ONF - Département R&D

--- ENGLISH —
Hi everyone,

A short announcement to apologize.
In fact, notifications from the server rdinnovation were deactivated between July 15 and September 12 at our insue.
Thus no registration request or message on the forum were relayed during this period.
Pending registrations have now been validated, and notifications reactivated.
I will look on the forum and reply to messages left unanswered.

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.

--- FRANCAIS —

Une courte annonce pour vous présenter des excuses.
En effet, les notifications du serveur rdinnovation ont été désactivées entre le 15 juillet et le 12 septembre à notre insue.
Ainsi aucune demande d’inscription ou message sur le forum n’ont été relayés pendant cette période.
Les inscriptions en attente ont désormais été validées, et les notifications réactivées.
Je vais regarder sur le forum et répondre aux messages restés sans réponse.

Cordialement.
Alexandre Piboule.

You will find here, a Doctoral Research Opportunity:

Title: METHODS DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE TREE- AND STAND-LEVEL GROWTH MODEL BY USING MULTI-TEMPORAL TERRESTRIAL LIDAR DATA
Where: Applied Geomatics Department, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke (Quebec) Canada
Timeframe: Three to four years starting as soon as possible

PhD_Q20_TLiDAR_USherbrooke_v1d.pdf

U. Laval (Québec) is recruiting a Ph.D. student in modeling forest structure-function from lidar:

PhD student wanted_fr_2017.pdf

You will find here, a Doctoral Research Opportunity:

Title: METHODS DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE TREE- AND STAND-LEVEL GROWTH MODEL BY USING MULTI-TEMPORAL TERRESTRIAL LIDAR DATA

Where: Applied Geomatics Department, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke (Quebec) Canada

Timeframe: Three to four years starting between June 2017 and January 2018

PhD_Q20_TLiDAR_USherbrooke_v1c.pdf

-------- English version (le français est en dessous) ------------------------

Hello everyone,

I’m please to announce the release of the Tutorial 01 for Computree v 4.0, entitled General organization of the interface, loading and displaying a point cloud

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree/wiki/En_documentation_v4

It is composed of a Youtube video, showing all the operations in a 5 minutes video, and of a detailed PDF tutorial describing things step by step.

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule

-------- Version française ---------------------------------------------------------

Bonjour à tous,

Je suis heureux de vous annoncer la sortie du Tutoriel 01 pour Computree v 4.0, intitulé Organisation générale de l’interface, chargement et affichage d’un nuage.

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree/wiki/Fr_documentation_v4

Il est composé d’une vidéo Youtube, montrant toutes les opérations en une vidéo de 5 minutes, et d’un tutoriel PDF détaillé décrivant les choses étape par étape.

Cordialement.
Alexandre Piboule.

Bonjour à tous,

J’ai le plaisir de vous annoncer la sortie de la version 4.0 de Computree pour Windows 7/8/10 et Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, en 64bits.

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree/wiki

Cette version a été complètement remaniée par rapport à la version 3.

Modifications du cœur, coté utilisateur :

• Passage à OpenSceneGraph pour l’affichage 3D :
  • Performance d’affichage améliorée
  • Malheureusement au prix d’une occupation mémoire importante
  • N.B. : une amélioration très significative de la vue 3D est prévue pour la version 4.1 (premier semestre 2017)
• Refonte du système de gestion des étapes
  • Menus thématiques
  • Possibilité de création de menus dédiés (niveau 2) par les plugins
  • Système de favoris pour l’utilisateur
• Amélioration de la gestion des scripts : possibilité de correction interactive au chargement d’un script obsolète
• Gestion des coordonnées en double précision
  • Plus de problèmes avec les données en projection géographique
  • Stockage des points optimisé (simple précision + offsets)
• Améliorations ergonomiques, dont :
  • Paramétrage des données d’entrée des étapes
  • Affichage des types de données
  • Réorganisation des icônes
  • Script en cours sauvegardé en cas de plantage, rechargement possible au lancement
  • Ajout de fonctionnalités de colorisation des points / attributs
  • Possibilité de désactiver le log (lag lors de traitements massifs)
• Ajout d’étapes de chargements multiples pour tous les formats
• Introduction des étapes « boucles de scripts »
  • Permet de charger itérativement des fichiers pour leur appliquer une même séquence d’étapes, = traitement par lots en mode interactif
• Mise en place d’un mode « Full batch » (aucune interface) de lancement des scripts
• Correction de nombreux bugs

Modification des plugins existants :

• Correction de nombreux bugs
• Plugin ONF et plugin Base :
  • Ajout d’étapes pour le traitement et l’analyse de données A-Lidar
  • Ajout d’étapes interactives de segmentation de houppiers en T-LIDAR

Nouveaux plugins diffusés en standard :

• Plugin LERFOB : mesure de la courbure et de l’inclinaison de billons
• Plugin SEGMA : Intégration des travaux de Benoît Saint-Onge sur la segmentation de couronnes en A-LIDAR
• IGN – LIF (A-LIDAR) : Intégration d’algorithmes de Cédric Véga
• SimpleTree (Uniquement sur Windows pour le moment) : Algorithmes QSM de Jan Hackenberg

