DevLan/vispubs huggingface dataset:
Fine-grain visualization algorithms in dataflow environments
Authors: D. Song, Eric J. Golin
Published at Vis, 1993

Most of the current dataflow visualization systems are based on coarse-grain dataflow computing models. In this paper we propose a fine-grain dataflow model that takes advantage of data locality properties of many visualization algorithms. A fine-grain module works on small chunks of data one at a time by keeping a dynamically adjusted moving window on the input data stream. It is more memory efficient and has the potential of handling very large data sets without taking up all the memory resources. Two popular visualization algorithms, an iso-surface extraction algorithm and a volume rendering algorithm, are implemented using the fine-grain model. The performance measurements showed faster speed, reduced memory usage, and improved CPU utilization over a typical coarse-grain system.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Flow volumes for interactive vector field visualization
Authors: Nelson L. Max, Barry G. Becker, Roger Crawfis
Published at Vis, 1993

Flow volumes are the volumetric equivalent of stream lines. They provide more information about the vector field being visualized than do stream lines or ribbons. Presented is an efficient method for producing flow volumes, composed of transparently rendered tetrahedra, for use in an interactive system. The problems of rendering, subdivision, sorting, composing artifacts, and user interaction are dealt with. Efficiency comes from rendering only the volume of the smoke, and using hardware texturing and compositing.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Geometric clipping using Boolean textures
Authors: William E. Lorenson
Published at Vis, 1993

Texture mapping is normally used to convey geometric detail without adding geometric complexity. This paper introduces Boolean textures, a texture mapping technique that uses implicit functions to generate texture maps and texture coordinates. These Boolean textures perform clipping during a renderer's scan conversion step. Any implicit function is a candidate Boolean texture clipper. The paper describes how to use quadrics as clippers. Applications from engineering and medicine illustrate the effectiveness of texture as a clipping tool.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Geometric optimization
Authors: Paul A. Hinker, Charles D. Hansen
Published at Vis, 1993

An algorithm is presented which describes an application independent method for reducing the number of polygonal primitives required to faithfully represent an object. Reducing polygon count without a corresponding reduction in object detail is important for: achieving interactive frame rates in scientific visualization, reducing mass storage requirements, and facilitating the transmission of large, multi-timestep geometric data sets. This paper shows how coplanar and nearly coplanar polygons can be merged into larger complex polygons and re-triangulated into fewer simple polygons than originally required. The notable contributions of this paper are: (1) a method for quickly grouping polygons into nearly coplanar sets, (2) a fast approach for merging coplanar polygon sets and, (3) a simple, robust triangulation method for polygons created by 1 and 2. The central idea of the algorithm is the notion of treating polygonal data as a collection of segments and removing redundant segments to quickly form polygon hulls which represent the merged coplanar sets.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
GRASPARC-A problem solving environment integrating computation and visualization
Authors: Ken Brodlie, Andrew Poon, Helen Wright, Lesley Brankin, Greg Banecki, Alan Gay
Published at Vis, 1993

Visualization has proved an efficient tool in the understanding of large data sets in computational science and engineering. There is growing interest today in the development of problem solving environments which integrate both visualization and the computational process which generates the data. The GRASPARC project has looked at some of the issues involved in creating such an environment. An architecture is proposed in which tools for computation and visualization can be embedded in a framework which assists in the management of the problem solving process. This framework has an integral data management facility which allows an audit trail of the experiments to be recorded. This design therefore allows not only steering but also backtracking and more complicated problem solving strategies. A number of demonstrator case studies have been implemented.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
HyperSlice - Visualization of Scalar Functions of Many Variables
Authors: Jarke J. van Wijk, Robert van Liere
Published at Vis, 1993

HyperSlice is a new method for the visualization of scalar functions of many variables. With this method the multi-dimensional function is presented in a simple and easy to understand way in which all dimensions are treated identically. The central concept is the representation of a multi-dimensional function as a matrix of orthogonal two-dimensional slices. These two-dimensional slices lend themselves very well to interaction via direct manipulation, due to a one to one relation between screen space and variable space. Several interaction techniques, for navigation, the location of maxima, and the use of user-defined paths, are presented.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Implicit stream surfaces
Authors: Jarke J. van Wijk
Published at Vis, 1993

