Plans for a new Peace Bridge and advancements in surgery are two of the research projects being completed by faculty and students at the Center for Computational Research, home to UB's super computers.
"We look to support high-end computing and visualization, in terms of projects that require that sort of technology to provide access to research so that world-class faculty can do world-class research," said Russ Miller, director of the CCR, at Wednesday's Faculty Senate Executive Committee meeting. "We also try and provide these facilities to the Western New York community to help in economic development in areas that are a good match."
David Walia, a junior computer engineering major who works in the CCR, is participating in a project dealing with visual and graphic simulation.
"This will be a tool for traffic engineers, so they can look in 3D and get a better feel for what is going on," said Walia.
According to Miller, one such traffic project in which the CCR is involved with is the Peace Bridge Visualization Project.
Due to the need to expand the capacity and update the infrastructure of the Peace Bridge - the only automobile bridge connecting Buffalo and Canada - the CCR has created a visual replication of the existing Peace Bridge and multiple proposals to expand the bridge.
Miller said the simulations include photo-realistic replications of all of the buildings surrounding the Peace Bridge.
In addition, Miller said students were hired to take photographs of the buildings and the attention taken to details - for example, even storefront signs appear in the replications - tend to make people feel that the simulation is more realistic.
Miller said the computer-generated simulations help people visualize the improved traffic conditions a new bridge would bring.
"If you have ever been on the bridge, traffic does not flow like that," he said, as he displayed one of the proposed changes to the bridge.
According to Thomas Furlani, associate director of the CCR, the center is also participating in the Children's Hospital Preoperative Planning Project, which is an effort to make advancements in surgery on children.
The CCR has created a three dimensional model that allows doctors to better assess a child's problem and gives parents a better understanding of their child's ailment, Furlani said.
Ashley Heyd, a freshman pharmacy major, said the ability to help the community through technology at UB is something that should be taken advantage of.
"If we have the resources and facilities to come up with things like these, why not use them to help people and their causes?" said Heyd.
Aside from the current projects, Miller said the CCR also encourages the development of new ideas, through classes and workshops for faculty and students.
The CCR also holds multiple tours where prospective students can come to see the facilities.
"I would find it hard to believe that students do not know that we exist," Miller said.
Walia, who has been involved in CCR since a workshop he participated in during his senior year of high school, said he has "learned more working here than in the rest of my courses so far."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
