A passion for innovations - Scientific Award BMW Group 2005

What do the following all have in common? An artificial hand that grips as softly as a human hand, atomic "brains", "Transrapid" magnetic levitation technology inside tool machines, green fluorescent proteins as biological miniature dynamometers within cell interiors, electrons that surf on light waves in particle accelerators, and quick-locks for works of art. The answer: they are all winners of the international university prize, the BMW Group's Scientific Award 2005, after having been chosen from a pool of 230 entries from 26 countries and covering 24 specialist areas. Six up-and-coming scientists received the award at BMW's plant in Leipzig in the presence of more than 300 guests from the fields of politics, business, science and society. The prize was handed over by Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Burkhard Göschel, member of the board of directors of BMW AG and responsible for development and purchasing, and the chairman of the jury, Prof. Dr. Techn. Dr. E.h. Franz Pischinger. The idea behind the competition is to assume entrepreneurial responsibility towards society. "Like companies an economy must be innovative on all levels and in all areas: commercially, technologically as well as socially. Only then can it move forwards, develop and be successful on an international basis. A passion for innovation must therefore be rewarded because technological achievements carry societies forward", says Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Göschel. The BMW Group has been awarding this internationally-recognised prize to young academics from all disciplines for outstanding research work every two years since 1991. The award includes prize money of €70,000 - one of the highest-value research prizes in the world. The main assessment criteria are innovative potential, theory, realism, usefulness for the environment and society, efficiency and presentational form.

http://www.bmwgroup.com/news/mail/news_e.shtml??8_5?&pkey=17051&highlight=8&call=4

BMW-Virtual and quick

August 25, 2005


Car manufacturers are taking the lead when it comes to the use of augmented reality technologies



The world is three dimensional - something we discover for ourselves each and every day. Many people, however, find it fascinating to venture into virtual worlds. What are the possibilities when both worlds are brought together and the real world is linked to the virtual word? Scientists already know the answer to this question: augmented reality (AR) - an extended reality.

This technology represents a new form of communication between man and machine, involving, for example, the provision of context-sensitive (i.e. it alters depending on the object being looked at) information via data glasses. The data glasses allow the observer to view two overlapping worlds simultaneously - the real world and the virtual world. In contrast to "virtual reality" however, the real world in this case is not entirely replaced; instead it is merely supplemented.

This technology is, as already mentioned, still relatively new and, unlike the research work on virtual reality, development is still in its very early stages. Since around 1993, however, work has being going on on a large number of different projects. At the end of the sixties attempts were already underway to create semi-permeable glasses for viewing 3D graphics. Up until now, however, none of these projects has represented a comprehensive research area in itself. One of the most important has been ARVIKA. Completed in 2004, the aim of this publicly-financed lead project was to look into the possible uses of augmented reality in complex industrial applications.

Augmented reality in the car industry

When it comes to use of augmented reality solutions, the car industry is without any doubt leading the way. The BMW Group was the first car manufacturer to develop a mature and now actively employed 3D-supported application based on the results of the ARVIKA project. The application in question is used for the stud welding of prototypes, with approx. 300 - 400 mounting bolts being welded onto the vehicle shell. Previously the positions of the mounting bolts had to be obtained "manually" from the CAD (Computer Aided Design) system, partly in the form of printed lists, and then, with the support of a mechanical measuring system, traced onto the shell. Afterwards the bolts had to be manually positioned and welded to the marked locations. Dr. Jörn Trilk, head of CA processes and methods for total vehicle integration and trial vehicle production at the BMW Group: "Before the introduction of AR technologies, workers had to trace individual welding points and spent several days on each vehicle doing this. Now with a camera and welding gun that incorporates a navigation display, our employees can do the job in a quarter of the time. The time saving is therefore enormous."