Streamlines and stream surfaces are well known techniques for the visualization of fluid flow. For steady velocity fields, a streamline is the trace of a particle, and a stream surface is the trace of a curve. Here a new method is presented for the construction of stream surfaces. The central concept is the representation of a stream surface as an implicit surface f (x) = C. After the initial calculation of f a family of stream surfaces can be generated efficiently by varying C. The shapes of the originating curves are defined by the value of f at the boundary. Two techniques are presented for the calculation of f: one based on solving the convection equation, the other on backward tracing of the trajectories of grid points. The flow around objects is discussed separately. With this method irregular topologies of the originating curves and of the stream surfaces can be handled easily. Further, it can also be used for other visualization techniques, such as time surfaces and stream volumes. Finally, an effective method for the automatic placement of originating curves is presented.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
InfoCrystal: A visual tool for information retrieval
Authors: Anselm Spoerri
Published at Vis, 1993

This paper introduces a novel representation, called the InfoCrystal, that can be used as a visualization tool as well as a visual query language to help users search for information. The InfoCrystal visualizes all the possible relationships among N concepts. Users can assign relevance weights to the concepts and use thresholding to select relationships of interest. The InfoCrystal allows users to specify Boolean as well as vector-space queries graphically. Arbitrarily complex queries can be created by using the InfoCrystals as building blocks and organizing them in a hierarchical structure. The InfoCrystal enables users to explore and filter information in a flexible, dynamic and interactive way.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Interactive shading for surface and volume visualization on graphics workstations
Authors: Peter A. Fletcher, Philip K. Robertson
Published at Vis, 1993

Shading is an effective exploratory visualization tool widely used in scientific visualization. Interactive, or close to interactive, shading of images offers significant benefit, but is generally too computationally expensive for graphics workstations. A novel method for providing interactive diffuse and specular shading capability on low-cost graphics workstations is described. Application to digital elevation models, iso-surfaces in volumetric images, and color-coded aspect maps are illustrated and an analysis of artifacts, and of ways of minimizing artifacts, is given.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Interactive visualization methods for four dimensions
Authors: Andrew J. Hanson, Robert A. Cross
Published at Vis, 1993

Making accurate computer graphics representations of surfaces and volumes (2-manifolds and 3-manifolds) embedded in four-dimensional space typically involves complex and time-consuming computations. In order to make simulated worlds that help develop human intuition about the fourth dimensions, we need techniques that permit real-time, interactive manipulation of the most sophisticated depictions available. We propose the following new methods that bring us significantly closer to this goal: an approach to high-speed 4D illuminated surface rendering incorporating 4D shading and occlusion coding; a procedure for rapidly generating 2D screen images of tessellated 3-manifolds illuminated by 4D light. These methods are orders of magnitude faster than previous approaches, enabling the real-time manipulation of high-resolution 4D images on commercial graphics hardware.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
MRIVIEW: An interactive computational tool for investigation of brain structure and function
Authors: Douglas M. Ranken, John S. George
Published at Vis, 1993

MRIVIEW is a software system that uses image processing and visualization to provide neuroscience researchers with an integrated environment for combining functional and anatomical information. Key features of the software include semi-automated segmentation of volumetric head data and an interactive coordinate reconciliation method which utilizes surface visualization. The current system is a precursor to a computational brain atlas. We describe features this atlas will incorporate, including methods under development for visualizing brain functional data obtained from several different research modalities.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Navigating large networks with hierarchies
Authors: Stephen G. Eick, Graham J. Wills
Published at Vis, 1993

This paper is aimed at the exploratory visualization of networks where there is a strength or weight associated with each link, and makes use of any hierarchy present on the nodes to aid the investigation of large networks. It describes a method of placing nodes on the plane that gives meaning to their relative positions. The paper discusses how linking and interaction principles aid the user in the exploration. Two examples are given; one of electronic mail communication over eight months within a department, another concerned with changes to a large section of a computer program.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Non conventional methods for the visualization of events from high energy physics
Authors: Hans Drevermann, D. Kuhm, B. Nilsson
Published at Vis, 1993

Visualization of events in high energy physics is an important tool to check hard- and software and to generate pictures for presentation purposes. The radial pattern of all events suggests the use of predefined projections, especially p/Z and Y/X. The representation can be improved by a "fish-eye" transformation and by angular projections, which produce straight track patterns and allow extensive magnifications. Three dimensional data of radial structure are best displayed in the 3D V-Plot, which has optimal track separation and presents all relevant information in a clear way.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Optimal filter design for volume reconstruction and visualization
Authors: Ingrid Carlbom
Published at Vis, 1993

