Calculating and visualizing a realistic trajectory of ink spreading through water has been a longstanding and enormous challenge for computer graphics and physics researchers.
When a drop of ink hits the water, it typically sinks forward, creating a tail before various ink streams branch off in different directions. The motion of the ink’s molecules upon mixing with water is seemingly random. This is because the motion is determined by the interaction of the water’s viscosity (thickness) and vorticity (how much it rotates at a given point).
“If the water is more viscous, there will be fewer branches. If the water is less viscous, it will have more branches,” said Zhiqi Li, a graduate computer science student.
Li is the lead author of Particle-Laden Fluid on Flow Maps, a best paper winner at the December 2024 ACM SIGGRAPH Asia conference. Assistant Professor Bo Zhu advises Li and is the co-author of six papers accepted to the conference.
Zhu said they must correctly calculate and simulate the interaction between viscosity and vorticity before they can accurately predict the ink trajectory.
“The ink branches generate based on the intricate interaction between the vorticities and the viscosity over time, which we simulated,” Zhu said. “Using a standard method to simulate the physics will cause most of the structures to fade quickly without being able to see any detailed hierarchies.”
Zhu added that researchers had yet to develop a method for this until he and his co-authors proposed a new way to solve the equation. Their breakthrough has unlocked the most accurate simulations of ink diffusion to date.
“Ink diffusion is one of the most visually striking examples of particle-laden flow,” Zhu said.
“We introduce a new viscosity model that solves for the interaction between vorticity and viscosity from a particle flow map perspective. This new simulation lets you map physical quantities from a certain time frame, allowing us to see particle trajectory.”
In computer simulations, flow is the digital visualization of a gas or liquid through a system. Users can simulate these liquids and gases through different scenarios and study pressure, velocity, and temperature.
A particle-laden flow depicts solid particles mixing within a continuous fluid phase, such as dust or water sediment. A flow map traces particle motion from the start point to the endpoint.
Duowen Chen, a computer science Ph.D. student also advised by Zhu and co-author of the paper, said previous efforts by researchers to simulate ink diffusion depended on guesswork. They either used limited traditional methods of calculations or artificial designs.
“They add in a noise model or an artificial model to create vortical motions, but our method does not require adding any artificial vortical components,” Chen said. “We have a better viscosity force calculation and vortical preservation, and the two give a better ink simulation.”
Zhu also won a best paper award at the 2023 SIGGRAPH Asia conference for his work explaining how neural network maps created through artificial intelligence (AI) could close the gaps of difficult-to-solve equations. In his new paper, he said it was essential to find a way to simulate ink diffusion accurately independent of AI.
“If we don’t have to train a large-scale neural network, then the computation time will be much faster, and we can reduce the computation and memory costs,” Zhu said. “The particle flow map representation can preserve those particle structures better than the neural network version, and they are a widely used data structure in traditional physics-based simulation.”
Ben Snedeker, Communications Manager
Georgia Tech College of Computing
albert.snedeker@cc.gtaech.edu
Pascal Van Hentenryck, professor and chair of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, as well as director of Tech AI and the NSF AI4OPT Institute, presented at the Georgia Department of Human Services’ Annual HR Conference, held Jan. 28-30, 2025, at the Savannah Convention Center.
Themed “Customer-Centric Culture,” the event explored how leaders and employees can harness AI for customer engagement. Key topics included: defining AI, guiding workforce adaptation to AI-driven changes, and debunking myths, emphasizing AI's role as a vital tool rather than a threat.
To learn more about the Georgia Department of Human Services, click here.
The Georgia Legislator AI Workshop took place at the Georgia State Capitol, drawing state lawmakers, academic experts, and industry leaders to explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence, Jan. 28, 2025.
The event was designed to provide legislators with a comprehensive understanding of how AI is reshaping key sectors, including energy, manufacturing, education and cybersecurity. Georgia Tech’s prominent role in AI research and application was highlighted through contributions from its leading faculty and research experts.
Tim Lieuwen, interim executive vice provost for research at Georgia Tech, opened the workshop, amplifying the strategic importance of AI for Georgia’s economic development and infrastructure resilience. Pascal Van Hentenryck, director of the Tech AI Hub and the NSF AI4OPT Institute, followed with a presentation on AI advancements and their implications for the state.
A significant portion of the workshop focused on AI’s impact on energy infrastructure. Lieuwen returned to discuss how AI is enhancing energy efficiency and supporting Georgia’s transition to smarter, more resilient energy systems. This session highlighted AI’s role in driving sustainable energy solutions.
