W. Randolph Franklin, Professor

• Brief Bio      
• Long resume (Education - Professional Career - Publications - Presentations - Synergistic Activities and Service - Grad Students - Teaching or Course Development - Hardware Used - Professional Memberships - Major Research Grants)
• Email (I welcome GPG-encrypted email.)
• Vcard
• GPG key (I welcome GPG-encrypted email.)
• phone: +1.518.276.6077 (let it ring many times)
• Travel Directions to RPI
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  Prof. W. Randolph Franklin
  ECSE Dept., 6026 JEC,
  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,
  110 Eighth St,
  Troy NY, 12180
  USA

ECSE-4750 Computer Graphics, Fall 2013

4/11/13 news: The number of spaces is being raised from 45 to 60, so there should be plenty of room for everyone.

Next fall will be 80% the same as Computer Graphics Fall 2012. The change may be to reduce the immediate mode OpenGL, add a little on OpenGL 3 and buffer objects, add a little libQGLviewer (a wrapper for OpenGL programs to make viewing easier), add more programming, and maybe add a little CUDA. Students will be expected to be able to add new packages, like libQGLviewer, to their computers and to learn enough of them to write a hello world program.

OpenGL 2 will still be taught in addition to OpenGL 3. It is more useful for general graphics programming, easier to use, more widely available (even some Thinkpad laptops manufactured in 2011 don't do OpenGL 3), and has better online examples, than OpenGL 3. The resistance that OpenGL 3 is facing from programmers shows that others feel the same.

The text, Guha, will be same because it is only a few years old, has lots of programming examples, and is used by other leading universities like U Md College Park.

Students in CS and GSAS with a strong programming background are welcome.

ARTS 4964 Art & Code & Interactivity CRN: 47963

This is a related course, from an arts viewpoint.

Create anything, seriously. This course will introduce an open source, cross-platform programming library, OpenFrameworks, to create interactive experiences and artworks. OpenFrameworks is created by artists and programmers and used by artists and programmers worldwide for museum installations, VJ-ing, projection mapping, interactive experiences, and more. Topics addressed: basic programming, drawing graphics, video, audio, various hardware inputs, and Kinect. Questions asked: Is code an art form? What is interactive art? Is software, art? Prerequisite: ARTS 1020 (MS: Imaging) or permission of instructor. Cr: 4 Instr: Lawson, http://www.shawnlawson.com/

Recent announcements

1. (3/10/13) WRF_Orlova_HudsonBay.mp4 is a video of my trying to walk to the bow of the Lyubov Orlova during a stormy crossing of Hudson Bay in 2007. The crew used my camera to film me from the bridge.
   (It was announced today that the Lyubov Orlova, a 90m former cruise ship in the Arctic, now derelict and drifting across the Atlantic, may have capsized.)
2. ENGR-2050-4 IED Spring 2013, section 4.
3. Google scholar profile
4. Updated page on multiobserver siting research

• BSc (Toronto).
• AM, PhD, Applied Math (Harvard).
• Program Director, Numeric, Symbolic, and Geometric Computation Program, CISE, National Science Foundation, 2000–2002.
• Visiting Professor, UC Berkeley, 1985–1986.
• Visiting positions at Genoa, Laval, CSIRO Canberra, National University of Singapore, 1992–1993.
• supervised 16 PhD and 68 masters graduates: list.

2.1  Summary

Geometry has been my overriding interest since high school in the 1960s. Geometry is the "branch of mathematics that deals with the measurement, properties, and relationships of points, lines, angles, surfaces, and solids" ¹. The Geo in geometry is from the Greek Γη meaning, ''earth, ground, land''. ². My major recently concluded project was Geo*, a DARPA–funded project for representing and operating on terrain, that is, elevation.

My recent project, NSF/CDI Fundamental Terrain Representations and Operations ³, attempts to predict how erosion occurs in levee failure by overtopping, and, after a failure, to reverse–simulate what happened.

