KityVR - Artificial intelligence techniques to implement CityGML models and VR visualization

Status

ongoing

Starting point / motivation

3D-city models models can be used to support stakeholders such as policy makers, urban planners, energy suppliers and energy providers, as well as citizens in making decisions and to improve communication and public relations. CityGML is an international, widely used standard of the Open Geospatial Consortium for modelling, storing and sharing 3D city models. The highest form of visualization is virtual reality.

Contents and goals

The Open Geospatial Consortium considers the combination of Virtual Reality and CityGML as one of the main research challenges. In this project two central research aspects in the field of 3D city models are addressed. In this project two central research aspects in the field of 3D city models are addressed.

1. How can Virtual Reality as the highest form of visualization be used in the field of 3D city models? What are the use cases for Virtual Reality in the field of 3D city models?
2. The modelling of the energy structure of districts is characterized by a lack of input data. In many cases, data sets are not complete or certain use cases require additional data that are not represented in the corresponding data model. Furthermore, it is to be assumed that Virtual Reality applications requires additional data that is not contained in the current CityGML format or in ADE extensions. In all these cases an enrichment of the original data set is necessary.

Methods

Virtual Reality Use-Cases will be developed together with stakeholders and users; the focus is on energy-relevant applications. The project will develop a methodology that allows the automatic creation of virtual reality content from CityGML models in combination with energy-relevant extensions; furthermore, the results of dynamic simulation results of energy analyses such as the electricity, heating and cooling requirements of a disctrict will be presented virtually.

Finally, the possibilities and limitations of virtual reality in the field of 3D city modelling will be explored in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Artificial intelligence and statistical methods are used to enrich CityGML models: missing information is calculated using other attributes and heuristic approaches.

Erwartete Ergebnisse

In the project a methodology for the enrichment of CityGML models is developed and evaluated in a real test area. Furthermore VR-Use Cases are developed and evaluated in a real test area.

Project management

Institute of Software Technology/Graz University of Technology

Project or cooperation partners

Graz University of Technology:

• Institute of Interactive Systems and Data Science
• Institut für Hochbau
• Institut für Wärmetechnik

Institute of Software Technology/Graz University of Technology
Gerald Schweiger
Inffeldgasse 16/b
A-8010 Graz
Tel.: +43 (316) 873 - 5747
E-Mail: gerald.schweiger@tugraz.at