E-Learning Corgi focuses on distance training and education, from instructional design to e-learning and mobile solutions, and pays attention to psychological, social, and cultural factors. The edublog emphasizes real-world e-learning issues and appropriate uses of emerging technologies. Susan Smith Nash is the Corgi's assistant.
Showing posts with label 3d visualization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3d visualization. Show all posts
Welcome to an interview with Ian Wild, AVEVA, who shares his experiences with Moodle and discusses how to design effective, interactive learning experiences that are effective across the board -- from math and physics, to complex immersive 3D training environments. Some of his many publications can be found through his LinkedIn site: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iandavidwild/
Ian and I have an interesting chat about what it takes to be effective when using a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) such as Moodle to work with all kinds of learners and their learning goals. Augmented Reality in Training: Ian specializes in developing plugins to create 3D learning environment that can be used to simulate real-world locations and thus provide authentic training experiences in ways that reduce risk and allow real-time collaboration and training.
Fearless Physics and Math? Ian shows us how this is possible in a completely different type of training and tutoring. Here Ian uses Moodle and Moodle plugins to create an environment where young math students can gain confidence as they work through the levels and successfully pass through the competency frameworks.
Spencer Striker is determined to make history come alive, and to put learners in the middle of scenarios that let them role play in ways that relate to their lives in ways they never imagined possible. The latest addition is "Global Pandemics: Plague of Athens," which plunges learners in the middle of a mysterious pandemic that occured in Ancient Greece.
Dr. Striker, who is a Digital Media Design professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, earned his Ph.D. in Digital Media from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
At Life Edge, we had the privilege of interviewing Spencer in 2020 over his series featuring revolutions in history in History Adventures. Here is a link to the show: https://youtu.be/S5BNBD9INTk
Spencer Striker on E-Learn Chat in 2020
Welcome to an interview with Spencer Striker, Ph.D., along with links to demos.
3. What do people think was the main thing that caused the plague? Was it something unique, or was it a massive cholera outbreak or something like that?
To this day, historians are not certain what was the cause of the Plague of Athens. In the product, we challenge students to think like historians/epidemiologists and examine the possible causes in a feature we call: What Was It? Please see the attached screenshot as a reference! The possible suspects include: smallpox, bubonic plague, ebola, typhus, and typhoid.
4. Can students interact with the vectors? (for example, with rats and fleas? a first-person shooter game to kill the rats? or run from the fleas in a maze?)
We have many amazing interactive features built into Global Pandemics: Plague of Athens. Please find a list here!
What’s the quickest way to “Death By PowerPoint”? Put together a presentation that consists only of bullet points. Conversely, a presentation or report that consists only of visuals may seem superficial and confusing. So, when should you use visuals? How should they be placed for maximum impact and effectiveness?
Lime or Bird? You decide.... Mexico City 2019 (photo credit: Susan Nash)
What Is a Visual?
Generally speaking, a
visual is anything that is pictoral, graphic, or semiotic. A visual can
be composed of text (a sign, etc.). Generally speaking, visuals are
graphics that may include diagrams, drawings, photographs, charts,
graphs, figures, and more.
According to Patrick
Cavenaugh, visual elements within a report or presentation are highly
effective because they both capture the viewer’s attention and then
direct or guide it. The visual architecture creates a process that then
continues to arouse interest and direct attention from visual stimulus
to visual stimulus (Cavanaugh, 2011).
Video on using visuals:
When to Use a Visual
Think of your overall goal or objective in writing your report or creating your presentation. Then, consider your audience. What will they relate to? What will they expect? What will resonate with their values and beliefs?
Keep in mind the following purposes of visuals:
* Instruct or persuade
* Draw attention to something immediately important
* Provide information quickly
* Engage the audience
* Keep the audience focused
* Provide accurate information concisely
Then, as you organize the content, think of the sequencing and space out the visual elements in order to maintain an optimized pace and to keep attention focused.
Roses before the storm in Mexico City. Photo credit: Susan Nash
Audience Perspective
As you prepare your visuals, and determine where to place them, it is useful to keep in mind the following questions that your audience will have as they approach the material.
*Why is the visual here?
*What does it tell me?
* Which aspect of the visual is most important?
* Where, exactly, should I focus?
* What do these numbers or statistics mean?
* What should I be thinking or doing?
* Where does the graphic begin? Where does the information end?
How Visuals Work
Make the abstract concrete. Your audience can more easily relate the content to their own experience.
Analyze relationships. If the visuals appear on the same page, or next to each other, it is fairly easy to discuss how they relate to each other. The relationships can be grasped at a glance with skillful use of design, color, pattern, and placement.
Facilitate comparisons. With visuals, it is easy to discuss to things, particularly when you locate them side by side.
Emphasize key points. You can make key points clear using visuals.
Transcend language barriers. It is possible to create visuals that can be communicated across language and cultural differences.
