Jorge D. Camba

• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Purdue University West Lafayette

Oftentimes, designers need to reverse engineer detailed design drawings to create 3D models. These drawings are commonly accepted as complete information sources in design datasets but may contain errors or ambiguities and lead to misinterpretation, resulting in digital CAD models that inherit such ambiguities, or modelling situations with no solut...

In Model-Based Enterprise environments, 3D CAD models — specifically, native parametric solid models — become the primary carriers of design information for engineering and manufacturing activities. It is therefore critical that these assets are built to the highest levels of quality and explicitly meet the requirements for being: 1) usable, the mo...

Design ideation activities that involve the manipulation of geometry rely heavily on manual input. For feasibility reasons, the generation of design alternatives must often be limited, particularly when these alternatives need to be prototyped and tested. This paper describes a conceptual design strategy that leverages variational three-dimensional...

Building a large ship structure involves the design of thousands of stiffeners, which add strength to the hull so it can withstand the weight of the cargo as well as any external loads that may act on the bottom of the hull. These ship stiffeners must be 3D modeled and then converted to 2D engineering drawings for manufacturing. Manually generating...

We present a new spatial skills assessment tool, the Virtual Reality Mental Rotation Assessment. Results suggest that the gamified immersive experience enabled increased levels of engagement and motivation and the instrument was likely not biased in favor or people with past virtual reality (VR) experience. Using VR did not appear to introduce addi...

The use of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in product design allows for the creation of virtual prototypes, which can be evaluated in immersive environments in a realistic and controlled manner. Unlike traditional assessment methods which rely on self-reporting, novel techniques based on eye-tracking and face-tracking technologies enable a more a...

Mental rotation, a common measure of spatial ability, has traditionally been assessed through paper-based instruments like the Mental Rotation Test (MRT) or the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R). The fact that these instruments present 3D shapes in a 2D format devoid of natural cues like shading and perspective likely limits the...

Image-generative artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in the product design process. In this paper, we present examples of how it is being used and discuss the possibilities of how applications may evolve in the future. We discuss the legal and ethical implications of image-generative AI, including concerns about bias, hidden lab...

The principles of change and configuration management are foundational pillars for the operational excellence of any industrial enterprise, impacting every facet of its processes, technology, and personnel. They provide a method for identifying, analyzing, preparing, implementing, validating, and documenting engineering changes throughout a product...

Spatial ability has long been considered important in CAD education. However, spatial ability is not a unitary construct, but a family of a variety of different skills. The choice of which spatial tests are thought to measure spatial abilities in CAD education is rarely called into question, and the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test (PSVT:R) is amo...

This chapter is an overview of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering and includes elements of computer graphics, visualization, and emerging visualization technologies. Commercial three-dimensional (3D) modeling tools are dimension driven, parametric, feature based, and constraint based. This means that, when geometry is create...

In this paper, we describe a conceptual product design approach based on variational 3D models, parametric optimization, and rapid prototyping for facilitating the exploration of the solution space for a design problem. We demonstrate the proposed strategy through a case study on the design of an ophthalmic instrument. A template 3D model was manua...

The use of formal methodologies for parametric modeling has been shown to significantly improve the robustness and reusability of feature-based CAD models, particularly in response to changes, which has implications in the entire product development process. One of these methodologies, explicit reference modeling, has been proven particularly effec...

Sitting balance is an important aspect of overall motor control, particularly for individuals who are not able to stand. Typical clinical assessment methods for sitting balance rely on human observation, making them subjective, imprecise, and sometimes time-consuming. The primary objective of this study is to develop an improved system for assessin...

Spatial ability has long been regarded as important in STEM, and mental rotation, a subcategory of spatial ability, is widely accepted as the cognitive ability with the largest gender difference in favor of men. Multiple meta-analyses of various tests of spatial ability have found large gender differences in outcomes of the mental rotation test (MR...

