International Newsletter vol.23 2009/9
9.18.2009 FORUM8 Co., Ltd
----Contents----

--------What's New at FORUM8--------
-FORUM8 Design Festival
-2nd VR SymposiumWorld16 Summer Workshop
-Collaboration News The University of Greenwich, UK
-Collaboration News Ourston Traffic Solutions Inc, USA
-Dealer Network News

-UC-win/Road Communication plug-in network-based driving solution
-UC-win/Road for OSCADY
-UC-win/Road for xpswmm

--------Upcoming Events--------
-ITS, Stockholm, Sweden: September21
-Seminars in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Seoul

--------FORUM8 Website Information--------
-UC-win/Road DB update information
-UC-win/Road DB Download Ranking (January-June 2009)
-Point Cloud Data Modeling for Mobile Mapping System
 --------What's New at FORUM8--------
 FORUM 8 Design Festival

FORUM8 Design Festival 2009

FORUM 8 will host FORUM8 Design Festival on November 18th-20th, 2009 at Tokyo Conference Center Shinagawa

We held Design Conference in September and International VR Symposium and 3D VR Simulation Contest in November last year. We will hold the extended 3 day festival this year, combining the Design Conference of the last year with the contest		 Engineer's Studio(TM)

VR-Studio(TM)
< Date / Venue >
Date Location Venue Notes
November 18(Wednesday)-
20(Friday), 2009.		 Tokyo Hall A, Tokyo Conference Center, Shinagawa
The center is directly connected to the Konan exit of the JR Shinagawa Station
MAP		  
< General Information of the Festival >
Participation Free of charge
Schedule
November 18(Wednesday) FORUM8 Design Festival Day1
Design/Analysis Solution, Architecture/BIM Session, Water Engineering Session.
Special lectures by academic researchers and our customers at each session and introduction of new products and new versions of the products.
November 19(Thursday) FORUM8 Design Festival Day2
The 3rd International VR Symposium
World8 has grown to World16. Presentation of their advanced idea, research and technology of VR by using UC-win/Road.

Design, CAD&VR, Technical Support Session
Party commemorating publishing "Structural Analysis, Study with Software(tentative title)
Networking party(buffet style, at foyer)
November 20(Friday) FORUM8 Design Festival Day3
The 8th 3D VR Simulation Contest
Detailed schedule of sessions, information on lectures and lecturers will soon be on our website.
 
2nd VR Symposium -World16 Summer Workshop
For 4 days starting from July 28, 2009, the World16 group convened in Japan for the second summer workshop. The first was held for 3 days during August 12, 2008, in Phoenix, AZ - at that time it was known as World8.The goal of World16 group is to continue to build on the research foundations created with the initial World8 group using VR by UC-win/Road; many of the new members will be cooperating with existing members on research this year.
Opening of the workshop

In the Tokyo main office, the members participated in discussions and tutorial sessions that focused on building their understanding of UC-win/Road. This was a crucial step in helping them formulate initial ideas for what types of projects they will undertake. After two days in the Tokyo office, the group traveled to Hakone, Japan for further sessions. In Hakone, the members had a chance to finally sit down with UC-win/Road on their own, attempting to work through some of their initial ideas. During this time, members of FORUM8 Tokyo and FORUM8 AZ assisted with individual questions about how to use and even exploit the software.

Questions covered things such as: how to use the MicroSim plug-in for incorporating external simulations, how to work between a variety modeling applications, and how to push UC-win/Roads own capabilities. During the last day, each member presented their ideas for how to proceed with their research. This provided an excellent opportunity to share knowledge between a diversity of disciplines and software proficiencies (with not only UC-win/Road, but many applications) to help the teams refine their goals.

FORUM8 and FORUM8 AZ will continue to provide support to the members through the upcoming symposium using the established message board:
http://forum8az.com/phpbb/
This will also provide members an opportunity to continue to receive information and updates from each other, providing a stronger method of communication, thus creating a truly collaborative research effort.
World16 will continue to build upon the success and foundations established with World8 as they proceed with their efforts for the third VR Symposium that will be held again in November19, 2009.

