Tosiyasu L. Kunii - Böcker

Eine gute Einführung in ein neues Produkt oder Konzept ist lebenswichtig. Dies gilt ganz besonders für ein so vielseitiges Software-System wie UNIX. UNIX bietet die Stärke und die Fähigkeiten, die Ihren Computer hart für Sie arbeiten lassen. Es kann Ihnen beim Erstellen von Software helfen, und es kann Ihnen helfen, die Einrichtungen Ihres automatischen Büros zum Entwerfen und Bear­ beiten von Dokumenten zu nutzen. Für Ihre Einführung in UNIX wünschen Sie sich ein umfassendes und überschaubares Buch. Genau das soll das vorliegende Buch sein. Dieses Buch wurde für Computerlaien geschrieben, insbesondere für solche in leitenden Positionen, Verwaltungsfachleute und Manager, die ihre Softwarespezialisten und Experten sinnvoller einsetzen möchten. Die Entstehungsgeschichte dieses Springer-Buches ist eine Geschichte für sich. Im Jahre 1980 wollte der Gründer und Präsident einer der erfolgreichen Mikrocomputerfirmen, Kazue Ishii von CEC, etwas beginnen, das brillant, an­ spruchsvoll und innovativ sein und beständig wachsen sollte. Von vielen Vor­ schlägen akzeptierte er schließlich den meinen. Der Vorschlag bestand darin, ei­ ne Familie von Netzwerk-Arbeitsplätzen für Computer-unterstütztes Entwer­ fen/Herstellen und Büro-Automation zu bauen. UNIX wurde als Software­ Werkzeug verwendet. Für ihn war es allerdings ziemlich schwierig, zu verstehen, wofür UNIX gut ist und wie gut es ist...

In the history of technology, many fields have passed from an initial stage of empirical recipes to a mature stage where work is based on formal theories and procedures. This transition is made possible through a process called "modeling". Also Computer Graphics as a separate field of Computer Science makes extensive use of formal theories and procedures of modeling, often derived from related disciplines such as mathematics and physics. Modeling makes different application results consistent, unifying varieties of techniques and formal approaches into a smaller number of models by generalizing and abstracting the knowledge in Computer Graphics. This volume presents a selection of research papers submitted to the conference "Modeling in Computer Graphics: Methods and Applications" held at the Research Area of the National Research Council in Genoa, Italy, on June 28 -July 1, 1993. This meeting was the ideal continuation of a previous conference organized in Tokyo, Japan, in April 1991. The success and the variety of research themes discussed at that meeting suggested to promote a new working conference on methods and applications of modeling to be held in Italy two years later.

The flood of information through various computer networks such as the In­ ternet characterizes the world situation in which we live. Information worlds, often called virtual spaces and cyberspaces, have been formed on computer networks. The complexity of information worlds has been increasing almost exponentially through the exponential growth of computer networks. Such nonlinearity in growth and in scope characterizes information worlds. In other words, the characterization of nonlinearity is the key to understanding, utiliz­ ing and living with the flood of information. The characterization approach is by characteristic points such as peaks, pits, and passes, according to the Morse theory. Another approach is by singularity signs such as folds and cusps. Atoms and molecules are the other fundamental characterization ap­ proach. Topology and geometry, including differential topology, serve as the framework for the characterization. Topological Modeling for Visualization is a textbook for those interested in this characterization, to understand what it is and how to do it. Understanding is the key to utilizing information worlds and to living with the changes in the real world. Writing this textbook required careful preparation by the authors. There are complex mathematical concepts that require designing a writing style that facilitates understanding and appeals to the reader. To evolve a style, we set as a main goal of this book the establishment of a link between the theoretical aspects of modern geometry and topology, on the one hand, and experimental computer geometry, on the other.

In the design of any visual objects, the work becomes much easier if previous designs are utilized. Computer graphics is becoming increasingly important simply because it greatly helps in utilizing such previous designs. Here, "previous designs" signifies both design results and design procedures. The objects designed are diverse. For engineers, these objects could be machines or electronic circuits, as discussed in Chap. 3, ''CA~/CAM. '' Physicians often design models of a patient's organs from computed tomography images prior to surgery or to assist in diagnosis. This is the subject of Chap. 8, "Medical Graphics. " Chapter 7, "Computer Art," deals with the way in which artists use computer graphics in creating beautiful visual images. In Chap. 1, "Computational Geometry," a firm basis is provided for the definition of shapes in designed objects; this is a typical technical area in which computer graphics is constantly making worldwide progress. Thus, the present volume, reflecting international advances in these and other areas of computer graphics, provides every potential or actual graphics user with the essential up-to-date information. There are, typically, two ways of gathering this current information. One way is to invite international authorities to write on their areas of specialization. Usually this works very well if the areas are sufficiently established that it is possible to judge exactly who knows what. Since computer graphics, however, is still in its developmental stage, this method cannot be applied.

