Augusto Opdenbosch

Career Highlights

He pioneered the use of Virtual Reality in construction simulation applications while working as a research engineer and post-doctoral fellow from 1994 to 1997 at Georgia Tech. He served as senior research engineer at Spectra Precision Software from 1997 to 2000, where he developed Terravista, Terramodel Visualizer and the Virtual Environment Manager SDK. In 2000, he co-founded XYZ Solutions, Inc. where he led the development team that created XYZ World, a real-time publish-subscribe 3D monitoring suite. After XYZ Solutions was acquired by Trimble in 2006, he started working as a senior research engineer focusing on simulation and visualization projects for several Trimble divisions. In 2011, he pioneered the use of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to accelerate image processing and point cloud colorization and was invited to demonstrate the potential of GPU computing to the Trimble Board of Directors. In 2013, Augusto introduced the Virtual Proving Ground (VPG), a comprehensive simulation framework that can be used to propose and test the validity of ideas and also to develop and promote products. Over the last decade, VPG has been used in Building Construction, Geospatial, Mining, Forensics, Civil Engineering Construction, CTCT, ICT, and Ag projects. In 2019, Augusto joined Trimble Autonomous Solutions (TAS) and became the product owner of VPG. He was the technical lead of the simulation team in TAS which was responsible for the development of simulation tools for autonomy projects. In 2022 Augusto was nominated and promoted to the rank of Distinguished Engineer (DE).

Projects

TAS Autonomy Simulators (2019-2023)

Company: Trimble

Comprehensive Simulation Solution Suite for Trimble Autonomous Solutions.

Contributions

Managed simulation group and provided technical advice. Interacted with technical leads in controls, path planning, perception, and systems integration to capture simulation requirements.

Impact

The simulation systems created for TAS developers and testers reduced the amount of time and effort required to test and validate new systems and algorithms. The simulation framework also provided a great platform to communicate concepts to stakeholders and also educate and train new customers.

Role: Product Owner and Technical Advisor

Trimble Dimensions Demo (2018)

Company: Trimble

Gamified Version of Ag Simulator for 2018 Dimensions Conference.

Contributions

Created a game concept where users received points by driving a grain cart alongside a combine in order to collect as much grain as possible. This game featured an immersive multi-display cab with real steering and speed controllers. At the end of the game users got to see how an autonomous driver would perform the same task flawlessly.

Impact

This tradeshow experience was visited by thousand of attendees and received praises for being both fun and informative.

Role: Project Manager and Co-developer

Ag Autonomy Simulator (2017-2018)

Company: Trimble

Custom Simulation framework for Trimble Agriculture.

Contributions

Develop a Unity 3D configurable simulation framework that enabled Trimble testers and developers to try new systems and algorithms inside a virtual sandbox so they did not have to rely on real vehicles all the time. Developed a new suite of virtual sensors (i.e. Lidar, Radar, Cameras, IMUs, GPS) capable of producing real-time signals that matched the real counterparts.

Impact

This framework allowed the creation of new vehicles in a few days instead of months. This simulation solution enabled developers to discover issues much faster due to the accessibility of the simulators and the ground truth data which is difficult to obtain with real vehicle testing.

Role: Architect and Main Developer

VR Forensics (2017)

Company: Trimble

Development of VR Technologies to solve accident and crime scene reconstruction.

Contributions

Conceived and developed an immersive solution to visualize, preserve and manipulate forensics evidence for crime and accident scenes.

Impact

This effort injected new life into a business area that needed to catch up with the latest technologies.

Role: Concept Creator, Evangelist and Main Developer

Connected Mine (2015)

Company: Trimble

Simulation test bed for the Connected Mine (A real-time monitoring solution for mining operations).

Contributions

Created a new technique to visualize microwave radar data onto a live terrain. Developed mining assets (vehicle and sensors) to validate the system using real-time simulation. Also, developed a mining terrain generation tool to test the terrain visualization and tracking solutions.

Impact

This worked impacted the live mine project as well as T4D (Terrasat).

Role: Main Developer

Trimble Clarity (2014-2015)

Company: Trimble

Cloud based point cloud visualization solution for surveyors.

Contributions

Developed the original version of Trimble clarity that fulfilled the requirement: Give clients access to point cloud data sets but don't give them the point cloud. This version rendered skyboxes created in TBC in a web-based application where users could visualize, annotate and measure station based views.

Impact

This solution got Trimble Clarity off the ground and was used by hundreds of Trimble users. This technology was also re-used in several Trimble projects.

Role: Co-developer

Hololens (2014)

Company: Trimble & Microsoft

Co-development of the Hololens launching demo for Architecture in collaboration with Microsoft.

Contributions

Developed a new technique to project panoramas onto 3D geometry using projection shaders. The early work conducted alongside Microsoft setup the foundation to develop Augmented reality solutions using Unity 3D.

Impact

The hololens project became a major technological advance for Trimble and open a new era for solutions that placed the digital world right into the real one.

Role: Research

Trimble Story (2014)

Company: Trimble

Video project that depicts the use of Trimble Technologies and Solutions to execute the entire lifecycle of a Building Construction Project.

Contributions

This was a massive marketing project that repurposed simulation assets developed for a variety of projects to create a compelling narrative that explains how Trimble's construction portfolio can carry an entire Building project from beginning to end.

Impact

This video was showcased in 2014 to a large group of wall street analysts. It provided the C-Level tier of Trimble a way to easily illustrate and prove the value of the company.

