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It is widely claimed that creativity is becoming increasingly important as Artificial Intelligence takes over more and more administrative roles. According to the OECD, many employers now consider creativity a key skill for success in the workplace and this has been highlighted in recent OECD papers focusing on key competencies of 2030. With advancements of new technologies such as augmented reality (AR), new technological affordances have the capabilities of supporting collaborative creative-processes in new and exciting ways. It is believed that no prior research has focused on AR and teaching for creativity - this research aims to do just that. This thesis employs a design-based research methodology, aiming to understand how a 3D AR intervention can be designed, tested and evaluated to support collaborative creativity in an art and design context at lower secondary school level. Relevant literature pertaining to creativity is reviewed and a multi-level conceptualisation of creativity that encompasses individual and group-level processes is proposed as a way to guide the research. A review of the field of AR for educational purposes is also conducted and findings suggest that a) more research is necessary in the field of art and design and b) the field lacks appropriate application of methods that identify the processes underpinning observed outcomes, such as increased motivation and academic performance. Both of these limitations are aimed to be addressed by this study through the development and documentation of an open-ended AR 3D modelling creativity task. Conjecture mapping is used as a method to outline how specific AR affordances relating to the application of interest (Grib) lead to hypothetical learning trajectories derived from theory. These are developed over three iterative cycles of testing and refinement that included 84 participants in Cycle 1, 8 of the same participants in Cycle 2, and 11 of the same participants in Cycle 3. Participants were aged 12- 14 years and from a secondary school based in Gibraltar. Data were collected from video and audio recordings of group interactions, as well as pre and post- questionnaires pertaining to various psychological factors relevant to creativity. A sociocultural perspective is taken for the analysis of group interactions and a dialogic framework of creativity that includes nonverbal interactions is used in an attempt to uncover a holistic understanding of all modes of communication. Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) and measures of factors such as motivation, risk- taking and creative self-concept beliefs are used in an effort to uncover relationships between constructs in more detail. Analysis of the multimodal data revealed that the intervention design - which included the AR application 'Grib' - effectively helped students to engage in important individual and group creativity- relevant processes like divergent thinking, convergent thinking, intrinsic motivation and social cohesiveness. Several key affordances of the Grib application were identified as helping students engage in these processes and included, textual layering, sketch-to-3D, collaborative functonality and inspection of objects in 3D. Teaching practices identified as supporting students' creativity-relevant processes included time management, encouragement/reinforcement, reflection of the process, and social cohesion. Based on empirical findings from the study, design principles aimed at practitioners, researchers and designers seeking to support collaborative creative thinking in lower secondary school students are proposed. The study also contributed to a more holistic understanding of creativity by proposing a conceptual framework that drew on and extended numerous models of creativity. It offers a more micro understanding of specific factors that may be responsible for individual and group processes during creative stages. Practical design principles for future practitioners and researchers are also proposed. The above contributions are anticipated to be of practical and theoretical significance to those interested in understanding how individual and group processes might be assembled during similar creative tasks.