For more information on participants and their research themes, go to:
http://www.forum8.com/english/fair-e-3.htm#2VRsymposium

Workshop at FORUM8 Tokyo office  World16 and FORUM8/AZ staff  


Appearance of Hakone Hisui Workshop at Hakone Hisui
 
 Collaboration News 1 INFORMATION
The University of Greenwich
FSEG: FireSaftyEngineeringGroup http://fseg.gre.ac.uk/

Collaboration in Advanced fire/evacuation modeling

The Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG), winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize 2002 and ranked one of the top research groups in the UK by RAE2008, is the UK's largest University based fire/evacuation modeling research team. The group specializes in computational fire engineering, including fire and evacuation modeling and non-emergency pedestrian dynamics.

FSEG expertise and modeling tools are used all over the world to help solve fire safety, security and pedestrian dynamics problems and Forum8 is honored to be collaborating with FSEG. UC-win/Road for Exodus, a plug-in enables the smooth interface of both EXODUS software (evacuation simulation and pedestrian dynamics/circulation analysis) and UC-win/Road (a 3D real-time virtual reality package). Importing the extracted analytical data to UC-win/Road, you can visualize quickly emergency and non-emergency building evacuation movement, including human behaviour.
This collaboration has not only enhanced the value that both vendors initially brought to their clientele but also seen the realization of several projects ranging from tunnels to airports to buildings, to name a few. This year, we celebrate the 3rd year of collaboration and look forward to the joint provision of continual product enhancement and value to our users.
 
The University of Greenwich   Professor Ed Galea
(at 2nd VR Symposium, 2008)

 
 Evacuation simulation in Hongqiao Traffic Network Centre Building
Shanghai T.E.F Building Safety Consulting Co.,Ltd.(China) Nominee Award, 7th 3D VR Contest, 2008

 
 
Evacuation simulation of an aging society using 3D VR
Taisei Engineering Co., Ltd. Design Award, 7th 3D VR Contest, 2008
 
Collaboration News 2
USA Ourston Traffic Solutions Inc
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
http://www.ourstontrafficsolutions.com/
Leading North American Traffic Specialists become Forum 8 Premier Partner

Ourston Traffic Solutions Inc., (Ourston) of Madison, Wisconsin, USA is the latest Road Traffic Consultancy to recognize the tremendous benefits of becoming a Forum 8 Premier Partner.
Ourston Roundabout Engineering Inc., their parent company, is "North America’s pre-eminent roundabout design team"; they have been designing high-capacity roundabouts in North America since 1984, including the first roundabout in Maryland in 1993. They helped the states of California, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, and Wisconsin begin their roundabout programs.

Mark Lenters, the president of Ourston Roundabout Engineering commented;
"In the US roundabouts are still rare and so the average driver often cannot understand how to navigate around them or indeed understand the benefits to the transport planner. As anyone knows who has traveled in Europe, roundabouts are a common feature of most road networks, especially in the UK, and are seen as the ideal solution to relieving congestion at intersections as well as dealing with intersections that have more than 4 entrances / exits.

"The problem with roundabouts, however, is that if you have never encountered one before, it would appear to be the strangest looking junction you have ever attempted to cross!

"With this in mind we have been looking for a way in which to help our clients and their stakeholders understand both the benefits of installing roundabouts in new road systems, whilst at the same time providing them with an educational tool to help drivers to learn how to conduct themselves when both approaching and leaving.

"Having researched the market we discovered Forum8's range of Driving Simulators and its highly photo-realistic 3D virtual reality software UC-win/Road and immediately saw the potential of this technology in solving our roundabout visualization and driver training problem.

"The Forum 8 software UC-win/Road will enable our clients to not only simulate their new road networks on screen, they will also be able to allow members of the general public to drive through these new roadways in 'virtual reality'. They will also be able to produce, quickly and easily, a range of training videos about how to navigate these proposed networks long before they have even been built. Plus lots more...

