Silke Lang : Research

Design Science

Design Science is a systematic approach with the intention to find an appropriate design method. This design method is a pattern of work which is independent of the discipline and offers a way for solving problems. Design is eminent throughout different disciplines of science, engineering, management, and architecture. However, within these fields its understanding differs significantly. The fundamentals and principles of design are relatively little understood. Surprisingly, small efforts have been made to investigate key foundational issues about design and to formulate specific criteria to spawn it as an extensive scientific concept and discipline. So far the potential of merging knowledge from various disciplines is rarely investigated. http://ddm.ethz.ch

Tele Reality

Tele Reality enhances the architectural spaces and reduces space and time interdependencies among persons and their activities, and enables radically different spatial implications. Therefore, also place-to-time relations are reversed and recombined. The long term goal of Tele Reality is to enable the remote and nevertheless effective participation of geographical separated participants to community life. Distant cooperation plays a more active role so that new forms of participation emerge.

Video Systems in Architecture

IN: SHOP is the first example scenario to investigate and analyze the integration of blue-c technology into buildings. Architects integrate more and more modern information technologies in their projects. Based on this background the use of 3D video in an architectural context is discussed. The combination of real-time 3D video and blue-c technology for a distributed shopping experience in shared virtual shops is described. IN: SHOP illustrates an approach to enhance physical environments in shopping areas and connects geographically distant persons. [pdf]

3D Video and Interaction

In traditional video, the viewpoint in a scene is the one chosen by the director. 3D video extends conventional video to the third space dimension. 3D video acquires dynamics and motion of real world scenes during recording, while providing the user with the possibility to watch the scenes from completely new positions during playback. Therefore, 3D video brings out a new kind of dynamic and flexibility and enables novel interaction metaphors.

blue-c: A Spatially Immersive Display and 3D Video Portal for Telepresence   
 http://blue-c.ethz.ch/

blue-c created a novel hard- and software system that successfully combined the advantages of a CAVE™-like projection environment with simultaneous and real-time 3D video capturing and processing of the user. As a major technical achievement, users can now become part of the virtual scene while keeping visual contact in full 3D. These features make the system a powerful tool for high-end remote collaboration and presentation. blue-c is currently implemented via two portals with complementary characteristics, networked with a gigabit connection. The portals connect the ETH Computing Center downtown Zurich with the second campus outside of Zurich. Various applications prove the concept and demonstrate its usefulness.

Visual Communication
 

		Virtual Graffiti redefines the traditional communication and art form of graffiti using communications, internet and computer graphics technology. The project develops an internet interface for the creation of ‚writing‘ (the Virtual Graffiti Painter) and a physical manifestation for the pieces (Light Bombing). The project also introduces new media possibilities; allowing multiple artist the opportunity to work on the same canvas, allowing for incorporation of pattern and images to the art works, and allowing for collaboration from many different artists in different locations. http://www.arch.ethz.ch/~sillang/virtualgraffiti/
		SOS is a new kind of place that prompts self reflection in the internet user. It is a solitary place in the web that allows the user to cast off an undirected message onto the flow of the internet and connect with distant strangers. The concept considers each window to be an individual islands spread across the screen with data flowing between them and supporting the overall theme. The SOS project is composed of two main parts, the dispatch component; “The Island“, and the delivery component; “The Shore”. The project employs a server side database and simple web, JavaScript, and database commands, to create a system to send and receive the messages. http://www.sos.arch.ethz.ch
		The guesttank is the guest book for bits and spaces. It allows the user to enter their name and information, and then proceed to a questionnaire.The information gathered in the questionnaire is used to generate a VRML fish. The guest can release his fish into the virtual aquarium (guesttank). By rolling the mouse over the other fish in the tank the viewer can review the different fish, and what their comment are. http://bitsandspaces.ethz.ch/guesttank/index.html

Digital Storytelling

The Hobbit is the development of a new virtual world using real-time, high resolution gaming entities. Perception, interaction, new rules and how they apply to the new gaming environments are part of the design. The end goal was to create a space that is intuitive and explorable. The technologies used include methods of graphics compression, texture mapping, programming of behaviors, and interface control. The technologies used include methods of graphics compression, texture mapping, programming of behaviors, and interface control. The design goal for the work was to create a world that relies on the technology of the gaming engine but does not rely on the shooting and violence for the experience in the space. http://www.arch.ethz.ch/~sillang/hobbit

Media Installation
 

FLOWfish was a multimedia presentation of the book “bitsand space” at the Polybuchhandlung at ETH Hoenggerberg. The project was an information architecture happening, where the virtual space, the information space, and the physical space are interrelated. http://caad.arch.ethz.ch/teaching/nds/2000/prj1/pres_book/index.html

Virtual Architecture and Light Simulation
 

		FashionShow is the development of a virtual architecture where the users experience the immersion and stereoscopic depth of a new generation immersive projection and 3D video acquisition environment. The final goal was to create a space that is intuitive and explorable. The visualization and virtualization of the technology tour into a digital architecture drew from various places and events within the storyline. Digital architectural models are enriched with textures, billboards, images, animations, movies, and 3D video. Sound is used for background theme music as well as sound events to support the user interface. This work is closely linked to the blue-c project at the ETH Zurich.
		Visualization, animation and light simulation of the Opera at Lyon designed by Jean Nouvel. In cooperation with: Lehrstuhl für Raumkunst und Lichtgestaltung Prof. H. Deubzer Technical University of Munich Germany

ETH Zurich : Computer Science : Computer Graphics Laboratory : Silke Lang : Research