I've applied the same underlying principles in Computational Geometry producing algorithms useful for large datasets, mostly in 3D, and usually implemented.

RPI Computer graphics group

2.2  Details

These are on a separate page, whose table of contents follows.

This was my 2005–2009 DARPA project. Details are here. A good summary is this Geo* talk (7/2010), Videos in talk: 1, 2, 3.

Key points include these.

1. efficient hi–res visibility computation on terrain,
2. multiple observer siting to maximize joint viewshed,
3. ODETLAP, an extension of the Laplacian PDE to an overdetermined system of equations, which is used in many of the following results,
4. extremely compact lossy terrain (elevation) compression,
5. terrain compression that reconstructs slopes accurately,
6. lossily compressed terrain supports motion–planning (path planning),
7. path planning with sophisticated cost metric on large terrain, and
8. a better surface fitting procedure for bathymetry data that is very unevenly spaced.

4.1  Doctoral Graduates

1. Tsz-Yam (Eddie) Lau, Two-step ODETLAP and induced terrain framework for improved geographical data reconstruction, Nov 2012.
2. Chris Stuetzle, Representation and generation of terrain using mathematical modeling, 2012.
3. You Li, CUDA–accelerated HD–ODETLAP: a high dimensional geospatial data compression framework, 2011.

... and 13 more.

4.2  Masters Graduates

1. Jeffrey Sult, Computational analysis of first–person shooter levels, Apr 2011.
2. Michael J Snyder, Using The HTML5 Canvas Element For A Web–Based Multi–User Painting Application, Apr 2011.
3. Luke Perkins, An Integrated Approach to Choke Point Detection and Region Decomposition, 2010.

... and 65 more.