Computer Graphics Tokyo, now in its fourth year, has established a world-wide reputation as an international technical conference, presenting work of high quality in the field of computer graphics. Each conference has been attended by a couple of thousand partiCipants from all over the world and tens of thousands have visited the exhibition. After strict peer review, 34 papers were accepted this year, of which about 40% were from the USA, 30% from Japan, 20% from Europe, and 10% from Canada. A good balance of papers on advanced research results, industrial/marketing surveys, and computer art technology has made Computer Graphics Tokyo an indispensable forum for researchers, engineers, and administrators working in this field. Computer graphics is a rapidly developing and expanding area and it is not easy to keep abreast of all the progress that has been made. This volume contains the proceedings of Computer Graphics Tokyo '86 and provides the reader with a comprehensive survey of the state of the art in computer graphics. Computational geometry (Chapter 1) is one of the fastest growing areas in computer graphics. This is well recognized as the basis of shape modeling. After shapes are modeled, they are displayed for visual observation. Chapter 2 on rendering presents various novel methods and technological innovations for visualizing shapes. To make display systems more acces­ sible to users, rich visual interfaces and languages are being designed, as shown in Chapter 3. Visual data bases for sharing graphics-and image-data are handled in Chapter 4.

Recent developments in computer graphics have largely involved the following: Integration of computer graphics and image analysis through computer data structure; integration of CAD/CAM as computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) through the design and simulation of manufacturing processes using computer graphics; progress in basic research on the modeling of complex and mathematical graphic objects, such as computational geometry, graphic data bases, hierarchical windows, and texture; use of computer graphics as an improved human interface to present information visually and multidimensionally; and advancement of industrial technology and computer art based on developments in the areas listed above. These trends are strongly reflected in the contents of the present volume either as papers dealing with one particular aspect of research or as multifaceted studies involving several different areas. The proceedings comprise thirty selected, previously unpublished original papers presented in nine chapters.

Computer Science Workbench is a monograph series which will provide you with an in-depth working knowledge of current developments in computer technology. Every volume in this series will deal with a topic of importance in computer science and elaborate on how you yourself can build systems related to the main theme. You will be able to develop a variety of systems, including computer software tools, computer graphics, computer animation, database management systems, and computer-aided design and manufacturing systems. Computer Science Workbench represents an important new contribution in the field of practical computer technology. TOSIYASU L. KUNII Preface The evolution of database systems research is itself a story. Long after the emergence of systems derived from practical applications, Codd's relational data model has gradually occupied the theoretical domain of database systems and is moving into the realms of practical use. Certainly, the theoretical foundation makes database design, validation, and testing easier. However, Cod d's model allows only fiat tables to be handled, while most business and engineering data in practice are in nested table forms. Thus, a recent major obstacle in database systems development is the large gap between the theory and the practice.

In recent years, we have witnessed an increasing use of sophisticated graphics in designing and manufacturing complex architectural and engineering systems; in modeling, simulating and visualizing complicated physical processes; in generating, highly realistic images and animation; and, in most man-machine interfaces. These trends are made possible by the improvement in performance and the lowering of cost of hardware since the mid 1970s, and the continuing advances in many areas of computer graphics. The major advances in computer graphics include: greater sophistication and realism of image generation techniques, improved man-machine interaction techniques, superior geometric modeling techniques for the representation and modeling of complex physical and mathematical objects, sophisticated software systems for animation and modeling of incorporating latest AI and software engineering techniques, greater integration of CAD and CAM in CIM, and techniques to represent and visualize complicated physical processes. These advances are reflected in this present volume either as papers dealing with one particular aspect of research, or as multifaceted studies involving several different areas.

In order to capture the essential features of computer graphics, fundamental methods, concepts, and techniques have been integrated into generalized models through a process known as modeling. This volume outlines the progress made in computer graphic modeling and presents previously unpublished results and surveys which will help readers better understand the concepts and applications of this fascinating subject.

