Extraction of Feature Points for Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines(NURBS)-Based Modeling of Human Legs

Methods of digital human modeling have been developed and utilized to reflect human shape features.However,most of published works focused on dynamic visualization or fashion design,instead of high-accuracy modeling,which was strongly demanded by medical or rehabilitation scenarios.Prior to a high-accuracy modeling of human legs based on non-uniform rational B-splines(NURBS),the method of extracting the required quasi-grid network of feature points for human legs is presented in this work.Given the 3 D scanned human body,the leg is firstly segmented and put in standardized position.Then re-sampling of the leg is conducted via a set of equidistant cross sections.Through analysis of leg circumferences and circumferential curvature,the characteristic sections of the leg as well as the characteristic points on the sections are then identified according to the human anatomy and shape features.The obtained collection can be arranged to form a grid of data points for knots calculation and high-accuracy shape reconstruction in future work.

An Approach to Representing Heterogeneous Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline Objects

The representation method of heterogeneous material information is one of the key technologies of heterogeneous object modeling, but almost all the existing methods cannot represent non-uniform rational B-spline （NURBS） entity. According to the characteristics of NURBS, a novel data structure, named NURBS material data structure, is proposed, in which the geometrical coordinates, weights and material coordinates of NURBS heterogene- ous objects can be represented simultaneously. Based on this data structure, both direct representation method and inverse construction method of heterogeneous NURBS objects are introduced. In the direct representation method, three forms of NURBS heterogeneous objects are introduced by giving the geometry and material information of con- trol points, among which the homogeneous coordinates form is employed for its brevity and easy programming. In the inverse construction method, continuous heterogeneous curves and surfaces can he obtained by interpolating discrete points and curves with specified material information. Some examples are given to show the effectiveness of the pro- posed methods.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROJECTIVE GEOMETRIC AND RATIONAL QUADRATIC B-SPLINE CURVES

Abstract For two rational quadratic B spline curves with same control vertexes, the cross ratio of four collinear points are represented: which are any one of the vertexes, and the two points that the ray initialing from the vertex intersects with the corresponding segments of the two curves, and the point the ray intersecting with the connecting line between the two neighboring vertexes. Different from rational quadratic Bézier curves, the value is generally related with the location of the ray, and the necessary and sufficient condition of the ratio being independent of the ray's location is showed. Also another cross ratio of the following four collinear points are suggested, i.e. one vertex, the points that the ray from the initial vertex intersects respectively with the curve segment, the line connecting the segments end points, and the line connecting the two neighboring vertexes. This cross ratio is concerned only with the ray's location, but not with the weights of the curve. Furthermore, the cross ratio is projective invariant under the projective transformation between the two segments.

Shape Control and Modification of Rational Cubic B-Spline Curves

This paper considers the construction of a rational cubic B-spline curve that willinterpolate a sequence of data points x'+ith specified tangent directions at those points. It is emphasisedthat the constraints are purely geometrical and that the pararnetric tangent magnitudes are notassigned as in many' curl'e manipulation methods. The knot vector is fixed and the unknowns are thecontrol points and x'eightsf in this respect the technique is fundamentally different from otherswhere knot insertion is allowed.First. the theoretical result3 for the uniform rational cubic B-spline are presented. Then. in theplanar case. the effect of changes to the tangent at a single point and the acceptable bounds for thechange are established so that all the weights and tangent magnitUdes remain positive. Finally, aninteractive procedure for controlling the shape of a planar rational cubic B-spline curve is presented.

Geometry Modeling of Ship Hull Based on Non-uniform B-spline

In order to generate the three-dimensional (3-D) hull surface accurately and smoothly,a mixed method which is made up of non-uniform B-spline together with an iterative procedure was developed.By using the iterative method the data points on each section curve are calculated and the generalized waterlines and transverse section curves are determined.Then using the non-uniform B-spline expression,the control vertex net of the hull is calculated based on the generalized waterlines and section curves.A ship with tunnel stern was taken as test case.The numerical results prove that the proposed approach for geometry modeling of 3-D ship hull surface is accurate and effective.

