Virtual Reality for Abstract Data Applications

A considerable interest has emerged in the development of virtual reality applications due to the acceptance of VRML 2.0 as the de facto standard for these applications over the Internet. In this study, we examine and discuss the application of virtual reality for abstract data applications. As a problem domain, we consider monitoring equity stock a domain that is characterized by abstract data. There are several reasons why this study is important. First, while virtual reality has been applied to domains that are easy to visualize or scientific visualization e.g., building layouts, part assemblies, human anatomy, etc. (Poston and Serra 1996, Byarri et al. 1996, Bryson 1996), little work has been done on applications that are abstract in nature. Stock monitoring is an abstract application wherein it is difficult to visualize various facets of a stock for the purpose of monitoring it. Many business applications share this similar level of abstraction. Thus, a research on this application will provide pointers to develop other virtual reality business applications. Stock Monitoring VRML 2.0 World Application The following is an implementation of VRML 2.0 for monitoring selected securities from two industries –"Airline" with 4 firms and "Semiconductors" with 6 firms. Each firm is represented as a visual stock-object, the object has several visual/audio attributes. Virtual reality stock-objects for each of the two industries are placed on separate locations in the world. The following are depicted in the world for each stock-object instance: • Percent weekly gain. Depicted as a thin, fixed radius red cylinder with the base located on the 0 of the Y axis. The height provides a visual measure of the value of the gain. Positive gains appear on the positive Y axis. Negative gains (losses) appear on the negative Y axis. • Percent intraday gain. Depicted as a variable radius cylinder with the base located on the 0 of the Y axis. The height provides a visual measure of the value of the gain. • Percent invested in portfolio (only applicable to portfolios). Radius of cylinder provides visual measure. • Intraday price volatility. Color of cylinder provides measure of volatility. Red is most volatile, blue is least volatile. • Weekly abnormal trading volume. A blue square revolving around the -Y local axis of the stock-object. The faster the revolution, the larger is the weekly abnormal volume. • Intraday abnormal trading volume. A red sphere revolving around the +Y local axis of the stock-object. The faster the revolution, the larger is the intraday abnormal volume. • Last four trading ticks. An aluminum arrow-head depicts the fourth previous trading tick. Bronze arrow-heads depict the next three successive trading ticks. These arrow-heads are horizontal, upwards facing or downwards facing depending upon the price trend. • Weekly high/low percent. A thin cone (spire) with the base on the 0 of the local Y axis extending either to the +Y or the -Y local axis. The height of the spire provides a visual measure of the percent. This extends to the positive Y ( negative Y) local axis when the weekly percentage gain is positive (negative). Additional support provided: • Alarm. Alarm sounds when last three trading ticks are down • Basic fundamentals. Touching the Intraday Gain Cylinder activates a billboard that shows the basic fundamentals: Price, Beta, EPS, P/E , Dividend Yield, and Dividend Amount Decision Support for Trading The VRML world provides two important benefits to dealers/investors: • it facilitates in building a complex mental model of the interaction of various attributes e.g., intraday volume and intraday gain are not correlated when weekly high/low ratio is close to the weekly gain. This complex model can now be acquired because VRML provides a tightly integrated picture—much more integrated compared to other existing tools e.g., multiple screens/windows with 2D and non-interactive 3D charts. This results in three benefits. First, opportunities and threats can be identified in a timely manner -timing is critical to stock trading. Second, the complex mental models can be used to fine-