Vis Course

OE/CS Interactive Data Visualization (OE/CS 867:767)
Instructor: Colin Ware
Classroom: J.E. Chase Ocean Engineering Lab, Room 130

This course is about selected topics relating to research in data visualization. It is research-oriented and does not provide an overview or complete introduction to the area. However, it does attempt to provide guidance in carrying out state-of-the-art research.There is a particular emphasis on material related to 3D data visualization and 3D interactive interfaces. Applications relating to oceanography and ocean mapping will be given special attention. This is a writing intensive course.

Most of the material given in the course is human-centered rather than machine-centered. In theory, a computer is a universal machine. It can look and feel like anything the designer can invent. The problem is designing the best interface for the task. This involves a knowledge of human perception and cognition.

Topics Covered

Human Perception for Information Display

• Basic Vision and Displays
• Elementary interactive graphics programming
• Color Basics & Color For Information Display
• Space perception
• 2D techniques for Information Visualization
• 3D Interaction techniques for Information Visualization

Visual Thinking Tools

• Flow Visualization
• Graph Vualization
• Interactive Techniques
• Input, Virtual Viewpoint Control, Virtual Reality, Force Feedback
• Multi-dimensional Data Visualization
• GeoSpatial Data Visualization
• Visualization Research Methodologies?

The format will be 60% lectures, 15% student presentations, 25% project-related discussions. The course will require the completion of a research project, typically an innovative visualization prototype, or a human factors evaluation of some system or concept in interactive visualization. Students will be encouraged to undertake projects that have relevance to ocean mapping.

Marks

• Assignments: (2 programming, 1 paper) 35%
• In class tests of concepts 5%
• In class presentation: 10%
• Project: 50% (includes written report, related presentations, etc.) Scholarship, design, quality, originality.

Textbook (recommended, not required):

Visual Thinking for Design. Colin Ware. Morgan Kaufman, 2008.

• In class presentations: November 16 - December 2.
• Project Report due: December 16.

Lectures

Assignment 1: Vector Field Representation

Particle Flow Example Source Code

Assignment 2: Univariate Color Sequences

main_E2.cpp uniMap.cpp uniMap.h

Projects

Research Methods

Assignmnets 3&4:Essay and Presentation

Other Resources

OpenGL Resources