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The ways our cultural heritage reserve is preserved and disseminated to the public have changed significantly, with the use of immersive technologies, such as virtual reality environments, and serious games. Nowadays, these technologies are also exploited for developing interactive informative applications, to support historical education and enhance museum visits, physical or virtual, especially to younger generations. The field of edutainment, educational entertainment, has been rapidly developing during the last 10 or 15 years. The main goal of this research is to develop an educational 3D puzzle-like serious game which can operate within a virtual reality environment while aiming towards the dissemination of cultural heritage content to the younger public, i.e., students, children etc., through a pleasant gamification process. The cultural heritage objects used are an ancient Greek temple and a statue of the Roman era, whose high-resolution fully textured 3D models were available from previous projects. The game application was developed in Unity game engine with suitable coding to enable the smooth execution of the 3D puzzle solution. The application verified that it is more interesting to learn about cultural assets through a game than in the conventional ways, and even more when it is implemented within a Virtual Reality environment, where the contact with the assets appears to be more direct and realistic. The same application can also be utilized in different educational areas and can be expanded by the inclusion of other digital assets.

Accurate validation and assessment techniques are essential for ensuring the reliability of spatial reconstructions derived from photogrammetry, enabling well-informed decision-making across diverse domains. This study presents a Virtual Reality (VR) based accuracy assessment tool tailored for evaluating the accuracy and quality of 3D models generated by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Leveraging the Unity game engine platform, our workflow entails three key steps: aligning real-world coordinates with an arbitrary Unity coordinate system, transforming the positions of Ground Control Points (GCPs) from field survey to the arbitrary system using a reference GCP, and marking observed points on the 3D models. Absolute and Relative Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE), Mean Errors (ME), and Standard Deviation of errors (SD) are computed within the virtual environment via the game object transform properties. The error distributions around each GCP are visually depicted using Unity game engine components for enhanced interaction and comprehension. The efficacy of the tool is validated through experimentation on four 3D models generated from varying camera angles during UAV data capture. The tool provides the opportunity to directly interact with the 3D models and visualize the errors, which is quite distinct from traditional methods. Using the developed tool, results were obtained to indicate that configurations employing camera angles of 60° + 75º exhibit notable performance in terms of relative and absolute accuracy.

This study discovers a real-time method for simulating progressive cutting in the Unity game engine. The proposed approach utilizes Position-Based Dynamics (PBD) to model deformable objects, making it suitable for applications such as surgical simulation training. Additionally, Unity’s compute buffers are employed to enhance computational efficiency through parallel processing. The cutting simulation operates on the surface mesh of the object, while internal deformations and volume preservation are represented using internal shape-preserving constraints (ISPCs). A series of progressive cutting experiments were conducted on various 3D models to evaluate the performance and accuracy of the algorithm. The results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves visually plausible real-time simulations of cuts.

