April 12th 2010
"Urban Modelling"
given by Dr Robert Laycock
formally a post doctoral assistant in the
School of Computing Sciences, UEA.
Carl Stone writes "
The presentations to the Society during the 2009 - 2010 season have been outstanding and the final presentation
of the series, delivered by Dr. Robert Laycock, maintained the standard.
The title had led me to anticipate a presentation leaning towards town planning and its issues of population
density, traffic flows etc. In the event the presentation, with its remarkable graphic illustrations, gave an
insight into a technology with a potentially enormous range of applications.
The ability to project a range of lifelike human activities, against a background of familiar architectural features,
in past, present and future timeframes, can and is employed in many fields.
The ability to create those familiar architectural features
and add to, remove from or modify the street scene, in scale and with realistic animation, has an impact on the
observer which is almost stunning in its implications.
I am not in any way competent to explain the underlying technology and refer members to the three excellent websites,
Graphics Research at UEA,
Crowd simulation and
Urban modelling recommended by Dr. Laycock.
Having been given an overview, presented against the time constraints of the albeit shortened form of AGM,
perhaps we may return at a future date to examine a project from conception to conclusion which employed this technology.
In conclusion a presentation which was challenging, had obvious immediate applications, potential in scope for both
development and further applications and worth re-visiting.
As the final report upon the current winter lecture series, on behalf of the members, I would express particular
thanks to Dick Abbott, Richard Aldridge and the team for the production of a remarkable and outstanding programme.
Carl Stone. April 2010"