International Newsletter vol.10 2008/11
11.14.2008
----Contents----

--------What's New at FORUM8--------

-Announcement of nominated works for The 7th 3D VR Simulation Contest
-The 2nd International VR Symposium
-UC-win/Road Expert Training Seminar


--------Upcoming Events--------


-Upcoming overseas events
-Seminar in Shanghai, Beijing, and Seoul

--------FORUM8 Homepage Information--------

-Web estimate service
-Technical support service for UC-win/Road overseas users
-User information page



-Announcement of nominees for The 7th 3D VR Simulation Contest

We will hold the 7th 3D VR simulation contest on 20 November, 2008. The contest has
been held annually with many significant examples of the utilization of UC-win/Road
Advanced. We have requested professionals to be the judges and hope that the contest will be meaningful.
We are expecting have many attendees not only from Japan, but also from overseas countries. The contest will
be held in Tokyo Conference Center Shinagawa.
We carried out prejudging VR contest on 7th November. As a result, 6 works from Japan and 6 works from overseas countries were selected as a nominee. Honor plaque were given to all the nominees. Please go to our website for more information. Participation fee is free.



Japanese English Korean Chinese French
FORUM8 will hold the 7th 3D VR Simulation Contest by UC-win/Road. UC-win/Road has been highly regarded as a 3D virtual reality (VR) software package supporting consensus building and visualization of landscape design in various public-works and private developments. In 2002, UC-win/Road was awarded the prize for Software Product of the Year by SOFTIC. It was in celebration of this award that FORUM8 held the 1st "3D VR Simulation Contest".
The contest has since been held annually with many first-class examples of the advanced use of UC-win/Road being presented by users of the product. It is expected that works and technology which are more excellent than ever will be exhibited. We hope that better works will be presented and this event will be useful for the participants.


"The 2nd International VR symposium" will be held following on from last year. The International academic group is expected to present excellent research, technologies and ideas about VR by UC-win/Road. At this symposium, the "Academy encouragement prize" for a student will be announced from now on.
We are expediting the development of "VR Studio" as our strategic VR product for release in the new year. We will convey the essence of VR Studio at this event.
We hope to hold this event on a large scale at Tokyo Conference Center inviting many users from home and abroad. We hope to see you there.

6th 3D VR simulation contest report
6th 3D VR simulation contest history
< Date / Venue >
Date Location Venue Note
20 November 2008
13:30 - 17:00 ( Reception 13:00 )
Tokyo Tokyo Conference Center
in Shinagawa, Hall A,
JR Shinagawa Station Konan exit
directly connects to the center
MAP
 
Sponsors
CG-Arts Association (Computer Graphic Arts Society)
Monthly "CAD & CG Magazine" (X-Knowledge Co., Ltd.)
Monthly "Bridge & Urban Project" (Bridge Editorial Committee)
 "KENTSU newspaper" (KENTSU SHINBUNSHA)