The demand for polymeric medical devices is expected to increase rapidly in the next few decades. However, the risk of bacterial infection of medical devices remains a major issue. Due to the problem of biomaterial-associated infections (BAIs) and growing numbers of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, it is crucial to develop novel materials that can combat BAIs. One such option is to develop a scalable nanofabrication technique that can exploit the antibacterial properties shown by nanostructured surfaces found in nature. This research project focused on the development of a scalable nanofabrication protocol to synthesise tuneable nanotopography that is compatible with a wide range of polymer substrates. The correlation between physical properties of the resulting nanopillars and antibacterial properties of the nanostructured surfaces was then investigated. Nanopillars were characterised using a range of analytical techniques, including DSA, SEM, and AFM, to quantify the contact angle, surface energy, surface roughness, and nanotribological properties. Using three model bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus), the antibacterial performance of the nanostructured surfaces was quantified in terms of capacity to damage the bacterial cell wall and to reduce the number of metabolically active adherent cells. It was found that the tip diameter, interpillar distance, surface energy, adhesive energy, and frictional instabilities of the nanopillars had a direct correlation with the antibacterial properties of the nanostructured surfaces. Previous theoretical work proposed that the susceptibility of particularly Gram-negative bacterial cells to nanotopography-mediated lysis is due to stretching of the bacterial cell wall and eventual rupture. To better understand the adhesive forces that may cause this cell wall rupture, this project also explored the role of bacterial surface proteins in mediating interactions with the nanostructured surfaces. Trypsinisation was found to reduce the hydrophobicity and negative charge of the bacterial cells and impaired the antibacterial action of the nanostructured surfaces. Thus, bacterial surface proteins may contribute to the antibacterial performance of nanostructured surfaces by mediating the strong adhesive forces with the nanopillars required for effective cell disruption. Taken together, these data provide important information that could be exploited to inform the fabrication of antimicrobial surfaces for polymeric medical devices and provide an experimental basis from which a new theoretical model of bacterial attachment to nanostructured surfaces may be developed.

Facial Ageing (FA) is a very fundamental issue, as ageing in general, is part of our daily life process. FA is used in security, finding missing children and other applications. It is also a form of Facial Recognition (FR) that helps identifying suspects. FA affects several parts of the human face under the influence of different biological and environmental factors. One of the major facial feature changes that occur as a result of ageing is the appearance and development of wrinkles. Facial wrinkles are skin folds; their shapes and numbers differ from one person to another, therefore, an advantage can be taken over these characteristics if a system is implemented to extract the facial wrinkles in a form of maps. This thesis is presenting a new technique for three-dimensional facial wrinkle pattern information that can also be utilised for biometric applications, which will back up the system for further increase of security. The procedural approaches adopted for investigating this new technique are the extraction of two-dimensional wrinkle maps of frontal human faces for digital images and the design of three-dimensional wrinkle pattern formation system that utilises the generated wrinkle maps. The first approach is carried out using image processing tools so that for any given individual, two wrinkle maps are produced; the first map is in a binary form that shows the positions of the wrinkles on the face while the other map is a coloured version that indicates the different intensities of the wrinkles. The second approach of the 3D system development involves the alignment of the binary wrinkle maps on the corresponding 3D face models, followed by the projection of 3D curves in order to acquire 3D representations of the wrinkles. With the aid of the coloured wrinkle maps as well as some ageing parameters, simulations and predictions for the 3D wrinkles are performed.

The highly dynamic context in which manufacturing related enterprises have to operate have had a direct effect on the organisation which are concerned with the design and commissioning of production lines, also referred to as manufacturing systems (MS). There is an increasing need for methods, tools, and technologies that allow the time frame for the design of such systems to be reduced in order to gain competitive edge in the market. The research presented in this thesis is part of the COMPAG/COMPANION (COMponentbased Paradigm for AGile automation, and COmmon Model for PArtNers in automatION) projects conducted at Loughborough University UK. The COMPAG/COMPANION project aims at designing and implementing new tools to support the engineering lifecycle of MS. The present research focuses on the specification, design and implementation of a Virtual Prototyping Environment (VPE) that allows three-dimensional, computer-based and dynamic models of manufacturing systems to be implemented and used as virtual prototypes prior to the final design and MS commissioning phases. This research proposes a new approach to the design and implementation of VPE tools, aimed at providing support for the engineering of flexible machine technologies (referred to as Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems), which rely on the use of modular technologies and component-based distributed machine control systems. This research is focused on two aspects of VPE tools' development, which are i) ensuring the consistency between real and virtual systems architectures, design tools and design processes, and ii) maximising the potential of 3D computer-based virtual model as a basis for distributed engineering collaboration. A so-called component-based (CB) approach to VPE tools' design and implementation is proposed, which radically contrasts with approaches commonly adopted by both the commercial and academic VPE developers. The VPE developed in the context of this research should ultimately enable more effective management of RMS complex engineering lifecycle by engineering partners who are globally distributed.

