Combining 3D Models and Functions through Ontologies to Describe Man-made Products and Virtual Humans: Toward a Common Framework

Abstract : Products and virtual humans are commonly described using 3D models of their components and anatomical entities, respectively. Functions stand for symbolic information bringing a high level description of product subsets and apply also to human body anatomical entities. Ontology-based approaches bring new means to improve the efficiency of these digital models. Here, the purpose is to identify similarities and differences between existing ontology based descriptions of products and virtual humans. From this analysis, it is shown how compatible descriptions can be obtained and how a common framework can be derived where products and virtual humans can be both incorporated for various applications involving 3D models. The proposed framework contains an ontology-based description of products and virtual humans enabling the access to 3D models while accessing high-level semantic information through the use of inference mechanisms. Biomechanical simulations of virtual humans and structural behavior simulations of products is the context used to setup this common framework such that products and virtual humans can take part to these simulations where products and virtual humans are involved.