Data Engineering for UG Curriculum: 3D point Cloud Data as a Case Study

Abstract : We propose that essential topics of data engineering be integrated into the main discipline of academic study in UnderGraduate degree. This would equip the graduates to be better prepared to meet the data-oriented needs of the workplace. As applicationsof AI and ML increasingly encroach upon most every aspect of society and the economy, it is imperative that UG educators ensure thatthe larger workforce are trained and equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet these new demands and challenges. Weare gonna present a case study of hands-on experience of using 3-D LiDAR point cloud data engineering for Scientic Visualizations byUG Data Engineering Interns at NASA-Goddard Space and Flight Center.Unreal Engine software and Point Cloud Abstraction Library (PDAL), are vital to the implementation of scientic visualizations in virtualReality (VR), especially in the case of 3-D point clouds data. Point cloud data visualization is comprised of a mass of single points. Toobtain information from these points or a single point for better idea of trajectory and accuracy the open source library PDAL is used.PDAL is the Point Data Abstraction Library. We will be discussing the use of the application PDAL for virtual reality visualizations withsoftware tools namely: Unreal Engine, CMAKE, Visual Studio, and also GitHub and more. These applications are quite complex to learn.These applications work together as processes for the virtual reality development. CMAKE is used to be able to compile and build C++program code. Visual Studio is needed to put the data to visual elements. OpenSceneGraph is the environment of creating the graphicsand assigning visual element. Unreal Engine incorporates better graphics and creates more exibility than OpenSceneGraph.OpenSceneGraph was commonly used because it held up to the integrity of the data. Alongside VR, PDAL is used to give accurate data ofthe visualizations.