Preface

This book publishes the scientific contributions submitted for the 18th International Conference on Geometry and Graphics, celebrating the 40th anniversary from the first edition held in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia in 1978. At that time, it was the International Conference on Descriptive Geometry (ICDG), but in the second edition organized in Beijing in 1984, the name began to change, until the International Conference on Engineering Computer Graphics and Descriptive Geometry (ICECGDG) appeared in the 4th edition held in Miami in 1990, aiming at keeping the scientific event in step with the times, given the pervasive diffusion of the digital, and with the aim of widening the disciplinary spectrum of interest for the meeting. In due course, the revolutionary power of the computerized geometry and graphics, and the new sensitivity towards the role of geometry and graphics in about every theoretical and operational field, claimed for a more representative denomination, reflecting the ever-widening thematics that the conference intended to pursue. Then, in 2000, the 9th edition was finally organized as an International Conference on Geometry and Graphics (ICGG), taking the name from the International Society for Geometry and Graphics (ISGG), constituted in 1990 and promoting the event biannually at different venues around the world. By the way, I had the privilege to participate as a guest speaker in the Panel Session on The Taxonomy of Geometry and Graphics, which concluded the 8th edition held at the University of Austin in Texas, and contributed to the decision to give a new name to the Conference. The references mentioned above may be useful for understanding the structure of the Proceedings for those who are new to the ICGGs Conferences. A series of scientific essays authored by the Guest Lecturers introduces the volume, representative of the variety of topics and research inherent to Geometry and Graphics, carried out in the three regions of the world, Asia/Australia/Oceania, Europe/Near East/Africa, and North America/South America, according to the geographic areas mapped by the ISGG. All the scientific contributions submitted by the authors are organized by topics, namely Theoretical Graphics and Geometry, Applied Geometry and Graphics, Engineering Computer Graphics, Graphics Education, and the new topic Geometry and Graphics in History, proposed for this edition. Poster papers presented in the plenary poster sessions at the Conference on the mentioned topics conclude the volume. On the Conference website, available at the web address www.icgg2018.polimi.it, a series of subtopics is also listed, together with a statement inviting prospective authors to submit papers even if not strictly related to the topics listed, which is consistent with the aim to promote Geometry and Graphics worldwide and in all the interested fields of research, education, industrial applications and profession, as one can also read on the official webpage of the International Society for Geometry and Graphics at the web address www.isgg.net. As in our tradition since 1997, an extended version of some selected contributions, recommended by the Session Chairs during the Conference, will also be published on the Journal forGeometry andGraphics (JGG),webpagewww.heldermann.de/JGG/jggcover.htm. Being these the Proceedings of the 40th anniversary of the Conference, we like to recall the preface to the first Proceedings published in 1978, where professor Stephen Slaby of the Princeton University referred to the genuine spirit of geometry. As we can clearly see, this powerful spirit, and let us say, the spirit of geometry and graphics seem to be universally, and even strongly, confirmed nowadays. For the reasons mentioned, this volume is addressed to all those who have a direct interest in Geometry and Graphics, as well as in any fields, however related to Geometry and Graphics. For the same reasons, it can be of interest for scholars, researchers, teachers, Ph.D. students, students in general, as well as professionals. We also hope that the book may somehow reach other readers, stimulating interest in Geometry and Graphics. The SCOPUS indexing provided by Springer should be of help in this direction. This publication is the result of the generous joint effort of a large community of authors submitting their contributions; chairs and cochairs, namely Yasushi Ya-maguchi, Baoling Han, Ema Jurkin, Aura Conci, members of the steering and program committees, and reviewers, who have respectively led, supported, and collaborated in the reviewing process. The local editorial activity has particularly benefited from the engagement of some members of the Conference committee, who helped me in preparing the final editorial master, they are my colleagues Giampiero Mele, Daniela Oreni, Barbara E. Piga, Nicole De Togni, and Matteo Romanato. I would also thank for their advice the colleagues Raffaele Ardito, Dario Angelo Maria Coronelli, Damiano Cosimo Iacobone, Roberto Notari, Graziano Mario Valenti, and the Conference Staff and the Offices at the Politecnico di Milano in relation to the administrative aspects of the event. My special personal gratitude goes to Mrs. Sarah Pye for the competent support in the translation of some key documents, and for her frequent prompt helps on the matter. And my students Matteo Cavaglià, Chiara Gargan, Innocent Hembi Hembi, Freeda Jane Madius, Aurora Moreschi, Hanxi Xie, Di Yan, and Yangxing Zhang, for their admirable kind availability. Finally, as the Editor of the volume, I would like to express my thanks to Springer, and personally to our Springer’s Editor/Engineering, Pierpaolo Riva, for the constant support offered during the entire editorial process. Hoping this book will offer you a pleasant immersion into the fascinating universe of Geometry and Graphics!