Digital filtering is a crucial operation in volume reconstruction and visualization. Lowpass filters are needed for subsampling and minification. Interpolation filters are needed for registration and magnification, and to compensate for geometric distortions introduced by scanners. Interpolation filters are also needed in volume rendering for ray-casting and slicing. In this paper, we describe a method for digital filter design of interpolation filters based on weighted Chebyshev minimization. The accuracy of the resulting filters are compared with some commonly used filters defined by piecewise cubic polynomials. A significant finding of this paper is that although piecewise cubic interpolation has some computational advantages and may yield visually satisfactory results for some data, other data result in artifacts such as blurring. Furthermore, piecewise cubic filters are inferior for operations such as registration. Better results are obtained by the filters derived in this papers at only small increases in computation.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Orientation maps: Techniques for visualizing rotations (A  Consumer's Guide)
Authors: Bowen Alpern, Larry Carter, Matt Grayson, Chris Pelkie
Published at Vis, 1993

The set of possible orientations of a rigid three-dimensional object is a topological space with three degrees of freedom. This paper investigates the suitability of various techniques of visualizing this space. With a good technique the natural distance between orientations will be represented fairly accurately, and distortion to the "shape" of a collection of orientations induced by the change of reference orientation will be minor. The traditional Euler-angle parameterization fails on both counts. Less well-known techniques exploit the fact that there is a rotation that takes the reference orientation to a given one. The given orientation is represented as a point along the axis of this rotation. The distance of this point from the origin is determined by some scaling function of the magnitude of that rotation. Free natural scaling functions are studied. None is perfect, but several are satisfactory.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Performance visualization of parallel programs
Authors: Abdul Waheed, Diane T. Rover
Published at Vis, 1993

The user of a parallel computer system would like to know the performance of a program in terms of how optimally it uses the system resources. This task is increasingly performed by program performance visualization. The limitations of conventional performance data analysis techniques necessitate better visual analysis methods that are scalable with the problem and system sizes and extensible. They should represent some physical and logical structure of the parallel system and program. The analysis techniques presented here have been motivated by the use of signal and (two- and three-dimensional) image processing techniques being applied in some areas of scientific visualization. Results of applying selected techniques are shown. These techniques and tools have advantages and disadvantages when applied in this area.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Rapid exploration of curvilinear grids using direct volume rendering (Extended Abstract)
Authors: Allen Van Gelder, Jane Wilhelms
Published at Vis, 1993

Fast techniques for direct volume rendering over curvilinear grids (common to computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis) are developed. Three new projection methods that use polygon-rendering hardware for speed are presented and compared with each other and with previous methods for tetrahedral grids and rectilinear grids. A simplified algorithm for visibility ordering, based on a combination of breadth-first and depth-first searches, is described. A new multi-pass blending method is described that reduces visual artifacts that are introduced by linear interpolation in hardware where exponential interpolation is needed. Visualization tools that permit rapid data banding and cycling through transfer functions, as well as region restriction, are described.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Spray rendering: Visualization using smart particles
Authors: Alex T. Pang, Kyle Smith
Published at Vis, 1993

We propose a new framework for doing scientific visualization. The basis for this framework is a combination of particle systems and behavioral animation. Here, particles are not only affected by the field that they are in, but can also exhibit different programmed behaviors. An intuitive delivery system, based on virtual cans of spray paint, is also described to introduce the smart particles into the data set. Hence the name spray rendering. Using this metaphor, different types of spray paint are used to highlight different features in the data set. Spray rendering offers several advantages over existing methods: (1) it generalizes the current techniques of surface, volume and flow visualization under one coherent framework; (2) it works with regular and irregular grids as well as sparse and dense data sets; (3) it allows selective progressive refinement; (4) it is modular, extensible and provides scientists with the flexibility for exploring relationships in their data sets in natural and artistic ways.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Texture splats for 3D scalar and vector field visualization
Authors: Roger Crawfis, Nelson L. Max
Published at Vis, 1993

Volume visualization is becoming an important tool for understanding large 3D data sets. A popular technique for volume rendering is known as splatting. With new hardware architectures offering substantial improvements in the performance of rendering texture mapped objects, we present textured splats. An ideal reconstruction function for 3D signals is developed which can be used as a texture map for a splat. Extensions to the basic splatting technique are then developed to additionally represent vector fields.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
The quantum Coulomb three-body problem - Visualization of simulation results and numerical methods
Authors: D. I. Abramov, V. V. Gusev, Stanislav V. Klimenko, L. I. Ponomarev, W. Krueger, W. Renz
Published at Vis, 1993