This article analyzes inverse kinematics algorithms and demonstrates the application of the chosen algorithm to the Unity game engine. It has been found that Unity inverse kinematics solvers do not offer functionality necessary to apply anatomically correct animation to a humanoid agent. A few inverse kinematics algorithms were chosen for comparison, such as Cyclic Coordinate Descent, FABRIK and triangulation; due to the support of multiple end effectors and possible optimizations, FABRIK was chosen to be implemented in the “FABRIK IK” solver. After comparing the functionality of “FABRIK IK” to Unity’s “Two Bone IK” and “Chain IK” solvers, it was found that “FABRIK IK” has more built-in functionality than “Two Bone IK” and “Chain IK” in the analyzed areas. The measurement of framerate has shown that the application of either solver has not posed a significant difference in performance on Unity (the difference in performance ranges from –8.29% to 5.89%). The visual demonstration that shows the application of “FABRIK IK” demonstrates an anatomically sound and accurate walking cycle, especially compared to “Chain IK”; the accuracy of the animation is comparable to “Two Bone IK”. Article in Lithuanian. Procedūrinės animacijos technologijų taikymas humanoidiniams žaidimų agentams Santrauka Straipsnyje analizuojami atvirkštinės kinematikos algoritmai ir pasirinkto algoritmo taikymas „Unity“ žaidimo variklyje. Pastebėta, kad „Unity“ variklio siūlomi sprendikliai neturi funkcionalumo, reikalingo atvaizduoti anatomiškai teisingą humanoidinio agento judesį. Išrinkti ir palyginti keli atvirkštinės kinematikos algoritmai, tokie kaip CCD, FABRIK, ir trianguliacijos algoritmas – dėl kelių galinių vykdymo įtaisų palaikymo ir optimizacijos būdų išrinktas algoritmas FABRIK tolesniam užduočių vykdymui ir sprendiklio „FABRIK IK“ kūrimui. Palyginus sprendiklių funkcionalumo lygį, galima teigti, kad funkcionaliai „FABRIK IK“ sprendiklis yra pranašus „Two Bone IK“ ir „Chain IK“ sprendikliams analizuotose srityse. Pamatavus našumą kadravimo dažniu, matoma, jog šių atvirkštinės kinematikos sprendiklių taikymas „Unity“ aplinkoje neišreiškia didelio skirtumo (nuo –8,29 % iki 5,89 % skirtumo). Demonstracinis ėjimo ciklas, taikantis „FABRIK IK“, veikia demonstracinėje aplinkoje ir juda anatomiškai ir fiziškai tiksliau nei ėjimo ciklas, kuriam pritaikytas „Chain IK“ sprendiklis; judėjimo anatominis tikslumas sutampa su „Two Bone IK“ implementacijos demonstracija. Reikšminiai žodžiai: procedūrinė animacija, „Unity“ žaidimų variklis, atvirkštinės kinematikos algoritmas, sprendiklis, FABRIK, humanoidinis personažas.

Približno tri milijarde ljudi po vsem svetu igra video igre, zato lahko industrijo video iger umestimo med sestavne dele sodobnega življenja. Toda taksen izkazani interes od razvijalcev iger zahteva, da zagotavljajo vedno zapletenejše igre. V zadnjem casu so mnogi raziskovalci za reševanje tega problema uporabili pristope, ki jih je navdihnila Darwinova teorija biološke evolucije. Posledicno je v članku najprej predstavljen pregled optimizacijskih tehnik in njihova uporaba pri razvoju iger. Sledi predstavitev predlagane metode za razvoj racunalniškega nasprotnika pri igri pikada in prikaz tega, kako uporaba razlicnih teZavnostnih stopenj vpliva na njegovo delovanje.

The digitization of some of the processes carried out in an archaeological excavation is changing the way of working at the site. Today, new technologies coexist with traditional methodologies. The study of stratigraphy can combine drawings of profiles and plans, the Harris Matrix diagram, as well as digitized files that perform a complete record of the stratigraphic sequence. However, this information is usually unaggregated from the rest of the information system that makes up the archaeological record. In this paper, we present an integrated software tool and the associated methodology to record, store, visualize and analyze the 3D stratigraphy of a site. The implementation uses spatial databases to store information of a heterogeneous nature and game engines for the visualization and interaction with this information. During the excavation process, the strata are scanned using the Tof technology, which is available in many smartphones. The resulting 3D model of the stratum, once uploaded to the software system, allows us to visualize the sequence of strata incorporating the findings into their original arrangement. Some additional tools, such as the scrollbar, help to perform a temporal analysis of the site. The result is a 4D interactive stratigraphy tool, which together with the Harris Matrix, complements the archaeological record and facilitates the work to archaeologists. This methodology also allows to speed up the on-site work and the subsequent analysis, while improving the user experience with the 3D archaeological site replica.

