Travails in the third dimension: a critical evaluation of three-dimensional geographical visualization

Several broad questions are posed about the role of the third dimension in data visualization. First, how far have we come in developing effective 3D displays for the analysis of spatial and other data? Second, when is it appropriate to use 3D techniques in visualising data, which 3D techniques are most appropriate for particular applications, and when might 2D approaches be more appropriate? (Indeed, is 3D always better than 2D?) Third, what can we learn from other communities in which 3D graphics and visualization technologies have been developed? And finally, what are the key R&D challenges in making effective use of the third dimension for visualising data across the spatial and related sciences? Answers to these questions will be based on several lines of evidence: the extensive literature on data and information visualization; visual perception research; computer games technology; and the author’s experiments with a prototype 3D data visualization system

Travails in the third dimension: a critical evaluation of three-dimensional geographical visualization

Several broad questions are posed about the role of the third dimension in data visualization. First, how far have we come in developing effective 3D displays for the analysis of spatial and other data? Second, when is it appropriate to use 3D techniques in visualising data, which 3D techniques are most appropriate for particular applications, and when might 2D approaches be more appropriate? (Indeed, is 3D always better than 2D?) Third, what can we learn from other communities in which 3D graphics and visualization technologies have been developed? And finally, what are the key R&D challenges in making effective use of the third dimension for visualising data across the spatial and related sciences? Answers to these questions will be based on several lines of evidence: the extensive literature on data and information visualization; visual perception research; computer games technology; and the author’s experiments with a prototype 3D data visualization system

Lupa espacio-temporal: Una herramienta para el análisis visual de trayectorias en una bodega de datos

This paper presents a visual tool to facilite the trajectory analysis and the discovery of spatio-temporal patterns in a trajectory data warehouse (TDW). The proposed tool is a spatio-temporal magnifying glass that allows analysts to focus on a specific region, where several trajectories have ocurred and to delect, according to some parameters spsecified by the analyst through a graphical interface, e.g.the closeness relationship between trajectories of between a trajectory and its surrounding sites. In this paper, we propose and formally define derived closeness was the enrichment of a TDW model in order to allow the formulation of more expressive queries and to support the visualization aspect of the proposed tool. Although experiments that are more exhaustive are required, our results evidence some spatio-temporal patterns that demonstrate the convenience and advantages of our tool.En este artículo se presenta una herramienta visual para facilitar el análisis de trayectorias y el descubrimiento de patrones espacio-temporales a partir de una bodega de datos de trayectorias (BDT). La herramienta propuesta, una lupa espacio-temporal, permite que el analista se enfoque en una determinada región donde han ocurrido varias trayectorias y permite detectar, según ciertos parámetros especificados por el analista a través de una interfaz gráfica, p. ej. la relación de cercanía de una trayectoria con otras o con los sitios a su alrededor. En el artículo se proponen y definen formalmente las relaciones de cercanía derivadas entre trayectorias y entre trayectorias y sitios. Una contribución adicional fue el enriquecimiento de un modelo de una BDT con el fin de permitir la formulación de consultas más expresivas y apoyar el aspecto de visualización de la herramienta propuesta. Aunque se requieren experimentos más exhaustivos, los resultados evidenciaron algunos patrones espacio-temporales que demuestran la conveniencia y la utilidad de la herramienta

A flexible browsing framework for the Morpheus transform repository

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-72).This thesis describes the design and implementation of a flexible browsing framework for the Morpheus project. The goal of the Morpheus project is to address the problem of heterogeneous information integration by providing a central repository for database transforms and data types, and storing metadata associated with each object, such as author, name, description, etc. One of the central features of Morpheus is the ability to explore the repository graphically by using this associated metadata. The framework described in this thesis provides an extensible interface for searching and browsing the repository visually, and comprises both back-end components that integrate with the repository as well as a full graphical user interface. The framework is designed to seamlessly integrate browsing and searching by means of user-defined search filters that restrict which results are displayed. We also introduce the concept of a named query, an object that associates a set of filters with a name. This allows the same set of results to be displayed in different ways by different browsers. Finally, three example browser implementations are presented to demonstrate the framework in use.by Tiffany Dohzen.M.Eng