Some years ago it was established that the muon catalyzed fusion phenomenon could be used for the production of energy. This fact has been causing a rebirth of interest in the universal methods of solving the quantum Coulomb three-body problem. The adiabatic hyperspherical (AHS) approach considered in this joint project has definite advantages in comparison with other methods. The case study proposed focuses on the study of the structure and behavior of the wave function of bound states of a quantum three-body system as well as of the basis functions of the AHS approach. Adapted scientific visualization tools such as surface rendering, volume ray tracing and texturing will be used. Visualization allows to discover interesting features in the behavior of the basis functions and to analyze the convergence of the AHS-expansion for the wave functions.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
The virtual restoration of the Visir tomb
Authors: Patrizia Palamidese, M. Betro, G. Muccioli
Published at Vis, 1993

In the field of computer applications to archaeology, data visualization is one of the most recent and promising activity. The visual reconstruction obtained from partially or totally ruined data is a problem that archaeologists often face with during their work. The case we present here is the simulated reconstruction of a great Egyptian tomb of the VII century B.C. excavated in the rocky cliff of the desert. The visualization method is fundamental for testing the hypotheses made and as a strategic solution in the concrete reconstruction. The hundreds of magnificent decorated blocks saved by museums will never be positioned again on its walls. Moreover, in front of the stress and pollution caused to ancient monuments by a massive tourism, the ever-growing improving of visualization and animation techniques, like the ones presented in this paper, makes of considerable interest the modeling and the exploration inside the virtual monuments through realistic tours.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
The vision camera: An interactive tool for volume data exploration and navigation
Authors: Hans-Heino Ehricke, Gerhard Daiber, Wolfgang Straßer
Published at Vis, 1993

In this work we focus on one of the key problems of scientific visualization, the object recognition dilemma. The necessity to pre-interpret application data in order to classify object surface voxels prior to rendering has prevented many visualization methods from becoming practical. We propose the concept of vision by visualization which integrates computer vision methods into the visualization process. Based on this, we present the vision camera, a new tool allowing for interactive object recognition during volume data walkthroughs. This camera model is characterized by a flexible front-plane which, under the control of user-specified parameters and image features elastically matches to object surfaces, while shifted through a data volume. Thus, objects are interactively carved out and can be visualized by standard volume visualization methods. Implementation and application of the model are described. Our results suggest that by the integration of human and machine vision new perspectives for data exploration are opened up.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Tioga: A database-oriented visualization tool
Authors: Michael Stonebraker, Jolly Chen, Nobuko Nathan, Caroline Paxson, Alan Su, Jiang Wu
Published at Vis, 1993

In the work we present a new architecture for visualization systems that is based on data base management system (DBMS) technology. By building on the mechanisms present in a next-generation DBMS, rather than merely on the capabilities of a standard file manager, we show that a simpler and more powerful visualization system can be constructed. We retain the popular "boxes and arrows" programming notation for constructing visualization programs, but add a "flight simulator" model of movement to navigate the output of such programs. In addition, we provide a means to specify a hierarchy of abstracts of data of different types and resolutions, so that a "zoom" capability can be supported. The underlying DBMS support for this system, Tioga, is briefly described, as well as the current state of the implementation.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Towards a texture naming system: Identifying relevant dimensions of texture
Authors: A. Ravishankar Rao, Gerald L. Lohse
Published at Vis, 1993

Recently, researchers have started using texture for data visualization. The rationale behind this is to exploit the sensitivity of the human visual system to texture in order to overcome the limitations inherent in the display of multidimensional data. A fundamental issue that must be addressed is what textural features are important in texture perception, and how they are used. We designed an experiment to help identify the relevant higher order features of texture perceived by humans. We used twenty subjects, who were asked to rate 56 pictures from Brodatz's album on 12 nine-point Likert scales. We applied the techniques of hierarchical cluster analysis, non-parametric multidimensional scaling (MDS), classification and regression tree analysis (CART), discriminant analysis, and principal component analysis to data gathered from the subjects. Based on these techniques, we identified three orthogonal dimensions for texture to be repetitive vs. non-repetitive; high-contrast and non-directional vs. low-contrast and directional; granular, coarse and low-complexity vs. non-granular, fine and high-complexity.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;
Towards interactive steering, visualization and animation of unsteady finite element simulations
Authors: G. David Kerlick, E. Kirby
Published at Vis, 1993

Progress towards interactive steering of the time-accurate, unsteady finite-element simulation program DYNA3D is reported. Rudimentary steering has been demonstrated in a distributed computational environment encompassing a supercomputer, multiple graphics workstations, and a single frame animation recorder. The coroutine facility of AVS (application visualization system from AVS Inc.) and software produced in-house has been coordinated to prove the concept. This work also applies to other large batch-oriented FORTRAN simulations ("dusty decks") presently in production use.&lt;&lt;ETX&gt;&gt;