Object recognition is significantly improving, allowing us to better understand and extract information from images. This paper presents a novel method for 3D scene reconstruction using a single RGB image, based on a known 3D model database. We use every detected object in an image to further process its pose and a corresponding 3D model by leveraging existing datasets of both 3D models and labeled images to understand and simulate perception correctly. This method produces a clean and lightweight representation of a scene. State-of-the-art research, implementation details, and evaluation results are presented.

Computer games as an educational tool significantly improved information retention, student involvement, and motivation. Despite the growing popularity and the demonstrated positive impact, little progress is made to let educators create games without learning game programming or investing massive amounts of time, money, and human resources. This paper considers the usage of procedural content generation in simplifying the generation of game environments. Given that most educational material is in text format, we evaluate the possibility of generating 3D scenes starting from natural language text. A comprehensive survey of the current methods is presented, analyzing whether they can be successfully used in game-based learning. The study discusses several current limitations and possible improvements, highlighting a need for better progress in the domain.

In the last decade, technology has been rapidly evolving, making the humankind more dependent on digital devices than ever. We rely more and more on digitalization and we are excited to welcome emergent technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) into our everyday activities as they show great potential to enhance our standard of life. AR applications are becoming more popular every day and represent the future of human-computer interaction, by revolutionizing the way information is presented and transforming the surroundings into one broad user interface. This paper aims to present the concept of LibrARy – an AR system that intends to create innovative collaborative environments where multiple users can interact simultaneously with computer-generated content. Its main objective is to improve cooperation by enabling co-located users to access a shared space populated with 3D virtual objects and to enrich collaboration between them through augmented interactions. LibrARy will be developed as part of Lib2Life research project which addresses a topic of great importance – revitalizing cultural spaces in the context of recent technology advancements. In light of the research carried out for the Lib2Life project, a need for a more complex collaborative augmented environment has been identified. Therefore, we are now proposing LibrARy - an innovative component which has the potential to enhance the cooperation in multi-participant settings and provide unique interactive experiences. This paper will present in more detail the concept and the functionalities of LibrARy. It will then analyze the possible use case scenarios and lastly discuss further development steps.

We live in a time period when technology is advancing at an incredible speed. What seemed to be almost science fiction twenty years ago nowadays is becoming or has already become reality. As a result, our activities (especially the activities of young people) have started to shift more and more towards the digital world. If our parents used to read books in order to spend their free time when they were in their 20s, nowadays young people prefer in their free time to play a mobile game rather than to read a book. Even though they know reading books can be more useful and even more entertaining than a mobile phone game, people tend to choose the smartphone activity because of the easiness of reaching the desired action. This paper presents the current status of the LibQuest prototype, an application part of Lib2Life research project, that enables the possibility to combine reading with fun and technology, aiming to remind people how important and fun reading can be. Inside virtual libraries, which reproduce real life libraries, people can solve quests (such as RPG quests), can take part in virtual tours or can participate to custom cultural events. All these actions (whether we talk about quests, tours or cultural events) can be created by an admin of the library or can be also created by users of the application. Tours and cultural events can take place only in the virtual world, while quests, in order to be more exciting, can take place in both the virtual world and the real world.

In a highly technologized century, the process of learning must benefit from the advantages of technology. Gamification, artificial intelligence, virtual or augmented environments or adaptive learning are just some of the trends which have evolved in the past years in the field of e-Learning. Collaborative learning is also an efficient learning methodology, where people engage together in learning actions or share one with another their knowledge and resources. Wikis, forums, social media groups are just some examples of successful collaborative learning environments. As the evolution of technology has impacted traditional learning and reading preferences of people, we must think of new ways of improving and modernizing both learning and teaching. Our current paper presents the advantages of using the latest technologies for collaborative learning, with a relevant example from the Lib2Life - Cyber-Physical Library project. Its goal is to revitalize reading and improve the learning process by using emerging technologies, restoring at the same time the popularity of libraries as safeguards of the cultural patrimony. With the help of augmented reality (AR), digitization and optical character recognition, we developed a mobile application meant to help people annotate physical books, view annotations by other users and manage their own social-collaborative library. After registering their favourite books in the application, users can create digital annotations (text, images, videos or links) or see the existing annotations by scanning a book page with their smartphone's camera. Annotations can be rated, commented, shared on social media or on user-configured friend groups, thus creating a collaborative environment which can be easily integrated in a great variety of domains. We present the innovative concept of AR annotations and a tool based on this concept, which can be used for self-learning or as a collaborative tool, revolutionizing handbooks and manuals.

