Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design and manufacture of physical structures using subtractive manufacturing systems and techniques and a determined stock allowance include, in one aspect, a method including: obtaining a finishing toolpath specification for three dimensional (3D) geometry of a part; generating 3D geometry of a model of a semi-finished structure in accordance with a computer simulation of deflections experienced by a workpiece as stock material is cut from the workpiece using the finishing toolpath specification; creating a semi-finishing toolpath specification for the semi-finished structure; and providing the semi-finishing toolpath specification for use in machining the part by cutting away a first portion of the stock material using the semi-finishing toolpath specification to form the semi-finished structure, followed by performing a finishing operation of the semi-finished structure by cutting away a second portion

Abstract: A design engine systematically explores a design space associated with a design problem related to mechanical assemblies. The design engine implements a constraint programming approach to produce mechanical assembly configurations that adhere to a set of design constraints. For each feasible configuration, the design engine then optimizes various parameters to generate design options that meet a set of design objectives. With these techniques, the design space can be explored very quickly to generate significantly more feasible design options for the mechanical assembly than possible with conventional manual approaches. Accordingly, numerous design options can be generated that may otherwise never be produced using those conventional approaches.

Abstract: A workflow engine processes a work problem to generate solutions for the work problem comprising a plurality of related optimization problems. The work problem may comprise a second optimization problem that is dependent on a first optimization problem, such that at least one solution for the first optimization problem is to be utilized as an initial solution for the second optimization problem. The workflow engine generates and stores a branch object for each optimization problem, each branch object specifying a solver engine assigned for processing the optimization problem and dependency information indicating a dependency relationship between the optimization problem and another optimization problem. The workflow engine processes the work problem based on the branch objects by initiating each solver engine to perform optimization operations on the assigned optimization problem based on the corresponding branch object to generate one or more solutions for the assigned optimization problem.

Abstract: A method and system provide the ability to design a surface. An existing triangular surface mesh representative of an existing surface is obtained. A modification to the mesh in compliance with design constraints is received. A volume level set or a volume minimization set, for the modified mesh, is obtained in Euclidean space. A volume subgradient set based on the volume level set, is obtained. A scalar is determined and used to scale heights between vertices of a triangle. A projection is computed and may be scaled. The projection may then be removed from the triangle's vertices. The removing changes the triangular surface mesh into a converged triangular surface mesh that minimizes an objective function. The objective function computes an absolute earthwork volume and/or an absolute value of a net volume representing the difference between a fill and cut of earthwork material.

Abstract: A design application interacts with an end-user to generate design problem geometry that reflects a design problem to be solved. Various design objectives, design constraints, boundary conditions, and other design criteria may be associated with the design problem geometry via the design application. When the design problem is sufficiently well defined, a client-side solver generates a solution approximation using a coarse multi-objective solver. The client-side solver favors speed over accuracy, and so the solution approximation provides only a rough representation of various attributes of potentially feasible design solutions. Based on the solution approximation, the end-user may correct any omissions, mistakes, and so forth, before executing pay-per-service cloud-based parallel solver.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to perform multiple actions based on a reality captured image. An adjustable splitter splits a viewport into viewing panes with the ability to freely adjust the splitter angle. A sphere represents a view of a scene from a viewpoint and used to render an interactive preview of the view without moving to the viewpoint. A series of 2D images may be used to simulate the navigation of a 3D model in an expedited manner. A 3D mesh error scroll bar is used navigate unsorted errors resulting from mesh creation. An interactive gradient map can be used to select a points based on a range of values for non-geometric parameters. An irregularly shaped mesh selection boundary can be directly modified by stretching. An elevation slice of a 3D model can be defined and isolated for viewing/manipulation.

Abstract: A finger-mounted stylus for performing touch-based input on a touchscreen includes a fingertip case configured to attach to a user fingertip, an extension arm that is coupled to the fingertip case and includes a conductive tip, wherein the extension arm is configured to position the conductive tip away from the fingertip case, and control circuitry configured to apply an electric charge to the conductive tip when the conductive tip is in contact with or proximate to the touchscreen.

Abstract: A robotic assembly cell is configured to generate a physical mesh of physical polygons based on a simulated mesh of simulated triangles. A control application configured to operate the assembly cell selects a simulated polygon in the simulated mesh and then causes a positioning robot in the cell to obtain a physical polygon that is similar to the simulated polygon. The positioning robot positions the polygon on the physical mesh, and a welding robot in the cell then welds the polygon to the mesh. The control application captures data that reflects how the physical polygon is actually positioned on the physical mesh, and then updates the simulated mesh to be geometrically consistent with the physical mesh. In doing so, the control application may execute a multi-objective solver to generate an updated simulated mesh that meets specific design criteria.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a device that incorporates a user preference into a multi-objective optimization while the multi-objective optimization is running is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device generates a first plurality of intermediate designs based on optimizing a plurality of variable values corresponding to the multiple dimensions of the multi-objective optimization. In addition, each of the first plurality of intermediate designs includes a corresponding weight. Furthermore, the device outputs the first plurality of intermediate designs. The device additionally receives a preference indicator for a selected one of the intermediate designs, where a user inputs the preference indicator while the multi-objective optimization is running. The device further adjusts the corresponding weight of the selected one of the first plurality of intermediate designs based on the preference indicator.

