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Ausgraph 89
Conferencesand exhibitions Ausgraph 89 Seventh Annual Australian Computer Graphics Conference (10-14 July 1989, Sydney, Australia) Ausgraph 89 started light-heartedly with two short dance sequences performed by Don Herbison-Evans, who played an important role in launching the first Ausgraph Conference in 1983. The dance sequences aimed to demonstrate some limitation of human visual perception. They were apt opening lines for someone who has successfully applied computer graphics to the performing arts - for illustrating dance notation and choreography. Richard Voss from the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center then gave an interesting and informative keynote address entitled 'Random fractal forgeries: from mountains to music'. The talk provided an introduction to fractal concepts as well as an illustration of the use of fractals in many diverse disciplines from natural sciences to music. The conference format was different from that of Ausgraph 88. The two-day tutorials were replaced by seminars in the afternoons, while the mornings were reserved for panel or conference sessions. There were four parallel streams every day. This format seemed to provide a change of pace and create more enthusiasm among participants. Eight major applications areas were chosen for special attention: AEC (architecture/engineering/construction), electronic publishing, engineering design and automation, facilities management, graphic arts/ animation, LIS (land information systems) and mapping, management and presentation graphics, and technical programming. Panel and seminar sessions dealt with topics of more general interest, which aimed to appeal to the majority of computer graphics users. The panel sessions on 'The future
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of computer graphics technology' were conducted by representatives from Tektronix, Silicon Graphics, McDonnell Douglas, CADkey, SDRC, and Autodesk. The consensus was that graphics hardware would be getting smarter and more application specific. They would be expected to provide facilities for rendering volumes, complex lighting effects, and manipulating high-order graphics primitives in real time. The issue of interfacing between different graphics packages, sharing databases and integrating different technologies would become increasingly important. User interfaces would be more demanding to cater for specific needs and to provide a more intimate interaction between users and computers (e.g. walk-through architectural design, data gloves). The slow speed in software development in order to match powerful hardware would remain a bottleneck in future progress. 'Integration' was the main message that came out of the conference. In CAD applications, integration was discussed in the following areas: mixing raster and vector capabilities; integration and networking systems that are based on different operating systems; and sharing CADCAM databases. One general criticism was that present CAD systems were more appropriate for drafting than for design. 'Next generation' CAD systems would be expected to view the user, user interface, graphics, analytical processes and database as a continuum. Another important area for integration is to bring together two areas of computer imaging: image processing and computer graphics. Although these two disciplines were segregated for historical reasons,
there is increasing evidence that techniques which were traditionally used in one area could be applied to the advantage of the other. The session on LIS (land information systems)looked at problems associated with the conversion of data types between and within systems and suggested some possible approaches to address these problems. The session on advanced user-interface design discussed principles and guidelines for designing good user interfaces and making them marketable. Topics covered included typography, symbols, colour, spatial composition, and sequencing. Practical methods for CAD data exchange were dealt with in another session where the IGES-4 standard and the new Australian standard on IGES 2D subset for building and construction industries were also discussed. Other sessions of general interest included electronic publishing, desktop video, engineering design and automation and graphics workstations. On the last day, participants were also given the opportunity to compare different PC CAD software packages currently offered on the market. The conference was very well organized and much of the credit should go to Robyn Hughes and her team for this professional touch. Perhaps the only minor criticism is that the programme tried to cater for all kinds of participants from end-users to researchers in many diverse disciplines. As a result, many participants were not inclined to register for the whole conference. The next Ausgraph conference is scheduled to be held in Melbourne in July 1990. B Pham Monash University Australia
computer-aided design
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of computer graphics technology' were conducted by representatives from Tektronix, Silicon Graphics, McDonnell Douglas, CADkey, SDRC, and Autodesk. The consensus was that graphics hardware would be getting smarter and more application specific. They would be expected to provide facilities for rendering volumes, complex lighting effects, and manipulating high-order graphics primitives in real time. The issue of interfacing between different graphics packages, sharing databases and integrating different technologies would become increasingly important. User interfaces would be more demanding to cater for specific needs and to provide a more intimate interaction between users and computers (e.g. walk-through architectural design, data gloves). The slow speed in software development in order to match powerful hardware would remain a bottleneck in future progress. 'Integration' was the main message that came out of the conference. In CAD applications, integration was discussed in the following areas: mixing raster and vector capabilities; integration and networking systems that are based on different operating systems; and sharing CADCAM databases. One general criticism was that present CAD systems were more appropriate for drafting than for design. 'Next generation' CAD systems would be expected to view the user, user interface, graphics, analytical processes and database as a continuum. Another important area for integration is to bring together two areas of computer imaging: image processing and computer graphics. Although these two disciplines were segregated for historical reasons,
there is increasing evidence that techniques which were traditionally used in one area could be applied to the advantage of the other. The session on LIS (land information systems)looked at problems associated with the conversion of data types between and within systems and suggested some possible approaches to address these problems. The session on advanced user-interface design discussed principles and guidelines for designing good user interfaces and making them marketable. Topics covered included typography, symbols, colour, spatial composition, and sequencing. Practical methods for CAD data exchange were dealt with in another session where the IGES-4 standard and the new Australian standard on IGES 2D subset for building and construction industries were also discussed. Other sessions of general interest included electronic publishing, desktop video, engineering design and automation and graphics workstations. On the last day, participants were also given the opportunity to compare different PC CAD software packages currently offered on the market. The conference was very well organized and much of the credit should go to Robyn Hughes and her team for this professional touch. Perhaps the only minor criticism is that the programme tried to cater for all kinds of participants from end-users to researchers in many diverse disciplines. As a result, many participants were not inclined to register for the whole conference. The next Ausgraph conference is scheduled to be held in Melbourne in July 1990. B Pham Monash University Australia
computer-aided design