Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating an appealing visual based on an original visual captured by a vehicle mounted camera are provided. A semantic image content and its arrangement in the original visual is computed; an optimization process is performed that improves an appeal of the original visual by making it more similar to a set of predetermined traits. The optimization process may include adding information to the original visual to generate an enhanced visual by adapting content from further visuals, and adapting iteratively a geometric parameter set of the enhanced visual to generate a certain perspective or morphing to improve an arrangement of semantics in the enhanced visual. The optimized parameter set may be applied to the enhanced visual. Post-processing may be conducted after applying the optimized parameter set using a set of templates to generate a final visual that may be output for immediate or later use.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating an appealing visual based on an original visual captured by a vehicle mounted camera are provided. A semantic image content and its arrangement in the original visual is computed; an optimization process is performed that improves an appeal of the original visual by making it more similar to a set of predetermined traits. The optimization process may include adding information to the original visual to generate an enhanced visual by adapting content from further visuals, and adapting iteratively a geometric parameter set of the enhanced visual to generate a certain perspective or morphing to improve an arrangement of semantics in the enhanced visual. The optimized parameter set may be applied to the enhanced visual. Post-processing may be conducted after applying the optimized parameter set using a set of templates to generate a final visual that may be output for immediate or later use.

Abstract: A method for improving ergonomics of a vehicle obtains a first information defining an initial cockpit configuration. Further, information on a cockpit user's shape and information of a seat and steering wheel position which the user typically uses while driving, are obtained. This information is fed into a bio-mechanical simulation which carries out the simulation based upon the information defining the initial cockpit configuration, the user's shape and the user's seat and steering wheel position. In the bio-mechanical simulation, an ergonomic quality criteria is calculated for reaching movements during driving. Based upon the simulation result which is the quality criteria, the cockpit configuration is changed. The bio-mechanical simulation and the changing of the cockpit configuration in the optimization process is then repeated until a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled. The cockpit configuration which is achieved at that point in time is output as final cockpit-configuration.

Abstract: An advanced driver assistant system and a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving the vehicle. The system includes sensing means for sensing an environment of the vehicle, a storing unit for storing a database for storing prototypical situations associated with risk information, a processing unit and an output unit to output an assistance signal on the basis of which driver information can be output and/or vehicle operators can be actuated. The processing unit is configured to determine parameters of the vehicle and/or objects in the environment of the vehicle based upon the sensing means output, to classify a traffic situation on the basis of the determined parameters by comparing the determined parameters with parameters of the prototypical traffic situations, to extract risk information from the database and to calculate an expected risk for the encountered traffic situation on the basis of the extracted risk information.

Abstract: The invention regards a method and a system for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle, as well as a vehicle with such system being mounted thereon. Information on an environment of a vehicle is obtained by sensing the environment. Furthermore, information on applicable traffic rules is obtained. A request from a driver is determined from sensing at least one of a driver's utterance, gestures, gaze and operation of vehicle control. The traffic scene as sensed is assessed on the basis of the environmental information, the applicable traffic rules and the determined driver request. Information as requested to be output is generated in response to the determined request of the driver. Finally the information in response to the request from the driver is output.

Abstract: The invention regards a method and a system for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle, as well as a vehicle with such system being mounted thereon. Information on an environment of a vehicle is obtained by sensing the environment. Furthermore, information on applicable traffic rules is obtained. A request from a driver is determined from sensing at least one of a driver's utterance, gestures, gaze and operation of vehicle control. The traffic scene as sensed is assessed on the basis of the environmental information, the applicable traffic rules and the determined driver request. Information as requested to be output is generated in response to the determined request of the driver. Finally the information in response to the request from the driver is output.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of analyzing data representing the optimization of real-world designs of physical entities according to at least one criterion. Different modifications of the design are generated by a cyclic optimization algorithm. The design data is represented by unstructured triangular surface meshes. A displacement measure representing local differences between two design modifications of the different modifications is calculated. Performance difference between the two design modifications is calculated. The performance difference is represented by at least one criterion. Sensitivity information representing correlation between the displacement measure and the performance differences is outputted.

Abstract: An advanced driver assistant system and a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving the vehicle. The system includes sensing means for sensing an environment of the vehicle, a storing unit for storing a database for storing prototypical situations associated with risk information, a processing unit and an output unit to output an assistance signal on the basis of which driver information can be output and/or vehicle operators can be actuated. The processing unit is configured to determine parameters of the vehicle and/or objects in the environment of the vehicle based upon the sensing means output, to classify a traffic situation on the basis of the determined parameters by comparing the determined parameters with parameters of the prototypical traffic situations, to extract risk information from the database and to calculate an expected risk for the encountered traffic situation on the basis of the extracted risk information.

Abstract: The inventive system comprises an autonomous robot device, a base station and a method operating the same. The autonomous robot device includes a sensor means, e.g. an optical sensor, and a propulsion means. The base station includes a cleaning means specifically adapted for cleaning the sensor means of the autonomous robot device. In a preferred embodiment the propulsion means of the autonomous robot device is configured to move the autonomous robot device in a manner suitable to generate a relative movement of the autonomous robot device with respect to the passive cleaning means arranged at the stationary base station to effect the cleaning of the sensor means of the autonomous robot device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving ergonomics of a vehicle cockpit. Information defining an initial cockpit configuration, and information on a cockpit user's shape and information of a seat and steering wheel position which the user typically uses while driving, are obtained. This information is fed into a bio-mechanical simulation which carries out the simulation based upon the information defining the initial cockpit configuration, the user's shape and the user's seat and steering means position. An ergonomic quality criteria are calculated for reaching movements during driving. Based upon the simulation result which is the quality criteria, the cockpit configuration is changed. The bio-mechanical simulation and the changing of the cockpit configuration in the optimization process is then repeated until a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled. The cockpit configuration which is achieved at that point in time is output as final cockpit-configuration.