A memorial for a man who drowned in the Arkansas River, Tulsa, Oklahoma (photo credit: Susan Nash)
What Types of Visuals to Consider
Tables. Tables display data (as number or words) in rows and columns for comparison.
Photographs. Photographs can help document a place, person, or thing, and they can help emphasize the application of a concept in real life. Be sure to give proper attribution to the graphics you use, and to obtain permission. If you use graphics that have a Creative Commons license, be sure to give it the correct attribution.
Graphs. Graphs translate numbers into shapes, shades, and patterns by plotting two or more data sets on a coordinate system.
Maps. Maps or grids are very helpful when discussing locations, demographics, and even the results of data mining (for example, for marketing).
Charts. Charts depict relationships without the use of a coordinate system by using circles, rectangles, arrows, connecting lines, and other design elements.
Graphs. Graphic illustrations are pictorial devices for helping readers visualize what something looks like, how it's done, how it happens, or where it's located.
Maintaining Effectiveness With Visuals
After you’ve analyzed your goals and objectives, and have determined where and when to use visuals, be sure to let another person take a look at your presentation or report. Peer review can be quite helpful – they can help you gain insight into how diverse learning styles and preferences can be accommodated by using visuals. You can also get an idea if your visuals are of the appropriate complexity.
Reference
Cavanaugh, P. (2011) Visual cognition. Vision Research. 51 (13): 1538-51.
Software for drones and UAVs cover a
wide spectrum of possibilities. They range from very basic cloud-based
applications that you download onto your smartphone or tablet, to extremely
sophisticated programs that will allow you to work with all kinds of data from
many sources, including photogrammetry, thermal, hyperspectral, multispectral,
laser, and more. Some programs and packages have a steep learning curve, while
others are intuitive and you can develop basic maps and 3D images within a
matter of hours.
But, let’s start with the basics.
What will you be using your
drone-derived images for? Let’s think
about this a moment. Most drones and UAVs are used to create 3D images and also
to try to detect anomalies. So, what
that means in practical terms is that you’ll need to be able to generate
geo-referenced images that can be moved, manipulated, and rotated for a better
look. You’ll also need to be able to
process data so that the values correspond to different colors, so that any
anomalies really “pop” as in a heat map.
The second most basic issue is that
of storage space and connectivity. If you’re able to use your phone and you
have a good signal, you can take advantage of cloud-solutions and you can
gather a lot more data. If not, you’re going to be stuck with what you can
carry onboard, which means your sampling rate is going to have to go down quite
significantly. It also means that you’re better off with a software package
which allows you to adjust your sampling rate.
Keep in mind that software that
contains pre-prepared applications will limit you, and you may not even know
how you’re being limited. But, unless you’re NASA, a military contractor or a
movie studio, chances are it’s not in your budget to pay millions of dollars for
your drone’s software.
Here are some of the most widely-used
drone software packages. Some are aimed more toward the lighter businesses
uses, and others are appropriate for very demanding commercial applications.
In addition, some of the software
includes flight planning as well as processing of the digital data once it has
been acquired. Are you ready to upgrade your drone? Check out drones for sale.
It is good to keep in mind that for
every day you spend in the field collecting information, you’ll spend at least
two days at your computer in processing the information. You’ll spend even more
if you use the data in the future for additional purposes, such as creating
models for games or building simulations.
DroneDeploy’s UAV mapping software is
often the first mapping software that people use after they buy their first
drone. It offers more tools and options than many of the software packages that
come with the drones, and has the huge advantage of having a free “lite”
version. With DroneDeploy, you can upload your data to the cloud. DroneDeploy
gives you four main categories of images to choose from. Although they may not
provide a wide array of options, they are easy and quick to use.
Orthomosaics:
Georeferenced, orthorectified
Terrain
models: Useful for topographic modeling. The maps have DSMs.
NVDI
analysis:This is a “normalized
difference vegetation index” that is used to identify live green vegetation. In
this case, it is best to use a multispectral sensor.
3D
model:DroneDeploy allows you to create
rotatable 3D models and also point clouds.
DroneDeploy is widely used in real
estate, inspections, security, agricultural, and event management.
Identified Technologies is a robust
solution for individuals and companies that use the images for construction,
large infrastructure projects, massive inspection activities and more. They
work well for civil and environmental engineers, as well as construction and
project managers. Their programs are ideal for project management because they
allow one to evaluate progress.
For a wide range of industries, with
customized solutions.
Pix4D is often the program of choice
for individuals and companies that need an easy to use solution that can be
customized for many different uses. They are the favorite of many surveying
companies because of the granularity of the georeferencing. Each 3D point in a
point cloud is georeferenced. Pix4D is very robust and can be used to develop
high resolution maps for commercial, industrial, and personal use.
