Techno Babble

ASSIST, from MIT, allows a user to sketch simple mechanical systems and see simulations of their drawings in a two-dimensional kinematic simulator.

Details of this and other projects available from Design Rationale at MIT.

XFLOW is an accurate fluid simulation tool for Engineering and Scientific purposes from Next Limit, who also created Maxwell Render a render engine based on the physics of real light.

XFlow uses a novel particle simulation technology that improves upon existing methods and overcomes many of the shortcomings of other CFD tools. It has a coherent formulation that minimizes interpolation error and guarantees the physically accurate imposition of boundary conditions.

Sample videos demonstrating the product are available from the XFLOW homepage.

Next Limit have explored other fields for potential applications of this technology, looking to see whether the simulation concepts can be applied to complex behaviours which are currently not well understood.

Such as

• Traffic simulation
  The particles can represent the flow of traffic in roads. Every particle behaves like a car and depends on other cars in the locality.
• Cell simulation
  The particles can represent the behavior of cells in interaction with the vicinities.
• Crowd simulation
  The particles can represent the behavior of a crowd in different critical conditions, for example the evacuation of a public area.

Check out videos demonstrating possible applications of the technology from the XFLOW homepage.

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In a depature from topics related to Siggraph, I note that Dassault has recently acquired Dynasim AB, a Swedish company developing software tools for solving modeling, simulation and design problems using computer algebra.

http://www.dynasim.se/

CATIA Systems strategy puts embedded systems modeling at the heart of CATIA. DS selected the open standard, Modelica, to be at the core of DS’ open strategy. Hence, the announcement of DS’ acquisition of Dynasim. With the addition of Dynasim, CATIA will be able to feature behavior-driven simulation.

Dymola, the Dynamic Modeling Laboratory, provides an environment for the modeling and simulation of integrated and complex systems and has libraries available for simulating systems in many different engineering fields, based on the object-oriented modeling language Modelica.

http://www.modelica.org/.

One such library is the MultiBody library - this is a free library providing 60 main components such as ready-to-use joint, force, part, body, sensor and visualizer components.

“I am delighted that DS has selected Dynasim as the key component of its V5 embedded system platform,” said Dr Hilding Elmqvist, founder and CEO, Dynasim AB. “Via DS’ integration of CATIA Systems and Modelica based Dymola technologies, DS’ strategy, with its partners, is to help companies switch from a proprietary simulation-centric approach to a full virtual product model.

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Dassault recently acquired Virtools which provides software tools for developing interactive 3d content (motion simulation analysis and lots more).

http://www.virtools.com

In related news, Autodesk has acquired (22 August) Solid Dynamics who provide motion analysis and simulation technology.

http://www.solid-dynamics.com

A recent poll of Autodesk manufacturing customers showed that dynamic simulation was ranked as a key technology requirement in helping them achieve significant cost reductions and time-to-market improvements.

Dassault has acquired Virtools a company that provides 3D Behavioural technology.

http://www.virtools.com

Virtools’ applications allow users not familiar with 3D modeling to quickly and easily add life experience to any 3D object. As an example, using the company’s technology, users can experience the shopping behavior of a typical consumer in a supermarket or visualize the ergonomics of a driver as he or she drives a car through a city.

Applications for this technology include Games, VR/Simulation, Marketing/Multimedia, Education and Technology.

The Virtools Physics Pack, which was developed in conjunction with Havok (using Havok’s physics engine), includes drag/drop behaviours to integrate physics technology for real-time 3D behaviours that can be implemented by non-programmers.

Details about Havok can be found at:

http://www.havok.com

An article in Design News talks about the advantages of trying out designs within an integrated design simulation environment.

The article describes various uses for simulation technology to give a designer a better understanding of issues ranging from engine maintenance issues at Lockheed (Does the engineer have enough room to do repairs on jet engines?), to a better understanding of how humans interact with other objects (What are the blind spots in a rear view mirror from a virtual human sitting in the driving seat of a vehicle?).

Read the full article

http://www.designnews.com/article/CA608135.html?industryid=22203