Improved Real-time Visualisation of Simulation Data

Numeric simulations are used in product development to identify and address weak points even before initial prototyping. Their use increases the cost-efficiency, product safety and quality for the companies concerned. Due to the centralisation of IT infrastructures and the increasing use of so-called cloud technologies, the simulation data is often created at a place that is geographically remote from the responsible design engineer. Because of its sheer volume, the transmission and processing of the data is often problematic.

This is why the objective of IVC and Programming Methodology research group’s “Level-of-Detail-Methods for the Progressive Visualisation on Simulation Data (LoDProViS)” project is the development of new compression processes for such simulation data. The researchers, headed up by Professors of Computer Science  André Hinkenjann and Andreas Priesnitz want to use a new compression algorithm to efficiently visualise large volumes of data in real time despite transmission delays.

Efficient Visualisation and Analysis of Simulation Data

The aim is to achieve higher compression rates than have hitherto been possible by using so-called Level-of-Detail techniques. In addition, this approach makes it possible to redesign the processes used for the visualisation and analysis of simulation data. The idea is to use appropriate programming methods to distribute visualisation and data caching over independent software components to facilitate various combinations and separate developments. As such, the researchers are looking into how extremely large and remote simulation models can be visualised and analysed despite the restrictions due to the data volumes. The 3D visualisation application to be developed for this will then be combined with other components to create a novel visual system for the analysis of cloud-based simulation data.

The project findings could then be used in other areas of Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) such as car crash simulations. In collaboration with SIDACT, the plan is to present the potential project results to car manufacturers and post-processor manufacturers, in addition to which there are plans afoot to licence the technology commercial purposes.