Nominated works(announced on 7 November 2008)
Domestic works (6 works)
"EAZET construction VR Simulation"
Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corporation
Use as a tool for the explanation of rotating pile construction method "EAZET construction", which achieves low-noise, low-vibration construction without earth removal. As there is more than one choice of pile construction method, we portray the actual construction environment in 3D, apply the "EAZET construction method" in it and the customers see that as an animation, thus we achieve proposals that are easily understandable for a broad range of stakeholders.
"Erection of construction girders for underground passageway construction in train stations."
Noda Engineering Co., Ltd.
We erect temporary construction girders for the construction of elevators and underground passageways just under a railway at a barrier-free train station. The installation work will be performed in narrow space between platforms and crane operation is impossible, therefore a new erection method is being investigated and the details are being drawn up in VR.
"VR utilization case in educational curriculum"
Daido Institute of Technology Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Design
In this research, the creation of a street landscape pattern and the proposal of street landscape evaluation method based on a marketing approach are being performed by VR. As VR that's been used for consistent training in urban development since 2007, practical training with UC-win/Road has been adopted with the aim of training technicians that can design and do design proposals from various perspectives.
"Simulation of an evacuation in an aging society using 3D VR"
Taisei Engineering Co., Ltd.
Given the circumstances of our aging society, there are a lot of public facilities that were built during years of rapid economic growth. Evacuation analysis using 3D VR is an analysis where by using characteristics inherent to the inclusion of elderly people, it is possible to suggest low-cost safety measures using the existing facilities's structure. This case supposes there's a fire in a tunnel and introduces the linkage of 3D VR to an evacuation analysis of an evacuation situation with elderly and healthy people.
"Sakai City Oshoji LRT Project VR data"
Osaka University, Graduate School of Engineering, Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering
This VR was created in order to consider and build consensus for a planned LRT improvement project in Sakai City. The proposed subject area for the installation includes an area of about 1.6km from Sakai station on the Nankai Electric Railway Main Line to Sakai-higashi station on the Koya Line. Besides the present situation, it can depict plans for the layout approaching the LRT tracks, transit mall plans, roadside landscape plans, etc. and the future of central Sakai city can be considered from the perspective of traffic and landscape.
"Simulated driving diagnosis system using CG simulation"
National Agency for Automotive Safety & Victims' Aid
The most distinguishing feature of driving competence diagnosis system "NASVA NET" is that it's a "simulated driving diagnosis system using CG simulation", which uses VR simulation carried out over the internet. This covers separate diagnoses of grades for safe eco-driving, defensive safe driving, hasty driving and considerate driving. The movement of cars driving on this simulator is recorded and analyzed to give advice about safe driving.
Overseas works (6 works)
"Africa Sudan Project"
CION Media Company (Turkey)
This is a project, organized by an association for people who suffer from poverty and hunger in Turkey, to build a new, healthy and livable town in the Republic of Sudan. Since it costs $5000000 to build, contributions will be raised by televising this video through the media. It is hoped that this data will help this association.
"Digital Phoenix Project by UC-win/Road III"
Arizona State University (USA)
The Digital Phoenix Project started 2 years ago, with a  total cost of one hundred million yen. This is an academic research VR model used to 1) generate traffic from highways to the city centre and visualize the traffic conditions at main road intersections. 2) collect data about the drive, the time it takes and CO2 emissions from the driving simulator.  3) develop traffic routes and test tools for emergency situations such as terror.
"3D Exhibition of North Grand Canal Ecological Rehabilitation"
Haihe River Water Conservation Commission, Ministry of Water Resources (China)
The "North Grand Canal Ecological Rehabilitation Project" (at the northern end of the Grand Canal) simulation is created based on a plan from Longshun Bridge to the Qujiadian reach. A compatibility model was adopted for the data, the openness and compatibility of UC-win/Road were fully exercised and application features of the project area were represented. It became possible to provide a fresh and clear method of representing the proposed project.
"Sancheong-Sudong VR Simulation"
Busan Regional Construction & Management Office (Korea)
There were clashes of opinion between villagers over the National Highway No. 3 plan being constructed from Sinyeon-ri Saengcho-myeon Sancheong-gun Gyeongsangnam-do to Hwasan-ri Sudong-myeon Hamyang-gun Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea and the most suitable route had to be selected by comparing a route that passes in front of village to one that detours around the back of it. The most suitable plan for local residents (the route passing behind the village) was chosen through an explanatory meeting.
"Evacuation Simulation of Hongqiao Traffic Network Center Building"
Shanghai T.E.F Building Safety Consulting Co., Ltd (China)
Shanghai Hongqiao is a coordinated arterial "BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) Traffic" centre connecting various transit systems such as rail, road traffic, long-distance buses, etc. In the future, it will be one of the most complex traffic arterial works in the world. Since the simulation of overall planning and manpower dispersal is needed to replicate future appearance and ensuring more safety, VR representation was performed using EXODUS evacuation analysis and UC-win/Road.
"Shenzhen Yantian Port modern distribution center"
Tsinghua Sware Software Hi-Tech Co. Ltd. (China)
Yantain Port, the sixth largest port in the world, is located in the east of Shenzhen. This project is a high efficiency, stereoscopic and multifunctional modern distribution center unifying warehouses, offices, a multilevel car parking tower and a discharging area. A lot of green space was put around the warehouses and it was considered an important point that the detailed design of the commercial buildings project the individual distribution companies’ images because that was the area where people gather most in the construction group.