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) sensors are powerful tools for characterizing vegetation structure and for constructing three-dimensional (3D) models of trees, also known as quantitative structural models (QSM). 3D models and structural traits derived from them provide valuable information for biodiversity conservation, forest management, and fire behavior modeling. However, vegetation studies and 3D modeling methodologies often only focus on the forest canopy, with little attention given to understory vegetation. In particular, 3D structural information of shrubs is limited or not included in fire behavior models. Yet, understory vegetation is an important component of forested ecosystems, and has an essential role in determining fire behavior. In this dissertation, I explored the use of TLS data and quantitative structure models to model shrub architecture in three related studies. In the first study, I present a semi-automated methodology for reconstructing architecturally different shrubs from TLS LiDAR. By investigating shrubs with different architectures and point cloud densities, I showed that occlusion, shrub complexity, and shape greatly affect the accuracy of shrub models. In my second study, I assessed the 3D architectural drivers of understory flammability by evaluating the use of architectural metrics derived from the TLS point cloud and 3D reconstructions of the shrubs. I focused on eight species common in the understory of the fire-prone longleaf pine forest ecosystem of the state of Florida, USA. I found a general tendency for each species to be associated with a unique combination of flammability and architectural traits. Novel shrub architectural traits were found to be complementary to the direct use of TLS data and improved flammability predictions. The inherent complexity of shrub architecture and uncertainty in the TLS point cloud make scaling up from an individual shrub to a plot level a challenging task. Therefore, in my third study, I explored the effects of lidar uncertainty on vegetation parameter prediction accuracy. I developed a practical workflow to create synthetic forest stands with varying densities, which were subsequently scanned with simulated terrestrial lidar. This provided data sets quantitatively similar to those created by real-world LiDAR measurements, but with the advantage of exact knowledge of the forest plot parameters, The results showed that the lidar scan location had a large effect on prediction accuracy. Furthermore, occlusion is strongly related to the sampling density and plot complexity. The results of this study illustrate the potential of non-destructive lidar approaches for quantifying shrub architectural traits. TLS, empirical quantitative structural models, and synthetic models provide valuable insights into shrub structure and fire behavior.