Virtual product presentations that rely on static images and text are often insufficient to communicate all the information that is necessary to accurately evaluate a product. Technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) have enabled more sophisticated representation methods, but certain product characteristics are difficult...

Design educators and spatial researchers frequently use the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R) to assess students’ spatial abilities. Some researchers have claimed that the PSVT:R is the strongest measure of mental rotation ability, that relative to other tests, the PSVT:R most incorporates the “gestalt thinking process,” and tha...

Product evaluation throughout the design process is crucial for product success, which also helps to reduce design related costs. Physical prototyping is a common method to assess design alternatives, but often requires significant amounts of time and money. Extended Reality (XR) technologies are changing how products are presented to the user, mak...

Data visualizations and information dashboards are useful but complex tools. They must be fully understood to draw proper insights and to avoid misleading conclusions. However, several elements and factors are involved in this domain, which makes it difficult to learn. In previous works, we proposed a meta-model to capture the primitive elements th...

Decisions made based on manufacturing data can help identify key problem areas in an assembly line and mitigate any defects from progressing through to the next step in the assembly process. But what if the products’ “as manufactured” data was inaccurate or did not exist at all? This paper outlines the development and validation of a system for tra...

As organizations embrace Industry 4.0 and its corresponding digital transformation, new technologies and practices are enabling more resilient, integrated, and sustainable approaches to product development. Researchers have explored the information flows and data relationships between requirements management (RQM) practices and Computer-Aided Desig...

In the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) paradigm, digital product models are the primary source of information to support the design, analysis, and manufacturing of products. The master geometry of these product models is generally built procedurally in a CAD system, typically as history-based parametric geometry. However, some model conversion and exc...

Fast-growing global markets are forcing companies to continuously reassess customer needs when designing new products. Product evaluation is a critical task to ensure success, but it can require significant financial and time investments. From an end-user standpoint, consumers must also evaluate multiple design options before purchasing a product,...

This work describes a study of graphics interpretation in a common test of spatial ability, the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R). Tests of spatial abilities have long been considered to assess a cognitive ability of manipulating shapes in the mind's eye, and are often used for student assessment in engineering educational conte...

The robustness and flexibility of a feature-based parametric CAD model determines the extent to which the geometry can be modified and reused in other design scenarios. The ability of a model to successfully adapt to changes depends on the type and sequence of the modeling operations selected to build the geometry, the parent–child dependencies def...

Spatial skills assessment is popular in educational research, with correlations found with success in STEM disciplines. One type of spatial assessment involves recognition and manipulation of drawings of 3D shapes. However, the use of 2D media to evaluate 3D abilities has inherent limitations that are a threat to the validity of the instruments. We...

Sketch-Based Modeling (SBM) is a field of study that focuses on the automatic creation of 3D models from freehand drawings. Today, two related branches coexist: one aimed at facilitating input for 3D content creation, and the other aimed at routing engineering designs into CAD/CAM/CAE. The latter is the goal of this position paper. Early attempts c...

Modern manufacturing companies operate in environments characterized by increasingly shorter development cycles and the need to develop highly customizable products at competitive prices. In this paper, we examine the role of parametric 3D modeling in the product development process, and highlight the importance of robustness, flexibility, and resp...

As the engineering and manufacturing sectors transform their processes into those of a digital enterprise, future designers and engineers must be trained to guarantee the quality of the digital models that are created and consumed throughout the product’s lifecycle. Formative training approaches, particularly those based on online rubrics, have bee...

The robustness and flexibility of a feature-based parametric CAD model determines the extent to which the geometry can be modified and reused in other design scenarios. The ability of a model to successfully adapt to changes depends on the type and sequence of the modeling operations selected to build the geometry, the parent–child dependencies def...

As a key element in the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE), the Model-Based Definition (MBD) enables the use of annotated 3D models as sole carriers of product information, a practice intended to replace (or at least minimize) the need for traditional engineering drawings. Although both academia and industry have emphasized the benefits provided by MBD,...

