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Title: Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS). Phase 2

Abstract

This report documents the results of the Phase 2 development of ICERVS. Supporting the USDOE missions in environmental restoration, ICERVS integrates capabilities for data acquisition, data visualization, data analysis, and geometric model synthesis in a workstation-based system. The following sections trace ICERVS development from intermediate system design, prototyping of critical elements, and detailed design of seven subsystems through implementation of source code and system performance testing. As a result of Phase 2, ICERVS has demonstrated the combined capabilities of integration and display of 3D sensor data, and interactive synthesis and display of geometric shapes to model regions in 3D space. Such capabilities are essential to effective, efficient task planning, path planning, and collision avoidance in robotic remediation systems.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Mechanical Technology, Inc., Latham, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
88533
Report Number(s):
DOE/MC-92113-4016
ON: DE95000086
DOE Contract Number:
AC21-92MC29113
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Nov 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; INTERACTIVE DISPLAY DEVICES; REMOTE VIEWING EQUIPMENT; DATA ACQUISITION; DATA ANALYSIS; COMPUTER-GRAPHICS DEVICES

Citation Formats

Tourtellott, J. Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS). Phase 2. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/88533.
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Tourtellott, J. Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS). Phase 2. United States. doi:10.2172/88533.
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Tourtellott, J. Tue . "Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS). Phase 2". United States. doi:10.2172/88533. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/88533.
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@article{osti_88533,
title = {Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS). Phase 2},
author = {Tourtellott, J.},
abstractNote = {This report documents the results of the Phase 2 development of ICERVS. Supporting the USDOE missions in environmental restoration, ICERVS integrates capabilities for data acquisition, data visualization, data analysis, and geometric model synthesis in a workstation-based system. The following sections trace ICERVS development from intermediate system design, prototyping of critical elements, and detailed design of seven subsystems through implementation of source code and system performance testing. As a result of Phase 2, ICERVS has demonstrated the combined capabilities of integration and display of 3D sensor data, and interactive synthesis and display of geometric shapes to model regions in 3D space. Such capabilities are essential to effective, efficient task planning, path planning, and collision avoidance in robotic remediation systems.},
doi = {10.2172/88533},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (2.14 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/88533
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  • This ICERVS Phase II Subsystem Design Report describes the detailed software design of the Phase II Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS). ICERVS is a computer-based system that provides data acquisition, data visualization, data analysis, and model synthesis to support robotic remediation of hazardous environments. Due to the risks associated with hazardous environments, remediation must be conducted remotely using robotic systems, which, in turn, must rely on 3D models of their workspace to support both task and path planning with collision avoidance. Tools such as ICERVS are vital to accomplish remediation tasks in a safe, efficient manner. The 3D modelsmore » used by robotic systems are based on solid modeling methods, in which objects are represented by enclosing surfaces (polygons, quadric surfaces, patches, etc.) or collections of primitive solids (cubes, cylinders, etc.). In general, these 3D models must be created and/or verified by actual measurements made in the robotics workspace. However, measurement data is empirical in nature, with typical output being a collection of xyz triplets that represent sample points on some surface(s) in the workspace. As such, empirical data cannot be readily analyzed in terms of geometric representations used in robotic workspace models. The primary objective of ICERVS is to provide a reliable description of a workspace based on dimensional measurement data and to convert that description into 3D models that can be used by robotic systems. ICERVS will thus serve as a critical factor to allow robotic remediation tasks to be performed more effectively (faster, safer) and economically than with present systems.« less

  • The Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS) is a software tool for complex three-dimensional (3-D) visualization and modeling. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the use of robotic and telerobotic systems in remote and/or hazardous environments, where spatial information is provided by 3-D mapping sensors. ICERVS provides a robust, interactive system for viewing sensor data in 3-D and combines this with interactive geometric modeling capabilities that allow an operator to construct CAD models to match the remote environment. Part I of this report traces the development of ICERVS through three evolutionary phases: (1) development of first-generation software to render orthogonalmore » view displays and wireframe models; (2) expansion of this software to include interactive viewpoint control, surface-shaded graphics, material (scalar and nonscalar) property data, cut/slice planes, color and visibility mapping, and generalized object models; (3) demonstration of ICERVS as a tool for the remediation of underground storage tanks (USTs) and the dismantlement of contaminated processing facilities. Part II of this report details the software design of ICERVS, with particular emphasis on its object-oriented architecture and user interface.« less