The outcome of complex orthopaedic surgeries highly depends on three main factors: the accurate assessment of the pathological condition, the careful preoperative planning of the surgical steps, and the subsequent implementation of the preoperative planning by corresponding intraoperative guidance. The restoration of the pretraumatic anatomy is one of the ultimate goals in reconstructive surgery of (posttraumatic) bone deformities. The preferred surgical treatment for reconstructive surgeries is a procedure known as corrective osteotomy, where the malunited bone is cut into one or more fragments and reduced to the correct anatomical position represented by a reconstruction template. High accuracy and precision are desired during the assessment, planning and intraoperative navigation of these procedures, as a deviation from the preoperative plan may result in unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. Thereby, three dimensional (3D) computer-assisted (CA) methods have become the state-of-the-art for the assessment of bone deformity and the generation of the corresponding preoperative planning of corrective osteotomies, which are later translated into the intraoperative situation by means of patient-specific navigation instruments. The benefits of newly available technologies for the 3D CA planning in orthopaedics comes at the cost of an increase in complexity of the processes involved in the generation of an optimal preoperative plan, requiring a vast clinical experience and high level of technical expertise on simulation and graphical tools. Moreover, the corresponding steps for the generation of a 3D preoperative plan are highly interdependent and often challenging to optimize manually, generating long planning iterations and incurring undesired clinical cost. Hence, there is a need for automation of the preoperative planning process, in order to reduce costs and deduct valuable time from the clinical setting. Additionally, the automation of the preoperative process would allow repeatability of the solutions and enable to systematically investigate the most optimal preoperative plan according to given clinical goals. Hence, the primary aim of this work is the development of a novel computer algorithm framework, capable of generating a preoperative plan for corrective osteotomies, in a fully automatic fashion. Furthermore, the increasing interest of clinicians for a more comprehensive analysis of complex pathologies often requires dynamic models able to simulate a larger range of interventions. Nevertheless, current CA preoperative methods are limited to simple bone procedures. One missing piece to enable more complex planning simulations is the inclusion of soft tissue influence into the preoperative process. Therefore, our second objective is to address the missing influence of the soft tissue in the preoperative planning by providing the basis for the integration of the interosseous membrane (IOM) into the forearm motion analysis. In a first step, 3D automated methods are developed for the assessment of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) morphology based on bony landmarks, incorporating subject-specific cartilage surface orientation. Gold-standard radiological measurements on a large consecutive dataset of healthy DRUJ are compared against the measurements obtained through the developed methods. Afterwards, the ability of the developed methods to quantify the 3D DRUJ morphology is evaluated. These methods enable the translation of standardized measurements used in the field of hand surgery into 3D space. The main part of the thesis focuses on the development of an automatic optimization framework for the generation of preoperative planning solutions of the forearm. The framework is based on a genetic algorithm optimization approach, capable of handling multiple clinical objectives and able to provide surgeons with complete preoperative planning solutions. The approach provides the osteotomy cut, the required bone reduction and the optimal positions for the osteosynthesis implant and fixation screws. Automatic methods for deformity assessment of long-bone deformities are developed and clinical objectives are translated into the optimization framework by means of tailored fitness functions. The clinical feasibility of the approach is evaluated on consecutive series of radius osteotomies by comparing solutions generated by the optimization algorithm against gold-standard solutions previously obtained by the surgeons. In addition, the technical capabilities of the framework are evaluated using standard clinical metrics. This optimization framework is capable of generating ready-to-use preoperative solutions without requiring further manual adjustments, significantly reducing planning times and consequently associated costs. Moreover, we show that the algorithm is capable of outperforming the state-of-the-art method by generating solutions that are not possible to obtain through a manual optimization technique. The remaining parts of this thesis aim to contribute to the inclusion of soft-tissue influence into the preoperative planning in order to tackle the problem of missing simulations able to cover a larger range of complex pathologies. Thereby, we have generated 3D morphological data of the interosseous membrane of the forearm, and provide a first insight into the feasibility of soft-tissue integration into forearm motion analysis. Methods are developed for the calculation of common morphological features on 3D models of the IOM, generated from cadaveric forearms through a combination of different image modalities. Afterwards, tensile properties of the individual ligaments of the forearm are obtained, which are currently missing and are a basic prerequisite for the construction of more accurate forearm simulation models. Finally, a forearm simulation prototype is developed including the individual ligaments of the IOM and the forearm bones. This kinematic simulation provides insights on the influence of the individual IOM ligaments on the forearm motion.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What role does the pavilion serve to the architectural discourse? [Specifically] • How can a parametric approach be used to develop a pavilion design? SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS: The research project will assess the past and current understandings of what a pavilion is, looking at various precedents and evaluating the Tall Hut case study on findings from precedent studies and literature. Using parametric and algorithmic design tools the project will be used to explore how they can be used in different stages of the design and construction process. The project will only encounter design and testing of the two pavilions. The possibility of working in association with technicians, fabricators, manufacturers and external consultants will provide greater opportunity to test and prototype design outcomes. The pavilion will require a structural engineering understanding in order to test the full extents of materials and structure. Consultation with an engineer may be required to achieve the best results for prototyping and testing. • The project typology is specifically a pavilion type. The depth of requirements i.e. weathertightness, inhabitability, will remain undetermined until the beginning stages of the design process. • The project is to not specifically challenge engineering and structure but attempt to enhance and abstract using parametric design tools. • The project will not be specifically looking into international exhibitions and their formation, although, the role of the exhibition will have to be recognised in reading and analysis.

The focus of this work is in drawing inspiration from the work of Photorealism painters in order to inform the approaches to surfacing and rendering a computer-generated still-life scene. In Photorealism painting and photoreal CG rendering, the goal of the artist is to create an image that resembles a photograph. Much of the preparation is the same, however, the 2D and 3D aspects of each style create different challenges for the artist. Using paintings from the Photorealism period as a reference, a real still-life scene was assembled and photographed for the purpose of recreating in CG. Consequently, the modeling, surfacing, lighting, rendering, and compositing stages of the CG pipeline were explored with an emphasis on surfacing and its relationship to lighting.