The conversation then shifted to manufacturing, with Tom Kurfess, chief manufacturing officer at Georgia Tech, detailing how AI-driven innovations are optimizing production processes and revolutionizing industry practices. His insights described a future where AI maintains Georgia’s competitiveness in the manufacturing sector.
Cybersecurity and data privacy were other focal points. Michael Barker from Georgia Tech’s Manufacturing Extension Program addressed the challenges and opportunities surrounding AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. His presentation touched on data privacy and compliance with public information regulations.
The educational landscape also took center stage as Steve Harmon from Georgia Tech’s College of Lifelong Learning explored the ways AI is reshaping learning experiences. Harmon highlighted AI’s potential to deliver personalized education and better prepare students for a rapidly evolving workforce.
Donna Ennis, interim associate vice president for community-based engagement and co-director of Georgia AIM, wrapped up the program by presenting a comprehensive overview of state and national AI resources available to foster innovation and collaboration.
This event highlighted the importance of strategic investments and informed policymaking to harness the full potential of AI for Georgia’s future.
Merging a love for engineering with a lifelong passion for music led Kevin Kamperman, a graduate student in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, to fulfill a lifelong dream of filing a patent on a fully functioning acoustic violin made completely from 3D printing.
Kamperman is a research engineer in the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Division (RASD) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). He and a team of Woodruff School students, including William Davis, Inseo Grace Park, Gihane Rachid, and Lars Worlund, designed and fabricated the violin as a final project in Woodruff Professor Carolyn Seepersad’s additive manufacturing (AM) class last spring.
The research was provisionally filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in December.
Read the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website.
Mikey Fuller
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
Andrei Fedorov, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair, and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, will represent Georgia Tech in a new international research initiative. The program, Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) for Top Scientists, is funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. It will receive approximately $3.2 million in funding over five years.
The award will support a broad spectrum of multidisciplinary research activities by the multinational teams and intermediate to long-term (three months to one year) collaborative visits to global research sites in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. A total of 46 proposals were submitted to ASPIRE for Top Scientists, out of which 14 were selected by expert evaluation. Each project is an international collaboration and the initiative's key focus is advancing science and technology on an international level.
Fedorov will lead a project titled "Construction of International Data and Analysis Platform for Inorganic Power-storage Materials Informatics with Nano/Micro-Structure" that will explore the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Informatics, and Energy. He will represent Georgia Tech as a principal investigator. The planned research will also involve faculty members and graduate students from College of Engineering schools involved in the Strategic Energy Institute.
Read the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website.
Chloe Arrington
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
As you move your computer mouse around the screen or scroll on your phone to read these words, you’re using technology Russell Dupuis helped enable. Same for when you turn on an LED light bulb or scan groceries at the self-checkout.
The underlying technologies for those common devices are compound semiconductors manufactured using techniques Dupuis first demonstrated nearly 50 years ago. His work made it possible to mass produce and commercialize these semiconductors for LEDs, lasers, solar cells, and more.
Now his contributions have been recognized with the Japan Prize, one of a few internationally recognized awards regarded by much of the scientific community as second only to the Nobel Prize.
“Professor Russell Dupuis’ breakthrough led to the commercialization of compound semiconductor production. It has become the foundation upon which our modern information society is built,” the Japan Prize Foundation wrote in announcing Dupuis’ selection.
Joshua Stewart
College of Engineering
The Space Research Institute (SRI) at Georgia Tech has initiated an internal search for its inaugural executive director. This new Interdisciplinary Research Institute (IRI) will build upon the foundation laid by the Space Research Initiative.
The SRI is dedicated to advancing cutting-edge research in space-related fields, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and establishing strong partnerships with industry, government, academic, and international organizations. As leader of the newly established IRI, the executive director will lead the Institute's strategic vision, nurture a culture of innovation, and champion initiatives that position Georgia Tech, via the SRI, as a global leader in space research and exploration.
The SRI is composed of faculty and staff across campus who have a common interest in space exploration and discovery. Collectively, SRI will research a wide range of topics on space and how it relates to human perspective and be an ultimate hub of all things space related at Georgia Tech. It will connect all the research institutes, labs, facilities, and colleges to pioneer the conversation about space in the state of Georgia. By working hand-in-hand with academics, business partners, and students we are committed to staying at the cutting edge of innovation.
For any further details, please contact Rob Kadel at Rob Kadel.