The use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology is widespread in countless archaeological sites and a variety of applications. Archaeological excavations lead to archaeological finds, some of which are transported for preservation and then for exhibition in museums (jewelry, vases, etc.), while another part of them is documented in detail and remains in situ (eg building walls), roads, grave covers, etc.). However, after the registration of the archaeological finds, it is impossible to observe them. As part of our research project, we will develop for the first time AR methodology and procedures for the observation of covered archaeological finds on mobile devices (smart phones, tablets), which were registered after their documentation. AR technology in recent years has seen great growth in terms of implementation platforms and available software, as well as the tools developed to support it. These tools either make their appearance in the form of frameworks, extending the capabilities of an existing engine, or function as independent services. At the same time, progress has been made in the field of sensors of mobile devices, which makes the compatibility of hardware and software another issue to be researched. As part of the development of the above application for mobile devices, an evaluation is made of the most widespread AR Frameworks that support the Unity3d Game Engine and the compatibility / interoperability with the sensors of different categories of mobile devices. The frameworks were checked and evaluated for placement and tracking of the positions of the 3D covered objects. In this paper also, methodologies and techniques used in space detection and tracking are presented and evaluated.

Deep neural networks (DNNs) dominate many tasks in the computer vision domain, but it is still difficult to understand and interpret the information contained within these networks. To gain better insight into how a network learns and operates, there is a strong need to visualize these complex structures, and this remains an important research direction. In this paper, we address the problem of how the interactive display of DNNs in a virtual reality (VR) setup can be used for general understanding and architectural assessment. We compiled a static library as a plugin for the Caffe framework in the Unity gaming engine. We used routines from this plugin to create and visualize a VR-based AlexNet architecture for an image classification task. Our layered interactive model allows the user to freely navigate back and forth within the network during visual exploration. To make the DNN model even more accessible, the user can select certain connections to understand the activity flow at a particular neuron. Our VR setup also allows users to hide the activation maps/filters or even interactively occlude certain features in an image in real-time. Furthermore, we added an interpretation module and reframed the Shapley values to give a deeper understanding of the different layers. Thus, this novel tool offers more direct access to network structures and results, and its immersive operation is especially instructive for both novices and experts in the field of DNNs.

Simulation for surgical training is increasingly being considered a valuable addition to traditional teaching methods. 3D-printed physical simulators can be used for preoperative planning and rehearsal in spine surgery to improve surgical workflows and postoperative patient outcomes. This paper proposes an innovative strategy to build a hybrid simulation platform for training of pedicle screws fixation: the proposed method combines 3D-printed patient-specific spine models with augmented reality functionalities and virtual X-ray visualization, thus avoiding any exposure to harmful radiation during the simulation. Software functionalities are implemented by using a low-cost tracking strategy based on fiducial marker detection. Quantitative tests demonstrate the accuracy of the method to track the vertebral model and surgical tools, and to coherently visualize them in either the augmented reality or virtual fluoroscopic modalities. The obtained results encourage further research and clinical validation towards the use of the simulator as an effective tool for training in pedicle screws insertion in lumbar vertebrae.

In this paper, we present a novel implementation of an ecosystem simulation. In our previous work, we implemented a 3D environment based on a predator–prey model, but we found that in most cases, regardless of the choice of starting parameters, the simulation quickly led to extinctions. We wanted to achieve system stabilization, long-term operation, and better simulation of reality by incorporating genetic evolution. Therefore we applied the predator–prey model with an evolutional approach. Using the Unity game engine we created and managed a closed 3D ecosystem environment defined by an artificial or real uploaded map. We present some demonstrative runs while gathering data, observing interesting events (such as extinction, sustainability, and behavior of swarms), and analyzing possible effects on the initial parameters of the system. We found that incorporating genetic evolution into the simulation slightly stabilized the system, thus reducing the likelihood of extinction of different types of objects. The simulation of ecosystems and the analysis of the data generated during the simulations can also be a starting point for further research, especially in relation to sustainability. Our system is publicly available, so anyone can customize and upload their own parameters, maps, objects, and biological species, as well as inheritance and behavioral habits, so they can test their own hypotheses from the data generated during its operation. The goal of this article was not to create and validate a model but to create an IT tool for evolutionary researchers who want to test their own models and to present them, for example, as animated conference presentations. The use of 3D simulation is primarily useful for educational purposes, such as to engage students and to increase their interest in biology. Students can learn in a playful way while observing in the graphical scenery how the ecosystem behaves, how natural selection helps the adaptability and survival of species, and what effects overpopulation and competition can have.