VR contest prejudging (nomination) carried out

Works nominated for the 7th "3D VR Simulation Contest by UC-win/Road" were announced as above.
As a result of impartial judgment by the judges, 12 works were nominated.
The top 12 works (Domestic: 6, Overseas: 6) of this preliminary round were selected.
Judges:
Mr. Hiroo Kasagi (NPO Chiiki Zukuri Kobou)
Mr. Fumio Seki (Taisei corporation)
Mr. Sinsuke Kitagawa (Yachiyo Engineering)


Scenes from the VR contest prejudging

Awards/Prizes
No dual recipients.
The Overseas award and Academy Encouragement award are for foreign applicants and students respectively. Academy Encouragement award will be announced at the International VR symposium.

Grand Prix

Highest award





Certificate / trophy /
high end notebook computer

DELL Notebook PC

Excellence award

Semi-grand prix





Certificate / mobile notebook computer

SONY mobile Notebook computer VAIO
Special awards

Idea award
Essence award
Overseas award
Judgment award
other awards


Certificate / latest digital camera

CASIO digital camera
EXLIM

Academy Encouragement award

Academy Encouragement award

Certificate / financial incentive

US$ 2,000 Prize
Final judging method

Applicants make a presentation (less than 15 minutes, UC-win/Road data demonstration over 70%) of the nominated works and each of the awards is determined by vote.
Grand prix, excellence award and special awards (Idea award, Essence award, Overseas award, Judgment award etc.) are decided. Each prize can only have one winner. The Academy Encouragement award is only for students.
The Academy Encouragement Award is restricted to submissions for the VR Symposium research presentations. These will be presented at the "International VR Symposium" and can be nominated for the finals by recommendation.
The marks will be the total of the ranking points from the vote and the special prize ranking points, with a 70% weighting on votes from the users participating in the contest and a 30% weighting on votes from our judges.
Judges Mr. Hiroo Kasagi (NPO Chiiki Zukuri Kobou)
Mr. Fumio Seki (Taisei corporation)
Mr. Sinsuke Kitagawa (Yachiyo Engineering)
Special lectures, special seminars and social events
19 November 2008 10:00 - 17:00  The 2nd International VR Symposium
< How to apply>
Send us an e-mail or ask at your nearest FORUM8 office for an application form. Competition entry is free. We're looking forward to receiving your application.
<Where to apply> E-mail forum8@forum8.co.jp FORUM8 offices
6th contest prize-winning entries
(VR Simulation contest review, Nov. 2007)

"Ishikawa-cho Junction Simulation"
Kanagawa Construction Bureau, Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited
"SMARTWAY 2007 VR Simulation"
National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport / Highway Industry Development Organization

 
Japanese English Chinese Korean

UC-win/Road Expert training seminar will be held for agencies which sell UC-win/Road and consultants who suggest VR business
using UC-win/Road. We prepared "UC-win/Road introduction strategy program" which you can learn knowledge and technique, which is need to get the targeted company to innovate UC-win/Road. We advance this seminar covering all the contents of
the sales and techniques from approach to consulting, install and follow-up with practices. Lastly, you'll take an authorization examination, and the passers will be certified as UC-win/Road experts.



All the authorization examination passers
can get a certificate.
Related information the 9th UC-win/Road Conference
UC-win/Road Products page  http://vr.forum8.co.jp/english/
UC-win/Road Ver.3.4 New functions
Enhanced scenario function Improved intersection texture editing function
< The date / venue >
The date venue The hall Note
17-18 November. 2008 Tokyo FORUM8 Tokyo head office GT tower seminar room  
< Summary >
Participation fee Free
< Schedule >
1st day: 13:00 - 17:30 13:00-13:30 Basic knowledge of UC-win/Road VR
13:30-15:30 Practical use of sales tools
15:40-17:30 Process for innovation
2nd day: 9:30 - 17:30 9:30-12:00 UC-win/Road operational practice "Bases"
13:00-14:30 UC-win/Road operational practice "Practice"
14:40-16:50 Link and expansion
17:00-17:30 Authorization examination
< Application for participation >
Send e-mail or ask your nearest sales window for an application. After receiving your application, FORUM8 will send you a hall map and a participation ticket.
We are looking forward to your application
< Where to apply > E-mail forum8@forum8.co.jp FORUM8 offices