Abstract: A system and method provide the ability to control an architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) project workflow. AEC data regarding a quality of construction is obtained. A set of classifiers and machine learning models are obtained. The AEC data is augmented based on the set of classifiers and machine learning models. A risk metric is generated for one or more issues in the AEC data based on the augmented AEC data. The risk metric is interactively generated and presented on a display device. Work, project resourcing, and/or training are prioritized based on the risk metric.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a hybrid software application transitions between stereoscopic imaging and non-stereoscopic imaging to optimize user interactions with a three-dimensional model of a three-dimensional object. Based on user input, the hybrid software application selects an operational mode as either stereoscopic mode or non-stereoscopic mode. The hybrid software application then performs then operations on the three-dimensional model. If the operational mode is the stereoscopic mode, then the hybrid software application generates two, offset images of the three-dimensional object—an image for the right eye and a separate image for the left eye. By contrast, if the operational mode is the non-stereoscopic mode, then the hybrid software application generates a single image of the three-dimensional object that is shared by both eyes.

Abstract: A method, system, and article of manufacture provide for multi-user collaboration on a three-dimensional (3D) design. The 3D design is acquired in a computer-aided design (CAD) application. A commenting process for a comment to be associated with a selected part of the 3D design is activated. Textual user input for the comment is dynamically processed as the comment is received. The processing recognizes that the text relates to creating or modifying the selected part, retrieves a list of alternative parts (based on similarities between the alternative parts and the selected part), and displays a graphic representation of an alternative part. An alternative part is selected and inserted in the comment as a proposed replacement part. The comment including the proposed replacement part is provided to another user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design and manufacture of physical structures using toolpath generation by demonstration include, in one aspect, a method including: receiving a user specified path traced in reference to geometry of a modeled object to be manufactured by a computer-controlled manufacturing system, wherein the user specified path is a spatial representation of a desired toolpath; synthesizing candidate toolpaths for the geometry of the modeled object using variations of at least one toolpath parameter; measuring similarities between the candidate toolpaths and the user specified path, including comparing at least a spatial similarity between the candidate toolpaths and the user specified path; suggesting at least some of the candidate toolpaths based on the measured similarities; and determining a toolpath for use when manufacturing the modeled object in accordance with user input regarding the at least some of the candidat

Abstract: A computing device for receiving a design problem statement describing a design problem in a controlled natural language (CNL) that defines permitted lexicons and syntax structures. The design problem statement is processed using the CNL lexicons and syntax structures to produce a job description executable by a design application for generating a design solution for the design problem statement. An improved CNL user interface that assists users to produce valid design problem statements that are CNL-compliant. The CNL user interface receives user-selectable terms that are compliant with the CNL lexicons and generates candidate problem statements that are compliant with CNL syntax structures and receives a selection of a candidate problem statement that is added to the design problem statement. A graphical user interface may display a graphical representation of a design problem statement that can be directly modified. A dialogue-based design process to explore possible design intentions and design solutions.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system provides the ability to edit a raster sketch. An edit gesture is received and a binary image of the raster sketch is calculated by thresholding. A stroke width transform (SWT) map is calculated and stores a stroke width value for each pixel. An original outside contour of the binary image is calculated and simplified. A propagation cut is determined as a line segment that connects two different points on the simplified contour that separates the simplified outside contour into two parts. The propagation cut is applied to the original outside contour and displayed.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus create a 3D CAD model. Scan data from two or more structured scans of a real-world scene are acquired and each scan processed independently by segmenting the scan data into multiple segments, filtering the scan data, and fitting an initial model that is used as a model candidate. Model candidates are clustered into groups and a refined model is fit onto the model candidates in the same group. A grid of cells representing points is mapped over the refined model. Each of the grid cells is labeled by processing each scan independently, labeling each cell located within the refined model as occupied, utilizing back projection to label remaining cells as occluded or empty. The labels from multiple scans are then combined. Based on the labeling, model details are extracted to further define and complete the refined model.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system provide the ability to simulate dynamic motion for a computerized model (of finite mesh elements). An element diagonal lumped mass matrix of the mesh, an estimate of a highest element eigenvector and eigenvalue of the mesh, and a kinematic state of the model are computed. Processing iterates until exceeding a time duration. Incremental strain and stress tensors, and hypo-elastic material constants are computed. Within the time duration iteration, eigenvalues are converged, a power-sweep stress field is computed from the strain field using the material constants; divergence of the power-sweep stress field is computed using the current gradient operator; and a power-sweep estimate is computed. Upon convergence, the stability limit is determined and utilized as a time interval for simulating the dynamic motion.

Abstract: The embodiments discussed herein involve flood filling a region with anti-aliasing. In forming a fill region, a candidate pixel can be included in the region based on a color of the pixel and also a color of a neighbor of the point. The inclusion basis may be a color distance between a seed color and the points, and a color distance between the seed color and the point's neighbor. Points in the region may be weighted according to their color distance relative to the seed color, where the color distance can also take into account alpha values. Flood filling may be anti-aliased by assigning alpha values to pixels in gaps between corners of the fill region, where an alpha value may be proportional to a point's contribution to the gap. Dimples in a fill region may be tested for and used to determine which of two flood fill algorithms to use.

Abstract: A design application includes a design engine and a tracking engine. The design engine allows end-users to create and modify a design space. The design space includes a spectrum of possible design options, as well as other information related to the process of creating designs. When changes are applied to the design space, the design engine transmits event data to the tracking engine that reflects those changes. The tracking engine, based on the event data, updates a design space timeline. The design space timeline illustrates the evolution of the design space over time.

Abstract: A design application is configured to perform a system-level optimization of a collection of system components. The design application iteratively executes a multi-objective solver to optimize structural and functional relationships between the system components in order to meet global design criteria and generate a system design. The design application initializes the design process by extracting from a knowledge base system templates having taxonomic, structural, or functional attributes relevant to the system design. The design application generates the knowledge base by mining taxonomic, structural, and functional relationships from a corpus of engineering texts.