CRS4 Visual Computing Group

Core Competence

Multiresolution Modeling, Time-Critical Rendering, External Memory Algorithms, Efficient Rendering on Programmable Graphics Hardware, Visual and Haptic Virtual Environments, Scientific Visualisation, Surgical Simulation.

History

The Center for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4) is an interdisciplinary applied research centre based in Pula (CA), Italy.

Computer graphics activities activities have been carried out at CRS4 since its creation in 1991, in the framework of the Scientific Visualization Group, whose main focus was on developing efficient visualization techniques to be applied to problems arising from scientific simulations. The Visual Computing group, (ViC), formerly Visualization and Virtual Reality Group (VVR), extends these activities to span outside the scientific visualization boundaries and deal with advanced applications of visual simulation techniques.

Staff

The group is directed by Enrico Gobbetti, and is currently composed of seven full-staff researchers and software engineers.

Rooms and Locations

CRS4 is located in building 1 of the POLARIS Science and Technology Park, about 40Km West of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy (see here for directions).

Financing

Most of the infrastructure and activities of the group are being financed by industrial and government projects.

Current Structure

The Visual Computing group is one of the seven groups that structure CRS4 research and development activities. It cooperates with all other research groups at CRS4 on multidisciplinary research projects and also supports them with specialized visualization services.

Most of the group's research activities are carried out in the context of large national and international projects. For more details please see the CRS4 Scientific Report.

Current Research

CRS4 develops and applies innovative solutions across a broad range of important areas by leveraging its key strengths in several scientific and technological disciplines. These areas encompass large-scale computational problems that require application of advanced simulation techniques supported by High Performance Computing and the timely integration of newly emerging Information and Communications Technology. The focus is on problems stemming from natural, social and industrial environments. The aim is the development and analysis of appropriate mathematical models, their numerical solution by advanced algorithms and innovative software tools for programming and visualization, as well as the validation and assessment of results based on benchmark problems.

The research goal of CRS4 Visual Computing group is to develop powerful interactive 3D tools for scientific visualization and visual simulation.

Current projects range from desktop 3D tools to immersive virtual environments with haptic feedback. In particular, our team is currently focusing on real-time medical simulation, time-critical visualization of large scale terrain databases, and interactive visualization of global illumination solutions. Check our projects, publications, and multimedia pages for more information on our activities.

Important Recent Project Participations

Ongoing externally funded research projects

	ECHOES: European Cloud for Heritage Open Science Funded by Horizon Europe under contract EU Grant Agreement 101157364
	XNAB: Creation and exploration of multifaceted neuroanatomical brain models Funded by MUR PNRR M4C2 - Investimento 1.3 - Avviso Partenariati Estesi MNESYS under contract MNESYS-XNAB
	AIN2: Artificial Intelligence for Indoor Digital Twins Funded by QNRF under contract NPRP15S-0405-210132
	REFLEX: REFLectance EXploration: improving the acquisition, distribution, and exploration of multi-light image collections for surface characterization and analysis Funded by MUR PRIN 2022 under contract REFLEX
	AFFINE: Smart Fusion for Indoor Environments Funded by RAS - Aiuti per Progetti di Ricerca e Sviluppo - Settore ICT under contract CUP J73C23000150002
	HPCCN: National Center for HPC, Big Data and Quantum Computing Spoke 9 Digital Society and Smart Cities Funded by MUR under contract MUR PNRR M4C2 - Investimento 1.4 - Avviso Centri Nazionali
	CA-DIG-LAB: Cagliari Digital Lab Funded by Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy - Bando Casa delle Tecnologie Emergenti 2022 under contract CA-DIG-LAB
	H2HUB: Hybrid Hub: Cellular and computation models, micro- and nano-technologies for personalized innovative therapies Funded by Ministero della Salute - Piano Operativo Salute - Traiettoria 4 “Biotecnologia, bioinformatica e sviluppo farmaceutico" under contract POS T4 H2HUB
	LIFEMAP: From pediatric pathology to cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases in adults: genomic mapping for personalized medicine and prevention Funded by Ministero della Salute - Piano Operativo Salute - Traiettoria 3 under contract POS T3 LIFEMAP

