HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dallen@eng.auburn.edu (David J. Allen)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: What is it?
Date: 8 Apr 92 16:11:48 GMT
Organization: Auburn University Engineering

In article <1992Apr1.155805.6626@unocal.com> stgprao@xing.unocal.com (Richard Ottolini) writes:
>In article <1608@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM> vchow@nike.ColoSpgs.NCR.COM (Victor Chow) writes:
>>what's visualization? what's the difference between this and computer graphics?
>
>Not much.  The name change was driven by computer vendors that wanted to
>make their systems sound more impressive :-)
>
>Perhaps the use of advanced graphics techniques to display scientific data.

I think there is more to it than this.  Computer graphics is a tool/technique
used by people doing visualization.  The graphics are not always
"advanced".  For example, a simple line plot of a sine wave is a visual
representation of the notion of a sine wave.  Line plots are far from
"advanced".

As far as visualization is concerned, it has nothing to do with computers
or graphics.  For example, a plastic model of a molecule is a visual
representation of that molecule (no computers needed there).  I think
the reason graphics and visualization are so tightly interwoven is that
it is usually cheaper to draw it on a computer than build a physical
model.  Also, some physical models cannot be build (as in visualizing
relativity).

I do agree with the vendor comment in some cases.  I have seen software     
billed using as many buzz words as possible to enhance the appearance.
How about this one:

    Artificially intellegent, parallel, knowledge aided, object oriented
    visual calculator.

    which is really a program to do division written in c++ that can tell
    when you are trying to divide by zero and displays the result in a
    window.     

(-:  yes I did note the smily above and insert many more here  :-) 

--
********************************************************************
*  David J. Allen      *  Its not that I can't spell, my keyboard  *
*  Auburn University   * is just screwed up. (And it bugs my wife) *
********************************************************************  
Xref: sparky comp.graphics.visualization:756 comp.graphics.avs:378
From: balas@hpl.hp.com (balas natarajan)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization,comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Re: Who uses iso-surfaces, and in what research areas?
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:43:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplabs.1992Apr09.154315.14199
Organization: HP Labs

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
One possible note of interest on isosurface-generation software is
that if you want to commercialize your software, you need to make an
arrangement with General Electric Medical Systems Division who owns
the patent on the Marching Cubes and Dividing Cubes algorithms.  I
don't believe that this is necessary except for commercial purposes,
but it might be a stumbling block for release of your software if you
employ these techniques and have not previously contacted G.E.

AVS Inc. does have such an arrangement in place with G.E.

larryg
--

=== Larry Gelberg ============================ larryg@avs.com =======
      Advanced Visual Systems Inc. (AVS Inc.)
===== 300 Fifth Ave, Waltham, MA 02154 ==============================
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


interesting... it was my understanding that GE has a patent on the dividing 
cubes algorithm, but not on the marching cubes algorithm.  (this is my
opinion, not the official view of our legal dept.)

btw, we have an algorithm that (1) runs in O(Mlog(N)) time to produce an 
isosurface on N samples, where M is the number of samples that participate 
in the isosurface. the marching cubes method takes O(N) time.  
(2)  guarantees the topology of the isosurface to be the topology 
of the isosurface of the trilinear interpolant, which is essentially the 
topology of the isosurface produced by the dividing cubes method.
this not only eliminates the "holes" produced by marching cubes, but
also guarantees that the topology is unchanged if the cubes are subdivided
to obtain finer tessellations.

--bkn
From: pandy@cs.tamu.edu (Jai Prakash Pandu)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Question about use of Radiosity techniques in biological environments
Date: 14 Apr 92 20:18:29 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University

Hi everybody,
	
	I am a grad student, working on my Master's in computer science. I am developing a surface renderer for anatomical structures using radiosity techniques.
From the literature I have gone through, I came to know that radiosity techniques were/are(being) used in simulating complex building architectures. Could
some kind soul inform me, if radiosity techniques were used in rendering
complex environments of anatomical objects. Your help in this matter is very
much appreciated.



