Barco helps University of Potsdam to safeguard the planet

Kortrijk, Belgium - The University of Potsdam, Germany, has installed a Barco I-Space to bring its research data to life as the university's Research Focus Area of Earth Sciences tries to find out how system "Earth" works and how everything around and on the Earth, including man, affects the planet.


The brand-new 3D lab, equipped with a three-sided Barco I-Space, helps them gain new insights. The University of Potsdam officially opened its 3D lab on 15 June. With natural hazards and climate change becoming ever-important topics worldwide, the University increasingly focuses on studying the facts, causes, and implications of these phenomena. Next to the researchers, companies from a wide range of industries--automotive, IT, biology, etc.--come to the lab to bring their research data to life. 



When the need came for a high-quality visualization solution, the university researched various options but decided on Barco after a visit to the demo room in the company's headquarters in Belgium. "The image quality we saw on the wall at Barco in Kuurne was simply stunning. There was no way the other solutions could compare," states Dr. Bergner, International Project Coordination, University of Potsdam, Research Focus Area Earth Sciences. 

For this project, Barco installed an I-Space multi-sided, cubic immersive environment that surrounds the user with virtual imagery. The University opted for a three-sided I-Space with two walls and a front-projected floor. The installation is powered by three Barco Galaxy NW-12 full-HD projectors and designed with three semi-rigid 4.00 meter screens and Barco's XDS Control Center software for the display management. 

"The I-Space is immensely changing the awareness within our community. When we have complex, detailed data to discuss and analyze during meetings, we decide to 'go see it for real' in the I-Space. It gives the feeling of being fully 'immersed' in the data or pictures. The high resolution allows us to detect the tiniest details. In this way, we can speed up analysis, decision-making and collaboration," continues Dr. Bergner. 

The University of Potsdam is very proud of the cutting-edge solution, which boosts its image of a leading center for science and research. "The I-Space truly helps us better understand how the earth functions and evolves and, as a consequence, how we can safeguard it," Dr. Bergner concludes.
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Source : http://www.cgw.com/

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Posted in: Invention and Innovation,Technology

Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 Is Off to the Races

Lightning McQueen takes on 10 global champions in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car.

Who’s the fastest car in the world?  
If you said Lightning McQueen—you’re not alone. As a four-time Piston Cup-winner, number 95 is a real contender. But can the American compete against international champs like Formula Racer Francesco Bernoulli—the favorite according to racing experts… (and Bernoulli himself)? And don’t forget Lewis Hamilton, the young, but incredibly talented yellow and black GTS car; Jeff Gorvette, the classic, all-American GTS master; and Carla Veloso, the tough Brazilian whose record speaks for itself—they have the guts to give the veterans a run for the title of world’s fastest car.
 

All images ©2011 Disney/Pixar.

Indeed, that title is what’s up for grabs in the first ever World Grand Prix—a race created by Sir Miles Axlerod, the infamous oil-baron-turned-environmentalist whose wonder-fuel Allinol will be the sole fuel allowed in the three-country race. Some say the race is merely an exhibition for Axlerod’s clean-burning fuel—but even if it is, the World Grand Prix has drawn the world’s top competitors and is already shaping up to be the race among races. What’s not to like? This race kicks off at night in Tokyo, Japan, cruises through breathtaking Porto Corsa, Italy, with a grand finale through the streets of London.  

For an in-depth look at the CG tools and technologies used to create the film’s cutting-edge computer graphics, see the June issue of Computer Graphics World. Meanwhile, Disney/Pixar gets you off to an early start with the following information, sure to get your engines humming.



THE LINE-UP
•   Lightning McQueen, #95, USA. Four-time Piston Cup-winner and Hudson Hornet protégé says he’s not afraid of international competition.
•   Francesco Bernoulli, #1, Italy. The Formula Racer champion is by far the most popular race car in Europe—if not the world—and has little doubt he’ll take the World Grand Prix, too.  
•   Lewis Hamilton, #2, Great Britain. The young Grand Touring Sports champion is a winner inside and out with unrivaled technical skills and a natural speed ability—but his achievements on the track speak for themselves.
•   Max Schnell, #4, Germany.  The carbon fiber convert has won more races at Motorheimring than any other World Torque Champion League car in history.
•   Miguel Camino, #5, Spain. A veteran of the Running of the Bulldozers, he’s a fierce competitor on the Grand Touring Sport racing circuit, too.
•   Raoul ÇaRoule, #6, France. “World’s Greatest Rally Car”—the first car to ever win nine consecutive rallies will dominate on the dirt sections.
•   Shu Todoroki, #7, Japan. The Le Motor Prototype and champion of the Suzuka Circuit sports a fiery red Ka-Riu dragon that some say might intimidate the competition.
•   Carla Veloso, #8, Brazil. Le Motor Prototype racer with a powerful Brazilian spirit who’s seen success in Europe’s 24-hour endurance racing team.
•   Nigel Gearsley, #9, England. The Aston Martin DB9R racer who’s won nearly every start in the Grand Touring Sports circuit, including a string of podiums at Nurburgring and Le Mans.
•   Rip Clutchgoneski, #10, Republic of New Rearendia. The Cinderella story of the competition just might put his country on the map.
•   Jeff Gorvette, #24, USA.  A master of the Grand Touring Sports circuits, his numerous championships make him a respected competitor—and legitimate threat.