Methods of configuration test and deformation analysis for large airship

In recent years, high-altitude aerostats have been increasingly developed in the direction of multi-functionality and large size. Due to the large size and the high flexibility, new challenges for large aerostats have appeared in the configuration test and the deformation analysis. The methods of the configuration test and the deformation analysis for large airship have been researched and discussed. A tested method of the configuration,named internal scanning, is established to quickly obtain the spatial information of all surfaces for the large airship by the three-dimensional(3D) laser scanning technology. By using the surface wrap method, the configuration parameters of the large airship are calculated. According to the test data of the configuration, the structural dimensions such as the distances between the characteristic sections are measured. The method of the deformation analysis for the airship contains the algorithm of nonuniform rational B-splines(NURBS) and the finite element(FE)method. The algorithm of NURBS is used to obtain the reconfiguration model of the large airship. The seams are considered and the seam areas are divided. The FE model of the middle part of the large airship is established. The distributions of the stress and the strain for the large airship are obtained by the FE method. The position of the larger deformation for the airship is found.

An adaptive generation method for free curve trajectory based on NURBS

To realize the high precision and real-time interpolation of the NURBS （non-uniform rational B-spline） curve, a kinetic model based on the modified sigmoid function is proposed. The constraints of maximum feed rate, chord error, curvature radius and interpolator cycle are discussed. This kinetic model reduces the cubic polynomial S-shape model and the trigonometry function S-shape model from 15 sections into 3 sections under the precondition of jerk, acceleration and feedrate continuity. Then an optimized Adams algorithm using the difference quotient to replace the derivative is presented to calculate the interpolator cycle parameters. The higher-order derivation in the Taylor expansion algorithm can be avoided by this algorithm. Finally, the simplified design is analyzed by reducing the times of computing the low-degree zero-value B-spline basis function and the simplified De Boor-Cox recursive algorithm is proposed. The simulation analysis indicates that by these algorithms, the feed rate is effectively controlled according to tool path. The calculated amount is decreased and the calculated speed is increased while the machining precision is ensured. The experimental results show that the target parameter can be correctly calculated and these algorithms can be applied to actual systems.

Spline-based automatic path generation of welding robot

This paper presents a flexible method for the representation of welded seam based on spline interpolation. In this method, the tool path of welding robot can be generated automatically from a 3D CAD model. This technique has been implemented and demonstrated in the FANUC Arc Welding Robot Workstation. According to the method, a software system is developed using VBA of SolidWorks 2006. It offers an interface between SolidWorks and ROBOGUIDE, the off-line programming software of FANUC robot. It combines the strong modeling function of the former and the simulating function of the latter. It also has the capability of with on-line robot. The result data have shown its high accuracy and strong reliability in experiments. This method will improve the intelligence and the flexibility of the welding robot workstation.

A New Isogeometric Finite Element Method for Analyzing Structures

High-performance finite element research has always been a major focus of finite element method studies.This article introduces isogeometric analysis into the finite element method and proposes a new isogeometric finite element method.Firstly,the physical field is approximated by uniform B-spline interpolation,while geometry is represented by non-uniform rational B-spline interpolation.By introducing a transformation matrix,elements of types C^(0)and C^(1)are constructed in the isogeometric finite element method.Subsequently,the corresponding calculation formats for one-dimensional bars,beams,and two-dimensional linear elasticity in the isogeometric finite element method are derived through variational principles and parameter mapping.The proposed method combines element construction techniques of the finite element method with geometric construction techniques of isogeometric analysis,eliminating the need for mesh generation and maintaining flexibility in element construc-tion.Two elements with interpolation characteristics are constructed in the method so that boundary conditions and connections between elements can be processed like the finite element method.Finally,the test results of several examples show that:(1)Under the same degree and element node numbers,the constructed elements are almost consistent with the results obtained by traditional finite element method;(2)For bar problems with large local field variations and beam problems with variable cross-sections,high-degree and multi-nodes elements constructed can achieve high computational accuracy with fewer degrees of freedom than finite element method;(3)The computational efficiency of isogeometric finite element method is higher than finite element method under similar degrees of freedom,while as degrees of freedom increase,the computational efficiency between the two is similar.