Complete list

1. Thiago L. Gomes, Salles V. G. Magalhães, Marcus V. A. Andrade, W. Randolph Franklin and Guilherme C. Pena. Computing the drainage network on huge grid terrains. In 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Analytics for Big Geospatial Data (BigSpatial-2012), Redondo Beach, CA, 6 Nov 2012. (paper).
2. Tsz-Yam Lau and W. Randolph Franklin. Automated artifact-free seafloor surface reconstruction with two-step ODETLAP (Ph.D. Showcase). In 20th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2012), Redondo Beach, CA, 6-9 Nov 2012. (paper).
3. Chaulio R. Ferreira, Salles V. G. Magalhães, Marcus V. A. Andrade, W. Randolph Franklin and André M. Pompermayer. More efficient terrain viewshed computation on massive datasets using external memory. In 20th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2012), Redondo Beach, CA, 6-9 Nov 2012. (paper).
4. W. Randolph Franklin, You Li, Tsz-Yam Lau and Peter Fox. CUDA-accelerated HD-ODETLAP: Lossy high dimensional gridded data compression. In 2012 International Workshop on Modern Accelerator Technologies for GIScience (MAT4GIScience 2012), Columbus OH, 18 Sep 2012. (paper, talk).
5. Christopher Stuetzle and W. Randolph Franklin. Representation of terrain data by drilling process. In 2012 AutoCarto International Symposium on Automated Cartography, Columbus OH, 16-18 Sep 2012. abstract. (abstract, talk).
6. Tsz-Yam Lau and W. Randolph Franklin. Improving river network completion under absence of height samples using geometry-based induced terrain approach. In 2012 AutoCarto International Symposium on Automated Cartography, Columbus OH, 16-18 Sep 2012. (paper, talk).
7. Christopher Stuetzle and W. Randolph Franklin. Representing terrain with mathematical operators. In 15th International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling, Bonn, Germany, 22-24 Aug 2012. http://www.sdh2012.org/).
8. Tsz-Yam Lau and W. Randolph Franklin. Better completion of fragmentary river networks with the induced terrain approach by using known non-river locations. In 15th International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling, Bonn, Germany, 22-24 Aug 2012. http://www.sdh2012.org/). (paper, talk).
9. Mehrad Kamalzare, Thomas F. Zimmie, Christopher Stuetzle, Barbara Cutler and W. Randolph Franklin. Computer simulation of levee's erosion and overtopping. In International Symposium on Environmental Geotechnology, Energy and Global Sustainable Development, Los Angeles, California, USA, Jun 2012. (paper).
10. Mehrad Kamalzare, Christopher Stuetzle, Zhongxian Chen, Thomas F. Zimmie, Barbara Cutler and W. Randolph Franklin. Validation of erosion modeling: physical and numerical. In Geo-Congress 2012: Annual congress of the geo-institute of ASCE, Oakland, California, USA, 25-29 Mar 2012. http://www.geocongress2012.org/. (paper).
11. Salles V. G. Magalhães, Marcus V. A. Andrade, W. Randolph Franklin and Guilherme C. Pena. A new method for computing the drainage network based on raising the level of an ocean surrounding the terrain. In Jérome Gensel and Didier Josselin and Danny Vandenbroucke, editor, Bridging the Geographic Information Sciences: International AGILE'2012 Conference, pages 391-407. Springer, 24-27 April 2012. Winner of the Best Paper Award (2nd place). (URL) (paper).
12. Tsz-Yam Lau, You Li and W. Randolph Franklin. Joining fragmentary river segments with elevations and water flow directions using induced terrain (extended abstract). In 21st Fall Workshop on Computational Geometry, City College, New York City, USA, 4-5 Nov 2011. (paper).
13. Christopher Stuetzle, Barbara Cutler, Zhongxian Chen, W. Randolph Franklin, Mehrad Kamalzare and Thomas Zimmie. Ph.D. showcase: Measuring terrain distances through extracted channel networks. In 19th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2011), Chicago USA, 1-4 Nov 2011. (paper, poster).
14. Mehrad Kamalzare, Zhongxian Chen, Christopher Stuetzle , Barbara Cutler, W. Randolph Franklin and Thomas F. Zimmie. Computer simulation of overtopping of levees. In 2011 Pam-Am CGS Geotechnical Conference: 14th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Toronto, 2-6 Oct 2011. (URL) (paper).
15. Salles V. G. Magalhães, Marcus V. A. Andrade and W. Randolph Franklin. Multiple Observer Siting in Huge Terrains Stored in External Memory. International Journal of Computer Information Systems and Industrial Management (IJCISIM), 3, 2011. (URL) (paper).
16. Tsz-Yam Lau and W. Randolph Franklin. Completing fragmentary river networks via induced terrain. Cartography and Geographic Information Science, 38(2):162-174, Apr 2011. (paper).
17. W. Randolph Franklin. The RPI GeoStar project. In 25th International Cartographic Conference, Paris, 3-8 July 2011. (paper, talk).
18. Zhongxian Chen, Christopher S. Stuetzle, Barbara M. Cutler, Jared A. Gross, W. Randolph Franklin and Thomas F. Zimmie. Analyses, Simulations and Physical Modeling Validation of Levee and Embankment Erosion. In Geo-Frontiers 2011: Advances in geotechnical engineering, Dallas TX, 13-16 March 2011. (URL) (paper).