"The result of due diligence and detailed discussions with Forum 8 was our decision to order the first UC-win/Road license and to become a Premier Partner.

"We believe that Forum 8 offers the very best solution to Road Traffic Simulation and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with them."

Mr. Ito, the President of Forum 8 commented, "We are delighted that Ourston has joined our growing global network of Premier Partners and look forward to assisting them and their clients achieve all their business goals through the use of our range of state-of-the-art 3D VR products."
     
 
Dealer Network News
Kam Technologies Sales area: India
Address : # 467 1st Block 3rd Stage, West of Chord Road, Basaveshwaranagar, Bangalore-560079, INDIA,
Tel : 91 9900505280
E-mail : ramprasad.bukkapattana@gmail.com
Mr. Ramprasad Bukkapattana, his wife, Tejaswini K and their associates had been working for many years as lead software developers and architects in the field of 3D product life cycle management, marketing and quality assurance and were looking around to market a state-of-the-art, reliable and powerful 3D software tool, which could enable architects, engineers, urban planners, policy makers, academic institutions, students and communities resolve design problems, reach consensus despite their conflicting interests and take informed decisions, quickly.
After conducting intensive search and validating the capabilities, potential and user-friendliness of UC-win/Road software they established a new company, Kam Technologies in 2009 at the silicon valley of the East i.e. Bangalore to resell Forum8's software products & services.

Kam Technologies by leveraging their industry knowledge, experience in providing techno-commercial support and customer training for 3D software tools have started marketing to architects, engineers, planners and communities UC-win/Road as an invaluable tool for designing, marketing, presentation of ideas & design and for community consultation, environment impact assessment and regeneration of master plans by creating 3D virtual reality models and walkthroughs for visualization and simulation.
Despite global economic slowdown, India today is preferred investment destination and rapidly growing market for infrastructure projects. FORUM 8 Japan and India are pro-actively supporting Kam Technologies in servicing various on-going and up-&-coming integrated infrastructure projects funded multilaterally and under public private partnerships (PPP).

 Dealer Network News
News from Medulla-Soft, New Delhi, India
UC-win/Road appointed by the Indian governmental agency
It has become clear that National Highways Authority of India(NHAI), an agency of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which makes the rules and terms of reference for road projects in India, have made it mandatory for all the consultants to use UC-win/Road's format as design data in the 3D virtual reality simulation environment.
In the Amendment/Corrigendum to RFP, released by NHAI on July 24th, newly designated that "Interactive 3D virtual reality simulated environment" has to be given in the ".rd" format. ".rd" format is the standard file format of FORUM8's UC-win/Road.
The projects cover 5 packages in 2 states, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and their total length reaches 391km.
 
Medulla-Soft URL: http://www.medulla-soft.com/
 
UC-win/Road Communication plug-in network-based driving solution 3 Dimensional Realtime VR Software
UC-win/Road Communication plug-in

Preface
UC-win/Road is a 3 Dimensional Realtime VR Software Package, which support the consensus building in road and public construction projects. We have released various plug-ins, however we have not have the one to share UC-win/Road data nor support joint working.
As a new plug-in, we have developed web-based communication system, which enables to share space in 3D model and its environment, synchronize and operate changing views and driving
Screen of sender Screen of receiver

Communication Plug-in
This Plug-in allows communication with multi users by use of UC-win/Road. Users can send chatting comment and surrounding information in UC-win/Road such as view position, direction and time through the internet. These enables you to support joint designing and consensus building. In addition, it allows network-based driving simulation.

Screen of driver A
Screen of driver B

Sending and receiving control information
By using the same data, you can show your views of UC-win/Road to multiple users. are displayed. Also, by placing the server connecting to the Internet environment, you can exchange information through the Internet.