This volume presents the proceedings of the 10th International Conference of the Computer Graphics Society, CG International '92, Visual Computing - Integrating Computer Graphics with Computer Vision -, held at Kogakuin University, Tokyo in Japan from June 22-26,1992. Since its foundation in 1983, this conference has continued to attract high quality research articles in all aspects of computer graphics and its applications. Previous conferences in this series were held in Japan (1983-1987), in Switzerland (1988), in the United Kingdom (1989), in Singapore (1990), and in the United States of America (1991). Future CG International conferences are planned in Switzerland (1993), in Australia (1994), and in the United Kingdom (1995). It has been the editor's dream to research the integration of computer graphics with computer vision through data structures. The conference the editor put together in Los Angeles in 1975 involving the UCLA and IEEE Computer Societies had to spell out these three areas explicitly in the conference title, "computer graphics," "pattern recognition" and "data structures," as well as in the title of the proceedings published by IEEE Computer Society Press. In 1985, the editor gave the name "visual computer" to machines having all the three functionalities as seen in the journal under that name from Springer. Finally, the research in integrating visual information processing has now reached reality as seen in this proceedings of CG International '92. Chapters on virtual reality, and on tools and environments provide examples.

This volume is on "modem geometric computing for visualization" which is at the forefront of multi-disciplinary advanced research areas. This area is attracting intensive research interest across many application fields: singularity in cosmology, turbulence in ocean engineering, high energy physics, molecular dynamics, environmental problems, modem mathe­ matics, computer graphics, and pattern recognition. Visualization re­ quires the computation of displayable shapes which are becoming more and more complex in proportion to the complexity of the objects and phenomena visualized. Fast computation requires information locality. Attaining information locality is achieved through characterizing the shapes in geometry and topology, and the large amount of computation required through the use of supercomputers. This volume contains the initial results of our efforts to satisfy these re­ quirements by inviting experts and selecting new research works through review processes. To be more specific, this book presents the proceedings of the International Workshop on Modem Geometric Computing for Visualization held at Kogakuin University, Tokyo, Japan, June 29-30, 1992 organized by the Computer Graphics Society, Japan Personal Com­ puter Software Association, Kogakuin University, and the Department of Information Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo. We received extremely high-quality papers for review from five different countries, one from Australia, one from Italy, four from Japan, one from Singapore and three from the United States, and we accepted eight papers and rejected two.

A good introduction to a new product or concept is vital. This is particularly true for a versatile software system such as UNIX. UNIX provides the depth and intelligence to make your computer work hard for you. It will help you create software and help you use your office automation equipment to create and edit documents. For your intro­ duction to UNIX, you want a great little book. That is what this work is meant to be. This book is designed for non-computer specialists, especially for executives, ad­ ministrators and managers who want to make better use of their software specialists and experts. The way this Springer edition has come to be published is itself a story. Back about 1980, the founder and president of one of the more successful microcomputer companies, Mr. Kazue Ishii of CEC, wanted to start somethig that would be brilliant, sophisticated, innovative, and which would grow steadily. Out of many proposals, the one he accepted happened to be mine. The proposal was to build a family of network workstations for computer-aided design/manufacturing and office automation. UNIX was to be used as a software generator. But he had a hard time understanding UNIX, what good it is and how good it is ... Spending a significant amount of time with a popular computer columnist, Miss Yukari Shirota, I compiled this book for him. I found this book generally useful for top executives, managers, planners and office administrators whose background is outside software engineering. Dr.

The worlds synthesized in the cyberspaces of networked computers are the theme of this book. Its purpose is to discover the architecture and design of cyber worlds by synthesizing worlds in cyberspaces. The book's topics are selected to clarify the issues of the philosophy, architecture and design of cyberworlds through a wide variety of case studies. It provides materials for living in the real world as well as for living through cyberworlds, for running world politics, planning corporate global strategies, managing research institutions, and planning life on a firm basis.

Modelling is the main theme of these proceedings. The papers, by scientists from around the world, discuss the latest in efficient representation, processing, interacton, integration and retrieval of multimedia information. In particular, focus is given to common modelling frameworks for integrating the diverse fields of visual information (graphic, image and video) and audio information (speech, music and sound effects).

This volume of proceedings contains papers by computer graphics researchers, developers and practitioners. The papers report on the latest advances and new ideas in computer graphics. They also discuss future directions in the field. The volume reflects the aim of the conference to promote computer graphics research activities in the Pacific region.

The process of integrating multiple senses and media into computer systems accelerated recently. This has broaden the applications of multimedia from the traditional areas of information organization, presentation and learning, to the new fields of simulation and virtual reality. Applications that have benefited from the introduction of multimedia include: training, demonstration of products for sales or inventory, education, computer-aided design and engineering, medicine, weather, and entertainment.This volume is devoted to the discussion of effective modeling of multimedia information and systems for a wide range of applications. It is perhaps the only book that devotes entirely to this important but much neglected topic.