Thanx in advance

Jai Prakash Pandu

Veterinary Knowledge Engineering Lab.
Texas A&M University.

e_mail : pandu@verve.tamu.edu or pandy@neuron.tamu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
From: alpert@alumni.cs.colorado.edu (ALPERT ETHAN )
Subject: Re: What is it?
Followup-To: comp.graphics.visualization
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 21:16:55 GMT

In article <dallen.920408111148@gauss.cse.eng.auburn.edu> dallen@eng.auburn.edu (David J. Allen) writes:
>In article <1992Apr1.155805.6626@unocal.com> stgprao@xing.unocal.com (Richard Ottolini) writes:
>>In article <1608@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM> vchow@nike.ColoSpgs.NCR.COM (Victor Chow) writes:
>>>what's visualization? what's the difference between this and computer graphics?
>>
>>Not much.  The name change was driven by computer vendors that wanted to
>>make their systems sound more impressive :-)
>>
>>Perhaps the use of advanced graphics techniques to display scientific data.
>
>As far as visualization is concerned, it has nothing to do with computers
>or graphics.  For example, a plastic model of a molecule is a visual
>representation of that molecule (no computers needed there).  I think
>the reason graphics and visualization are so tightly interwoven is that
>it is usually cheaper to draw it on a computer than build a physical
>model.  Also, some physical models cannot be build (as in visualizing
>relativity).
>

Something is missing in the definition of visualization that is developing in
this thread. I do agree that visualization really has little to do with 
graphics. Visualization should be thought of as a tool that facilitates the 
interpretation of scientific data. The operative word is data. Much of what
goes on in visualization is data processing and manipulation rather than 
graphics or IMHO should be. 

Scientific data pass through several levels of interpretation. 

Raw/Sensor data : raw values obtained directly from the measurement device

Calibrated data: raw physical values, corrected with calibration operators

Validated data: Calibrated data that has been filtered through quality 
	assurance procedures( visual techniques could be used here)

Derived data: frequently aggregated data, such as gridded or averaged data

Interpreted data: derived data that is related to other datasets (most graphics
	goes on here but there still is quite a bit of data processing here) 


I submit that if a visualiztion environment claims to facilitate the
interpretation of scientific data then it should support all of the above
operations as well as the final yard, rendering the data.

My point is that any definition of scientific visualization should include
the data processing requirements. This is where visualization differs from
graphics. 


	-ethan alpert
From: zrhk0390@awssg6.rus.uni-stuttgart.de (Andreas Wierse)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: Fusion (fsn for the SGI)
Keywords: fsn, sgi
Date: 8 Apr 92 08:06:59 GMT
Organization: Visualization Group Comp.Center (RUS) U of Stuttgart, FRG

In article <1992Apr7.132859.14238@socrates.umd.edu> fletcher@socrates.umd.edu (Charles Fletcher) writes:
>Has anyone used the sgi "demo" fsn (pronounced fusion)--the file navigator.
>Your file system is layed out in the landscape like different groupings
>of buildings and you "fly by" your files. I haven't used it enough to
>determine how useful it is, but it is definitely cool as .... 
>

I played around with fsn a little. The biggest filesystem I
viewed up to now has 260 MB and contains normal user home dirs.
The performance on a VGX :-) is ok, but even on an indigo it works
albeit slower and with not so nice colors. 
It is very powerfull for example, if You intend to have a look where Your users
"waste" diskspace. At a quick glance You can detect the biggest files,
the fullest directories and the oldest files. You can also use it to move
or copy between two windows, but that's not the best use of it in my
opinion; it would be easier to drag icons around. (But it's ok while
Your in this environment and see something You want fixed immediately)
It's main advantage is that You can visualize information that is
normally hidden behind columns of numbers in a way that allows one
to extract this information very easy.
Since it is a prototype version and Joel Tesler is still working on it
( there will be a session at SGI's Developers Forum about
3D Information Landscapes ) this is something we will here more about.