<Functions>
  1. Synchronization of camera positioning
    Bending the information of camera positioning, direction and angle, you can show your screen of surroundings to multiple users.
  2. Synchronization of time
    Synchronization time allows sharing information of time-early morning, day time, or midnight.
  3. Changing sending interval
    By changing sending interval according to users environment, users can use synchronization functions smoothly.

Chatting function
You can chat with multiple users. By using with functions of sending/receiving control information of UC-win/Road, you can have a brief meeting or conference using UC-win/Road data.

Network-based driving simulation
We have a plan of adding function that allows multiple user drive in the same UC-win/Road space. For example, you will be able to enjoy racing game through Web/LAN on the circuit course made by UC-win/Road. In addition, we expect the case of research field of driving simulation considering the interaction.


Screen of driver A: red car

Screen of driver B: blue car
  • Synchronization of information on driving
    By sending information of the driving vehicle each other, users can display all the vehicles of the communicating partners.

    Synchronization of starting the scenario
    By synchronizing the start of the scenario, all users can start simultaneously and enables to enjoy like a racing game.

For case studies and our future plan, go to:
http://www.forum8.com/topic/up81-p14-e.htm

UC-win/Road Communication Plug-in driving simulation network release date: End of September, 2009
 
UC-win/Road for OSCADY 3 Dimensional Realtime VR Software

Overview
OSCADY PROis a software to analyze traffic for designing traffic signal and to optimize its phase. As a collaborative function of UC-win/Road, you can check the analysis result of Oscady PRO in 3D VR space. This product is made to develop intersections and to explain the improved phase appealingly and comprehensibly.
3D Visualization of Intersection

About OSCADY PRO
Oscady Pro allows automatic setting of signal phase and arrangement, and optimized signal capacity and congestion, and gradual and swift optimization of traffic signal. Japanese version of of OSCADY PRO is compliant to "Revised at-Grade Intersection Plan and Design, the 3rd Basic volume, Japan Society of Traffic Engineers, July 2007.
To optimize, it automatically set the phase, based on the signal phase and timing of signal changing cycle.
Signal optimization tool detects optimized timing, based on 3 policies-decisive time cycle, maximum capacity
and minimum delay. Timing of each signal's phase is decided by these policies.
Intersection shape Phase of traffic signal

OSCADY PRO allows quick editing: road, traffic, car lane, setting of signal phase, signal phase and position.


Collaborative points
Collaborative points from OSACADY PRO to UC-win/Road are as follows.

Access road:
Position of road, number of lanes, automatic import of width and name, and setting road surface texture.

Intersection shape:
With UC-win/Road's automatic intersection generation function, visualizes 3D shape and road surface marking.

Traffic flow:
Allows automatic import of traffic capacity per lane, ratio of right turn, through traffic and left turn
at intersection, and distribution of traffic vehicle.

Phase:
By converting phase information of OSCADY PRO, automatically do the setting the traffic signal of UC-win/Road.


Special feature
Import multiple results:
Imports multiple analysis results simultaneously and allows to display in parallel. Possible to compare the traffic condition in maximum signal capacity, minimum delay and multiple traffic capacity.

Convert traffic profile:
It is the function of setting the type of running vehicles. In OSCADY PRO, feature of running vehicle is decided by average PCU(Passenger Car Unit). In short, PCU coefficient signifies the size of vehicle. UC-win/Road converts average PCU to traffic profile from the library of customizable 3D vehicle models. It calculates the ratio of appropriate models, using the normal distribution based on PCU coefficient of each 3D model.
Import maximum capacity and minimum delay

Traffic capacity setting per lane:
With the development of this function, we have improved the traffic generation function of UC-win/Road,
and changed the existing traffic setting of all lanes to setting per each lane.
The change enables detailed traffic settings and expression of exclusive lane.

