Mattia Natali

PhD student

Publications

2014

    [PDF] [Bibtex] 
    @ARTICLE {Natali14Rapid,
author = "Mattia Natali and Julius Parulek and Daniel Patel",
title = "Rapid Modelling of Interactive Geological Illustrations with Faults and Compaction",
journal = "Proceedings of Spring Conference on Computer Graphics (SCCG)",
year = "2014",
abstract = "In this paper, we propose new methods for building geological illustrations and animations. We focus on allowing geologists to create their subsurface models by means of sketches, to quickly communicate concepts and ideas rather than detailed information. The result of our sketch-based modelling approach is a layer-cake volume representing geological phenomena, where each layer is rock material which has accumulated due to a user-defined depositional event. Internal geological structures can be inspected by different visualization techniques that we employ. Faulting and compaction of rock layers are important processes in geology. They can be modelled and visualized with our technique. Our representation supports non-planar faults that a user may define by means of sketches. Real-time illustrative animations are achieved by our GPU accelerated approach.",
pdf = "pdfs/Natali14Rapid.pdf",
images = "images/Natali2014Rapid0.png, images/Natali2014Rapid1.png",
thumbnails = "images/Natali2014Rapid0.png, images/Natali2014Rapid1.png",
url = "http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2643188.2643201",
project = "geoillustrator"
}
    [DOI] [VID] [Bibtex] 
    @ARTICLE {Natali14Sketch,
author = "Mattia Natali and Tore Grane Klausen and Daniel Patel",
title = "Sketch-Based Modelling and Visualization of Geological Deposition",
journal = "Computers \& Geosciences",
year = "2014",
volume = "67C",
pages = "40--48",
abstract = "We propose a method for sketching and visualizing geological models by sequentially defining stratigraphic layers, where each layer represents a unique erosion or deposition event. Evolution of rivers and deltas is important for geologists when interpreting the stratigraphy of the subsurface, in particular for hydrocarbon exploration. We illustratively visualize mountains, basins, lakes, rivers and deltas, and how they change the morphology of a terrain during their evolution. We present a compact representation of the model and a novel rendering algorithm that allows us to obtain an interactive and illustrative layer-cake visualization. A user study has been performed to evaluate our method.",
vid = "vids/Natali2014Sketch.mp4",
images = "images/Natali2014Sketch0.png, images/Natali2014Sketch1.png",
thumbnails = "images/Natali2014Sketch0.png, images/Natali2014Sketch1.png",
doi = "10.1016/j.cageo.2014.02.010",
url = "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0098300414000508",
project = "geoillustrator"
}
    [PDF] [Bibtex] 
    @PHDTHESIS {natali14thesis,
author = "Mattia Natali",
title = "Sketch-based Modelling and Conceptual Visualization of Geomorphological Processes for Interactive Scientific Communication",
school = "Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Norway",
year = "2014",
month = "September",
abstract = "Throughout this dissertation, solutions for rapid digitalization of ideas will be defined.More precisely, the focus is on interactive scientific sketching and communication of geology, where theresult is a digital illustrative 3D model. Results are achieved through a sketch-based modellingapproach which gives the user a more natural and intuitive modelling process, hence leading to aquicker definition of a geological illustration. To be able to quickly externalize and communicate onesideas as a digital 3D model, can be of importance. For instance, students may profit from explanationssupported by interactive illustrations. Exchange of information and hypotheses between domain expertsis also a targeted situation in our work. Furthermore, illustrative models are frequently employed in business, when decisional meetings take place for convincing the management that a project is worth to be funded. An advantage of digital models is that they can be saved and they are easy to distribute. In contrast to 2D images or paper sketches, one can interact with digital 3D models, and they can be transferred on portable devices for easy access (for instance during geological field studies). Another advantage, compared to standard geological illustrations, is that if a model has been created with internal structures, it can be arbitrarily cut and inspected. Different solutions for different aspects of subsurface geology are presented in this dissertation. To express folding and faulting processes, a first modelling approach based on cross-sectional sketches is introduced. User defined textures can be associated to each layer, and can then be deformed with sketch strokes, for communicating layer properties such as rock type and grain size. A following contribution includes a simple and compact representation to model and visualize 3D stratigraphic models. With this representation, erosion and deposition offluvial systems are easy to specify and display. Ancient river channels and other geological features, which are present in the subsurface, can be accessed by means of a volumetric representation. Geological models are obtained and visualized by sequentially defining stratigraphic layers, where each layer represents a unique erosion or deposition event. Evolution of rivers and deltas is important for geologists when interpreting the stratigraphy of the subsurface, in particular because it changes the landscape morphology and because river deposits are potential hydrocarbon reservoirs. Time plays a fundamental role in geological processes. Animations are well suited for communicating temporal change and a contribution in this direction is also given. With the techniques developed in this thesis, it becomes possible to produce a range of geological scenarios. The focus is on enabling geologists tocreate their subsurface models by means of sketches, to quickly communicate concepts and ideasrather than detailed information. Although the proposed techniques are simple to use and requirelittle design effort, complex models can be realized. ",
pdf = "pdfs/natali14thesis.pdf",
images = "images/Natali2014Rapid0.png, images/Natali2014Sketch0.png,",
thumbnails = "images/Natali2014Rapid0.png, images/Natali2014Sketch0.png,",
isbn = "?? ",
url = "https://bora.uib.no/handle/1956/8570",
project = "geoillustrator"
}