Intégration et optimisation des grilles régulières de points dans une architecture SOLAP relationnelle

IRSTEA : PUB00043913Continuous fields are types of spatial representations used to model phenomena such as temperature, pollution or altitude. They are defined according to a mapping function f that assigns a value of the studied phenomenon to each p location of the studied area. Moreover, the representation of continuous fields at different scales or resolutions is often essential for effective spatial analysis. The advantage of continuous fields is the level of details generated by the continuity of the spatial data, and the quality of the spatial analysis provided by the multi-resolution. The downside of this type of spatial representations in the multidimensionnal analysis is the high cost of analysis and storage performances. Moreover, spatial data warehouses and spatial OLAP systems (EDS and SOLAP) are decision support systems that enable multidimensional spatial analysis of large volumes of spatial and non-spatial data. The analysis of continuous fields in SOLAP architecture represents an interesting research challenge. Various studies have focused on the integration of such representations in SOLAP system. However, this integration still at an early stage. Thus, this thesis focuses on the integration of incomplete continuous fields represented by a regular grid of points in the spatio-multidimensional analysis. This integration in the SOLAP system involves that the analysis of continuous fields must support:(i) conventional OLAP operators, (ii) Continuous spatial data, (iii) spatial operators (spatial slice), and (iv) querying data at different predefined levels of resolutions. In this thesis we propose differents approaches for the analysis of continuous fields in SOLAP system at different levels of the relational architecture (from the conceptual modeling to the optimization of computing performance). We propose a logical model FISS to optimize the performances of the multi-resolution analysis, based on interpolation methods. Then, we present a new methodology based on the Clustering sampling method, to optimize aggregation operations on regular grids of points in the relational SOLAP architecture.Les champs continus sont des types de représentations spatiales utilisées pour modéliser des phénomènes tels que la température, la pollution ou l’altitude. Ils sont définis selon une fonction de mapping f qui affecte une valeur du phénomène étudié à chaque localisation p du domaine d’étude. Par ailleurs, la représentation des champs continus à différentes échelles ou résolutions est souvent essentielle pour une analyse spatiale efficace. L’avantage des champs continus réside dans le niveau de détails généré par la continuité, ainsi que la qualité de l’analyse spatiale fournie par la multi-résolution. L’inconvénient de ce type de représentations dans l’analyse spatio-multidimensionnelle est le coût des performances d’analyse et de stockage. Par ailleurs, les entrepôts de données spatiaux et les systèmes OLAP spatiaux (EDS et SOLAP) sont des systèmes d’aide à la décision qui permettent l’analyse spatio-multidimensionnelle de grands volumes de données spatiales et non spatiales. L’analyse des champs continus dans l’architecture SOLAP représente un défi de recherche intéressant. Différents travaux se sont intéressés à l’intégration de ce type de représentations dans le système SOLAP. Cependant, celle-ci est toujours au stade embryonnaire. Cette thèse s’intéresse à l’intégration des champs continus incomplets représentés par une grille régulière de points dans l’analyse spatio-multidimensionnelle. Cette intégration dans le système SOLAP implique que l’analyse des champs continus doit supporter : (i) les opérateurs OLAP classiques, (ii) la vue continue des données spatiales, (iii) les opérateurs spatiaux (slice spatial) et (iv) l’interrogation des données à différentes résolutions prédéfinies. Dans cette thèse nous proposons différentes approches pour l’analyse des champs continus dans le SOLAP à différents niveaux de l’architecture relationnelle, de la modélisation conceptuelle à l’optimisation des performances de calcul. Nous proposons un modèle logique FISS qui permet d’optimiser les performances d’analyse à multi-résolution en se basant sur des méthodes d’interpolation. Puis, nous exposons une méthodologie basée sur la méthode d’échantillonnage du Clustering, qui permet d’optimiser les opérations d’agrégation des grilles régulières de points dans l’architecture SOLAP relationnelle en effectuant une estimation des résultats