How was this achieved? As early as 2001 the BMW Group got together with Ulm-based system retailer, viception, measuring technology supplier, A.R.T. Advanced Realtime Tracking, and welding device manufacturer, Emhart Teknologies Trucker, to develop this innovative solution, which went through several intermediate stages before it was ready to be employed. The mechanical measuring system was replaced with an optical, i.e. non-contact, measuring system, its development requiring six measuring cameras to be placed above a processing station in a BMW Group workshop in Munich. The measurements are forwarded to a visualization computer which feed the display on the welding gun and an additional monitor at an entry station. Furthermore the welding gun was equipped with active measuring system markers and mechanically reconstructed so as to incorporate additional open-loop control electronics and a navigation display.



The data lines for the measuring technology, control and display functions were directly integrated into the welding gun's cable loom. As a result, the operating point of the gun can now be tracked within the measuring area using non-contact technology. The vehicle shell is equipped with passive references marks and is calibrated into the measuring system, i.e. marked down to exact size. The position and orientation of the vehicle can therefore be altered at will during processing, and software for system control and navigation was specially developed for processing purposes.



Successful team implementation brings advantages to all

A total of six individuals were responsible for the project and it was completed in close co-operation with the future users in the workshop. Project leader Kay Kindermann: "For us it was particularly important that the ideas of our employees concerning system implementation be directly incorporated into the development process. Our workshop employees were actively involved in the project and provided important information concerning the user and visualization functions. This was the only way of ensuring that workshop implementation of the system would be successful and that the newly-designed processes would actually work on a daily basis and bring us all the desired advantages." There are certainly plenty of advantages. The employees in the workshop benefit not only from the flexibility and high precision of the system, its high performance and the significant time savings, they can also take pleasure from the fact that it is remarkably easy to use. This is because the system does not have a complicated interface; instead it has the appearance of an Excel table. This interface is linked to the visualization system of the welding gun, so that the system can be directly launched and controlled from within Excel. The target co-ordinates are exported from the CAD system into Excel and from there fed into the processing system. During the welding process the actual co-ordinates are fed back into Excel, allowing follow-up checks of the working processes to take place, and contributing to quality assurance.

At the moment the BMW Group only plans to use the AR system in its workshop, and has no plans for its use in mass production. "In mass production we use the latest robots, which work much faster than our AR system. Using robots in the workshop and for quality assurance with respect to prototype construction would be much too expensive. Our AR system is much better suited to this purpose," says Dr. Jörn Trilk.

Virtual worlds are future-proof

The areas of application for augmented reality systems are by no means limited to vehicle manufacture. They are manifold and range from display glasses in museums to uses in medicine and crash testing. In surgery, for example, the 3D data of a patient, e.g. a CT or ultrascan image, can be displayed right next to the patient. Using data glasses the operating surgeon has an unrestricted view of the patient's internal organs and does not need to divert his gaze from the patient during the course of an operation to read data from an external device. It goes without saying that, in medicine especially, the system must be able guarantee absolute accuracy. Also promising is the use of AR systems for the purpose of comparing crash test results. After a crash test the AR system overlays the image of the actual crash vehicle onto the image of the forecast crash vehicle as generated by the simulation. This allows any differences to be immediately recognised and evaluated. AR technologies can also tap into digitally-based information sources for maintenance purposes, displaying new objects in place of old to technicians who are about to carry out a replacement operation, e.g. the replacement of a motor. AR also allows distributed problem solution, with experts communicating directly with local employees over vast distances.

Nevertheless, despite varied and to some extent existing use of augmented reality in industry, research in the area is likely to continue in the coming years and possibly even the coming decades. The area still contains a large number of challenges and unexplored possibilities, and the potential of augmented reality systems seems far from being exhausted. All projects, however, have one aim in common: to allow man and machine to work together and communicate with each other as efficiently as possible.

http://www.bmwgroup.com/news/mail/news_e.shtml??8_5?&pkey=17051&highlight=8&call=4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality

Microsoft -Navision-Demo

http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions/Navision/demos.mspx

PTC-Projectlink on demand

http://www.ptc.com/WCMS/files/28838zh-tw_file1.pdf

ANIMATRIX DIRECTOR: THE SECOND RENAISSANCE: PARTS 1 & 2

MATRIX: Could you talk a little bit about the films you have done.
MAEDA-SAN: My most recent film is actually a series of films called Blue Submarine 6. It’s a science fiction action series about a crew in a futuristic submarine who are battling mad scientists and mutants.