2013

    [DOI] [Bibtex] 
    @ARTICLE {Lidal13Geological,
author = "Endre M. Lidal and Mattia Natali and Daniel Patel and Helwig Hauser and Ivan Viola",
title = "Geological storytelling",
journal = "Computers \& Graphics",
year = "2013",
volume = "37",
number = "5",
pages = "445--459 ",
abstract = "Developing structural geological models from exploratory subsea imaging is difficult and an ill-posed process. The structural geological processes that take place in the subsurface are both complex and time-dependent. We present Geological Storytelling, a novel graphical system for performing rapid and expressive geomodeling. Geologists can convey geological stories that externalize both their model and the reasoning process behind it through our simple, yet expressive sketch-based, flip-over canvases. This rapid modeling interface makes it easy to construct a large variety of geological stories, and our story tree concept facilitates easy management and the exploration of these alternatives. The stories are then animated and the geologists can examine and compare them to identify the most plausible models. Finally, the geological stories can be presented as illustrative animations of automatically synthesized 3D models, which efficiently communicate the complex geological evolution to non-experts and decision makers. Geological storytelling provides a complete pipeline from the ideas and knowledge in the mind of the geologist, through externalized artifacts specialized for discussion and knowledge dissemination among peer-experts, to automatically rendered illustrative 3D animations for communication to lay audience. We have developed geological storytelling in collaboration with domain experts that work with the modeling challenges on a daily basis. For evaluation, we have developed a geological storytelling prototype and presented it to experts and academics from the geosciences. In their feedback, they acknowledge that the rapid and expressive sketching of stories can make them explore more alternatives and that the 3D illustrative animations assist in communicating their models.",
images = "images/Lidal13Geological01.jpg, images/Lidal13Geological02.png",
thumbnails = "images/Lidal13Geological01.jpg, images/Lidal13Geological02.png",
issn = "0097-8493",
doi = "http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cag.2013.01.010",
url = "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0097849313000125",
keywords = "Sketch-based modeling; Externalization of mental processes; Storytelling; 3D model synthesis; Animation; Alternatives exploration; Geology; Structural geological models",
project = "geoillustrator"
}
    [PDF] [DOI] [Bibtex] 
    @INPROCEEDINGS {Natali13Modeling,
author = "Mattia Natali and Endre M. Lidal and Julius Parulek and Ivan Viola and Daniel Patel",
title = "Modeling Terrains and Subsurface Geology",
booktitle = "EuroGraphics 2013 State of the Art Reports (STARs)",
year = "2013",
pages = "155--173",
abstract = "The process of creating terrain and landscape models is important in a variety of computer graphics and visualization applications, from films and computer games, via flight simulators and landscape planning, to scientific visualization and subsurface modelling. Interestingly, the modelling techniques used in this large range of application areas have started to meet in the last years. In this state-of-the-art report, we present two taxonomies of different modelling methods. Firstly we present a data oriented taxonomy, where we divide modelling into three different scenarios: the data-free, the sparse-data and the dense-data scenario. Then we present a workflow oriented taxonomy, where we divide modelling into the separate stages necessary for creating a geological model. We start the report by showing that the new trends in geological modelling are approaching the modelling methods that have been developed in computer graphics. We then give an introduction to the process of geological modelling followed by our two taxonomies with descriptions and comparisons of selected methods. Finally we discuss the challenges and trends in geological modelling.",
pdf = "pdfs/Natali13Modeling.pdf",
images = "images/Natali13Modeling.png",
thumbnails = "images/Natali13Modeling.png",
proceedings = "EuroGraphics 2013 State of the Art Reports (STARs)",
url = "http://diglib.eg.org/EG/DL/conf/EG2013/stars/155-173.pdf",
doi = "10.2312/conf/EG2013/stars/155-173",
location = "Girona, Spain",
project = "geoillustrator"
}

2012

    [DOI] [Bibtex] 
    @INPROCEEDINGS {Natali12Rapid,
author = "Mattia Natali and Ivan Viola and Daniel Patel",
title = "Rapid Visualization of Geological Concepts",
booktitle = "SIBGRAPI 2012 (XXV Conference on Graphics, Patterns and Images)",
year = "2012",
editor = "C. Freitas, L. Silva, R. Scopigno, and S. Sarkar",
address = "Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil",
month = "August",
abstract = "We describe a sketch-based system for constructing an illustrative visualization of the subsurface. An intuitive and rapid modelling tool is defined, which takes as input user's strokes and creates a 3D layer-cake model of the earth. Our tool enables users to quickly express and communicate their ideas directly using a 3D model. For sketching, we have created geometric operators that capture the domain specific modelling requirements.We have devised sketching operators for expressing folding and faulting processes. This makes it possible to produce a large span of scenarios. Moreover, for communicating layer properties such as rock type and grain size, our system allows for associating user defined texture to each layer which can be deformed with a few sketch strokes.",
images = "images/Natali12Rapid01.png, images/Natali12Rapid02.png",
thumbnails = "images/Natali12Rapid01_thumb.png, images/Natali12Rapid02_thumb.png",
url = "http://www.decom.ufop.br/sibgrapi2012/",
doi = "10.1109/SIBGRAPI.2012.29",
project = "geoillustrator"
}