Lattice-based flow field modeling
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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Determining 3D Flow Fields via Multi-camera Light Field Imaging
Published on: March 6, 2013
Xiaoming Wei1, Ye Zhao, Zhe Fan
1Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY 11794-4400, USA. wxiaomin@cs.sunysb.edu
Abstract:
We present an approach for simulating the natural dynamics that emerge from the interaction between a flow field and immersed objects. We model the flow field using the Lattice Boltzmann Model (LBM) with boundary conditions appropriate for moving objects and accelerate the computation on commodity graphics hardware (GPU) to achieve real-time performance. The boundary conditions mediate the exchange of momentum between the flow field and the moving objects resulting in forces exerted by the flow on the objects as well as the back-coupling on the flow. We demonstrate our approach using soap bubbles and a feather. The soap bubbles illustrate Fresnel reflection, reveal the dynamics of the unseen flow field in which they travel, and display spherical harmonics in their undulations. Our simulation allows the user to directly interact with the flow field to influence the dynamics in real time. The free feather flutters and gyrates in response to lift and drag forces created by its motion relative to the flow. Vortices are created as the free feather falls in an otherwise quiescent flow.
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