Nomadic Collaborative Visualization

Project Objectives:

The objectives of this proposal are to provide: novel means of presenting both spatial and abstract data with imprecise information, integrated 3D collaborative visualization of imprecise information, and incorporation of network augmented nomadic collaboration. Critical decisions are constantly being made with imprecise, incomplete, and out-of-date information. It is important that decision makers be made aware of the uncertainties in the data so that they can, as a group or individually, weigh different pieces of information accordingly and make better, more informed decisions.

Approach:

This proposal addresses three key technologies and their integration: visualizing uncertainty, collaborative visualization, and providing mobile wireless connectivity.

The quality or pedigree of a datum is just as important. However, this information, even when it is available is usually not conveyed to the user in most visualizations today. Our approach is to focus on the visualization pipeline and identify the different sources of uncertainty that may affect the pedigree of a datum -- for example data may be corrupted by the data acquisition, transmission, transformation, or rendering processes. We then explore different techniques of presenting the data together with its pedigree information to the user. Our plan is to initially focus on spatially based data and then move to more abstract data sets that have no natural spatial mapping.

Researchers and decision makers need to exchange information. A shared 3D virtual workspace will facilitate such exchange. This work will address collaborative visualization issues including: representation of various collaborators and their spatial locations, multiple views, means for sharing views, 3D linked pointers and annotation tools, floor control to shared objects, and session control.

Information exchange and collaborative visualization may involve participants who are out in the field. This component of the project will address issues related to low bandwidth, noisy communications and their impact on visualizing uncertainty, tradeoffs between transmitting rendered images, data, or abstractions, and image and geometry compression to ensure that a collaborative setting is not bogged down by its slowest link.

Recent Work:

Data Level Comparison of Volume Rendering

Addresses the issue of uncertainties introduced during the process of direct volume rendering (DVR).

Map Projections and Distortions

A new method for interactive visualization of distortion in map projections, using a floating ring on the spheroid (globe) that can be interactively positioned and scaled.

Comparative Visualization of Protein Structure-Sequence Alignments

Implementing a low resolution molecular graphics tool to complement structure prediction methods.

Related Work:

This project is related to our work on CSpray and Uncertainty Visualization.

Darpa PI Meetings:

10/15-17/97 San Diego.

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[ Sponsor: DARPA ]

pang@cse.ucsc.edu
Last modified Sun May 3 19:42:35 PDT 1998