Computer vision based indoor localization methods use either an infrastructure of static cameras to track mobile entities (e.g., people, robots) or cameras attached to the mobile entities. Methods in the first category employ object tracking, while the others map images from mobile cameras with images acquired during a configuration stage or extracted from 3D reconstructed models of the space. This paper offers an overview of the computer vision based indoor localization domain, presenting application areas, commercial tools, existing benchmarks, and other reviews. It provides a survey of indoor localization research solutions, proposing a new classification based on the configuration stage (use of known environment data), sensing devices, type of detected elements, and localization method. It groups 70 of the most recent and relevant image based indoor localization methods according to the proposed classification and discusses their advantages and drawbacks. It highlights localization methods that also offer orientation information, as this is required by an increasing number of applications of indoor localization (e.g., augmented reality).

Revitalizing reading and modernizing books have become important issues today, when technology is everywhere around us. New means are needed to make reading and physical books attractive to all people, regardless of age, hobbies or occupation. Our current paper presents an innovative project called Lib2Life which creates a mobile application that can improve books by adding annotations and social capabilities to them.

As we roam further into the future, digitization becomes an essential tool in thinning the barrier between the physical and cyber worlds. We grow expectations of bringing more and more of the world at our fingertips, and eventually being able to access data or experiences by the means of easily operable electronic devices. Reviving the libraries use, especially in academic context, by augmenting their spaces through Augmented Reality techniques or mirroring their spaces in Virtual Reality, eases the training of the readers in knowing and using the library, and provides a solid foundation for plenty of new collaborative experiences for readers and visitors. Additionally, the 3D reconstruction of libraries, needed for Virtual Reality, provides an opportunity to disseminate online such rich cultural spaces, and preserve their patrimonial value. This paper presents the case study of 3D reconstructing the Universitary Central Library of Bucharest. First, we briefly present related work. Then, we analyze various reconstruction techniques. Latest hardware and software advances open a wide range of new reconstruction methods, each having advantages, costs and limitations. We discuss both automatic and manual reconstruction, and combinations of both. Next, we identify and analyze the problems to be solved for our reconstruction subject and pinpoint solutions offering fidelity, rapid reconstruction, moderate use of resources, and sufficient performance for real-time applications (including VR). Finally, we detail, through practical examples, the solutions or optimal techniques, depending on the characteristics of the part to be modeled. Together, they all form an efficient hybrid solution satisfying our objectives.

The ever increasing advancement of technology, the availability of information, and other internet-related activities such as online communication have shifted the interest of people, leaving cultural or social aspects such as reading a book or visiting a museum on a second plan. Gamification is a well-known method which makes education and culture more attractive and interesting to people in the modern age, especially young generations.This paper describes the implementation of LibQuest, a platform which combines culture with technology and games. It is a part of the Lib2Life research project with the aim of revitalizing libraries and other cultural spaces using mixed reality applications. LibQuest proposes to use a gamified quest system in order to encourage people, especially youngsters to access libraries and read more. Each quest is structured with multiple checkpoints in mixed reality, requiring the user to use and navigate both in virtual reality and real-world places in order to gain rewards or find interesting things. Each checkpoint has a validation method, ranging from simple quizzes, to finding clues, visiting specific targets (museums, squares etc.), code scanning, taking pictures or recording audio.The article will present the development of an initial prototype, the current status of the solution and users' feedback. Chapters cover implementation details, used technologies, challenges, encountered problems and difficulties in the process of building and developing, as well as practical results. The conception of a survey integrated in the prototype is also presented with results and analyzed users' feedback. Lastly, conclusions, future development steps and improvements are discussed.