Complete list

1. NSF IIS-1117277: CGV: Small: Towards a mathematics of terrain, sole PI: WRF. $500,000, 8/1/2011–7/31/2014.
   Terrain, in this project, is defined as the elevation of the earth's surface above some reference geoid. Over the last few decades, ever larger quantities of terrain data with higher accuracy in (x, y) and z have become available. Improved bathymetry data of the sea floor has also been collected, and elevation data for other planets and their satellites is now available (for a generalized definition of "terrain"). The PI's goal in this project is to develop and validate a new mathematical representation of terrain, which will be closer to the physics of how terrain is formed and be designed to represent legal realistic terrain more easily than unrealistic terrain. Aside from constituting an interesting application of deeper mathematics in its own right, such a foundation for terrain representation that is geologically sound will enable the design of operators such as compression and siting from first principles. This work will generalize and extend the PI's previous successful terrain representation and algorithms work, such as ODETLAP. The new terrain representation will be a sequence of parameterized transformations of various classes inspired by the physics of how terrain is formed. Modeling the real world, the transformations will be nonlinear (e.g., real river valleys cannot be superimposed and added). Nonlinearity is powerful, but difficult to study. The first class of transformations, called scooping, will model how river valleys form, and will guarantee to produce only hydrologically valid terrain. Erosion, deposition and hill creation transformations will also be studied. Each class of transformation has many design options; for example, should fewer and more powerful, rather than many but less powerful, transformations be used? The PI's goal is to encode the terrain in as few bits as possible while satisfying, in addition to RMS error, richer, application–dependent, metrics such as multi–observer siting to maximize viewshed, and then path planning to avoid those observers. Hydrological accuracy and visual recognizability are other metrics. This project continues the PI's collaboration with Professor Marcus Andrade at the Federal University of Vicosa in Brazil. Project outcomes will be validated by means of extensive tests on real terrain databases.
   Broader Impacts: The simplest implication of this work will be more compact terrain compression algorithms. Thus, this research will allow larger terrain datasets to be accessed and processed by consumers in portable products such as GPS navigators. Easier access to large terrain databases will facilitate a probability distribution over possible realistic terrain, which in turn will allow optimizing operations such as multi–observer siting and path planning (the former has applications ranging from cell phone tower siting to surveillance, while the latter is important for energy conservation during transportation). Hydrological applications of better large terrain data include floodplain planning (flood damage in the US amounted to $50,000,000,000 during the 1990s). Through involvement of graduate students in the PI's research and through his graduate courses, this project will also help to increase the educated workforce in a foundational discipline that is important to American productivity and future economic prosperity.
2. NSF CMMI–1158899: RAPID: Flood and Erosion Reconnaissance: Hurricanes Irene and Lee, Upstate New York and Western New England, PI: Tom Zimmie, co–PIs: Barb Cutler and WRF. $30,123, 9/20/2011–8/31/2012.

• ENGR-2050-4 IED Spring 2013, section 4.
• Computer Graphics, Fall 2012
• Intro to Engineering Design, Spring 2012
• Computer Graphics, Fall 2011
• Engineering Probability Spring, 2011
• Computer Graphics, Fall 2010
• Engineering Probability, Spring 2010
• Computer Components & Operations, Spring 2010
• ECSE–4750 Computer Graphics, Fall 2009
• Advanced Computer Graphics, Spring 2009 
• Older courses
• Advice To Grad Student Applicants Apparently only ONE person a year reads this
• Advice To DQE Examineesknow your material
• Advice To Doctoral Candidacy Examineeshave a plan
• Advice to Job Seekers particularly for older professionals
• Textbook Reviewing CriteriaMake it easy to teach a good course
• Teaching philosophy (Jan 2007)
• Famous RPI graphics–related grads It is possible to survive RPI and prosper

RPI pages:

• Academic calendarWhen do classes start and end; holidays
• Class scheduleTimes, rooms, profs

1. I have many proceedings and reports from my time at the Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis from 1973 to 1978. Photos of the covers, often including the list of papers in each volume are here.
   This material ought to be made publicly available; suggestions are welcome.
2. HW I have used (at least a little) DEC PDP 1, 8, 10, 11, Vax 11/780; IBM 1620, 7094, 360, 370, 5100; Prime; Lisp Machine; Motorola 6811, 68000, 68010, 68020; Sequent Balance; CM–2; Intel 8051, 8086, Pentium, Xeon; Sun Sparc; AMD Opteron. Wordlengths: 8, 12, 16, 32, 36 (containing 5 7–bit chars plus 1 spare bit)
3. How to program a low level machine e.g., a PDP–1 with paper tape, 1960s.
4. How to program slightly higher level machine e.g., an IBM 360/65 with JCL and punch cards, ca. 1966.
5. Recent additions to this site What's new?
6. Random things that don't fit anywhere else e.g., obligatory quotes