The ability to recognize misleading data visualizations is a key aspect of visualization literacy. In this article, we argue that learning to successfully identify a deceptive graphic requires strategies that deliberately force learners to take an active role in the visualization process. We describe a series of experiments where three groups of le...

This paper explores the relationship between geometry and emotion through the use of language analysis. We describe a novel computational design approach and the implementation of a software prototype that uses sentiment analysis in written communication to automatically generate parametric variations of a particular design. Our system provides a h...

Recent advances in visualization technologies have changed how products are presented to consumers. Sophisticated digital media modalities are gradually replacing traditional formats, but certain product features are difficult to evaluate, which may result in significant perceptual differences. In this paper, we report the results of a within-subje...

In this paper, we examine the advertising impact of influencers on the promotion of a luxury fashion item and the effect of the presentation style. More specifically, we focus on the application of eye-tracking technologies to analyze how consumers respond to different presentation strategies used by influencers when promoting a product in a photog...

Common tests of spatial skills do not simply test one’s ability to mentally manipulate shapes. Instead, many popular assessments depend on a separate ability to comprehend two-dimensional graphical depictions of three-dimensional objects. Two categories of evidence are presented: 1) a discussion of the visual problems present in the stimuli commonl...

Immersive visualization technologies have been the subject of a significant amount of research in the engineering and manufacturing communities. As a result, various tools have been developed to support a wide range of processes throughout the lifecycle of a product, such as design, review, process planning, manufacturing, inspection, training, mai...

Recent advances in graphics hardware technology are enabling the development of increasingly more sophisticated virtual reality (VR) applications. However, the representation of 3D virtual models in this medium requires finding a proper balance between visual quality and computational complexity. Virtual reality-based software should be optimized i...

Strategies for design reuse play a fundamental role in the development of products that change and evolve over time. Design changes often involve modifications in the geometry of parts and assemblies, which are driven by changes in the digital representation of the product, i.e. the procedural and parametric CAD model. Consequently, constraint redu...

Research in digital transformation (DT) is burgeoning. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has not only influenced both day-to-day functions of firms dramatically, but also their efforts to become more digitally mature. In this review paper, we discuss the barriers to DT before, during, and what may well continue after the COVID-19 pandemic and offer...

In this paper, we lay the foundation for estimating the cost associatedn to parametric modeling changes and discuss its implications on the broader context of engineering change management. We provide an analysis of the different stages, decision points and relationships between the stages involved in the change process and present a roadmap for fu...

Mixed Reality (MR) technologies are rapidly establishing themselves in the space industry. From assisting with assembling the Orion capsule via Augmented Reality (AR) to using highly immersive virtual environments for astronaut training, MR technologies provide a powerful mechanism to alter the perception of the physical world and deliver realistic...

In this paper, we describe a voice-based interaction mechanism to annotate 3D models directly from a computer-aided design (CAD) modeling environment. The audio signal is captured and automatically transcribed to a textual 3D note, which is attached to the geometry and made available to other product information and business processes across the en...

Recent advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) have fostered the development of new methods and tools for exploring the increasingly large amounts of data that come from pedagogical domains. These data have the potential to transform education into a personalized experience that meets the needs of each individual student. Educ...

The assurance of model quality in parametric CAD implies that designers must build models that facilitate reuse while retaining their design intent when modified. In this context, a suitable selection of geometric constraints that operate within and between features is key to produce robust-while-flexible models which are a prerequisite for reusabi...

This paper describes a novel voice interaction mechanism for capturing and managing design knowledge within a collaborative Computer-Aided Design (CAD) environment. We present a software module for speech recognition that integrates with a CAD application to allow the automatic creation of textual annotations in a 3D model directly from voice data....

In order to be reusable, history-based feature-based parametric CAD models must reliably allow for modifications while maintaining their original design intent. In this paper, we demonstrate that relations that fix the location of geometric entities relative to the reference system produce inflexible profiles that reduce model reusability. We prese...

