Virtual New York City:

Project DesignCapstone Project, Spring 2005

Professor: Zhigang ZhuStudents: Peter Giang

Robert Hill Edgardo Molina

Krishnan Ram Emmanuel Velasco

Background of Virtual NYC Objective

Our project will accomplish two of our goals; to give traffic analysis of New York City and provide users newer, more interesting method of human-computer interaction with New York City.

Our program will include a 3-dimensional version of a New York City map that will allow users to navigate through the city using a keyboard and mouse. This gives users an advantage of virtually seeing New York, without having to physically be there.

Background of Virtual NYC Objective

Our project will demonstrate how we can use existing computer vision technologies to improve human-computer interaction. We hope the project will be a basis for many other future projects done by other groups.

Original Augmented NYC ProjectAugmentedNYC Features

AVI VideoFile Playing

TextureMapping

Camera (not shown)

Our Virtual NYC ProjectVirtualNYC Features

TextureMapping

AVI VideoFile Playing

Camera (not shown)

3D Models

Hotspots(not yet implemented)

Information Panel

AugmentedNYC to VirtualNYC GUI

AugmentedNYC uses the Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC). We ported AugmentedNYC to VirtualNYC using the QT library.

Reasons we decided on QT: Cross-platform Easier to code More readable

AugmentedNYC to VirtualNYC GUI

Information Panel Info tab contains information

about hotspots on the map. Video tab contains information

on all of the videos located on the map.

Editor tab will allow us to add more hotspots and videos.

AugmentedNYC to VirtualNYC Video

We load an AVI file on and display it on the map.

Using computer vision techniques, we plan to extract each individual objects (cars) in a video and simulate traffic on the map.

VirtualNYC 3-Dimensional Map

2D to 3D

VirtualNYC 3-Dimensional Map

To create a virtual New York City, we place the user in a 3-dimensional world.

To give the user the feeling of 3-dimensional, we also add 3D buildings. Eventually we will add texture to the buildings, giving the buildings a more realistic look.

VirtualNYC Hotspots

For landmarks on the map, we have what we call hotspots. Clicking on these hotspots will give more information in the info panel. This feature is currently being developed.

Example:Clicking on CCNY displays information on the info panel.Clicking on the URL launches the user’s browser and displaysthe CCNY website.

Work in Progress Work on the applications performance

Memory usage / texture management Make the 3D rendering faster

Work on the interface Make it useful / intuitive Better Avatars / Icons

Make it run on at least one other platform Main obstacle is Video Libraries

Incorporate video analysis Segmentation and Background subtraction

Future Developments Satellite/Aerial Imagery (ala Google/Keyhole) Smarter video processing

Live streaming registered feeds Algorithms for Traffic Prediction

GPS information

Future Developments Real 3D terrain data

Captured through LIDAR 3D building / interior /

landmark data Captured through laser range

scanning systems Create fuller virtual tourism

experience