Technical Projects

 

Selected Research, Technology and Development Projects

(A complete project list can be found here).

  • PRESIOUS - Predictive Digitization, Restoration and Degradation Assessment of Cultural Heritage Objects

    project

    2013 - 2016, EU STREP project (FP7), Grant No. 600533.

    Using a common core of geometric processing, analysis and retrieval methods, PRESIOUS aims to investigate innovative ICT solutions to the following key identified challenges: a) the difficulty and inefficiency of the 3D digitisation process, b) the quantification of stone monument degradation, and c) the reconstruction of objects from large numbers of constituent fragments that may be worn, immovable, dispersed or incomplete.

    Role: Principal Investigator

  • GLIDE - Goal-driven Lighting for Dynamic 3D Environments

    project

    2014 - 2015, EU / NSRF - ARISTEIA II, Grant No. 3712.

    In GLIDE we conduct research on interactive inverse lighting and opening problems for industrial applications, targeting light emission and positioning, automatic placement of openings and interactive photorealistic rendering.

    Role: Principal Investigator

  • Real-time Global Illumination Algorithms

    project

    2011 – 2012, AUEB Research Grant - Basic Research Fund Project, Grant No. ΕΡ-1805-33/ 00-1.

    High quality global illumination at interactive speed is still an unsolved problem for large and dynamic scenes. Relying on existing results - including work conducted by the members of the research team - and approaching unsolved issues, the project team carried out research on new techniques for the real-time calculation of indirect lighting in three-dimensional environments.

    Role: Principal Investigator

  • Realistic Environment Illumination for Real-time Graphics

    project

    2009 – 2010, AUEB Research Grant - Basic Research Fund Project, Grant No. ΕΡ-1600-10/00-1.

    The project carried out research on new techniques for the real-time calculation of indirect lighting in three-dimensional environments. The work primarily focused on the development of a generic method for the fast calculation of ambient occlusion in animated (dynamic) environments. At the same time, the transfer of the successful non-real-time global illumination method of photon tracing to the hardware-driven world of real-time rendering was investigated, in order to capture subtle effects such as caustics and light scattering.

    Role: Principal Investigator

  • Digitisation and Digital Documentation of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture Monuments Collections

    project

    2008, 3rd CFS – Information Society – Measure 1.3.

    The project provided equipment and training to the ephorates of antiquities throughout Greece for documenting and digitizing movable CH collections. It also included the digitization of several thousands of photographs and documents as well as the development of specialized software for automatic digital content quality inspection and data migration to a new global archiving system.

    Role: Digitization technical supervisor, training coordinator, software developer

  • THOLOS Virtual Reality Dome Theatre

    project

    2002-2006, Foundation of the Hellenic World.

    Tholos is the virtual reality theater of the Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW) at Hellenic Cosmos exhibition center. It is a dome-shaped auditorium with a tilted hemispherical screen capable of displaying real-time stereoscopic virtual reality content. Tholos is fully interactive but can also display pre-rendered content either as an alternative signal source or as part of the immersive experience. The real-time VR dome theater of FHW utilizes a fully digital projection system, configurable in a monoscopic, stereoscopic or a mixed mode of operation. The auditorium is designed to host up to 132 visitors at the same time and is mainly operated by a single user (guide) via a tracked joystick, but at selected points during the show, the action can be controlled by the audience via an integrated voting I/O system. More details can be found here.

    Role: Lead software developer

 

Virtual Reality Shows and Installations

 

  • The Ancient Agora of Athens

    project project project

    2005-2006, Foundation of the Hellenic World.

    Role: VR engine development (multi-header stereo display, positional audio, auditorium controller aggregator, VR cluster, etc.), interaction design and scripting, positional audio authoring.

    The spectators visit the site of the Ancient Agora and, under the guidance of a special Museum Educator, have the opportunity to choose the course they will follow themselves. The representation of the Agora in three different moments in history provides visitors with the opportunity to perceive the development and the changes in the site's function through time, as it is recorded in its architectural and city-planning differentiations(excerpt from the production description of the official site of the Foundation of the Hellenic World)

    The Ancient Agora of Athens was the first production for the Tholos dome VR theatre and as such, it required an entire new approach to the design of interaction paradigms for a crowd-based show. The massive panoramic and overhead view of the dome posed new challenges in terms of stereoscopic rendering and real-time motion control and filtering (to avoid motion sickness). But most of all, it opened new possibilities for similtaneous and co-ordinated visitor interaction, via the controllers embedded in the auditorium seats.

    More on the technologies developed for the Tholos dome theater cane be found here.

  • The Battle of Chaeronea

    project project project

    2007-2008, Independent production for the Municipality of Chaeronia.

    Role: VR engine development (troop formation control, behaviour and animation), interaction design and scripting, storyboard illustration.

    This stereoscopic Virtual Reality show for 20-30 visitors, which is based on a passive stereo projection system, uses interactive navigation and specialized software developed for the project. Museum visitors are able to freely navigate through ancient Chaeronea, meet Plutarch that recounts the events surrounding the battle and learn about the different kinds of armor, weapons and tactical formations used in the battle.