BEHIND THE WHEEL
Orchestrating a race the size and scope of the World Grand Prix isn’t easy. Fortunately, there was a team at Pixar Animation Studios that was up for the task. Director John Lasseter drove the effort, having experienced the Spanish Grand Prix during the “Cars” publicity tour.  The experience opened his eyes to the power of the sport, particularly outside the U.S. Says “Cars” franchise guardian Jay Ward, “What people around the world love is formula style racing—open-wheeled, high horsepower, left-right-turn- Chicane-technical-course-type competition.”

Enter characters like Francesco Bernoulli—a star racecar with a worldwide following. He’s his own number one fan. “Francesco is a fun character,” says producer Denise Ream. “He has a lot of personality and a very high opinion of himself. The interaction between Lightning McQueen and Francesco is fun and entertaining throughout the movie.”

“This guy is so funny,” says Lasseter of Francesco. “He is so full of himself, he’s an open-wheel car and in the car world, an open-wheel car is like those guys who barely button their shirts. He talks about himself in the third person. He’s so much fun. Voicing Francesco Bernoulli is John Turturro and he hit it out of the park. It’s one of the most entertaining characters we’ve ever created.”



Adds Ream, “I really look forward to watching Francesco’s scenes—maybe it’s because I have John Turturro in my mind when I’m watching it, because he is really funny. But I think the character’s going to be incredibly popular.”

Ream had the opportunity to work with a real Formula 1 driver when Lewis Hamilton was tapped for the film.  Hamilton was hands on when it came to designing his “Cars 2” car. “He was very particular about what he wanted,” she says. “His emblem combines the Union Jack and the flag of Grenada—which is on his actual helmet. He wanted the car to be black with yellow pinstriping, and he picked the wheels. We had a great time sending pictures back and forth and sharing notes.”



THE RACE IS ON
The team behind “Cars 2” wanted to get the world’s newest event for racing enthusiasts—the World Grand Prix—just right… even if it meant traveling to some of the greatest race sites and races in the world, hanging out in the pits and riding in a racecar or two.  Lasseter and co-director Brad Lewis took a trip in September 2007. “We flew into Italy,” says Lewis. “We stayed in Modena and went to the Ferrari factory and spent a day or two there. Then John and I drove over to Milan and we went to Monza and saw the Italian Grand Prix.”
But that was just the beginning of what would be several adventures. “John insisted that we do extensive research,” says Ream. “We’ve done quite a few research trips, perhaps more than any other film. We went to the Jim Russell driving school in Sears Point—we took the animation department. That was a lot of fun. I also got to go to the Monaco Grand Prix, which was pretty spectacular.”

Several members of the Pixar team took part in Monaco’s Grand Prix practice and qualifying events. “Monaco is the most famous street grand prix Formula 1 racing track in the world,” says Lewis. “It was important for everybody to experience a high-end Formula 1 race.”
“On the way to Monaco, we stopped in Torino,” says production designer Harley Jessup. “We went to the Fiat track there and they brought out a great collection of cars that that we got to ride in with their driver—going 150 miles per hour. It was really fun.”



When it came time to decide just who would race in the World Grand Prix, filmmakers had a lot to consider. “In order for this to be a true international racing decathlon,” says Lewis, “we knew we wanted the best athletes from all the different racing disciplines. But we couldn’t have a cast of thousands and there are lots of different racing forms. So we decided to take a singular champion from the major racing forms.”

They subsequently created their version of the world’s fastest racecars for the film—NASCAR, Formula 1, Rally racing, Le Mans Prototypes, Grand Touring/GT1, GT2 and Deutsche Tourwagen Masters. For the designs of the racecars, the team considered speed, weight, power output and function to create the right look for each racecar.  

The result?  A race to top all races. “All the gloves are off,” says Ward. “If the best of the best in every type of racing around the world were invited to compete, what would happen?
“It’s a race of champions in all these different classes,” continues Ward. “We thought, ‘how do we level the playing field?’ And we came up with these courses that basically offered a little bit of benefit to each car. There’s an off-road section so the rally car could just fly down the course and the Formula racer would go really slow in the dirt, but then speed back up on the street. Lightning McQueen is great at both.”