Andreas Wierse


/*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* Andreas Wierse                                                           */
/* Institut fuer Computeranwendungen II                                     */
/* Abteilung Computersimulation und Visualisierung                          */
/* (Institute for Computerapplications II                                   */
/* Department Computersimulation and Visualization)                         */
/*-------------------------+------------------------------------------------*/
/* Rechenzentrum           | wierse@rus.uni-stuttgart.de                    */
/* Universitaet Stuttgart  | Tel.: ++49-711-685-5796                        */
/* Allmandring 30          | Fax:  ++49-711-682357                          */
/* 7000 Stuttgart 80       |                                                */
/*-------------------------+------------------------------------------------*/
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
From: andyrose@wet.UUCP (Andrew Rose)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: g++
Date: 9 Apr 92 19:59:50 GMT
Organization: Wetware Diversions, San Francisco

I could use some support installing g++ (c++ compiler from Free Software Found
ation).  I've put some thirty hours into it.  If you are familiar with the
task either for a Sun 3-160 or IRIS 4D or personal IRIS please contact me.

I've been giving some thought lately to rewriting some image libraries in
c++.  The idea is to reuse code more easily by adding functionality to a
generic object (say, an n-bit deep image with open and close routines) and
allowing implementation details to be hidden (say, Wavefront IO, VertigoIO).

The image stuff is not to big a deal.  I think more interesting is 3D object
representation.  Let's say you have a display list which has window description
(from inherited defaults), rendering info (frustrum, trace depth, etc, also
inherited), environment maps, and a bunch of objects (spheres, polys) each with
material properties (or inherited physical properties).  

Let's just say...



exercise (if you need it)->"How can multiple inheritance be of use within the
scope of data representation and display (along with user interaction)"

One way I can think of relates to visual programming (ala Upson ExplorerAVS).
Each "module" (a process which can be "hooked into" a program and is
_visually_ represented) could be like 
class Module: public ProcessDooDad, public VisualDooDad
where draw, highlight, etc are part of Vis... and (____) is part of ProcessDoDad.

This and more freethinking to follow.

Andrew Rose  415 495 5595
Scientific Visualization in the Global Research Community is Virtually Real

Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
From: ibarroda@csr.UVic.CA (Ian Barrodale)
Subject: Hough Probabilities
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria B.C. CANADA
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 21:25:11 GMT


Question: We are looking for references to work on probabilistic
interpretations of Hough spaces.  Specifically, given a picture
(e.g. a set of poorly defined lines) its image after a Hough
transform would contain one or more clusters of spikes.  In each
cluster each individual spike defines a different line or
interpretation of the picture.  Can we assign probabilities to
each of the different interpretations in some meaningful way?

Ian Barrodale
ibarroda@csr.uvic.ca
From: jimh@surreal.asd.sgi.com (Jim Helman)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: Does Visualization Really Work?
Date: 6 Apr 92 18:54:07 GMT
Article-I.D.: surreal.JIMH.92Apr6135407
	<1992Mar23.012409.6847@usage.csd.unsw.OZ.AU>
	<1992Mar28.190726.26760@nas.nasa.gov>
Organization: Home for Degenerate Physicists

In article <1992Mar28.190726.26760@nas.nasa.gov> eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) writes:
   Regarding pictures as science, another book:
	   This Austin Post photo,..., provides enough information for
	   a one hour glaciological lecture.
	   1990
   This is an awesome claim.  Only a hacker-viz person (Helman's term) would
   appreciate this.  What single computer graphical rendering can make a claim
   even close to this?* 

Actually, my slang term for this was NerdVis (Vis for specialists in
the field, e.g. CFD vis).  So this might be a picture only a nerdy
glaciologist could spend a full hour on.

The other two classifications in this scheme were EdVis (Vis for
pedagogical purposes) and ShowVis (Vis primarily for entertaining and
impressing management, funding sources or mass audiences, e.g. awesome
NASA/JPL planetary fly throughs).

rgds,

-jim helman

jimh@surreal.asd.sgi.com
415/335-1151
From: merlin@neuro.usc.edu (merlin)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: Khoros?
Date: 17 Apr 1992 01:22:49 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: neuro.usc.edu

>:-)  Khoros is public domain and full source is freely available by FTP 

Actually, while khoros sources are available by ftp it is not public domain.
The software is copyrighted and therefore components are not redistributable
as part of any other freely distributed system.

AJ Annala
From: ocallagh@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Christopher O'Callaghan)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Going apE ?
Date: 16 Apr 92 19:54:54 GMT
Reply-To: ocallagh@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Christopher O'Callaghan)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

Where can I get information on ordering apE ?

I understand that the Ohio Supercomputer Group is no longer
responsible for apE's distribution.  Who is?  What's their
phone number?

