a uniform framework for setting up tests and performing such comparisons.

    SNARK09 is an updated version of SNARK05, with numerous dvances:
    mathematically described phantoms that include inhomogeneity; beam hardening correction for polychromatic X-ray projection data; the imagewise-region-of-interest figure of merit; multiple user implemented algorithms and figures of merit.

    Further details and ordering information are available at http://www.snark09.com/



  • A Constraint-based Graphics Package for B-Prolog
    Neng-Fa Zhou, Brooklyn College
    CGBLIB is a high-level graphics library for B-Prolog, a constraint logic programming system. The library provides primitives for creating and manipulating graphical objects and a set of constraints including non-overlap, grid, table and tree constraints that facilitates the specification of the layouts of objects. The library adopts a construct called action rules available in B-Prolog for creating agents and programming interactions among agents or between agents and the user. The library is a fully working system implemented in B-Prolog, Java and C. It can be used in many areas such as drawing editors, interactive user interfaces, document authoring, animation, information visualization, intelligent agents and games. The high-level abstraction of the library and the use of constraints and action rules in the specification of layouts and behaviors can significantly enhance the productivity of the development of graphics. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the library as a tool for developing graphics-rich and interactive user interfaces through several examples.
    » Download Demo
    » Download Report

  • Digital Engraving Techniques for Artistic RenderingGeorge Wolberg
    George Wolberg
    Rendering algorithms have been introduced to mimic various classical art forms, ranging from pen-and-ink illustrations and line art drawings to expensive paintings. Engraving is a classical graphic technique with deep roots tracing back to the origination of the printing industry in the 15th century. This goal of this project is to transform digital images into renderings that resemble the work of traditional engravers. Through this project, the investigators will stimulate such popular engraving techniques as line engravings and etchings using Coons patches to establish complex textures of smoothly flowing strokes and dots. The final output is created by compositioning individual layers. The technique used by the investigators will not only prove visually effective but also flexible in applications since it can be subjected to various images and styles. The potential markets for this application include the advertising, television and film production industries where there is currently no analogous commercially available system.
    » Download Demo

  • A Digital Library Prototype
    Jie Wei
    The inclusion of images and videos in digital libraries has proven extremely effective in various applications such as education, medicine, publishing, and entertainment. Though multimedia data is much richer than textual data, it also poses many new challenges. Existing image processing and computer vision technologies can readily extract features at low and intermediate levels. The project is divided into four modules which when integrated form the complete digital library prototype. The four modules consist of 1) a scene change detection module to temporarily segment raw videos into content-related video clips, 2) a still image segmentation module to partition images into regions of coherent texture and color, 3) a module to segment object based on different motion models, and 4) an illumination-invariant object indexing and effective organization of object indices. The finished prototype will be targeted toward small institutions as an off-the-shelf toolkit that will assist users to effectively save, manipulate and search for images/videos based on the visual contents.

  • Omnidirectional Imaging
    George Wolberg, City College
    Omnidirectional Imaging is software that merges the benefits of catadioptric sensors and multiple video cameras sharing a single center of projection to produce electronically steerable, high resolution, seamless, 360 degree mosaic video. Omnidirectional Imaging provides full and constant video surveillance as well as facilitates real-time analysis and tracking. Two chief benefits of Omnidirectional Imaging are that it enables an entire scene to be viewed in a single glance and supersedes pan/tilt/zoom cameras in reliability. Some commercial benefits include military and security surveillance, interactive real estate viewing, distance learning and video conferencing.
    » Download Demo

  • Developing a Garbage Collector for B-Prolog
    Neng-Fa Zhou, Brooklyn College
    A garbage collector's function is to find data objects that are no longer in use and reclaim the space taken by them. Most compilers for modern programming languages such as Java, ML, and Prolog incorporate garbage collectors. B-Prolog is a constraint logic programming system developed by mostly the Principal Investigator of this project. The goal of this project is to develop an efficient garbage collector for B-Prolog to meet the demands from the users. Traditional garbage collectors will neglect the non-standard functionalities of B-Prolog such as concurrency, delaying and constraint solving. This requires the development of a specialized garbage collector.

  • Remote Monitoring of Building Structures: SUPERSTRUCTURES Engineering + Architecture, PLLC
    Jizhong Xiao, City College; Student Developer: Flavio Cabrera-Mora, City College
    (Funded by NSF-PFI) SUPERSTRUCTURES is an established firm of professional architects and structural engineers specializing in preserving the integrity of existing building envelopes and structures. Preservation depends on having access to quality information about a building’s current condition, and traditionally that is acquired using handheld testing and measurement equipment. The purpose of this project is to develop a cost-effective building envelope / structural monitoring system by applying the latest wireless sensor network technology. This project is developing miniature, low-power sensors for crack measurement, integrating them with MICA motes, and developing software for data collection, communication, and visualization. The monitoring system will provide a practical tool for analyzing environmental and other effects on existing building envelopes and structural systems.

  • Automatic Registration of 3-D Point-Sets
    Ioannis Stamos, Hunter College
    The focus of our research concentrates on the geometric and photorealistic reconstruction of individual buildings, or large urban areas, using a variety of acquisition methods and interpretation techniques, such as ground-base laser sensing, air-borne laser sensing, and ground and air-borne image sensing. The ultimate goal is the reconstruction of detailed models of urban sites, i.e. digital cities. The creation of digital cities drives other areas of research as well: visualization of very large data sets, creation of model databases for GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and combination of reconstructed areas with existing digital maps.