In this article, visual perception principles were used to build an artificial perception model aimed at developing an algorithm for detecting junctions in line drawings of polyhedral objects that are vectorized from hand-drawn sketches. The detection is performed in two dimensions (2D), before any 3D model is available and minimal information abou...

Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) offer new roles to teachers to improve learning processes. In this regard, learning rubrics are commonplace. However, the design of these rubrics has focused mainly on scoring (summative rubrics), whereas formative rubrics have received significantly less attention. ICTs make possible electronic ru...

Navigation metaphors in Virtual Reality environments have consistently challenged researchers and developers due to the difficulty of implementing locomotion techniques with high levels of comfort, sense of presence, efficacy and able to fit different narrative environments. In this context, several studies have linked cybersickness to the performa...

In this paper, we report some issues in the learning ecosystem at Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University related to software interoperability problems that can be considered a limiting factor in the efficiency of the CAD workflow in Civil Engineering education. We describe the structure of an undergraduate course where vario...

We present a database architecture for exploring, classifying, and visualizing feature-based parametric CAD models based on quantitative complexity metrics. The system consists of (1) an external relational database structure where models are stored along with their graph representation and the numerical values of each complexity metric, (2) a clie...

We present a database architecture for exploring, classifying, and visualizing feature-based parametric CAD models based on quantitative complexity metrics. The system consists of (1) an external relational database structure where models are stored along with their graph representation and the numerical values of each complexity metric, (2) a clie...

The variety of stressors inherent to space missions and other extreme environments can cause crewmembers to experience complex psychological difficulties. Such conditions will likely become more severe during long-duration space flights, exposing crewmembers to situations of extreme sensory deprivation and loneliness. Means to integrate novelty and...

We outline an artificial perception model for an algorithm that detects junctions in casual sketches. These sketches are used by skilled individuals to visually and quickly convey ideas.

An approach to convey CAD quality-oriented strategies to beginning users to create bottom-up assemblies is described. The work builds on previous efforts in the area of single part history-based, feature-based parametric modeling evaluation by defining, testing, and validating a set of quality dimensions that can be applied to MCAD assembly assessm...

This paper discusses fundamental design considerations for developing a habitat to support NASA’s goals of establishing Mars surface capabilities with commonality for in-space transit habitat architectures. The mission requirements for this study are based on NASA’s Human Exploration of Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0. Our methodology includ...

Design reusability largely depends on the parametric quality of its associated digital product data. In this regard, the quality of the master model (typically a history-based parametric model) is crucial. However, no quantitative metrics exist that can provide an accurate assessment of parametric complexity and model reusability. In this paper, a...

Design reusability largely depends on the parametric quality of its associated digital product data. In this regard, the quality of the master model (typically a history-based parametric model) is crucial. However, no quantitative metrics exist that can provide an accurate assessment of parametric complexity and model reusability. In this paper, a...

Digital product data quality has proven to be a unifying theme in designing and reusing efficient products, particularly in the context of the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE). More specifically, the quality of the master model (usually a history-based parametric model) is critical, as it determines the quality of all secondary models used in subsequen...

Digital product data quality has proven to be a unifying theme in designing and reusing efficient products, particularly in the context of the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE). More specifically, the quality of the master model (usually a history-based parametric model) is critical, as it determines the quality of all secondary models used in subsequen...

Traditional interaction mechanisms in distributed digital spaces often fail to consider the intrinsic properties of action, perception, and communication among workgroups, which may affect access to the common resources used to mutually organize information. By developing suitable spatial geometries and natural interaction mechanisms, distributed s...

We describe the design of an interactive concrete floor display for public spaces and discuss its implementation and areas of application. The primary purpose of our system is to provide new forms of collaborative interaction in long-term installations in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Our design is an expandable system of interconnected tiles, wh...