Abstract: The inventive system comprises an autonomous robot device, a base station and a method operating the same. The autonomous robot device includes a sensor means, e.g. an optical sensor, and a propulsion means. The base station includes a cleaning means specifically adapted for cleaning the sensor means of the autonomous robot device. In a preferred embodiment the propulsion means of the autonomous robot device is configured to move the autonomous robot device in a manner suitable to generate a relative movement of the autonomous robot device with respect to the passive cleaning means arranged at the stationary base station to effect the cleaning of the sensor means of the autonomous robot device.

Abstract: A generating line of a casing surrounding an outer periphery of vanes of a stator disposed downstream of a rotor of the axial-flow compressor includes: a recessed region recessed outward in a radial direction from a position forward of a front edge of each of the vanes to a position rearward of a rear edge of the vane; and a protruding region bulging inward in the radial direction at an intermediate position of the recessed region in a front-rear direction thereof. Thus, a distribution of static pressure in the radial direction on a surface of the vane is improved by a first recessed portion forward of the protruding region, and the static pressure on the tip side is raised by a second recessed portion rearward of the protruding region.

Abstract: An improved method for optimizing a design, based on direct manipulations of the object points of a design. In addition, the number and modifications of control points is kept as minimal as possible while the targeted movement of object points is realized and the automatic adaptation and generation of a set of control points for deformations which allows the movement of object points to desired positions. One aspect of the invention is to generate the transformation function f which is optimized to be able to realize desired changes of object parameters by means of control point variations. This optimization can be realized in a way that the mapping between the original coordinate system of the design and the spline coordinate system is not changed, so that no additional “freezing” process (the generation of the mapping between the coordinate systems) is necessary.

Abstract: A method for modifying an object design using a computer comprises the steps of: selecting a first sub-design of the object design comprising a first free form deformation geometry and a first free deformation control volume that is variable and adaptive; choosing a second sub-design comprising a second free form deformation geometry; and replacing the first geometry with the second geometry.

Abstract: An improved optimization of a design, based on direct manipulations of the object points of a design where the number and modifications of control points is kept as minimal as possible while the targeted movement of object points is realized.

Abstract: Computer-assisted systems and methods for integrating aesthetic and functional design processes for real-world objects can include a computerized module for defining an aesthetic representation of a real-world object, and a computing module supplied with approximation model data of a CAE simulation module to calculate functional quality value(s) using a parametric description of the aesthetic representation as input. An interface can issue a physical signal to a user, with the physical signal communicating the quality value(s) to the user. A computerized module can change the parametric description of the aesthetic representation of the object in the aesthetic design process taking the obtained functional quality value into account.

Abstract: Iterative (nondeterministic) optimization of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic surface structures can be accomplished with a computer software program and a system using a combination of a variable encoding length optimization algorithm based on an evolution strategy and an experimental hardware set-up that allows to automatically change the surface properties of the applied material, starting with the overall shape and proceeding via more detailed modifications in local surface areas. The optimization of surface structures may be done with a computing device for calculating optimized parameters of at least one (virtual) surface structure, an experimental hardware set-up for measuring dynamic properties of a specific surface structure, and an interface for feeding calculated parameters from the computing device to the experimental set-up and for feeding measured results back to the computing device as quality values for the next cycle of the optimizing step.

Abstract: Iterative (nondeterministic) optimization of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic surface structures can be accomplished with a computer software program and a system using a combination of a variable encoding length optimization algorithm based on an evolution strategy and an experimental hardware set-up that allows to automatically change the surface properties of the applied material, starting with the overall shape and proceeding via more detailed modifications in local surface areas. The optimization of surface structures may be done with a computing device for calculating optimized parameters of at least one (virtual) surface structure, an experimental hardware set-up for measuring dynamic properties of a specific surface structure, and an interface for feeding calculated parameters from the computing device to the experimental set-up and for feeding measured results back to the computing device as quality values for the next cycle of the optimizing step.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for optimizing a parameter set comprising object parameters, the method comprising the steps of: (a) creating an initial population of a plurality of individual parameter sets, the parameter sets comprising object parameters describing a model, structure, shape, design or process to be optimized and setting the initial population as a current parent population; (b) for each individual parameter set in a parent population mutating the parameters and optionally recombining the parameters to create an offspring population of individual parameter sets, wherein the strength of an individual object parameter mutation is enlarged by a noise contribution to enhance the robustness of the optimization; (c) evaluating a quality of each individual in the offspring population; (d) selecting individuals of the offspring population to be the next parent generation; and (e) repeating steps (b) through (d) until a termination criterion is reached.

Abstract: A system and method for combining the model-based and genetics-based methods are combined according to a convergence criterion. When the population is not converged, the genetics-based approach is used, and when the population is converged, the model-based method is used to generate offspring. The algorithm benefits from using a model-based offspring generation only when the population shows a certain degree of regularity, i.e., converged in a stochastic sense. In addition, a more sophisticated method to construct the stochastic part of the model can be used. Also a biased Gaussian noise (the mean of the noise is not zero), as well as a white Gaussian noise (the mean of the noise is zero) can be preferably used for the stochastic part of the model.