MATRIX: Can you outline some of the influences you bring to your work?
MAEDA-SAN: I’m not sure if western audiences will be familiar with it, but there was a television series directed by Hayao Miyazaki called Future Boy Conan, the director of Princess Mononoke; that was one of the things which influenced me most in my decision to become an animator.

MATRIX: What do you think about the increasing embrace American audiences have of Japanese animation?
MAEDA-SAN: It makes me very happy, and at the same time it’s kind of an odd feeling. It seems that right now America is a very prosperous country, and is really reaching out to things which, in other countries, might be minor things. That Americans are really attracted, lately, to elements from Japanese and other cultures is a surprise to me. It is also strange to me because we Japanese people make these films for a Japanese audience, we always think of our culture as a stand alone culture that doesn’t have a lot of parallels, or a lot in common with that of other cultures. So it makes us happy, but it also feels a little strange, as we’re not really sure why your audiences would like our work.

MATRIX: Has THE MATRIX broken cultural boundaries; is it fully embraced in Japan?MAEDA-SAN: Audiences in Japan think it is cool, a very stylish movie for an action movie. Young Japanese audiences don’t think of where something is coming from, they just like things that are interesting; their reaction to THE MATRIX is really just based on how interesting it is. It is very cool and it’s also very new and fresh.

MATRIX: How did you get involved in THE ANIMATRIX?
MAEDA-SAN: I was fairly busy at the time but Tanaka-san, our Producer, called me up and said she had a really interesting project to talk about and would I hear her out; so that was my first real introduction to it.Typically I write my own stories, but in this case Andy and Larry [Wachowski, Writers / Directors] had an outline of a story that they wanted to do, so when they approached me it was with that in mind. My task has really been to take their ideas and figure out a way to visualize them and expand upon the vision of THE MATRIX, following tangents they would never be able to in a live action film. As a director on the ANIMATRIX, after the storyboards are finished we hand them out to the various key animators and designers working on the project, and with them we draw various designs and details. I go through and draw some of them, approve them, or make changes to them. Once all the design work is done, we have animators begin, then it’s all drawing until we actually finish the drawings and do the digital effects and photography. There are many different elements in each different stage of the process, and I have to be there all the time, giving my opinion on all the various elements, keeping things in the direction that I want them to go.

MATRIX: What did you think when you saw THE MATRIX for the first time?
MAEDA-SAN: That’s a very important question. The first time I saw THE MATRIX I felt like someone had done it before I did, it was very frustrating, I really felt the intelligence behind the film and I liked it as an action movie as well. I first saw THE MATRIX trailer in the theatre when I was directing Blue Submarine 6, a series of films about a deep diving submarine battling mutants and mad scientists. When I was watching the images in the trailer of the Neb with people chased by robotic squid – the Sentinels – I really felt like I had been beaten to the punch, because that was very similar to what I had been thinking about.The other thing was that I was doing a lot of work on cyber punk type projects, planning some cyber punk epics. I was very attracted to some of the images in the trailer and, even though I had no idea at the time what the story of THE MATRIX was, I sort of imagined the Neb was a program in cyber space and the Sentinels were computer viruses chasing after it. Of course, in the film, it’s exactly the opposite, that’s the real world. I just love that you have images of that kind of complexity, it really excited me.