Seamless operation:
Only a few clicking enables you to read data, specifying the analysis result to import and position of intersection. In case of adjusting the conversion parameter, you can change the default settings.
Window for setting traffic capacity Window for setting

 
UC-win/Road for xpswmm 3 Dimensional realtime VR software
Preface
UC-win/Road for xpswmm plug-in is the plug-in tool, which imports the result of runoff and flood water analysis by xpswmm to UC-win/Road, draws floodplain flow, drainage network and flow in conduit, and displays time series simulation on 3 dimensional VR.
Proposal to make urban area resistant to water disaster is required in recent years. Simulation in various conditions and visually effective expression of flooded area, flood water depth and flood time and floodplain flow velocity by UC-win/Road's 3D VR allows efficient examination of the more efficient .


Major functions and features
  1. Drawing flood area and depth of floodwater flow.
    Draws automatically time series flood area and water depth(colored by depth) in a series of hydraulic phenomena from flood occurrence to the end , such as overflow from drainage, flood by runoff water and flood water's return to drainage pipe.

  2. Floodplain flow Drawing velocity of flood water
    UC-win/Road for xpswmm displays time series vector of velocity of flood water.
    It allows you to check visually the aspect of the flood water flow.
  3. Drawing drainage network
    Possible to draw the situation of drainage network comprising wastewater pipe and manhole on 3 dimensional VR.
  4. Drawing flow in conduit
    The plug-in can draw time series rise and fall of water level of flow in conduit and flow velocity of drainage network.

xpswmm Tool Bar
xpswmm Tool Bar is the tool bar to import analysis result of xpswmm to UC-win/Road and draw flood water flow, drainage network and flow in conduit, execute, and control the time series simulation. "Play Button allows consecutive display of animation of the analysis result in each step from defined starting time to end time.Pause Button allows forward or backward viewing in each step. For example, you can check and examine in detail the result of flood analysis at the appointed time.

xpswmm Data import
xpswmm Data Import reads surface flow, drainage network and conduit flow and adjusts coordinates between xpswmm and UC-win/Road(Cordinate adjustment between the two products). Cordinate adjustment does setting of moving horizontal coordinates in xpswmm's topographical data (coordinates in horizontal direction of analysis mesh) to coordinate position in East-West or South-North direction in UC-win/Road.

xpswmm data Import screen

Floodplain Flow Drawing option
Floodplain flow Drawing Option is the drawing option to draw the surface of floodplain flow, analysis mesh, flood velocity, display flooding time, and do color setting of flood water depth. In accordance to the situation of the simulation, user can change parameters of flow velocity, color distribution by depth and etc. You can save and read set parameters here.
Floodplain flow Drawing Option screen

Drainage Network Drawing Option
Drainage Network Drawing Option is the option to draw manhole, drainage network, flow in conduit and conduit flow velocity. It allows to choose display or hide. Since drainage network is built underground, it is not easy to see above ground, such as road, building and their usage in 3 dimensional VR.
This plug-in can offset altitude of whole drainage network. For example, user can draw the network above the ground to check and examine the validity with the land around the network.In accordance to the situation of simulation, can change parameter of flow in conduit, flow velocity and other parameters. Also allows to save and read set parameter.
Drainage network Drawing Option screen


Data link sample
Floodplain flow and water depth Floodplain flow velocity


Drainage network and flow in conduit Display of drainage network above ground

VR sample case of flood at Nakameguro area


UC-win/Road for xpswmm Released at the end of  September 2009
--------Upcoming Events--------
We will participate in overseas events. Please come to visit us in the booth to learn
more about our product line-up. Look forward to meeting you!
 World Congress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transport Systems & Services Stockholm, Sweden
16th World Congress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transport Systems & Services
Japanese English French
16th World Congress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transport Systems & Services
FORUM8 is going to present a paper and exhibit our software, UC-win/Road at ITS World Congress in Stockholm. At our booth, we exhibit and demonstrate UC-win/Road Drive Simulator and network-based driving by use of Communication plug-in. Come to see us at Stockholm.
UC-win/Road : http://vr.forum8.co.jp/english
UC-win/Road Drive Simulator : http://www.forum8.co.jp/english/uc-win/road-drive-e.htm
16th World Congress Stockholm 2009 Web site
http://www.itsworldcongress.com/ (English)
<   Date / Venue   >
Location Date Venue Note
Stockholm
Sweden		 September21(Monday)-25(Friday),
2009.		 Stockholmsmassan
(Stockholm International Fairs)		  