-The 2nd International VR Symposium

We will hold the 2nd International VR Symposium. A number of university professors from
all over the world will gather and give presentations.


The 2nd International VR Symposium
Japanese English Korean Chinese French
Our 2nd VR symposium will be held as a global launch for "VR-Studio", which is currently under development as our up-coming strategic product.
We've invited our international academic group, comprised of researchers from local and global universities, to present, discuss and show the practical uses of their research, technologies and ideas on the day before the contest. At this symposium, we'll examine the potential uses of VR, with the researchers presenting the latest results of their research. We hope to see you there.

PDF The 7th 3D VR Simulation Contest by UC-win/Road / 2nd International VR Symposium 2008 - Announcement and Invitation for Submissions (PDF,277KB)

Related Information
UC-win/Road Product Information page http://vr.forum8.co.jp/
The 7th 3D VR Simulation Contest by UC-win/Road
"VR presentation and new urban development" publication information
The 1st International VR Symposium report
The 1st International VR Symposium organisation history

 
The 1st International VR Symposium
Information
UC-win/Road http://vr.forum8.co.jp/english
7th 3D VR SIMULATION CONTEST by UC-win/Road
< The date / venue >
The date Venue The hall Note
19. November. 2008 9:00-19:00 Tokyo Tokyo Conference Center
in Shinagawa HallA,
JR Shinagawa Station Konan exit
directly connects to the center
MAP
 
< Summary >
Participation
fee
 Free
Schedule Providing Simultaneous interpretation (Japanese to English)
Guest Speakers 
9:00-10:00 VR Project Management
Prof. Nashwan Dawood
(University of Teesside, UK)
10:00-11:00 EXODUS / SMARTFIRE
Prof. Ed Galea
(Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich, UK)
World8 Research Presentation
11:00-11:20 Prof. Yoshihiro Kobayashi (Arizona State University, USA)
11:20-11:40 Prof. Kostas Terzidis (Harvard University, USA)
11:40-12:00 Mr. Taro Narahara (Harvard University, USA)
13:00-13:20 Prof. Torben Berns (McGill University, Canada)
13:20-13:40 Assistant prof. Wael Abdelhameed (University of Bahrain, Bahrain)
13:40-14:00 Assistant prof.Ronald Hawker (Zayed University, UAE)
14:10-14:30   Assistant prof. Claudio Labarca (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Chile)
14:30-14:50   Assistant prof. Tomohiro Fukuda (Osaka University, Japan)
Guest Speakers
15:00-16:00 Analysis of Tsunami and Disaster Control
Professor Fumihiko Imamura
(Tsunami Engineering Laboratory, Disaster Control Research Center, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Japan)
16:10-17:00 Discussion
17:00-19:00 Networking Party
Publication Commemoration "VR presentation Technique"

Publication party for "VR presentation and new urban development"
Opening speech  : FORUM8 Co., Ltd.
author's speech  : Tomohiro Fukuda (Osaka University, Japan)
publisher's speech  : X-Knowledge Co.,Ltd.
*Mini game with UC-win/Road Drive Simulator (Chance to win a prize)
  Exhibition Corner
  • KGT Inc./ 3D Chimera-GL
  • University of Greenwich / EXODUS & SMARTFIRE
  • Teesside University / (CCIR) 4D planning
  • Tohoku University - numerical analysis of tsunami
  • UC-win/Road Drive Simulator, UC-win/Road Demo Simulator, UC-win/Road 3D Stereo Theater
 
Guest Speakers' Profiles

"VR Project Management"
by Prof. Nashwan Dawood (Teesside University, England)
Professor of Construction Management and IT, and Director of the Centre for Construction Research and Innovation.
Professor Nashwan Dawood's research interests include:
project and risk management in the heavy civil engineering industry.
cost forecasting and analysis
virtual reality and visualisation application in the construction processes
4D construction planning and scheduling
simulation and optimization technologies in the precast concrete industry
applying game engines to construction training.