But can number 95 top Francesco Bernoulli?  Bernoulli is, after all, the car considered by many to be the fastest car in the world—at least before the World Grand Prix.

And what about Lewis Hamilton, Jeff Gorvette, Carla Veloso and the rest?  In a field of 11 champions, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will finish first. And the filmmakers—well, they’re not talking. “We’ve all got our favorites,” says Lewis.

Directed by John Lasseter, Disney•Pixar’s “Cars 2” hits the track on June 24, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.

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Source : http://www.cgw.com/

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Posted in: movies

Pirates in London

Cinesite re-creates 18th century London in 3D for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Cinesite, one of the world’s leading film visual effects houses, has completed more than 300 stereoscopic visual effects shots for Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. For their first full stereo 3D project, Cinesite were tasked with creating large-scale photorealistic 3D environments for a dramatic carriage chase through London.



Directed by Rob Marshall, the fourth installment in the highly successful Disney/Bruckheimer series sees Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his daughter (Penelope Cruz) are after it too.

Working closely with overall visual effects supervisor Charles Gibson, Cinesite’s visual effects supervisor Simon Stanley-Clamp spent several weeks on location in Greenwich and at historical buildings Hampton Court Palace and Middle Temple, as well as being on set at Pinewood Studios. The film was shot in native stereo 3D using Red One cameras and Pace 3D camera rigs.



Starting inside St James’ Palace and progressing through three different exterior London environments, the carriage chase sequence was shot against three large bluescreens on location in Greenwich and comprises more than 200 back-to-back shots. Cinesite created complex 3D environments including full CG street builds with detailed period buildings, as well as set and background extensions. Atmospheric smoke, smog and fog were added to create an old London feel, and extras, shot in stereo against a bluescreen, were seamlessly composited to enhance the busy London street.

As well as the challenge of r-ecreating such a large-scale location, Cinesite also faced challenges due to the stereoscopic nature of the film. Head of visual effects technology, Michele Sciolette, led Cinesite’s efforts to build the stereo production pipeline and develop a number of new tools to meet these challenges. These included csStereoColourMatcher, a fully-automated tool designed to compensate for color differences between stereoscopic image pairs. csPhotoMesh was used extensively by Cinesite’s environmental specialists to quickly build CG sets for environmental work.



Other shots Cinesite worked on include creating Barbossa’s peg leg throughout the film by replacing the blue sock Rush wore on set with a digital peg leg. They also created highly detailed CG poison dart frogs in four different colors. In addition to their proprietary tools, Cinesite relied on Nuke, Maya, Houdini and RenderMan.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved on our first full stereo 3D project,” said Antony Hunt, managing director, Cinesite. “The complexities that stereoscopic work introduces combined with the sheer scale of some of the scenes we worked on presented some big challenges. But by drawing on our extensive experience in creating photorealistic CG environments and our expertise in motion analysis and color correction, we were able to create some outstanding 3D visual effects.” 



About Cinesite
With one of the largest and most comprehensive facilities in Europe, Cinesite's visual effects team has the capacity and creativity to produce all manner of effects, both digital and physical, for feature films and broadcast projects of all scales. Their award-winning team of highly talented visual effects artists take filmmakers' ideas and turn them into spectacular cinematic reality.
 
Cinesite is currently working on Harry Potter The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros.), John Carter of Mars (Disney/Pixar), and X-Men: First Class (Twentieth Century Fox). 

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Source : http://www.cgw.com/

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Posted in: movies

Nvidia iray and GPUs Supercharge Jeff Patton's Designs for Mercedes Benz

For a Mercedes Benz product visualization project, freelance computer graphics (CG) artist Jeff Patton leveraged the power of high-efficiency Nvidia iray rendering software and Nvidia Quadro and Tesla professional graphics processing units (GPUs) to supercharge both his artistry and efficiency.


Jeff Patton is a prolific, self-taught, freelance CG artist who has created mechanical illustrations for major companies, including Honeywell, Delta Controls, and Johnson Controls, among others. He is also a recognized expert in Autodesk 3ds Max 3D software and Nvidia mental ray rendering software, as well as an active beta tester who has taught an Autodesk Master Class and writes tutorials on techniques for using both software solutions effectively.

In early 2010, some photo-real vehicle renders that Patton had created caught the attention of Mercedes Benz USA (MBUSA), which approached him to develop images for its Web site and print advertising. He was given computer-aided design (CAD) data for each vehicle along with environmental backplates, and tasked with compositing CG vehicles into those backplates while accentuating the cars' curves via reflections and lighting. He knew that the images he created would need to be a blend of photorealism and studio imagery--cars that appear to be physically photographed, but which are touched by Patton's artistry in reflections and lighting and further refined by the talented staff at MBUSA to create the most appealing visual possible. 