FREE-FORM SURFACE RECON-STRUCTION BASED ON NURBS TO SERIAL CROSS-SECTIONS

A new method for recovering shape from cross-sectional contours with complexbranching structures is presented. First, each branching problem by providing an intermediatecontour using distance function and image processing technology is solved. Then, all contours aredivided into several groups of simple contours. For each group, a NURBS curve is fitted to contourpoints in each section within a given accuracy on a common knot vector. Finally, the NURBS surfaceskinning of these contours is performed for providing a smooth geometric model. The method issuitable to reproduce the object by NC machining or rapid prototyping. Some results demonstrate itsusefulness and feasibility.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CYLINDRICAL HELIX WITH NURBS

The representation of a cylindrical helix by Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline (NURBS) curves is presented in this paper. A method is proposed to assess the influences produced by different ways to determine the control ver-texes positions of helix. The error distribution cases between the helix approximated by NURBS curves and the original theoretical one are also analyzed. Meanwhile a computational method that guarantees the precision requirements is presented.

An efficient data structure for calculation of unstructured T-spline surfaces

To overcome the topological constraints of non-uniform rational B-splines,T-splines have been proposed to define the freeform surfaces.The introduction of T-junctions and extraordinary points makes it possible to represent arbitrarily shaped models by a single T-spline surface.Whereas,the complexity and flexibility of topology structure bring difficulty in programming,which have caused a great obstacle for the development and application of T-spline technologies.So far,research literatures concerning T-spline data structures compatible with extraordinary points are very scarce.In this paper,an efficient data structure for calculation of unstructured T-spline surfaces is developed,by which any complex T-spline surface models can be easily and efficiently computed.Several unstructured T-spline surface models are calculated and visualized in our prototype system to verify the validity of the proposed method.

Study on Real-time Look-ahead and Adaptive Parametric Curve Interpolator

The principle of real-time look-ahead was introduced and analysed. An adaptive parametric curve interpolator with a real-time look-ahead function was developed for non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curves interpolation, which considering the maximum acceleration/deceleration of the machine tool. In order to deal with the acceleration/deceleration around the feedrate sensitive corners, the look-ahead function was designed and illustrated. It can detect and adjust the feedrate adaptively. With the help of real-time look-ahead, the acceleration/deceleration can be limited to the range of the machine tool capacity. Thus, feedrate fluctuation is reduced. A NURBS curve interpolation experiment was provided to verify the feasibility and advantages of the proposed interpolator with a real-time look-ahead function.

G^2 Continuity Algorithms between Adjacent NURBS Patches along Common Cubic Boundary Curve

Non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curves and surfaces are becoming increasingly widespread. The author have explored G^1 continuity condition between adjacent NURBS surface patches along common cubic boundary curve. On the basis of the research performed, this paper presents a G^2 continuity condition between adjacent NURBS patches along common cubic boundary curve and deduces a specific algorithm for contro1 points and weights of NURBS patch. For making another NURBS patch and one given NURBS patch to attain G^2, according to algorithm condition, one can adjust another patch control points and weights. It is much more convenient for engineers to apply.

Constructing iterative non-uniform B-spline curve and surface to fit data points

In this paper, based on the idea of profit and loss modification, we presentthe iterative non-uniform B-spline curve and surface to settle a key problem in computeraided geometric design and reverse engineering, that is, constructing the curve (surface)fitting (interpolating) a given ordered point set without solving a linear system. We startwith a piece of initial non-uniform B-spline curve (surface) which takes the given point setas its control point set. Then by adjusting its control points gradually with iterative formula,we can get a group of non-uniform B-spline curves (surfaces) with gradually higherprecision. In this paper, using modern matrix theory, we strictly prove that the limit curve(surface) of the iteration interpolates the given point set. The non-uniform B-spline curves(surfaces) generated with the iteration have many advantages, such as satisfying theNURBS standard, having explicit expression, gaining locality, and convexity preserving,etc

Non-uniform B-spline curves with multiple shape parameters

We introduce a kind of shape-adjustable spline curves defined over a non-uniform knot sequence.These curves not only have the many valued properties of the usual non-uniform B-spline curves,but also are shape adjustable under fixed control polygons.Our method is based on the degree elevation of B-spline curves,where maximum degrees of freedom are added to a curve parameterized in terms of a non-uniform B-spline.We also discuss the geometric effect of the adjustment of shape parameters and propose practical shape modification algorithms,which are indispensable from the user's perspective.