"EXODUS / SMARTFIRE"
by Prof. Ed Galea (Fire Safety Engineering (FSE), University of Greenwich)
He has been working in the area of FSE at Greenwich since 1986.
He is a director of the Fire Safety Engineering (FSE) Group at the University of Greenwich
He has received many prizes including the "Jack Bono Award for Engineering Communications".
Also, these days he is extremely active, publishing his thesis and participating in various projects, verification experiments, investigations, etc.

"Analysis of Tsunami and Disaster Control"
by Prof. Fumihiko Imamura (Tohoku University, Japan)
At the Disaster Control Research Center, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, he is active in the research of themes in disaster science such as those below.
Numerical calculation of fluid waves (tsunami etc.)
International tsunami prevention technology development and transfer
Historical earthquake / tsunami evidence investigation
Geographical features and form (fractal geometry, etc.)
Snow drainage gutters (dual-phase fluid)
Evacuation simulation (under development for Okushiri, Hokkaido)
Cognitive psychology (memory and human behavior)



-Upcoming overseas events

We will participate in various overseas events. Please come to visit us in the booth to learn
more about our product line-up. Look forward to meeting you!


15th World Congress on ITS (New York, USA)
16-20 November 2008
http://www.itsworldcongress.org/

JAPPE 2008
19-23 November 2008
http://www.jetro.org.cn/Jappe/JP/

SIGGRAPH ASIA 2008
10-13 December 2008
http://www.siggraph.org/asia2008/

IETF India 2009
23-26 February 2008
http://www.jetro.go.jp/events/tradefair/20080902844-event
-Seminar in Shanghai, Beijing, and Seoul

The seminars provide attendees a opportunity to acquire up-to-date about our product.
One of the main goals to these seminars is to explain analysis and design
techniques which abound in the industry. Participation fee is free!


Overseas Seminar
Venue
Shanghai - Shanghai Seminar room (FORUM8 Software Company Limited)
Beijing - Conference room (Beijing Tepia Technology Co.,Ltd)
Seoul - Seminar room (BasisSoft, Inc.)
Seminar Date Venue
UC-win/Road Advanced 18 November 2008 Beijing
xpswmm 21 November 2008 Shanghai and Beijing
EXODUS - SMARTFIRE 13 November 2008 Shanghai and Beijing
Maxsurf 25 November 2008 Shanghai and Beijing
Summary
Participation Fee Free
Application
For more information and application, please email us at
forum8@forum8.co.jp
-Web estimate service

Free web estimate service is available at the following site. Explore sample projects,
experiment and create!
https://www2.forum8.co.jp/road_est_en/html/main.htm


-Technical support service for UC-win/Road overseas users

The support service undertakes data generation tasks concerning UC-win/Road such
as the generation of 3D VR simulation data, 3D models and textures, fully empowering
simulation tasks for road businesses, urban development planning, public projects, private
development, and so forth using cost-affordable, high-quality data.

For more information, please go to the following site.
http://www.forum8.co.jp/english/uc-win/road-support-e.htm


-User information page

Marketing materials and updates can be retrieved and downloaded from the following site.
https://www2.forum8.co.jp/scripts/f8uinfEN.dll/login


Gross circulation: 2,114

If submitting a formal request to unsubscribe from our mailing list, please include "Unsubscribe"
in the subject title of your email and send it back to us.

Thank you for your continued support.

FORUM8 Co., Ltd. mailto:forum8@forum8.co.jp
2-1-1 Nakamegruro GT Tower 15F
Kamimeguro Meguro-ku Tokyo 153-0051 JAPAN
TEL +81-3-5773-1888
FAX +81-3-5720-5688
http://forum8.co.jp/english/index.html