    The Battle of Chaeronia (Chaeronea) was fought in 338 BC, near the city of Chaeronea in Boeotia between the forces of Philip II of Macedon and an alliance of Greek city-states (the principal members of which were Athens and Thebes). The battle was the culmination of Philip's campaign in Greece (339–338 BC) and resulted in a decisive victory for the Macedonians.

    One of the big technical challenges back in 2007 was how to simulate, animate and display thousands of soldiers marching towards the enemy in formation. Mixed geometric and image-based levels of detail were used for the soldiers in order for the meager NVIDIA 6800GT to be able to handle the scene. Level-of-detail control for individual soldiers, localized crowd simulation, automatic block ("phalanx") maneuvers and front-line replenishment was performed in a distributed manner in each phalanx instance.

  • Snowman (for kids)

    project project

    2006, the Hellenic Cosmos exhibition centre, Foundation of the Hellenic World, Greece, CAVE installation.

    Role: Story, 3D modelling and texturing, interaction design and scripting, sound engineering.

    We wake up inside a woodcutter's cabin high on a mountain. As we look through the snow-encrusted glass panes of the window, a white vista spreads into the night, interrupted only by the towering bulks of the trees. Heat radiates from the stove and we feel protected from the menacing wind that howls outside. We eagerly start decorating the small tree that sits in the corner of the room. After we are satisfied with the result, we venture through the door to the cold outside. Snowfall has obscured the path that winds down the slope to the not-so-distant village, but has also piled some snow in front of the doorstep. Wouldn't it be nice if we could build a snowman? Let's find out what objects we can find around the cabin!

    In this seasonal VR production, kids are immersed using active stereoscopic visualization in a scenic setting, where they decorate and Christmas tree and discover how to build a snowman. The environment is built to actual scale with delightful details and soothing ambience and the little visitors enjoy the collaborative creative activities with the assistance of a museum guide.

  • A Walk through Ancient Olympia

    project project project

    2003-2006, Foundation of the Hellenic World CAVE and passive stereo systems. Also presented at:

    • The Ars Eletroctronica permanent exhibition (Limited edition), Austria, since September 2005. CAVE installation
    • Other temporary exhibitions across Greece (e.g. Helexpo '05). Portable passive stereo theatre.
    • Thematic exhibitions for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (2008)

    Role: VR engine design and development (physics, interaction, occlusion culling, flora coverage), modeling, image-based rendering, scripting, sound engineering.

    The undertaking of the 28th Summer Olympiad by Athens, the capital city of Greece, has spurred an increased interest for shows and complementary edutainment contributions to the games themselves. The Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW) has prepared a series of thematic productions related to ancient Olympia and the Olympic Games, culminating with the highly interactive and accurate representation of ancient Olympia and the pentathlon (running, long jump, javelin, discus throwing and wrestling), whose final version was released just before the beginning of the Olympic Games. The high demand for interactive and entertaining productions, apart from simple walkthrough applications, however eye-catching, has driven the virtual reality team of the FHW to pursue a role-playing active interaction model different from the classic navigator/inspector one. In the VR production "A Walk through Ancient Olympia", the user, apart from visiting the historical site, learns about the ancient games themselves by interacting with athletes in the ancient game of pentathlon.

    You can find details about the technical challenges of the project as well as the specialized techniques involved, here.

  • Tholos Building Pre-construction Walkthough

    project

    2005, Foundation of the Hellenic World CAVE installation. Also used for printed material and still images on promotional booths.

    Role: Modelling, lighting and scripting.

    This VR presentation is a walkthrough around and inside the interactive virtual reality dome theatre that was at that period under construction at the Hellenic Cosmos exhibition centre of the Foundation of the Hellenic World. The purpose of the show was to enable architects, investors (and of course the site owners) to preview the building interior and exterior and make modifications on the plans. Obviously, the architectural and VR models had been remade 4 times to accomodate the changes.

  • VR Production Menu

    project

    2004, Foundation of the Hellenic World.

    Role: Modelling, texturing, scripting.

    This project is essentially was the main menu for selecting a VR show. The user cycles through the listed shows (available shows depend on platform capabilities and purpose) with the joystick buttons and the currently selected show is presented as a rippled image through the portal's liquid barrier. The portal represents a "time-travel" to the virtual world that we want to visit.

  • Ancient Greek Theaters

    project

    2004, Foundation of the Hellenic World.

    Role: Concept, modeling, lighting, scripting, sound engineering.

    This is a small educational project intended as a walkthough tour for kids of primary school age. All naration is done by the museum guide, who also guides the kids to explore the ancient Greek theater and its surroundings.

  • Phidias' Workshop

    project

    2003-2004, Foundation of the Hellenic World.

    Role: Tools development, lighting

    This interactive production introduces children and adults alike to the work of the famous Greek sculptor Phidias and particularly to the construction of the gold and ivory statue of Zeus at Olympia. My contribution to the project was limited to the development of a radiosity-based texture baking tool for global illumination, which was also used in other productions as well.