VISUALIZATION

The classical definition of visualization is as follows: the formation of mental visual images, the act or process of interpreting in visual terms or of putting into visual form. A new definition is a tool or method for interpreting image data fed into a computer and for generating images from complex multi-dimensional data sets (1987).

Basics of Visualization

In general, and as depicted by the above figure, visualization is essentially a mapping process from computer representations to perceptual representations, choosing encoding techniques to maximize human understanding and communication. The goal of a viewer might be a deeper understanding of physical phenomena or mathematical concepts, but it also might be a visual proof of computer representations derived from such an initial stage.

There are several major forces driving the interest in visualization. The existence of inexpensive microcomputers with substantial color graphics features has made the capability to create presentation graphics widely available. Another force is the huge amount of data being generated by modern science, both in supercomputer simulations and by experimental means. It has been claimed that much of the data that has been accumulated by the U.S. NASA effort resides in "tape landfills", i.e., huge warehouse of magnetic computer tape. These enormous sets of numbers are virtually incomprehensible.

Source: www.siggraph.org/education/materials/HyperVis/visgoals/visgoal2.htm

The most promising method of understanding this data is by visualization. It is estimated that 50% of the brain's neurons are associated with vision. "The purpose of [scientific] computing is insight, not numbers." Richard Hamming,1982. "The goal of Visualization in [scientific] computing is to gain insight by using our visual machinery" [MCCO87]. A significant difference between this application of visualization versus presentation graphics is that the primary purpose, at least initially, is for the scientific investigator to use visualization techniques to understand their own data, rather than presenting it to others. The presentation mode comes later in the process.

While most of the interest has been in scientific visualization, there is a growing interest in applying it to business information. The computer simulation of economics and businesses is a growing field and these simulations may produce as much data as any scientific simulation. There has been a large amount of computer software developed to help people perform the visualization process.

A visualization system is not just a system to create an image of the data but can be used to manipulate the data to create different types of images. A model of a visualization system should link the system with the model of scientific investigation discussed above. Visualization can help form the link between hypothesis and experiment and between insight and revised hypothesis.

Robertson and DeFerrari describe six components of a visualization system that define its quality: data model, visualization specification, visualization representation, matching procedure, visualization display and interaction.

Source: www.siggraph.org/education/materials/HyperVis/concepts/ref_model.htm

Visualization is a language of mental images that allows you to have a two-way conversation with your subconscious and supraconscious minds. Although these two dimensions of your mind understand words, they can communicate more information more accurately and fully through mental imagery. The value of such a conversation is that these dimensions hold a wealth of information that is usually not available to your conscious mind.

Also, Visualization is the process of representing abstract business or scientific data as images that can aid in understanding the meaning of the data.
Source: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci213311,00.html

Traditionally, K-12 science education has consisted of the teaching of well-established facts. This approach bears little or no resemblance to the question-centered, collaborative practice of real scientists. Through the use of advanced technologies, the CoVis Project (Learning Through Collaborative Visualization) is attempting to transform science learning to better resemble the authentic practice of science. The CoVis Project is thousands of students, over a hundred teachers, and dozens of researchers and scientists working to improve science education in middle and high schools. They do this by approaching the learning of science more like the doing of science, and by employing a broad range of communication and collaboration technologies. Participating students study atmospheric and environmental sciences through inquiry-based activities. Using state of the art scientific visualization software, specially modified to be appropriate to a learning environment, students have access to the same research tools and data sets used by leading-edge scientists in the field. www.covis.nwu.edu/info/

www.nas.nasa.gov/Groups/VisTech/visWeblets.html A listing of Scientific Visualization sites.

http://scv.bu.edu/SCV/ Boston University Scientific Computing and Visualization.

http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/rsd/ Visualization of Remote Sensing Data. Great view of the earth.

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/micro/gallery.html FSU’s Molecular Expressions Photo Gallery. Some really beautiful photomicrographs taken through a microscope.

www.nhgs.tec.va.us/k12resources/datavisual.html This is a listing of sites from which you can download images and movies of scientific data.

www.zebraimaging.com/gallery.htm Company called Zebra Imaging. Has some interesting pictures.

www.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de/ags/wbski/3Drobocup/3Drobocup.html Pictures of the Robot World Cup Soccer Games in 3D.