A Formalism for Visual Query Interface Design

The massive volumes and the huge variety of large knowledge bases make information exploration and analysis difficult. An important activity is data filtering and selection, in which both querying and visualization play important roles. Interfaces for data exploration environments normally include both, integrating them as tightly as possible. But many features of information exploration environments, such as visual representation of queries, visualization of query results, interactive data selection from visualizations, have only been studied separately. The intrinsic connections between them have not been described formally. The lack of formal descriptions inhibits the development of techniques that produce new representations for queries, and natural integration of visual query specification with query result visualization. This thesis describes a formalism that describes the basic components of information exploration and and their relationships in information exploration environments. The key aspect of the formalism is that it unifies querying and visualization within a single framework, which provides a foundation for designing and analysing visual query interfaces. Various innovative designs of visual query representations can be derived from the formalism. Simply comparing them with existing ones is not enough, it is more important to discover why one visual representation is better or worse than another. To do this it is necessary to understand users’ cognitive activities, and to know how these cognitive activities are enhanced or inhibited by different presentations of a query so that novel interfaces can be created and improved based on user testing. This thesis presents a new experimental methodology for evaluating query representations, which uses stimulus onset asynchrony to separate different aspects of query comprehension. This methodology was used to evaluate a new visual query representation based on Karnaugh maps, and showing that there are two qualitatively different approaches to comprehension: deductive and inductive. The Karnaugh map representation scales extremely well with query complexity, and the experiment shows that its good scaling properties occur because it strongly facilitates inductive comprehension

Flexible Integration and Efficient Analysis of Multidimensional Datasets from the Web

If numeric data from the Web are brought together, natural scientists can compare climate measurements with estimations, financial analysts can evaluate companies based on balance sheets and daily stock market values, and citizens can explore the GDP per capita from several data sources. However, heterogeneities and size of data remain a problem. This work presents methods to query a uniform view - the Global Cube - of available datasets from the Web and builds on Linked Data query approaches

Étude de la visualisation géographique dans un environnement d'exploration interactive de données géodécisionnelles : adaptation et améliorations

La visualisation géographique de l'information est un aspect important du SOLAP. Elle est le troisième élément clé pour supporter une analyse facile, rapide et intuitive des données prônée par l'approche SOLAP. Cependant, à ce jour, aucune étude ne s'est intéressée spécifiquement à cet aspect du SOLAP et les stratégies de visualisation utilisées traditionnellement dans les SIG ne conviennent pas à l'approche interactive et multidimensionnelle. Ce mémoire présente une recherche exploratoire proposant premièrement de placer la visualisation géographique au coeur de la relation entre l'utilisateur et la base de données. Cette stratégie fait ressurgir plusieurs besoins et possibilités explorées au cours de ce mémoire. Le respect de la flexibilité d'analyse SOLAP, les divers types de visualisation nécessaires pour rendre les différents types de requêtes, puis les manipulations graphiques qui peuvent s'opérer dans un environnement SOLAP font l'objet de propositions. Deuxièmement, ce mémoire propose une méthode permettant une relation directe entre les données et leur visualisation, sans l'intermédiaire de l'utilisateur. La solution théorique résultante respecte la philosophie d'exploration interactive prônée par l'approche SOLAP. Elle suggère l'intégration de l'expertise en visualisation géographique à l'intérieur même de la technologie SOLAP par l'ajout de métadonnées et d'une base de connaissances sémiologiques. Ce premier pas vers une amélioration du processus de visualisation avec SOLAP ouvre la porte à plusieurs recherches ultérieures

Flexible Integration and Efficient Analysis of Multidimensional Datasets from the Web

If numeric data from the Web are brought together, natural scientists can compare climate measurements with estimations, financial analysts can evaluate companies based on balance sheets and daily stock market values, and citizens can explore the GDP per capita from several data sources. However, heterogeneities and size of data remain a problem. This work presents methods to query a uniform view - the Global Cube - of available datasets from the Web and builds on Linked Data query approaches