Press Release | WIAS | 16-07-2012

Just like reality – award for 3D simulation software

Dr. Hang Si is awarded the “SGP Award” for his research regarding 3D modelling. He is presented this award for software in geometry processing that has significantly contributed to scientific development in this field.

Just like reality – award for 3D simulation software

With the help of partial differential equations, scientists can simulate in a realistic manner the movement of waves in the sea.|Foto: sida - Fololia.com

 

Dr. Hang Si from the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS) is awarded the “SGP Award” for his research regarding 3D modelling. He is presented this award for software in geometry processing that has significantly contributed to scientific development in this field and that is freely available for scientists. The award will be handed out during this year’s “Symposium on Geometry Processing“ (SGP), which will take place in Tallinn (Estonia) between 16th and 18th July. The SGP is the most important European conference regarding the field of geometry processing and it is an annual event. The award is sponsored by the company “Geometry Factory“.

Hang Si receives the award for the TetGen programme, which dissects three-dimensional objects into tetrahedrons. Similar to kids playing with building blocks, mathematicians like him attempt to fill out the space completely with tetrahedrons without any gaps or overlapping. They thus dissect a complex natural object into clearly structured parts. Mathematicians can now simulate real processes using functions within the manageable tetrahedrons.

These kinds of simulations can be used wherever three-dimensional processes need to be calculated: How does blood flow through the heart? How does air stream around an airplane? The need for 3D simulations in movies and computer games is getting bigger. With the help of partial differential equations, scientists can for example simulate in a realistic manner the movement of waves in the sea or the fluttering of a flag in the wind. This is how a license for the TetGen programme was sold to the company ”Unity Technologies“, which provides a tool for game creators.

TetGen is freely available for non-commercial purposes. Not only does this help other researchers to further develop their science, it is also profitable for WIAS mathematicians. WIAS mathematicians consider this dual type of marketing – paid licenses for commercial users and free downloads for scientists – an optimal balance between economic utilisation and scientific cooperation.

Contact

Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS)
Dr. Hang Si
Tel.: 0049 (0)30 20372-446
email: siwias-berlin.de
www.wias-berlin.de