When he started the project, Patton was using 3ds Max software with mental ray and the Chaos Group V-Ray rendering engine on a CPU. Given the large file sizes he was working with and the amount of rendering that the images required, his work was slow going, with renders taking approximately an hour per image.
Patton believed that the high-efficiency Nvidia iray rendering software would be ideally suited for his Mercedes Benz product visualization project. As the first interactive, photo-realistic and physically correct rendering solution to leverage the power of Nvidia Quadro and Tesla professional graphics processing units (GPUs), the combination would supercharge both his artistry and efficiency. So he made the performance leap to iray and Nvidia GPU computational visualization, configuring a workstation with Nvidia Quadro 6000 and Tesla C2070 GPUs, both featuring 6GB of memory to handle the very high resolution 6K images Mercedes Benz required, along with the 5GB of model and scene data they were supplying.

Patton says: "After I finished my first full Mercedes Benz project with the new Nvidia setup, I was stunned. Rendering out the images at 6K in the past took me about an hour per image using the CPU. With iray and Quadro, I was able to knock that down to eight minutes! It's a huge benefit to be able to turn things around that much faster."
Since he began using iray with Nvidia Quadro 6000 and Tesla C2070 GPUs on the Mercedes Benz project, Patton's renders have been running up to 7.5X faster than they had on mental ray and V-Ray running on the Intel Core i7 960 3.2GHz CPU.
In addition to the speed improvements achieved with Nvidia GPU acceleration, Patton also realized improved clarity and detail in his images thanks to the photo-realistic capabilities of Nvidia iray. "The glass, the headlights--you can see every detail," says Patton. "I wasn't able to get that before without using really high sampling rates in other programs, and even then I couldn't pull out all of the details I can see now. There was a huge increase in clarity and detail that iray was able to pull out."

Nvidia iray also saves Patton time during the scene setup and render configuration phases of his workflow. "With iray I can just set my glossy material value to what I want and move on. I don't have to spend time configuring material and light sample values to balance grain and render speed or adjusting overall image sampling."
Since all his image processing now takes place on the GPU, Patton can use the CPU for other tasks. "In so many ways, iray running on the Nvidia GPUs allows me to work faster and create higher quality images. I'm handling more images in less time, and I can do more things with that time I save--whether it's taking on more work or spending more time with my family. The GPUs have made such a dramatic impact on my work. It's such an impressive increase in both detail and speed. The Nvidia GPU hardware and iray are an amazing combination. I can't wait to see how much further they develop in the future."

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 Source : http://www.cgw.com/

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,Mercedes-Benz

Two Ganda Young Indonesian Men's Create Surprises

Two Indonesian men's doubles in the second half made a surprise Djarum Indonesia Open Superseries by getting rid of the double Premier flagship, on Thursday (23/06/2011).
The biggest surprise Young made double Anga Primary / Ryan Agung Saputra by getting rid of the two leading South Korean, Jung Jae Sung / Lee Yong Dae. Ryan / Anga won in two games 21-17, 21-17.
In the quarter-finals, Anga / Ryan will face the winner of the second round match between pairs of Germany Ingo Kindervater / Johannes Schoettler who will face eighth-seeded Chinese pair, Chai Biao / Guo Zhendong.
While Indonesia's second double, Bona Septano / Mohammad Ahsan, also make a "surprise" by getting rid of doubles from Taiwan, Fang Chieh Min / Lee Sheng Mu, who is seeded sixth place. Bona / Ahsan win rubber game 21-19, 16-21, 21-12.
Bona / Ahsan awaiting the winner of the second round match between Malaysia doubles, Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong, and the Japanese pair, Naoki Kawamae / Shoji Sato.
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Source : Kompas.com

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Posted in: Quick News

Taufik beat Bao Chunlai

 Taufik Hidayat advanced keperempatfinal Djarum Indonesia Open by beating Bao Chunlai on Thursday (23 / 6).
Taufik who appeared cool beat Chunlai in two games 21-19 25-23. In the first game Taufik always lead to close games the first 21-19.
In the second game, the match lasted more stringent. Chunlai try to squeeze in a game Taufik Taufik net served. Taufik had reached match-point 20-19, but failed to finish the game. Finally games The second ended 25-23 for Taufik.

With this result Taufik recorded three wins from eleven meetings with Chunlai since 2002. Players from China itself considers Taufik is playing well. "He was very calm and did not want to get hooked," said Chunlai.

Chunlai Istora audience does not question that always ridiculed every time he got the ball. "No problem. Only Taufik played very well indeed."

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Source : Kompas.com

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Posted in: Quick News