MATRIX: How has it been working with Larry and Andy Wachowski?
MAEDA-SAN: The first time I met them I felt, yeah, of course these guys are the type of people I’d think would make a movie like THE MATRIX. I got a real sense of their intelligence, their sense for the visual, and also their skill as filmmakers in their timing and editing. I love a lot of the things in THE MATRIX. There are some details that are just background details, and then there’s the way they take you into cyber space, into the virtual world; I got a real sense for their talent in those terms as well

.MATRIX: Has there been a feeling of collaboration working with Larry and Andy on the ANIMATRIX?
MAEDA-SAN: In practical terms, my work on a real collaborative basis with Andy and Larry is probably limited to storyboarding, the art direction, and the design of characters and various things we see in this story. THE MATRIX is a film I like, and the story Im directing is something they created, so even when Ive started doing the animation which they won’t be directly involved in, I want to at least maintain a sense of collaboration and dialogue with them, I think that’s very important.

MATRIX: Are you looking forward to THE MATRIX sequels?
MAEDA-SAN: Yes, I’m very much looking forward to both of the sequels – I hope they release them as soon as possible so I can watch them.MATRIX: Thanks Maeda-san.

Interview by REDPILLTranslated by Mike AriasNovember 2000

http://www.gonzo.co.jp/studio/english/studio/index.html

http://www.productionig.com/contents/works/

da Vinci & the University of Nebraska Medical Center

UNMC/Nebraska Medical Center was one of the early sites in the United States to acquire the da Vinci" Surgical System manufactured by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. This system uses technology that provides the surgeon with the intuitive control, range of motion, fine tissue manipulation capability and 3-D visualization while the surgical instruments are inserted through the small ports characteristic of minimally invasive surgery. Da Vinci is a computer enhanced surgical system which interposes a computer between the surgeons hands and the tips of micro instruments. The system replicates the surgeons movements in real time.

So far, surgeons practicing in cardio-thoracic, urological, transplantation, gynecological, and general surgery have been trained in Nebraska on the system. Specialized training has also been developed for operating room nurses on the technology. A wide range of procedures has been performed with the equipment including morbid obesity surgery (pancreatic biliary diversions), gynecological procedures (ovarian transposition, lymph node dissections), splenectomy, adrenalectomy, bowel resections, hernia repairs, and internal mammary artery takedowns.
Major new procedure development is underway in general surgery and vascular surgery. Our surgeons are using the technology to convert procedures previously done in open surgery to minimally invasive surgery using computer enhanced technology:
Vascular Surgery Minimally invasive procedures in vascular surgery are technically demanding and offer major benefits to the patient. Computer assisted bi-femoral aortic bypasses are under development at UNMC/NHS.
General Surgery Transgastric esophageal mucosal stripping a procedure for patients with Barretts disease
Morbid Obesity UNMC/NHS is the leading center to offer totally intracorporeal pancreatic biliary diversions using the da Vinci Surgical System.

Surgical Simulation

Minimally Invasive Surgery requires the surgeon to
operate on a 3-D image by way of a 2-D device (a monitor). Often the surgeon has little means for preoperative imaging (i.e. CT scans) and most only describe th
e anatomy in two dimensions. The surgeon must translate these images into a 3D workspace. Current surgical simulation devices are available, but none are based on patient specific data, but rather a model of an ideal person.
Patient specific virtual reality laparoscopic simulation would allow the user to practice realistic surgical procedures based each patients specific anatomy. The advantages to this type of technology are numerous. Surgeons could visualize the patient's internal organs without incisions. Procedures could be planned and practiced before the actual surgery. This Virtual Environment could also be used to train new surgeons.

Motor parts - 01

Motor Show

A girl in a one-seater three-wheel vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show. Suzuki Motor says it is open to joint research and development initiatives with firms other than General Motors, which controls the Japanese small-car maker.

Toyota

Toyota 'i-swing' personal mobility vehicles.

