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Applications are invited for an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in the Centre for Digital Entertainment (CDE), a collaboration between the University of Bath and Bournemouth University, with PML http://www.pml.ac.uk.
This 4 year studentship, fully funded by the EPSRC, offers the opportunity to conduct research in an industrial context. Please see http://www.digital-entertainment.org/ (click current opportunities) for more information and some data examples to play with.
The project aims to explore and develop efficient and effective scientific visualisations of these datasets. This involves handling large datasets, intelligent combination of complementary data and possibly image processing and interpretation to summarise complex data into understandable visualisations. Beyond this starting point, there is freedom to research into related and applicable areas. The ultimate goal is to provide simple combination and compelling exploration of scientific datasets, to improve the accessibility and use of essential data backing climate research.
You will have the following datasets available to work with:
- Environmental satellite data: Full global scope over >10 years, two dimensional with ~15 colour bands and numerous derived products (mainly
relating to chlorophyll estimates, a proxy for biological activity in the oceans)
- Aircraft hyperspectral and camera data: local acquisitions over ~20 years, two dimensional with ~200-500 bands (hyperspectral) or RGB.
- Aircraft LIDAR data: local acquisitions over ~10 years, 2.5D / 3D range data, with multiple “depths” per coordinate. World-leading full waveform data in the last 3 years, giving ultra-high depth density (~10cm resolution from 2km up) .
The starting points already in place are simple visualisations using images on a website through to more advanced OpenGL / 3D modelling of LIDAR data, and processing techniques including simple slicing operations, basic overlaying, and data reduction/dynamic downsampling (quad/oct trees). Taking things forward, we propose to explore some of the following areas, however they best align with your research interests:
- Full and dynamic combination of multimodal aircraft data (e.g. map a 3D surface with user-selected bands, allowing one to visually search for the best bands to, say, identify a particular tree species)
- Exploration of high resolution LIDAR data; like the videos linked above, but with more data and a better visualisation interface (user-controlled); voxelisation and translucency may be a starting point.
- Animations / slicing through time on satellite and model data; ways to visualise how ocean conditions change over time and space, with particular interest in highlighting repeated/seasonal, unusual events or exploring biological/climatic structures in the oceans.
- Web-oriented 3D visualisation, using WebGL
- Database-oriented methods for accessing and slicing large datasets, in a networked environment; dynamic and interactive exploration of very large datasets.
- Interpretation of full-waveform LIDAR data to determine canopy thickness/structure or recognise the flora type.
- Scalable representations for event recognition and visualisation in very large datasets
REQUIREMENTS: Computer Science background, interest in large data handling or data structures/algorithms, visualisation/3d experience
Please read http://www.digital-entertainment.org/info-applicants.html carefully.
For more information, please contact cde@cs.bath.ac.uk
To apply, please complete the application form on http://www.digital-entertainment.org/.
Funding Notes:
EPSRC EngD-studentship, currently £15,090 per year. PLUS £3000 per year top-up from sponsoring company.
tuition fees paid PLUS funding for conference travel and research materials.
The program lasts 4 years. 75% of your time will be based in a company engaged on research projects. You will be supported by access to options from a suite of Master’s programs from both universities. The taught program will be negotiated by you, your academic supervisors and the host company so it can be tailored to your particular research needs.
References:
To apply, please complete the application form on http://www.digital-entertainment.org/ .
PML provides capability for observing, modelling, understanding and forecasting marine ecosystems, to underpin evidence-based environmental solutions to societal and climate challenges. The Remote Sensing Group at PML focusses on observations of the Earth’s ocean and atmosphere, primarily by satellite and aircraft, but also in combination with Earth simulations and ship-collected data. The group comprises a multi-disciplinary team of scientists with expertise in remote-sensing, physics, meteorology, engineering, computer vision and computer science. The group’s activities revolve around the validation of remotely-sensed data, the efficient processing of these data and ways of intelligently exploiting them for real-world problems.
Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008 Results