-Seminars in Shanghai and Seoul

The seminars provide attendees an opportunity to acquire up-to-date information about our product.
One of the main goals of these seminars is to explain analysis and design
techniques which abound in the industry. Participation fee is free!
International Seminar
Venue
Shanghai - Seminar room, FORUM8 Technology Development (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.) MAP
Shenzhen THSWARE, Shenzhen Tsinghua Sware Software Hi-Tech Co., Ltd.MAP
Seoul - Seminar room (BasisSoft, Inc.) MAP
 
Seminar Date Venue  Note
UC-win/Road VR 27 October 2009 Shanghai  
UC-win/Road Advanced 24 September 2009 Shenzhen  
29 September 2009 Shanghai  
Engineer's Studio / UC-win/FRAME(3D) 10 November 2009 Shanghai  
Geotechnical Finite element Elastoplastic Analysis Software (GeoFEAS)2D
Geotechnical Finite element Elastoplastic Analysis Software (GeoFEAS)3D		 4 December 2009 Shanghai  
xpswmm 17 September 2009 Shanghai  
Maxsurf 15 October 2009 Shanghai  
OSCADY/TRANSYT 21 October 2009 Shanghai  
Multiframe, MultiSTEEL 4 November 2009 Shanghai  
DesignBuilder 22 October 2009 Shanghai  
Abutment design Ver.7 for china 18 September 2009 Shanghai  
Retaining wall design Ver.9 Standard for China,
Temporary sheathing work design Ver.7 for China		 13 October 2009 Shanghai  
Tempo Retaining Wall 25 September 2009 Seoul  
Summary
Participation Fee: Free
Application
For more information and application submission, please email us at
forum8@forum8.co.jp

--------FORUM8 Website Information--------
UC-win/Road DB update information 3 Dimensional Realtime VR Software

UC-win/RoadDB is the database in the internet that contains 3D models, textures and section data.
Users can access and download the database directly from the UC-win/RoadDB. DB comprises 2,870 3D models, 3,308 textures, 66 sections and 42 sample data.(as of August24, 2009)
The latest data added include the data relating to the UC-win/Road Ver.3.04.07, released in June, supporting new function of  fire and smoke expressions. UC-win/RoadDB has fire and smoke textures and sample data.
Fire and smoke variations


"Expression of Tsunami", that shows the situation of flooded road and houses, "Disaster at mountain road" that expresses the landslide at mountain road and "Kyoto city", that reproduces streets and traffics in Kyoto.

Expression of Tsunami Disaster at mountain road Kyoto city


For 3D Model: Character, a "Guard", waving a signal baton, "Mother and her stroller", pushing a baby stroller and "Frog",jumps and swims.
Guard Mother and her stroller Frog


For traffic signs: Evacuation Signs, we added "Universal design pictogram".
Emergency food ready Doctor will visit here Emergency medicine
in stock		 Drinking water ready

UC-win/Road DB Download ranking (January-June 2009)
Below are top 4 on Japanese web site.
(The number in parenthesis access times)
Japanese
1 3 4

FORUM8 Tokyo (254)
FORUM8 Technology Development, Shanghai (254)
FORUM8 Nagoya (244)
FORUM8 Osaka (226)
To see other models and textures, go to:
http://www.forum8.com/english/uc-win/roadDB-Rank0901-06-e.htm
Point Cloud Data Modeling for Mobile Mapping System Service overview and features

VR modeling by use of point cloud data for UC-win/Road
Developing customized functions of VR modeling of point cloud data



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FORUM8 Co., Ltd. mailto:forum8@forum8.co.jp
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