Shuo Liu

Bio: Shuo Liu is an academic researcher from University of Pittsburgh. The author has contributed to research in topics: Geospatial analysis & Geographic information systems in geospatial intelligence. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 4 publications receiving 49 citations. Previous affiliations of Shuo Liu include Ohio Dominican University.

GPSLoc: Framework for Predicting Global Positioning System Quality of Service

Abstract: While currently numerous existing engineering applications benefit from the global positioning system~GPS!, it is anticipated that operation of many new, emerging applications ~e.g., applications related to ubiquitous mobile computing! will rely on the information provided by this technology. Depending on the application requirement, GPS data may be collected and post-processed or collected and processed in real time. In either case, there are questions about availability, quality, and reliability of GPS data in engineering applications. To date, despite available techniques for realizing, and to some extent improving, a certain level of GPS accuracy, there is no integrated, coherent approach or technique that would provide users with solutions that combine GPS availability, quality, and reliability. To that end, we propose quality of service ~QoS! assurance for GPS. With GPS QoS, users and applications would be provided with the means for predicting GPS solutions in advance meeting the requirements in a timely and cost-effective manner. We have developed a framework for the proposed GPS QoS called GPSLoc. In this paper, we discuss the requirements, methodologies, models, and algorithms for the GPSLoc framework and the experimentation with one of the GPS QoS parameters ~visibility!.

Developing an automated procedure for extraction of road data from high-resolution satellite images for geospatial information systems

Abstract: There is a growing need for automated procedures that can update road databases in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS). Such procedures are in a great demand when the GIS database needs to be updated very frequently and should comprise automated means for extracting road data from satellite images and updating GIS databases using the collected data. In this paper, the requirements for developing an automated procedure which (1) extracts road data from high-resolution satellite images and (2) prepares the extracted data for use in GIS is presented. The procedure includes a region growing algorithm to obtain road features, an edge detection algorithm, an image enhancement algorithm, a vectorization algorithm, and a georeferencing algorithm. The edge detection, image enhancement and vectorization algorithms are tested using three different high-resolution satellite images and the results are presented. Their performance is measured and analyzed individually.

Evaluation of Augmented Reality for Rapid Assessment of Earthquake-Induced Building Damage

Abstract: This paper discusses the feasibility of using augmented reality (AR) to evaluate earthquake-induced building damage. In the proposed approach, previously stored building information is superimposed onto a real structure in AR. Structural damage can then be quantified by measuring and interpreting key differences between the real and augmented views of the facility. Proof-of-concept experiments were performed in conjunction with large-scale cyclic shear wall tests. In these, CAD images of the walls were superimposed onto the wall specimens. Then, as the wall specimens were deformed under applied loading, the horizontal drifts between the walls and the augmented images were computed using two different techniques and compared with actual wall drifts. The obtained results highlight the potential of using AR for rapid damage detection and indicate that the accuracy of structural displacements measured using AR is a direct function of the accuracy with which augmented images can be registered with the real world. The limitations of the technology, considerations for field implementation, and the potential for other related applications of AR are also discussed.

Handbook of Research on P2P and Grid Systems for Service-Oriented Computing: Models, Methodologies and Applications

Abstract: The Handbook of Research on P2P and Grid Systems for Service-Oriented Computing: Models, Methodologies, and Applications addresses the need for peer-to-peer computing and grid paradigms in delivering efficient service-oriented computing. This critical mass of the most sought after research serves as a collection of chapters facilitating a broad understanding of the subject matter useful to researchers and doctoral students working specifically in the deployment, implementation, and study of related topics including distributed computing, software engineering, Web services, and modeling of business processes.

Georeferenced Registration of Construction Graphics in Mobile Outdoor Augmented Reality

Abstract: This paper describes research that investigated the application of the global positioning system and 3 degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) angular tracking to address the registration problem during interactive visualization of construction graphics in outdoor augmented reality (AR) environments. The global position and the three-dimensional (3D) orientation of a user's viewpoint are tracked, and this information is reconciled with the known global position and orientation of superimposed computer-aided design (CAD) objects. Based on this computation, the relative translation and axial rotations between the user's viewpoint and the CAD objects are continually calculated. The relative geometric transformations are then applied to the CAD objects inside a virtual viewing frustum that is coincided with the real world space that is in the user's view. The result is an augmented outdoor environment where superimposed graphical objects stay fixed to their real world locations as the user navigates. The algorithms are implemented in a software tool called UM-AR-GPS-ROVER that is capable of interactively placing static and dynamic 3D models at any location in outdoor augmented space. The concept and prototype are demonstrated with an example in which scheduled construction activities for the erection of a structural steel frame are graphically simulated in outdoor AR.

Impervious surface area extraction from IKONOS imagery using an object-based fuzzy method

Abstract: The study of impervious surfaces is crucial to the sustainable development of urban areas due to its strong impact on urban environments. Remotely sensed high-resolution imagery has the advantage of providing more spatial details; however, digital image processing algorithms have not been well developed to accommodate this advantage and other characteristics of such imagery. In this article, an object-based fuzzy classification approach for impervious surface extraction was developed and applied to two pan-sharpened multi-spectral IKONOS images covering the residential and central business district (CBD) areas of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Fuzzy rules based on spectral, spatial and texture attributes, were developed to extract impervious surfaces. An accuracy assessment was performed for the final maps. The results indicated that the spatial patterns of extracted features were in accordance with those in the original images and the boundaries of features were appropriately delineated. Impervious surfaces...

Visualization of construction graphics in outdoor augmented reality

Abstract: This paper describes research that investigates the application of augmented reality (AR) in 3D animation of simulated construction operations. The objective is an AR-based platform that can be used together with corresponding equipment (HMD, GPS receiver, and a portable computer) to generate a mixed view of the real world and superimposed virtual simulation objects in an outdoor environment. The characteristic that distinguishes the presented work from indoor AR applications is the capability to produce real time updated output as the user moves around while applying minimum constraints over the user's position and orientation. The ability to operate independently of environmental factors (e.g. lighting conditions and terrain variations) makes the described framework a powerful tool for outdoor AR applications. This paper presents initial results and an AR platform prototype (UM-AR-GPS-ROVER) that is able to place 3D graphical objects at any desired location in outdoor augmented space.