Longitudinal type-line optimization of high-speed train for low aerodynamic noise

The basic head shape of high-speed train is determined by its longitudinal type-line(LTL),so it is crucial to optimize its aerodynamic performance.Based on the parametric modeling of LTL constructed by non-uniform relational B-spline(NURBS)and the fluctuation pressure obtained by large eddy simulation(LES),the Kriging surrogate model(KSM)of LTL was constructed for low aerodynamic noise,and the accuracy of the KSM was improved gradually by adding the sample point with maximum expected improvement(EI)and the optimal point from optimization.The optimal objective was searched with genetic algorithm(GA).The results show that the total fluctuation pressure level(FPL)of the optimal LTL can be 8.7 dB less than that of original one,and the shape optimization method is feasible for low aerodynamic noise design.

Offset approximation based on reparameterizing the path of a moving point along the base circle

This paper presents a novel algorithm for planar curve offsetting. The basic idea is to regard the locus relative to initial base circle, which is formed by moving the unit normal vectors of the base curve, as a unit circular arc first, then accurately to represent it as a rational curve, and finally to reparameterize it in a particular way to approximate the offset. Examples illustrated that the algorithm yields fewer curve segments and control points as well as C^1 continuity, and so has much significance in terms of saving computing time, reducing the data storage and smoothing curves entirely.

Application of Dual-blade Stator to Low-speed Ratio Performance Improvement of Torque Converters

With application of the lock-up clutch in the torque converter（TC）, fuel economy is not much determined by its high-speed ratio transmission efficiency. As a benefit, more researches are focused on its low-speed ratio performance so as to improve vehicle gradeability and launching acceleration performance. According to the results of computational fluid dynamics（CFD） analysis, hydrodynamic loss inside the stator cascade accounts for 42% of the total energy loss at stalling speed ratio. It is found that upstream flow with large impingement angle results in boundary layer separation at the leading edge, which aggregates hydrodynamic loss and decreases circular flow rate dramatically at low-speed ratio. In this paper, a dual-blade stator is proposed to suppress the boundary layer separation, which is parameterized by using the non-uniform rational B spline（NURBS） method. The mean camber line and blade profile curve are expressed by a three control points quadratic open NURBS and a cubic closed one respectively. The key design parameters included the slot width and suction side shape of the primary blade are analyzed. The most effective slot width is found to be between 4% and 8% chord length, and the boundary layer separation can be suppressed completely by decreasing distribution of momentum moment at the primary blade and adding it to the leading edge of the secondary blade. As a result, circular flow rate and impeller torque capacity is increased by 17.9% and 9.6% respectively at stalling speed ratio, meanwhile, low-speed ratio efficiency is also improved. Maximum efficiency at high-speed ratio decreases by 0.5%, which can be ignored as the work of lock-up clutch. This research focuses on using the dual-blade stator to optimize low-speed ratio performance of the TC, which is benefit to vehicle power performance.

PRACTICAL G^2 CONTINUITY ALGORITHMS BETWEEN ADJACENT NURBS PATCHES

Non-uniform rationa1 B-spline (NURBS) curves and sdrices are becomingincreasingly widespread. 'The authors have explored G1 continuity condition between adja-cent NURBS surface patches along common boundary curve. This paper presents a G2continuity condition between adjacent NURBS patches along common quadratic boundarycurve and deduces a specific algorithm for control Points and weights of NURBS patch.For making another NURBS patch and one given NURBS patch to attain G2, according toalgorithms condition, one can adjust another patch control ponts and weights. It is muchmore convenient for engineers to apply.