Thanks for any answers.

Chris O'Callaghan
ocallagh@oasys.dt.navy.mil
From: CDO@IB.RL.AC.UK (Chris Osland)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: IBM PC Clone in Vis. Labs.
Date: 13 Apr 92 17:29:59 GMT

On 13 Apr 92 15:59:44 GMT you said:

>
>We are also interested in making animations.  Currently we have an S-Video
>deck, and have access to a D-2 deck.  At some point in the future we may
>have a BetaCam deck.  If we get the BetaCam deck we would like to be able
>to record audio in single frame mode (PCM encoded sound on two of the video
>scan lines that are not displayed).  Does any one know of a board/software
>combination that will support this?  Any other hardware/software suggestions
>are welcome.
>

There is a system called Sound-in-Sync which does roughly what you're
after, but a rough calculation (video bandwidth about 5 Mhz, 2 lines
out of 480 is 1/240th of that, say 20 kHz) shows that there is only
just enough for decent mono or lousy stereo as an analogue signal.
Nothing like the 1.4 MHz required for stereo 16 bit digital sampling.
I cannot find any information for S-i-S but believe that this ties
up - it is used for a backup commentary when an outside broadcast
can't get a decent audio link.

I don't understand why you want to record that way - it is much easier
to dub the sound on before or after, unless you have non-real-time
production of sound.  Even then it would be easier to create the sound
track on something else (PC, Mac, Atari,...) used as a sampler
(using a computer means you can directly produce the sound sample
file format) and then play it back in real time.

Am I missing something?

Chris Osland
(work) Head of Computer Graphics, RAL, UK
(home) Lighting and Sound for Stagelights theatre group
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
From: stgprao@xing.unocal.com (Richard Ottolini)
Subject: Re: echons vs. earcons (was Re: Beyond bleeps and bloops)
Originator: stgprao@xing
Organization: Unocal Corporation, Anaheim, California
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 14:10:51 GMT

I thought earons were called motif in traditional music.
For example, there are several dozen of them in Wagner's Ring signifying
certain characters and emotions.  After analysing them in a class, you can
pretty much tell who is on stage at a given time from the music alone.
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
From: zhaopei@iscs.nus.sg
Subject: Surface Reconstruction Software Needed
Reply-To: ZHAOPEI@NUSDISCS.BITNET
Organization: Dept. of Information Systems and Computer Science, National University of Singapore
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 06:35:42 GMT

This is posted for my friend. She need information about surface 
reconstruction software. She is interested in reconstructing 3D surfaces
from planar contours using triangular patchs.

Regards

Zhao Pei
Department of Information Systems and Computer Science
National University of Singapore
Tel:65-772-6136(Workshop)
        
Fax:7780720 ( Attn: Wangxi)
From: joe@retina.anatomy.upenn.edu (Joseph Panico)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: FILM RECORDER
Date: 8 Apr 92 15:11:06 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania
Originator: joe@retina.anatomy.upenn.edu


FILM RECORDERS:

Highest quality, options galore, expensive:

Focus graphics ImageCorder + 4700 series

can record screen images in ANALOG mode from any workstation monitor
programmable exposure bracketing

can also buy an optional POSTSCRIPT engine for this recorder which allows
one to directly dump postscript files to the recorder, bypassing the screen.

maximum resolution is estimated to be around 2000x2000 
maximum deviation from linearity ~5%.

filmbacks: 35mm, polariod (Land), 4x5 sheet film.

Focus graphics Inc.
Foster City, CA
(415) 377-0596


if after pricing this machine you find it doesn't fit your budget, send me
e-mail and I will dig up the info on a cheaper, less option packed, film
recorder that I can't put my finger on at the moment.

				Joe Panico
				joe@retina.anatomy.upenn.edu
From: jrg@mtl.mit.edu (john gilbert)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: visualization software tools
Date: 10 Apr 92 21:20:12 GMT
Organization: MIT  EECS Dept

I'm involved in a large project to build CAD and modelling software
for micromechanics.  The project needs software to visualize 3-D 
structures, and the results of modelling their deformations, as well
as fluid flow around the structures, thermal modelling of conduction in
the structures and some electrostatic modelling in the structures.