Digital technology has already become a necessity of everyday life for any average person in developed countries. Starting from simple tasks like calculus or grammar, to more complex ones like navigation, simulations and appointments, nowadays we rely more and more on technology like smartphones, smartwatches and smart assistants. As this may seem to improve our life and help us in everyday tasks, it may have a negative impact in other areas like culture, education, focus, sustained brain-use or imagination. Libraries, a pillar of culture and education, lose popularity every day in favour of digital content and feeds. This article pioneers the design and the implementation of a modern cultural space to encourage reading and involvement in cultural activities through gamification in a mixed reality context. It is part of the Lib2Life research project that is being carried out by a strategic partnership between national libraries and universities to explore ways that can revitalize libraries and cultural heritage using digital technology. The paper presents a detailed solution design and the refining iterations on the initial concept of adding mixed reality game quests inside national libraries activity. The quests will get users to involve in captivating adventure games the will require them to use digital technology alongside real libraries or cultural events in order to solve the puzzle. Furthermore, the solution has a user-centered perspective, where the user can both access the content and contribute with his own content, that increases the potential to create virtual communities that benefit and contribute at the same time. This work is supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministery of Research and Innovation, CCCDI - UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0689 / ,,Lib2Life- Revitalizarea bibliotecilor si a patrimoniului cultural prin tehnologii avansate" / "Revitalizing Libraries and Cultural Heritage through Advanced Technologies", within PNCDI III.

This paper is written in the context of the international Eurostars project, i-bracelet. The main objective of the i-bracelet project - "Intelligent bracelet for blood pressure monitoring and detection of preeclampsia" is the creation of a portable medical device for uninterrupted monitoring of blood pressure and to detect the blood pressure problems (such as hypertension) and, in particular, preeclampsia. In the current paper is described the software component of this system used for monitoring, viewing and analyzing the blood pressure values coming from a smart bracelet developed in the context of the project. The software solution is available for Android and iOS phone users, as well as it is accessible from a browser. As a conclusion, the blood pressure of the future mothers should be monitored for living a safer and healthier life.

In recent years, healthcare and safety monitoring for older adults has become a worldwide concern. As older adults want to age at home, sensor technology has the potential to support their choice by monitoring health status, detecting emergency situations and notifying caregivers in case of emergency situations. Moreover, using new technologies such as the Kinect sensor could bring new ways to build in-home intelligent systems, having already demonstrated performance and accuracy when monitoring older adults. The purpose of this paper is to present an application that allows healthcare providers to take care remotely of older adults by providing live monitoring of the patients. Using a Kinect sensor, the application evaluates the active life of the tracked person, determines the hydration status and notifies the caregiver if the patient is calling for help or needs an ambulance.

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that has already applications in many areas like gaming, entertainment, training, health and education. Recent advancements allow average consumers to dive into highly immersive experiences using head-mounted displays (HMDs) for just around a couple of hundred dollars and even lower with headsets compatible with smartphones. Expecting more than 1 million HMD devices by the end of 2017, VR will have a great impact in the next few years, thus more and more teachers are interested to use VR experiences in class to increase motivation and help students to better understand theoretical concepts. If access to VR equipment and costs will eventually not be a problem soon, building collaborative and interactive applications for VR is still requiring graphics programming knowledge alongside networking and others. For this reason, many of today's applications are limited to 360 degree photos or videos, exploration applications with little to no interaction, with no collaborative or rich interactivity features. This paper describes the design of a VR learning management system (LMS) that will help teachers to easily build and publish VR applications for private or public multiuser classes with a rich library of educational resources like buildings, desks, interaction scripts and even entire laboratories as a starter content. The system is managed through a web-based interface with VR activities, assessments and live or offline events. An initial prototype that uses Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) as a level editor is also described, currently being tested with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Gear VR HMDs and with some web-browsers.

Nowadays computer network attacks are carried out by professionals targeting organizations’ vulnerabilities. Many attacks are successful because of the growing complexity of vulnerable information technology requiring support. It therefore comes as no surprise that cyber security protection solutions on offer are increasing exponentially. Consequently, understanding the role of these solutions in the context of how they are deployed requires network managers of the future to have in-depth knowledge, know-how and practical experience. In 2014, Munich University of Applied Sciences Germany, initiated an ICT security project DECAMP (Open Distributed European Virtual Campus on ICT Security). The purpose of this Project is to develop and implement online EU courses on ICT security with a strong practical orientation. Implementing these goals required the development of a set of solutions to offer students the possibility of working in virtual labs. The aim: supporting their cyber security education with hands-on lab experience. One of the solutions for facilitating hands-on lab experience was developed based on the Moodle education platform interfaced with the OpenStack cloud computing platform. This paper presents the Moodle-OpenStack solution.On the one hand, it supports the lab experiments that are designed to show how various attacks are performed and how they influence the network components. On the other hand it gives students the opportunity of understanding how to protect networks and their applications by using the most relevant protection tools. The approach is based on large, preconfigured and complex network configurations featuring a variety of protection tools and network components. The paper advocates the use of practical education for future secure network administrators.