Recently completed externally funded research projects

	ENERGIDRICA: Energy Efficiency in Water Network Management Funded by MUR under contract MUR-ENERGIDRICA
	PAM: Advanced platform for massive analysis and digital medicine Funded by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna under contract RAS Art. 9 L.R.20/2015
	EVOCATION: Advanced Visual and Geometric Computing for 3D Capture, Display, and Fabrication Funded by EU H2020 under contract H2020-MSCA-ITN-813170
	AMAC: Mobile acquisition of complex environments Funded by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna under contract CUP J76C18000230002
	3DCLOUDPRO: 3D Cloud Professional Funded by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna under contract PIA 2013
	TDM: Tessuto Digitale Metropolitano (Digital Metropolitan Fabric) Funded by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, POR FESR 2014-2020, Azione 1.2.2 POR FESR Sardegna 2014-2020 under contract DELIBERAZIONE RAS N. 66/14 DEL 13.12.2016
	MONTEPRAMA4: 3D digitization and exploration of Mont'e Prama Statues Funded by MIBAC/ArcheoSAR under contract ARCHEOSAR/CRS4 CIPE-93/2012
	MUSEOLIQUIDO: 3D scanning pipeline theory and practice Funded by MIBAC/ArcheoSAR under contract ARCHEOSAR/MUSEOLIQUIDO
	Scan4Reco: Multimodal Scanning of Cultural Heritage Assets for their multilayered digitization and preventive conservation via spatiotemporal 4D Reconstruction and 3D Printing Funded by EU H2020 under contract H2020-REFLECTIVE-7-2014 665091
	HELIOS: High-Fidelity Exploration of Annotated 3D Cultural Objects Funded by RAS under contract L.R. 7/2007 - Ann. 2014
	MONTEPRAMA3: 3D virtual exploration of the Mont'e Prama statues - Sassari and Rome installation Funded by MIBAC/ArcheoSSNU under contract ARCHEOSSNU/CRS4 2
	GEXCEL-MPCMV-2.3.4: Massive Point Cloud Management and Visualization Funded by Gexcel under contract RTD contract
	YDC2-1: Layout analysis research Funded by Yale University under contract Yale/CRS4 Agreement 20140325
	MONTEPRAMA2: 3D virtual exploration of the Mont'e Prama statues Funded by MIBAC/ArcheoCAOR under contract ARCHEOCAOR/CRS4 2
	VASCO: A Virtual Studio for Security Concepts and Operations Funded by EU Seventh Framework Program under contract 607737
	TADES: Enabling technologies for archival, distribution, and exploration of high-resolution triangulated 3D surfaces models Funded by POR Sardegna FESR 2007/2013/Asse VI-6.1.1.A/Azioni Cluster Top Down under contract TADES
	MONTEPRAMA1: 3D digitization of the Mont'e Prama statues Funded by MIBAC/ArcheoCAOR under contract ARCHEOCAOR/CRS4 1
	MANESCO: Advanced computational methods for color and shape digitization of large 3D scenes Funded by POR FESR 2007-2013 Asse VI/6.2.2.i and 6.2.3.a under contract E75C13000230007
	DIVA: Data Intensive Visualization and Analysis Funded by EU Seventh Framework Program under contract 290277
	INDIGO: Innovative Training and Decision Support for Emergency Operations Funded by EU Seventh Framework Program under contract 242341
	SBLGSM-IRAD: Small-body Low-Gravity Surface Mobility Funded by Johns Hopkins University under contract 967735
	SPSRD-IRAD: Accurate and realistic portrayal of planetary terrain data at interactive update rates to support simulation for planetary surface robotics development Funded by Johns Hopkins University under contract 950916