'electronic paper'

Fujitsu's newly developed 'electronic paper' is displayed in Tokyo, July 14, 2005. 'Electronic paper' is a display technology that makes possible flexible or even rollable displays which, unlike current computer screens, can be read in bright sunlight. (Yuriko Nakao/Reuters)

MIL-Cutting edge micro-satellite achieves milestones

Cutting edge micro-satellite achieves milestones
by Michael P. KleimanSpace Vehicles Directorate11/3/2005 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- A 220-pound micro-satellite developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here recently accomplished significant mission milestones when it rendezvoused with the upper stage of a Minotaur I launch vehicle at distances between 1.5 kilometers and 500 meters. The Air Force has used the Experimental Satellite System-11 micro-satellite, commonly referred to as XSS-11, to investigate a variety of prospective space applications, including servicing, repair and resupply. "XSS-11 is a demonstration in space rendezvous and proximity operations," said Harold Baker, XSS-11 program manager. "The spacecraft also has an onboard rendezvous and proximity operations planner in the avionics to aid in developing autonomous operations for future concepts and missions." Launched in April 2005 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., XSS-11 has completed more than 75 natural-motion circumnavigations of the expended Minotaur I rocket body. During its projected 12- to 18-month flight, the spacecraft will conduct rendezvous and proximity maneuvers with several U.S.-owned dead or inactive space objects near its orbit. It will also demonstrate more autonomy as the project continues. "The micro-satellite is performing better than expected," Mr. Baker said. "Fuel consumption and efficiency is good, and we expect to be operational for another year. In addition, we have had no significant technical glitches and no major anomalies." Managing and monitoring the micro-satellite's progress has been the focus of the flight control team composed of people from both the Space Vehicles Directorate and the Space and Missile Systems Center's Detachment 12, also located here. Staffing, however, has been reduced by 50 percent due to the spacecraft's flawless performance, and officials said another decrease is expected in the future as the micro-satellite's demonstration in autonomy advances. With a projected cost of $82 million, XSS-11 program managers have planned an aggressive, event-driven flight which could ultimately enhance Air Force Space Command's prospective missions of space servicing and maintenance and space support. In addition, due to its innovative autonomous flight, officials said the XSS-11 mission may reduce the number of people and the amount of equipment needed to operate future space missions. "The micro-satellite will remain in a systems functional test for the next month or two, as we are still checking out the spacecraft's various components," Mr. Baker said. "The whole part of this mission is to be safe. If we hit the resident space object, we fail."To date, most other rendezvous experiments have been designed primarily for the purpose of docking and repair missions. They relied heavily on the other object having guidance and navigation aids as well as docking mechanisms," Mr. Baker said. "XSS-11 does not rely on navigation aids from the other resident space objects or docking mechanisms."

MIL

The simulator is part of the Save-A-Life tour and gives people a first-hand experience of driving under the influence. Airman Johns is assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing Command Post. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tiffany Low)

Capt. Drew Goettler demonstrates the Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response, or PHaSR, a non-lethal illumination technology developed by the laboratory's ScorpWorks team. The technology is the first man-portable, non-lethal deterrent weapon intended for protecting troops and controlling hostile crowds. The laser light used in the weapon temporarily impairs aggressors by illuminating or "dazzling" individuals, removing their ability to see the laser source. (U.S. Air Force photo)

AC/DC

Wilson cleans his clippers getting ready for another customer in New Orleans Thursday Nov. 3, 2005.

AC/DC

Wilson is using the portable generator in the foreground to run his clippers. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

Human Romote Control

Taro Maeda, senior research scientist at the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. research center in Atsugi, near Tokyo, explains about a technology that is used for a remote control for humans during a demonstration Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2005. In the technology called galvanic vestibular stimulation, electricity is stimulating the delicate nerves inside the ears that help humans maintain balance. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

The Associated Press business writer Yuri Kageyama tries on a headset to be remote-controlled by a technology that Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., Japan's top phone company, is developing during a demonstration at an NTT research in Atsugi, near Tokyo, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2005. Called galvanic vestibular stimulation in scientific jargon, it means electricity is messing with the delicate nerve tissues inside the ear to maintain balance and make people move to the left or right against their will. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)