Role: Project Manager & Main developer

Exposure Fusion (2014)

Company: Trimble

This feature allows a TBC user to blend multiple exposure photographs into an HDR like result.

Contributions

Developed a GPU based implementation of the original CPU based algorithm and reduced the execution time by 3 orders of magnitude.

Impact

This is still being used in TBC and resulted in a patent for Trimble.

Role: Research and Main Developer

VPG (2013-2023)

Company: Trimble

The Virtual Proving Ground is a framework that promotes the use and sharing of high fidelity simulation solutions across project phases.

Contributions

Developed an entire framework of simulation technologies that facilitates the creation of high fidelity simulations of vehicles, sensors, and scenes. The framework provides distinctive modes of interacting with the simulated actors (vehicles, machines, and avatars) so they can be controlled interactively, by network commands (sent by external applications), and by predefined scripted sequences.

Impact

VPG has been used in the promotion of concepts (way before solutions are developed), testing and validation of new technologies and algorithms, promotion of products, and training and education of Trimble users during the last 10 years.

Role: Concept Creator, Evangelist and Main Developer

Point Cloud Colorization (2013)

Company: Trimble

This feature allows a TBC user to colorize a point cloud using the photos collected at a station.

Contributions

Developed the first algorithm in TBC that used a compuational shader to perform the ray-to-image intersection computation for every point in the cloud dataset. This method performed several orders of magnitude faster than traditional CPU based approaches.

Impact

This is still being used every time a TBC user imports a point cloud datasets in TBC.

Role: Research and Main Developer

Google Earth Exporter (2013)

Company: Trimble

This features allows a TBC user to create a google earth panorama using VX10 data. Later versions were adapted to support other Trimble instruments like the SX10

Contributions

Created the Equi-rectangular rendering routines for the multi-resolution panorama generation using GPU technology.

Impact

This became a very popular feature in TBC that is still used today by thousands of users to showcase their projects in Google Earth.

Role: Research and Main Developer

TBC (2012-2018)

Company: Trimble

Trimble Business Center is a core Trimble software that provides solutions to Surveyors and Civil Engineers.

Contributions

Provided state of the art rendering techniques within the constrains imposed by the underlining application framework (HOOPS). Developed the Image capture command. Implemented texture mapping on surfaces. Implemented material textures with standard u/v mapping and station/offset mapping for corridors. Developed the 3D capture command. Developed plot boxes. Created the Equi-rectangular rendering routines for the process image command using a new technique. Developed the Image boundary command which allows users to clip an image using TBC line primitives as boundaries. Developed image filters that allow TBC users to dim, de-saturate and colorize images.

Impact

These features and commands have had a great impact in the feature portfolio of TBC. Most of the commands listed here were developed using GPU methods which drastically reduced the time of execution.

Role: Member of Core Development team

Open Pit Designer (2011-2012)

Company: Trimble

Parametric Open Pit design application that simplifies the entire design process by capturing the true intent: Getting the most ore under current economic constraints.

Contributions

Co-developed a novel technique that enables users to capture ore at different elevations using a derived outline. The algorithm propagates the outlines following bench parameters and road starting locations. The fast computation of a new design allows users to make quick adjustments every time the economic factors change. Developed novel GPU based rendering algorithm that slices the ore data and generates cross-sections in real-time.

Impact

This application revolutionized the industry and saved customers millions of dollars by allowing quick re-designs of their mining plans.

Role: Graphics Architect and Co-developer

TCC - Scan Visualizer (2010-2011)

Company: Trimble

Trimble Connected Community component designed to visualize and colorize point clouds.

Contribution

Developed novel technique to rapidly colorize scan data using GPU algorithms. This was the first time this was done in Trimble. This was presented to the Board of Directors to make them aware of the incredible power of GPUs and their potential to drastically improve the performance of existing and future Trimble technologies.

Impact

This technique was tested under the TCC product and was later repurposed in the Black Glass Project (see Trimble Clarity project details).

Role: Researcher and Developer

ROV Simulator (2009-2011)

Company: Trimble

Training simulation solution developed to interact with the real ROV control station. This system ran on 9 computers and provided multiple camera feeds. This system also provided a virtual sonar sensor that communicated with the actual sonar display hardware.

Contributions

Developed novel techniques to render light reflected on scattered particles. Developed novel technique to render umbilical cord spooling mechanism. Developed novel technique to simulate underwater light wave absorption behavior. Novel technique to simulate a sonar sensor.

Impact

This product was licensed to C-Innovation. Hundreds of ROV operators were trained using this solution.

Role: Graphics Architect and Co-Developer

JRAC (2005-2006)

Company: XYZ Solutions

Airfield parametric design software developed for the US Army.

Contributions

Co-Developed a novel technique to generate a custom airfield using high level user input: location, target airplanes, taxiway placement, apron placement, and other basic elements. Final design was compatible with machine control solutions.

Impact

This solution enabled the US Army to drastically expedite the process of deploying personnel and resources to remote tactical areas. It also provided a way to design a solution in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods.

Role: Co-Architect and Co-Developer

XYZ World (2001-2009)

Company: XYZ Solutions & Trimble

Comprehensive Real-Time Visualization with a publish and subscribe foundation framework.

Contributions

Mapping real-time parameters to graphical properties. Novel communication protocol (XYZ Triplets) that used value, name, units to describe any possible real-time attribute. Novel technology to update surface topology in real-time using vehicle pos.

Impact

This framework was the foundation for hundreds of customer solutions expanding a vast array of domains. It was adopted by NASA and Caterpillar for advanced R&D projects in 2006.

Role: Co-Architect and Co-Developer