Actually we have all the modelling pieces working more or less (often less)
but we need the core visualization software to pass structure solid model to
FEM, fluid etc. modellers and get the results back for display and analysis
and modification.

the question is:  what are the available visualization tools/packages?
                  which work well with FEM?  Fluid modelling?
                  which have the best scientific graphics/analytics?

this may be a FAQ, if so please point me towards the conference FAQ

thanks
john gilbert
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
From: demillo@juliet.ll.mit.edu ( Robert DeMillo )
Subject: Re: Mars data
Organization: M.I.T. Lincoln Lab - Group 43
Date: 6 Apr 92 16:15:49

In article <5227@pdxgate.UUCP> brians@rigel.cs.pdx.edu (Brian Smith) writes:

> I'm looking for some of the data from Mars, Venus, and any other
> space data for some visualization experiments.  I have heard that
> they were made publicly available for anonymous ftp, but I cannot
> find the saved posting/mail reply.

> Thanks in advance...
> brians@cs.pdx.edu

Here's the info on getting NASA CD's (taken from the sci.space FAQ):

    NATIONAL SPACE SCIENCE DATA CENTER (NSSDC)

    The National Space Science Data Center is the official clearinghouse for
    NASA data. The data catalog (*not* the data itself) is available online.
    Internet users can telnet to nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (128.183.10.4) and log
    in as 'NODIS' (no password).

    You can also dial in at (301)-286-9000 (300, 1200, or 2400 baud, 8 bits,
    no parity, one stop). At the "Enter Number:" prompt, enter MD and
    carriage return. When the system responds "Call Complete," enter a few
    more carriage returns to get the "Username:" and log in as 'NODIS' (no
    password).

    The system is menu-driven; topics available as of 2/7/91 are:

	1   -	Master Directory - NASA & Global Change
	2   -	Personnel Information Management System
	3   -	Nimbus-7 GRID TOMS Data
	4   -	Interplanetary Medium Data (OMN
	5   -	Request data and/or information from NSSDC
	6   -	Geophysical Models
	7   -	CANOPUS Newsletter
	8   -	International Ultraviolet Explorer Data Request
	9   -	CZCS Browse and Order Utility
	10  -	Astronomical Data Center (ADC)

    Data can be ordered from the NSSDC on CD-ROM and other formats. Among
    the many types of data available are Voyager and other planetary images,
    Earth observation data, and star catalogs. Viewers for Macintosh and IBM
    systems are also available. As an example of the cost, an 8 CD set of
    Voyager images is $75. Data may ordered online, by email, or by physical
    mail. The postal address is:

	National Space Science Data Center
	Request Coordination Office
	Goddard Space Flight Center
	Code 633
	Greenbelt, MD  20771

	Telephone: (301) 286-6695

	Email address:	 request@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov

    NSSDCA is also an anonymous FTP site, but no comprehensive list of
    what's there is available at present.



--
 - Rob DeMillo			| Internet: 	 demillo@juliet.ll.mit.edu
   MIT Lincoln Lab 		| Also Internet: rjd@brown.cs.edu
   Weather Sensing - Group 43	| Reality: 617-981-2105 (office)

"Operation Goofy now in effect!"
	--- Tom Servo, "Gamera vs. Gaos," Mystery Science Theater 3000
From: yeidel@tomar.accs.wsu.edu (Joshua Yeidel)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: What is it?
Date: 9 Apr 92 18:11:03 GMT
Article-I.D.: serval.1992Apr9.181103.18711
Reply-To: yeidel@tomar.accs.wsu.edu (Joshua Yeidel)
Organization: Academic Computing Services, Washington State University


Since my business card says "Scientific Visualization Analyst" (not my
idea, by the way), people often ask me what s.v. is.  I say "computer
graphics in the service of scientific insight", which is about as close
as 8 words can get to a description of *my* job.  Of course, the "computer" 
part and the "graphics" part are not necessarily implied by the term s.v.,
as the example of a plastic molecular model indicates.

--
Joshua Yeidel               | yeidel@tomar.accs.wsu.edu
Academic Computing Services | All standard disclaimers apply
Washington State University |   "Believe it if you need it, 
Pullman, WA 99164-1226      |     or leave it if you dare..."
509/335-0441                |         -- Robert Hunter