Modifications du cœur, coté développeur de plugins :

• Connexion à des libraires externes :
  • Eigen 3 - Calcul matriciel
  • Point Cloud Library 1.7 – Traitement nuages de points 3D (T-LIDAR)
  • GDAL / OGR 2.0 – Formats SIG vecteur et raster
  • OpenCV 3.0 – Traitement d’images
  • Gnu Scientific Library 2.1 – Calcul numérique
• Mise en place d’un système permettant une intégration simplifiée de nouvelles librairies à l’avenir
• Ajout de nouvelles solutions d’enrichissement de Computree
  • Dans les plugins : métriques, filtres
  • Ajout du concept de « librairie » : utilisable depuis les plugins

Bugs connus :

• Il est fréquent que Computree plante à la fermeture. Ce bug non bloquant a été identifié et sera corrigé dès que possible.
• Le composant 3D est performant sur des cartes graphiques puissantes (avec beaucoup de mémoire dédiée), mais peut s’avérer peu efficace sur des configurations plus réduites. Dans certain cas des manipulations rapides alors que l’affichage est en cours de rafraîchissement peut provoquer un plantage. Il est préconisé sur de gros nuages de procéder calmement pour éviter cela. Ce bug sera corrigé en 4.1.
• Le plugin SimpleTree n’est pas disponible dans la version Ubuntu pour le moment.
• La version Ubuntu n’a été testée que sur un ordinateur (mais avec succès). Si elle ne fonctionne pas sur votre configuration, merci de poster un message sur le forum avec les détails du plantage que nous puissions corriger les éventuels problèmes au plus vite.

Ressources :

• La documentation permettant de compiler Computree sous Windows et Ubuntu a été mise à jour en français et en anglais
• La documentation utilisateur est en cours de refonte et se présentera sous forme de tutoriels vidéos. Les premiers sont prévus pour janvier 2017 et seront annoncés dès leur sortie.

Merci pour votre patience, je sais que cette version 4.0 a mis beaucoup de temps à voir le jour.
Nous mettons tout en oeuvre pour accélérer significativement le rythme des releases désormais.

Très bonne année 2017 à tous.
Alexandre Piboule.

Hello everyone,

I am pleased to announce the release of version 4.0 of Computree for Windows 7/8/10 and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, in 64bits.

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree/wiki

This version has been completely redesigned compared to version 3.

Changes in the core, user side:

• Switch to OpenSceneGraph for 3D viewing:
  • Improved display performance
  • Unfortunately at the price of an important memory occupation
  • NB: a very significant improvement of the 3D view is planned for version 4.1 (first semester 2017)
• Reworking of the Step Management System
  • Themed menus
  • Possibility of creation of dedicated menus (level 2) by the plugins
  • User favorites
• Improved script management: possibility of interactive correction when loading an obsolete script
• Double-precision coordinate management
  • No more problems with data in geographic projection
  • Optimized points storage (single precision + offsets)
• Ergonomic improvements, including:
  • Parameterization of the input data of steps
  • Display of data types
  • Reordering of icons
  • Script saved in case of crash, reload possible at launch
  • Added points / attributes colorization features
  • Possibility to disable the log (lag during massive processing)
• Added multiple load steps for all formats
• Introduction of the "loops of scripts" steps
  • Used to iteratively load files and apply to them the same sequence of steps, = batch processing in interactive mode
• Implementation of a “Full batch” mode (no interface) for launching scripts
• Fixed many bugs

Modification of existing plugins:

• Fixed many bugs
• Plugin ONF and plugin Base:
  • Adding steps for processing and analyzing A-Lidar data
  • Adding interactive tree crown segmentation in T-LIDAR clouds

New plugins provided as standard:

• LERFOB Plugin: measurement of the curvature and inclination of stems
• SEGMA Plugin: Integration of Benoît Saint-Onge’s work on crown segmentation in A-LIDAR
• IGN - LIF (A-LIDAR): Integration of Cédric Véga algorithms
• SimpleTree (Only on Windows at the moment): QSM algorithms by Jan Hackenberg

Modifications of the core, developer of plugins side:

• Connection to external libraries:
  • Eigen 3 - Matrix computing
  • Point Cloud Library 1.7 - 3D point cloud processing (T-LIDAR)
  • GDAL / OGR 2.0 - GIS vector and raster formats
  • OpenCV 3.0 - Image processing
  • Gnu Scientific Library 2.1 - Numerical Computing
• Implementation of a system allowing a simplified integration of new libraries in the future
• Added new Computree enrichment solutions
  • In plugins: metrics, filters
  • Adding the concept of “library”: usable from plugins

Known Bugs:

• It is common that Computree plants when closing it. This non-blocking bug has been identified and will be corrected as soon as possible.
• The 3D component is efficient on powerful graphics cards (with a lot of dedicated memory), but can be inefficient on smaller configurations. In some cases fast manipulations while the display is being refreshed may cause a crash. It is recommended on large clouds to proceed calmly to avoid this. This bug will be fixed in 4.1.
• The SimpleTree plugin is not available in the Ubuntu version at the moment.
• The Ubuntu version has only been tested on one computer (but successfully). If it does not work on your configuration, please post a message on the forum with the details of the crash so we can fix any problems as soon as possible.