  • The Integrated Computer-Enhanced Remote Viewing System (ICERVS) supports the robotic remediation of hazardous environments such as underground storage tanks, buried waste sites, and contaminated production facilities. The success of these remediation missions will depend on reliable geometric descriptions of the work environment in order to achieve effective task planning, path planning, and collision avoidance. ICERVS provides a means for deriving a reliable geometric description more effectively and efficiently than current systems by combining a number of technologies: Sensing of the environment to acquire dimensional and material property data; integration of acquired data into a common data structure (based on octreemore » technology); presentation of data to robotic task planners for analysis and visualization; interactive synthesis of geometric/surface models to denote features of interest in the environment and transfer of this information to robot control and collision avoidance systems. A key feature of ICERVS is that it will enable an operator to match xyz data from a sensor with surface models of the same region in space. This capability will help operators to better manage the complexities of task and path planning in three-dimensional (3D) space, thereby leading to safer and more effective remediation. The Phase 1 work performed by MTI has brought the ICERVS design to Maturity Level 3, Subscale Major Subsystem, and met the established success criteria.« less

  • ;
    ICERVS (pronounced EYE-serves) is a 3-D visualization software that works with both discrete data, such as acquired from dimensional mapping sensors, and surface model data used in CAD, providing an integrated 3-D (hidden surface) display. ICERVS can display multiple view windows with either external or immersive viewers, and includes visualization features such as cutplanes, color and visibility control, and region selection/highlighting. ICERVS view windows also include graphical tools to allow interactive editing of geometric primitives such as spheres, cones, cylinders, and polyhedral objects. By integrating discrete and surface data representations, ICERVS can be used in applications, e.g., where a CADmore » model is being constructed or modified to match objects or other geometric features shown in discrete sensor data. Non-scalar data such as images can also be attached to spatially-located indicators for inclusion in the ICERVS display. ICERVS provides an integrated operating environment with a graphical user interface running X11 Windows. Users can organize their data into ICERVS datasets which may include discrete data, geometric objects, and non-scalar data. Discrete data consists of XYZ points, and attached to each point can also be set of calar property values. Geometric objects may include basic primitives plus composite objects. Non-scalar data are user defined data types that can be attached to a specific XYZ location. These data are displayed with a spherical indicator, which when selected invoke a user defined viewer for the specific data type.« less

  • The Interactive, Computer-Enhanced, Remote Viewing System (ICERVS) is a system designed to provide a reliable geometric description of a robotic task space in a fashion that enables robotic remediation to be carried out more efficiently and economically than with present systems. The key elements are a faithful way to store empirical data and a friendly user interface that provides an operator with timely access to all that is known about a scene. ICERVS will help an operator to analyze a scene and generate additional geometric data for automating significant portions of the remediation activity. The development of ICERVS is tomore » occur in three phases. The development of ICERVS is to occur in three phases. Phase 1 will focus on the development of the Data Library, which contains the geometric data about the task space and the objects in it, and the Toolkit, which includes the mechanisms for manipulating and displaying both empirical and model data. Phase 2 will concentrate on integrating these subsystems with a sensor subsystem into one working system. Some additional functionality will be incorporated in the Data Library and Toolkit subsystems. Phase 3 will expand the configuration to meet the needs of a full scale demonstration of the interactive mapping of some waste site to be identified. The second Phase of the ICERVS project consists of nine tasks which are described in Attachment A. This listing includes the eight tasks originally proposed together with an additional task to supply a working copy of ICERVS to INEL for use with the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID). ICERVS software implementation is almost complete and integration of the ICERVS Phase 2 software has begun.« less