Sergi Fernández

Genís Castillo Gómez-Raya, Álmos Veres-Vitályos, Filip Lemic et al.

The increasing miniaturization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has expanded their deployment potential to indoor and hard-to-reach areas. However, this trend introduces distinct challenges, particularly in terms of flight dynamics and power consumption, which limit the UAVs' autonomy and mission capabilities. This paper presents a novel approach to overcoming these limitations by integrating Neural 3D Reconstruction (N3DR) with small UAV systems for fine-grained 3-Dimensional (3D) digital reconstruction of small static objects. Specifically, we design, implement, and evaluate an N3DR-based pipeline that leverages advanced models, i.e., Instant-ngp, Nerfacto, and Splatfacto, to improve the quality of 3D reconstructions using images of the object captured by a fleet of small UAVs. We assess the performance of the considered models using various imagery and pointcloud metrics, comparing them against the baseline Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithm. The experimental results demonstrate that the N3DR-enhanced pipeline significantly improves reconstruction quality, making it feasible for small UAVs to support high-precision 3D mapping and anomaly detection in constrained environments. In more general terms, our results highlight the potential of N3DR in advancing the capabilities of miniaturized UAV systems.

Mario Montagud, Jie Li, Gianluca Cernigliario et al.

Social VR enables people to interact over distance with others in real-time. It allows remote people, typically represented as avatars, to communicate and perform activities together in a join shared virtual environment, extending the capabilities of traditional social platforms like Facebook and Netflix. This paper explores the benefits and drawbacks provided by a lightweight and low-cost Social VR platform (SocialVR), in which users are captured by several cameras and reconstructed in real-time. In particular, the paper contributes with (1) the design and evaluation of an experimental protocol for Social VR experiences; (2) the report of a production workflow for this new type of media experiences; and (3) the results of experiments with both end-users (N=15 pairs) and professionals (N=25) to evaluate the potential of the SocialVR platform. Results from the questionnaires and semi-structured interviews show that end-users rated positively towards the experiences provided by the SocialVR platform, which enabled them to sense emotions and communicate effortlessly. End-users perceived the photo-realistic experience of SocialVR similar to face-to-face scenarios and appreciated this new creative medium. From a commercial perspective, professionals confirmed the potential of this communication medium and encourage further research for the adoption of the platform in the commercial landscape