Pix4Dmapper Pro: photogrammetry
software for professional drone-based mapping
Pix4Dcapture: Flight planning mobile
app for optimal mapping data with your drone
Android
iOS
Sorts
most drones // basemaps – Google Earth or ArcGIS
Can use any handheld camera or drone
Optimized
Direct to cloud
Georeferenced down to each 3D point
in the point cloud
rayCloud editor
2D and 3D models, 3D point clouds,
digital surface models, and orthomosaics
Datumate has a number of advantages
for companies and individuals who focus on photogrammetry. Their software is
ideal for surveying and civil engineering purposes. They even have a case study in which they use
drone photogrammetry to create 3D images of a car accident for the report. What
gives their software packages an advantage is ease of use and the fact that one
can process volumetrics without having a constant internet connection. I do not
know if it means that you have to download the package and run it on your
computer or if you are emailed a link to download the solution when it is
ready. In either case, it’s very appealing
DatuSurvey: Photogrammetry software
for land surveying, construction, infrastructure
DatuSite: 3D mapping software for
construction and infrastructure
DatuFly:Drone app for land surveying and construction
Site Survey Solution:Surveying suite for civil engineering
Harris Corporation is a multi-billion
dollar company that provides geographical systems support to FAA, NASA and the
U.S. military. They have provided imaging software for satellites for many
years as well. Thus it is no surprise that their software for use with UAVs and
drones is extremely robust and flexible.
Harris provides a wide array of industry-specific solutions, and they
also allow one to integrate additional data sets with theirs, and to
incorporate geographical information data sets from many different sources to
build a robust, multi-layer geographical information system.
The cost of ENVI can be higher than
other solutions, but if you are a company that provides analytical services, it
would constitute the backbone of your business.
Large shipping, logistics, and transportation companies also use ENVI
along with other integrated services.
More Software for a Future Post
Other
notable image processing software for georeferenced, 3D, orthomosaics, point
clouds, and more. I will review them in a future post.
The next new thing in web-browsing will be a 3D immersive experience. That is, at least, what many people believe. The implications for e-learning are interesting -- the kinds of research and resources that will be available with 3D visualizations via one's browser could revolutionize the way we conceive of and display statistics, the earth, and earth processes -- just to name a few. Welcome to an interview with Alec Jeong, whose company, Cooliris (http://www.cooliris.com), is pioneering the use of 3D visualization of Web information.
What is your name, your position, and your affiliation and what is your involvement in Cooliris? My name is Alec Jeong. I lead the marketing communications initiatives at Cooliris, and have been a team member since the company’s inception in 2006.
What is Cooliris (http://www.cooliris.com), and what is its mission and vision? Cooliris, Inc. was founded in January 2006 with a simple mantra: "Think beyond the browser." Our company's flagship product is Cooliris, a free browser add-on that provides a lightning fast, cinematic way to discover the Web. Hailed by the New York Times as the "new immersive approach to Web navigation," Cooliris transforms your browser into an expansive "3D Wall" that lets you browse thousands of photos, videos, and more with superior ease and speed. Cooliris is available for Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari (Mac).
What do you identify as the key new trends that have made Cooliris beneficial to people? Despite the advances in computer technology and the increase in information on the web in the past 10 years, the way people browse the Internet has not evolved at the same pace. Browsing and looking for images, videos, products, and news requires clicking from site to site, page to page—a somewhat tedious and slow process.
Cooliris takes Web-browsing to the next generation, allowing efficient consumption of the vast amount of information on the web. Cooliris lets users easily find and search images and videos within a full-screen, vivid environment. Inline search functionality and the pageless 3D Wall makes visual browsing a fast and more enjoyable process. There’s no need to jump from site to site, or click page by page, nor squint at thumbnail images.
How does Cooliris work? Can you provide one or two examples? You can use Cooliris in two ways: as a standalone application or as an enhancement to your normal browsing experience.
After installing our free lightweight plugin, you can launch Cooliris by clicking a special Cooliris icon located on your browser toolbar. Once inside Cooliris, you are brought into a full-screen interface where you can easily glide through images and videos on an ever-expanding 3D Wall. An inline search function lets you search across major media sites including Google images, Flickr, YouTube, and Hulu, and a number of others. Cooliris also includes Discover, which lets you watch the latest TV episodes, music videos, and even full-length movies from Hulu. Finally, for those who like to window shop, Cooliris also has a feature that lets you shop for products visually.
You can also use Cooliris directly on hundreds of supported sites, such as Facebook, MySpace,YouTube, Flickr, Google Images, or just about any site that uses Media RSS. How it works is that when you visit a supported site, say Google Images for example, a Cooliris icon will appear above images as you mouse over them. Click the icon and Cooliris will quickly display thousands of your search results on the single expansive 3D Wall. (See attached screenshots)
Please describe upcoming activities. We’ll soon be releasing Cooliris 1.10, which will allow users to browse photos and videos stored on their computer hard drive, among many other useful features and enhancements.
