CGI Seminar Series at I2R

 

Seminar 5

Title: Computer vision-based interaction and registration for augmented reality systems

Speaker: Dr Yuan Miaolong, CGI, I2R

Chaired by: Dr Huang Zhiyong

Venue: Three Star Theatrette

Time: 11-11:30, May 30, Friday, 2008


Abstract


Augmented reality (AR) is a novel human-machine interaction that overlays virtual computer-generated information on a real world environment. It has found good potential applications in many fields, such as military training, surgery, entertainment, maintenance and manufacturing operations. Registration and interaction are two key issues which currently limit AR applications in many areas. In this talk, I will introduce some vision-based interaction tools and registration methods which have been integrated into our augmented reality system. Some videos will be shown to demonstrate the related methods.

 

Bio-data


Yuan Miaolong received his BS degree in Mathematics from Hangzhou Normal College in 1992 and his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China in 1997. During 1997-1999, he worked in HUST as a lecturer. During 1999-2000, he worked as a senior software engineer in Asahi Hi-tech Co, Ltd, Japan. From 2000 to March 2005, he was a research fellow in Singapore-MIT Alliance, Singapore. From April 2005 to May 2008, he is a research fellow in Department of Mechanical Engineering, at the National University of Singapore. His research interests include computer vision-based tracking, augmented reality, multimodal interactive tools.

 

Seminar 4

Title: A model of human motor adaptation to stable and unstable interactions

Speaker: Dr Tee Keng Peng, CGI, I2R

Chaired by: Dr Huang Zhiyong

Venue: Three Star Theatrette

Time: 11:30-12, May 23, Friday, 2008


Abstract


Humans have striking capabilities to perform many complex motor tasks such as carving and manipulating objects. This means that humans can learn to compensate skillfully for the forces arising from the interaction with the environment. As an attempt to understand motor adaptation, this work introduces a model of neural adaptation to novel dynamics and simulates its behavior in representative stable and unstable environments. The proposed adaptation mechanism, realized in muscle space, utilizes the stretch reflex to update the feedforward motor command, and selective deactivation to decrease coactivation of agonist-antagonist muscles not required to stabilize movement. Simulations on a 2-link 6-muscle model show that motion trajectories, evolution of muscle activity, and final endpoint impedance are consistent with experimental results. Such computational models, using only measurable variables and simple computation, may be used to simulate the effect of neuro-muscular disorders on movement control, to develop better controllers for haptic devices and neural prostheses, as well as to design novel rehabilitation approaches.

 

Bio-data


Tee Keng Peng received the B.Eng degree and the M.Eng degree from the National University of Singapore, in 2001 and 2003 respectively, both in mechanical engineering. Since 2004, he has been pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore. In 2008, he joined the Neural Signal Processing Group at I2R as a research engineer. His current research interests include adaptive control theory and applications, robotics, motor control, and brain-computer interfaces.

 

Seminar 3

Title: Personalising a Talking Head

Speaker: Dr Arthur Niswar, CGI/P3DES, I2R

Chaired by: Dr Huang Zhiyong

Venue: Three Star Theatrette

Time: 11:30-12, May 9, Friday, 2008


Abstract


Talking head is a facial animation system which is combined with a TTS (Text-To-Speech) system to produce audio-visual speech. The facial animation system is built by creating the head/face model with the required parameters for speech animation. To build the head model, the facial data of the subject have to be recorded. For this, usually hundreds of markers have to be put on the subject's face, which is a laborious process, especially if one wants to create the head model for another person. This process can be simplified by modifying the previously constructed head model using two images of the person, which is the subject of this talk.

 

Bio-data


Arthur Niswar got his B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology (Indonesia) in 1996. He then worked for 1 year as a Network System Engineer at a private company before going to Germany on a scholarship from DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). He received his M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe in 2001, and his Dr.-Ing. (equivalent to Ph.D.) in Electrical Engineering from the same university in 2006. Before joining I2R, he was the Head of Dept. of Information Technology at Multimedia Nusantara University, a private university in Jakarta. His main research interests are signal & image processing and human modeling.

 

Seminar 2

Title: How Creating Pervasive and Smart Projected Displays

Speaker: Dr Song Peng, CGI/P3DES, I2R

Chaired by: Dr Huang Zhiyong

Venue: Three Star Theatrette

Time: 11:30-12, May 2, Friday, 2008


Abstract


Projectors and cameras nowadays are becoming less expensive, more compact and mobile. With off-the-shelf equipment and software support, projected displays can be set up quickly anywhere on any surfaces, breaking the traditional confines of space limits and projection surfaces. In order to create desirable displays using projectors and cameras, there are issues to be addressed, such as geometric and photometric distortions, out-of-focus blurring, etc. In this talk, an overview of the projector-camera systems will be introduced, followed by the problems and solutions in creating pervasive and smart projected displays.

 

Bio-data


Song Peng received his B.S. in Computer Science and B.A. in English Language from Tianjin University in 2002. He obtained his Ph.D degree in Computer Engineering from Nanyang Technological University in 2007. From 2006 to 2007, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore. His main research interests are in computer vision, image processing and graphics, especially in projector-camera systems. His paper was awarded the “Best Paper Prize” in the IEEE international Workshop of Projector-Camera Systems (PROCAMS) in 2005.

 

Seminar 1

Title: How is image information processed in the human visual system (HVS)

Speaker: Dr Tan Huajin, CGI/P3DES, I2R

Chaired by: Dr Huang Zhiyong

Venue: Three Star Theatrette

Time: 11:30-12, April 18, Friday, 2008


Abstract


This talk will cover some important discoveries so far on the structure and functions of human visual system. The core area in the brain, the primary visual cortex is believed to organize to realize some fundament functions, such as edge detection and motion detection and then to fulfill the high level perception including object recognition. The experimental procedure to investigate the visual cortex is introduced, and the computational model that underlies the computational principles of visual system is also presented. The aim of the research work is to establish a bridge between neuroscience and computer science in the area of visual perception, and to elicit novel, intelligent and efficient methods for image analysis, computer vision, etc.

 

Bio-data


Huajin Tang received the B.Eng and M.Eng degrees from Zhe Jiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, in 1998 and 2001, respectively. He obtained the Ph.D. degree in electrical and Computer Engineering from National University of Singapore in 2005. From 2004 to 2006 he has worked as a R&D engineer in the corporate R&D department of STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific, Singapore, before pursing the postdoctoral research in Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Australia since 2006.

 

He has authored or coauthored a number of papers in peer-reviewed international journals, including IEEE Trans. on Neural Networks, Circuits & Systems, Neural Computation, Neurocomputing, etc. He has also coauthored one monograph in 2007 published by Springer in his research area. His research interests include machine learning, neural networks, computational and biological intelligence.