Games are one of the most common activities among young people and for a good reason: they are fun, entertaining and usually challenging. Recent advancements in computer graphics allow fast creation of computer games with stunning visuals and advanced interaction in rapid development environments such as Unity or Unreal Engine 4 editors. Still, these technologies are requiring lots of technological knowledge like graphics programming, networking, 3D modelling or animation. For this reason, educational or serious games are not frequently developed and used in the e-learning processes. Advanced applications are currently hard to build and publish, requiring serious investments of time, money and professional human resources.This work describes a prototype system designed to help teachers to easily build, publish or integrate games or simulations into existing web-based Learning Management Systems. The applications can be developed using a simple drag and drop interactive editor and features a rich library of educational resources. The educator can start a project from templates like puzzles or 3D games and then use pre-made complex objects and interactions to design the game logic. The data is stored in a cloud platform and can be either published and directly accessed online in a web-browser or it can be integrated through an API into a web-based LMS for private or public multi-user classes.

The advancement of new technologies in Virtual Reality (VR) allows us to build virtual sports training systems. These systems generally imply videos or computer animations for training demonstrations. VR sports training systems can be used at any time and location. This way, the user can play the sport even at night regardless of weather conditions and can also train or compete alongside other remote users. The virtual sports training system can be used also to help patients suffering from stroke or paraplegia, and can be used in medical rehabilitation. Microsoft Kinect V2 sensor with its great features, like face and body tracking, body gesture, and others, extends the use of virtual reality in different kinds of applications. In this paper, we used the Kinect v2 sensor to design and build a realtime VR sports training system. The system displays in a 3D avatar, simple and complex exercises, captures and records the trainee movements in real-time, highlighting wrong movements and helping the trainee to correct his actions.

The technology advancements greatly improved the medical services over time with virtual reality (VR) devices and applications. Currently taking advantage of these recent advancements is the medical rehabilitation field, heavily studied in past few years as a promising VR area. VR-based rehab brings several advantages over the traditional therapy and could deliver personalized in-home treatment without the need of a permanent dedicated supervisor. A device that could make this technology possible is the Microsoft’s new Kinect v2, an improved motion capture sensor available at low prices for personal use. This promising high-tech device can track body movements without the need of additional attached devices that could prove unconformable and expensive. In order to evaluate the medical rehabilitation utility for in-home usage we conducted some research studies and practical experiments focusing on the upper-part of the body in a seated pose in front of a desk. Results indicate that the Kinect sensor can successfully track the body in the proposed scenario and showed great reliability. Occlusion interferences can highly impact the sensor’s overall performance, but in a normal prepared in-home environment the sensor proves to be very efficient.

Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) virtual worlds are nowadays one of the most widespread and fast growing types of online interactive applications with a user base that can reach up to millions of users. The most popular type of MMOs is represented by 3D MMO games but there are also other types of MMO applications such as virtual online virtual life simulations, educational virtual spaces, virtual exhibitions, etc. In this paper, we will present the current technologies that are being used for the functioning of MMOs in optimal conditions and also we will introduce a novel taxonomy for MMOs classification based on the following criteria: type of MMOs, architectures used for simulation of virtual worlds, communication protocol and monetization.

Microsoft Kinect V2 sensor is a motion sensing device that provides to the users a facility to interact with computers and game consoles through many ways like natural movement, gestures or spoken commands. This technology allowed many researchers and companies to develop real-time applications in various fields like healthcare, sports training, facial emotion detection, gaming, security, 3D reconstruction, motion recognition and many other. In this paper, we presented an approach to handle the problem of human body motion skeletal tracking with application in medical rehabilitation and sports training by using capabilities of the latest version of the Microsoft Kinect sensor.

In this paper, we present the concept, implementation and experimentation of a 3D MMO educational game designed for interactively learning chemistry. The game is integrated into the OpenSim framework to implement immersive, real time and multiuser “learning by playing” techniques that have proved to be among the most powerful learning strategies in learning science. Experimenting the game with high school students proved that virtual gaming can be a practical and effective educational tool. Results suggest that it is more powerful to support chemistry learning with virtual game technology than with the traditional learning methods.