In the field of product design, conceptual sketching involves not only the rapid creation of ideas, but also the delivery of high-quality drawings with specific aesthetic attributes and a conventional visual style. This paper argues that the workflows and creative output produced by digital sketching during conceptual industrial design activities a...

Possible psychological complications of a long space flight beyond the Earth low orbit have been under discussion since such missions were first proposed. Those complications are related to the confined environment of a spacecraft during the flight and habitats on the moon or Mars surface, crewmembers’ personalities, cultural and social differences...

In this paper, we build on the idea that specialized instruction improves the overall quality of CAD documents by guiding students into selecting the most suitable modeling strategies and approaches. To this end, automatic assessment tools can be used to detect errors and provide feedback, thus relieving instructors from routine checks and allowing...

Design intent is generally understood simply as a CAD model’s anticipated behavior when altered. However, this representation provides a simplified view of the model’s construction and purpose, which may hinder its general understanding and future reusability. Our vision is that design intent communication may be improved by recognizing the multifa...

As CAD models continue to become more critical information sources in the product’s lifecycle, it is necessary to develop efficient mechanisms to store, retrieve, and manage larger volumes of increasingly complex data. Because of their unique characteristics, 3D annotations can be used to embed design and manufacturing information directly into a C...

We present an interactive companion for children’s nutrition education that capitalizes on digital technology to promote mental and physical stimulation by adding game-like elements to the eating experience. Our device allows children to manage portion sizes easily and promotes the practice of healthy eating habits by interacting with “Cibo,” a hea...

This paper reports on an integrated project-based course for undergraduate students in industrial design, architecture, and interior architecture, where emerging technologies are used to develop 3D visualization experiences for projects that effectively combine elements from the three design disciplines. The course emphasizes design as a multidisci...

The application of computer technology to engineering and manufacturing domains has drastically transformed the way products and systems are designed and produced. However, a major drawback of CAD/CAM/CAE systems is the steep learning curve required to understand and master their extensive and increasingly complex set of functionalities. In this pa...

This paper describes the implementation and testing of our concept of adaptable rubrics, defined as analytical rubrics that arrange assessment criteria at multiple levels that can be expanded on demand. Because of its adaptable nature, these rubrics cannot be implemented in paper formats, neither are they supported by current Learning Management Sy...

Eye tracking has been shown to be an effective method for evaluating usability and User eXperience (UX) in various environments. With the advent of affordable high performance Head Mounted Displays (HMDs), Virtual Reality (VR) has rapidly expanded and opened new channels for fun and “serious” game experiences. However, there is a lack of effective...

Presentation done at the Model-Based Enterprise Summit 2017, summarizing some results of the ANNOTA project.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a demanding and hazardous industry. Because of the changing roles in the emergency response system, EMS workers are increasingly expected to provide treatment and care in addition to transport, which increases their task load and susceptibility to harm. This paper serves to outline the EMS field from the worker's...

A new taxonomy of issues related to CAD model quality is presented, which distinguishes between explicit and procedural models. For each type of model, morphologic, syntactic, and semantic errors are characterized. The taxonomy was validated successfully when used to classify quality testing tools, which are aimed at detecting and repairing data er...

A new taxonomy of issues related to CAD model quality is presented, which distinguishes between explicit and procedural models. For each type of model, morphologic, syntactic, and semantic errors are characterized. The taxonomy was validated successfully when used to classify quality testing tools, which are aimed at detecting and repairing data er...

This paper builds on the authors' previous work with Augmented Reality (AR) technology as a tool to enhance traditional visualizations and facilitate the understanding of complex information. In this paper, we expand our previous work with AR technology by focusing on the process of creating custom content. Based on users' feedback, we describe and...

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have played a major role in shaping our society, affecting nearly all aspects of our daily lives. In educational contexts, the ongoing technological revolution we are experiencing naturally calls for a transformation of traditional teaching and learning processes. The integration and efficient use o...