IMATI-GE

CNR IMATI–GE is the Department of Genova of the Institute for Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies (IMATI), belonging to the National Research Council (CNR) of Italy. CNR IMATI-GE is chaired by Dr. Bianca Falcidieno, the Coordinator of AIM@SHAPE. At CNR IMATI–GE fundamental research is performed on algorithmic and computational methods for shape, geometric and topological modelling. Applied research is mainly related to the fields of environmental modelling, industrial design, and computer graphics. The research team participating to AIM@SHAPE is called the Shape Modelling Group

Geometric modelling has been a key research topic at IMATI-Ge for several years. Geometric modelling is a set of mathematical and computer science techniques which relate to different fields, such as geometry, computational topology and computer graphics. The main aim is to describe the shape of an object or phenomenon, through the definition of geometric primitive entities and the classification of the reference context.

Lately the Shape Modeling Group has been constituted with the aim of studying the issues related to the formalization, coding and processing of the knowledge embedded in digital shapes, considering geometry as a part of it but not as its whole. Digital shapes, indeed, have a meaning. They can be interpreted as a composition of perceptually relevant features, they may be designed with a specific intent, they can be classified by the human brain through abstraction and classification processes.

The research strategy of the group is therefore to broaden the role of traditional modelling by the definition of new representations, able to highlight the semantic level at which the perception of a shape is encoded.

Role of IMATI-GE within AIM@SHAPE

IMATI-GE, with the support of the CNR administrative offices, coordinates and manages the AIM@SHAPE Network.

From the point of view of the integrating activities, IMATI-GE will contribute to the whole harmonisation activity, with emphasis on the coordination of the training phase, as well as on the design of metadata and ontology. IMATI-GE has also a long-standing cooperation with ITI-CERTH specifically for the design of ontologies and the development of distributed environment of computation (FP5 TELEMATICS THETIS project, and FP6 IST ARION project).

IMATI-GE also leads the set up and development of the digital library of AIM@SHAPE, on the basis of an excellent experience on this topic documented by the existing digital library of all the CNR Research Area of Genova.

With regard to the research programmes, IMATI-GE will focus on the acquisition and reconstruction of 3D shapes, on the analysis of samples for the detection of shape features and on the reconstruction of meshes from point clouds. On topics related to the analysis of geometric models, IMATI-GE has been working for years on the characterisation of shapes based on differential topology (e.g., Morse theory and Reeb graphs), as well as on the use of skeletons to represent and code the shape of 3D objects. Finally, IMATI-GE will contribute to the research activitis on tools and services for mapping and interpreting the semantics of digital shapes, topic on which there is a long and recognised experience for the context of industrial design and manufacturing.

Contact Details

Istituto di Matematica Applicata e Tecnologie Informatiche

Dept. of Genova

Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy

Phone: +390106475667

Fax: +390106475660

Email: projectoffice@ge.imati.cnr.it