Structure-from-Motion (SfM) is a powerful tool for computing 3D reconstructions from images of a scene and has wide applications in computer vision, scene recognition, and augmented and virtual reality. Standard SfM pipelines make strict assumptions about the capturing devices in order to simplify the process for estimating camera geometry and 3D structure. Specifically, most methods require monocular cameras with known focal length calibration. When considering large-scale SfM from internet photo collections, EXIF calibrations cannot be used reliably. Further, the requirement of single camera systems limits the scalability of SfM. This thesis proposes to remove these constraints by instead considering the collection of cameras as a distributed camera that encapsulates the image and geometric information of all cameras simultaneously. First, I provide full generalizations to the relative camera pose and absolute camera pose problems. These generalizations are more expressive and extend the traditional single-camera problems to distributed cameras, forming the basis for a novel hierarchical SfM pipeline that exhibits state-of-the-art performance on large-scale datasets. Second, I describe two efficient methods for estimating camera focal lengths for the distributed camera when calibration is not available. Finally, I show how removing these constraints enables a simpler, more scalable SfM pipeline that is capable of handling uncalibrated cameras at scale.

Abstract: Haul trucks are commonly used by surface mines to transport ore and waste material out of the mine. They account for a significant portion of the total equipment fleet and the maintenance budget. Their payloads are an important consideration when trying to improve truck reliability. Unbalanced payloads cause increased rack, pitch and roll events, resulting in increased failures and lost production. Excavator operators have a restricted visibility of the truck body during loading and limited aids to assist in balancing these loads. In order to provide a more accurate view of payload distribution, payload modelling software was developed based on previous work by Chamanara & Joseph [1]. Key goals were to increase the efficiency of the algorithms and identify future research required in order to facilitate real time use. Haul truck strut pressures were used to estimate and display the location and shape of the payload within the body of the truck. Two algorithms were used to determine shape and location respectively. Various methods were considered for each algorithm and evaluated based on processing speed and accuracy. To verify the software, data was gathered from an operating Caterpillar 785C and lab tests using a scale model of a Caterpillar 797B. This data was used to estimate payload distribution through the software model. Comparing the generated results with actual distributions, it was determined that this software could be suitable for use on material that has a relatively uniform distribution. It is expected that its accuracy will degrade for materials that clump and do not flow freely. Based on the evaluation of the software, it was found to be useful for field implementation but required further research and development before it could be implemented for real time use. Required areas of further research and development were identified with solutions suggested to address them.

This thesis presents vibration analysis of the top plate of Stradivari violin by creating a 3D model using SolidWorks and finding mode shapes and natural frequencies using SolidWorks simulation. The top plate was affixed to the bottom plate via a side wall following the contour of the violin plates. Assuming the input excitation is sinusoidal, it was applied at the location of bridge where the strings rest on it.. The static component of the force was calculated to be 83.17 N. The first five natural frequencies of the violin top plate are in the range of 150 to 450 Hertz. The fact that frequencies associated with initial pitches of sound lie in the same region validates the analysis conducted since sound is generated in form of pressure waves at the resonant frequencies. Initial step was to validate the computational code used in the finite element software. This was achieved with 0.7% error as compared to the theoretical values of a thin flat steel plate clamped at all four ends. In the next step violin sound box (top plate, rib and bottom plate) were modelled using Stradivari violin specifications.Designing aspects of SolidWorks were successfully explored. Conventional vibration analysis (modal analysis) has an experimental approach using carefully devised instruments and sensors. The downside of this approach is that it does not look at the situation where the violin is actually played by a human. This simulation study focuses on the aforementioned situation. Vibration simulation saves on experimentation cost and enables design engineers to study machine components that undergo deformations due to vibration to avoid catastrophic failure.