Resources:

• Computree compilation documentation for Windows and Ubuntu has been updated in English and French
• User documentation is being redesigned and will take the form of video tutorials. The first are scheduled for January 2017 and will be announced as soon as they are released.

Thanks for your patience, I know that version 4.0 took a long time to be released.
We are working hard to accelerate the pace of releases now.

Happy new year 2017 to all.
Alexandre Piboule.

Dear Computree users,

A new complete version of Computree is coming soon.
But for now, if you want to try the SimpleTree plugin alone, Jan Hackenberg has compiled a windows beta version of Computree, containing only SimpleTree (so note a lots of Computree functionalities are missing).
He is also providing the first videos on our new Youtube Computree tutorial channel: Computree_EN.

Below I let you read his announcement for all of that:

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Dear Computree users,

I went with a new plugin semi public three months ago. Since today, all Computree users can download a windows exectuable without having to contact me first. Thanks to the users who sent me valuable feedback:

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree-simpletree-beta-version/files

The plugin is capable of segmenting plot scans and produce complete geometrical models out of segmented tree clouds, you can get an impression from the two attached screenshots.

You will find in addition to the executable (Windows) a PDF describing how to use the plugin. There is also three tutorial videos available on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAs1tLPP-X-DQ-oBf71FlfQ

If you find the plugin useful please give in your result/thesis/publication the following citation of my most recent publication, which might also be nice to read for you as a user:

Hackenberg, J.; Spiecker, H.; Calders, K.; Disney, M.; Raumonen, P. SimpleTree —An Efficient Open Source Tool to Build Tree Models from TLS Clouds. Forests 2015, 6, 4245-4294.

In case of problems, make sure you looked through the PDF and videos if you find the solution. Otherwise feel free to contact me: jan.hackenberg@inra.fr (my email changed recently). I am also interested in feedback. Both if you are fine with the plugin and also if there are problems. In case you find a way to crash my plugin, the feedback is really valuable.

Please do then so the following: upload you point cloud to dropbox or to another place, please do not sent me by mail. I most likely need the cloud to reproduce and fix the error. Sent me as well a step configuration script making this crash happen and link both with a minimal description in an email. I can remove the cloud after fixing from my computer if you ask me to do so.

Make sure to always visual validate the quality of my models. The nice models you see in the pictures are also derived from high quality clouds. Be careful if you work with DBH, you need to put the right parameter in the configuration file. If you do not put the right value, my program does not know the real world height of the z-coordinates. I discuss this in more detail in the PDF.

I hope you enjoy my plugin.
Jan

Below, a message from Jan Hackenberg:

Dear Computree Users,

A new plugin is available for Computree. It aims to model the complete tree structure including every branch for a tree cloud. See the attached screenshot. As the output you get a so called QSM model containing up to multiple
thousand cylinders per tree. The plugin is based on http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/11/4245 which presents a stand alone software called SimpleTree (http://www.simpletree.uni-freiburg.de/). The SimpleTree method is now rewritten in Computree.

A lot of improvements have been performed. The method does not rely on user given parameters any more. All parameters are computed within the method itself. Before the next official Computree release you can already get access to the plugin in form of a Windows exectuable. It just contains basic Computree functionalities and the SimpleTree method, as this is only a partial release.

Please sent an email to jan.hackenberg@nancy.inra.fr to get access if desired.

You will be able to download from:
http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree-simpletree-beta-version/files

Here is also a small Readme PDF which should be read first. It contains in majority (page 2 until end) screenshots and should be read fast.

Please provide me with your Computree/rdinnovation user name. Let me in addition know if you want to be put in a small newsletter, as I do not want to post too much on the Computree platform announcements.

I plan at least weekly releases of this plugin. De-noising procedures will follow. To improve the method you can do the following:

• Provide me with feedback. In case you receive negative results, e.g. bad tree models, write me a short email with a screenshot of the modelling failure. If I cannot fix by the screenshot I will ask you to give me access to the cloud to reproduce the error and debug it.
• If you have Tree scan data with GT (complete tree volume or biomass + density), it would be hugely beneficial to get access to this data. I will not publish this data without your allowance and use it for training purposes only (or ask for allowance).

Thanks for your kind attention
Jan

Hello,

You will find below a post doctoral position at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) in Nancy, France and the Department of Geography from UQAM in Montreal, Canada. The Laboratory of Forest Inventory (LIF) of the National Institute for Geographic and Forest Information (IGN) and the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) department from the French National Forest Office (ONF) are also implied in the project.

The position is entitled:
Postdoctoral position in 3D modeling of forest canopies using digital photogrammetry and airborne laser scanning

Postdoctoral position in 3D modeling of forest canopies-modele.pdf

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.