	GEXCEL-MPCMV-1: Massive Point Cloud Management and Visualization Funded by Gexcel under contract RTD contract
	RATMAN-RER3D: Rapidly Adaptive Terrain Models Available on the Net: Reuse Funded by SardegnaIT under contract D. Lgs. 82/05
	V-CITY: The Virtual City Funded by EU Seventh Framework Program under contract ICT-231199-V-CITY
	DISTRICT-LAB3D: Acquisition, Distribution, and Visualization of Complex 3D Models Laboratory Funded by Regione Sardegna under contract POR Sardegna 2000-2006 Misura 3.13
	3DANATOMICALHUMAN: 3D Anatomical Functional Models for the Human Musculoskeletal System Funded by EU Marie Curie Program under contract MRTN-CT-2006-035763
	RATMAN-SIT1: Rapidly Adaptive Terrain Models Available on the Net: Framework Extensions Funded by SardegnaIT under contract Contenuti Digitali - D.Lgs. 163/06 2b - L.R. 5/07 1a
	CYBERSAR: Cyberinfrastructure for technological and scientific research in Sardinia Funded by Italian Ministry of Instruction, University, and Research under contract CYBERSAR
	BOEING777: Real-time Display of very large 3D Commercial Airplanes Models Funded by CRS4/Boeing Agreement under contract 11357
	COHERENT: Collaborative Holographic Environments for Networked Tasks Funded by EU Sixth Framework Program under contract IST-FP6-510166
	CRIMSON: The Crisis Simulation System Funded by EU Sixth Framework Program under contract SEC4-PR-011500
	CSR-VIC-TERRAIN3D: Rapidly Adaptive Terrain Models Available on the Net Funded by Sardinian Regional Authorities under contract CSR
	EYESIM: Cataract Surgery Simulator Funded by DIES Group under contract DIES2
	VS: Vascular Simulator Funded by DIES Group under contract DIES1
	IERAPSI: An Integrated Environment for Rehearsal And Planning of Surgical Interventions Funded by EU Fifth Framework Program under contract IST-1999-12175
	DIVERCITY: Distributed Virtual Workspace for Enhancing Communication within the Construction Industry Funded by EU Fifth Framework Program under contract IST-1999-13365
	VPLANET: The Virtual Planet Funded by EU Fifth Framework Program under contract IST-2000-28095
	CAVALCADE: Collaborative Virtual Construction and Design Funded by EU Fourth Framework Program under contract ESPRIT-26285
	MIGAVIS: Discontinuous Finite Element Visualization Funded by ENEL Polo Termico under contract MIGAVIS
	VREPAR2: Psycho-Neuro-Physiological Assessment and Rehabilitation 2 Funded by EU Fourth Framework Program under contract TELEMATICS
	VIVA: The Virtual Vascular Project Funded by EU Eureka Program under contract EU-1063, HPPC-SEA Chapter F
	MIRRORS: Mirror Neurons and the Observation/Execution Matching System Funded by Human Frontiers Science Program under contract MIRRORS
	URBAN: Uniformed Reconstructions of the Brain Available on the Net Funded by Italian Ministry of Instruction, University, and Research under contract D. D. 784 Ric. 24/07/2001
	LAPS: Advanced Laboratory for Computer-Aided Design and Simulation Funded by Italian Ministry of Instruction, University, and Research under contract D. M. 645 4/101997, Cluster 22, Project 41D
	BRAIN: Software Tools for Primate Brain Reconstruction from Histological Sections Funded by University of Parma under contract BRAIN

Important Scientific Collaborations and Industrial Partners

CNES, France; CS SI, France; CSTB, France; DLR, Germany; ENEL PTE, Italy; ESA, The Netherlands; ETH, Switzerlan; FFNS, France; IGN, France; ISTI/CNR, Italy.